Blue Jays Discussion: Joe Panik traded for the reliever we need.

[Puckstuff]

Kirk and Jansen getting healthy so quick will force some tough decisions. No way we can stop playing Reese McGuire right now and Kirk is still the best hitter of the group. Jansen can take his time.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Whats John Gibbons doing these days?

I'd offer him a contract tomorrow.

 

[canucksfan]

Kirk and Jansen getting healthy so quick will force some tough decisions. No way we can stop playing Reese McGuire right now and Kirk is still the best hitter of the group. Jansen can take his time.

I think Jansen and Reese play with the team and Kirk is in the minors unfortunately because he has options

 

[Talks to Goalposts]

Kirk and Jansen both get a pair of walks and no hits in their first game for Buffalo.

 

[TGB]

Kirk and Jansen getting healthy so quick will force some tough decisions. No way we can stop playing Reese McGuire right now and Kirk is still the best hitter of the group. Jansen can take his time.

I can see them leaving Kirk down in AAA. There's only like a couple months left and he's lost a ton of playing time, plus his defense is poor, and the team hardly needs more offense, so I can see them thinking it's better to just leave him down there to regain lost time. Jansen is pretty much a finished product at this point, and he could platoon with Reese, so he will likely jump up soonish. He will certainly be better than Adams.

**And someone mentioned options. That's a big one, too.

 

[Kurtz]

A little late to the party - but that's a pretty nifty little trade Shapkins pulled off. A solid reliever plus a very good platoon bat for next to nothing. Also, I don't remember the last side-arm that pitched for us - will be fun to watch.

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

 

[phillipmike]

Oakland lost. Jays 4.5 GB of the 2nd wildcard spot and 6.5 GB of the division.

Would be nice to get a sweep vs the M’s going into our next series vs the Rays.

 

[lebdafor norris]

Nice to see Baltimore is still helping the Jays out by destroying the Astros bullpen for the 2nd straight night as Houston is still a potential wildcard team.

 

[Kurtz]

Nice to see Baltimore is still helping the Jays out by destroying the Astros bullpen for the 2nd straight night as Houston is still a potential wildcard team.

Houston's run differential though...sickening. Might be easier to catch Boston/TB.

 

[Talks to Goalposts]

I think Jansen and Reese play with the team and Kirk is in the minors unfortunately because he has options

They've only optioned Jansen once before, so he still has two option years. The Jays can afford to use whoever is better at that particular moment without it forcing a long-term decision. The only one in a make or break position is McGuire, and fortunately he's making it so far this season.

 

[Cor]

I'd offer him a contract tomorrow.

Yup. Obviously other candidates we can look at, but would not be against a Gibby return either

 

[Discoverer]

I know it's really, really unlikely, but I wouldn't even be against carrying all three of McGuire, Jansen, and Kirk. They were carrying Panik on the roster before, and he offered basically nothing, so it's not like they would be losing a lot (though Kirk would probably be better served playing every day in Buffalo until he's needed).

Two catchers (with Kirk more than adequate as a DH), an IF, and an OF on the bench. Meh. It's just unfortunate none of the catchers can play anywhere else.

 

[Greek_physique]

I know it's really, really unlikely, but I wouldn't even be against carrying all three of McGuire, Jansen, and Kirk. They were carrying Panik on the roster before, and he offered basically nothing, so it's not like they would be losing a lot (though Kirk would probably be better served playing every day in Buffalo until he's needed).

Two catchers (with Kirk more than adequate as a DH), an IF, and an OF on the bench. Meh. It's just unfortunate none of the catchers can play anywhere else.

Don't think its good to carry 3 catchers.

It makes sense if you want to pinch hit for one of them (when the struggle) so the other can come in, but what are the chances all 3 of them would get into one game? I'd rather carry a utility player or someone with speed...IMO, the team is healthy now and the depth on the roster is pretty impressive.

Let Kirk play every day in Buffalo...if he continues to produce, he can easily help our team at the DD

 

[Discoverer]

Don't think its good to carry 3 catchers.

It makes sense if you want to pinch hit for one of them (when the struggle) so the other can come in, but what are the chances all 3 of them would get into one game? I'd rather carry a utility player or someone with speed...IMO, the team is healthy now and the depth on the roster is pretty impressive.

Let Kirk play every day in Buffalo...if he continues to produce, he can easily help our team at the DD

As the roster is right now, they have tons of flexibility with guys who can play multiple positions. So I don't hate reduced bench flexibility in order to keep the best players on the roster. Espinal is your utility guy (with Biggio and Semien both being able to play multiple positions), Davis is your pinch-runner/defensive replacement (with one of the OF getting plenty of time at DH). Barring an injury, I don't see a need for much more than that in terms of versatility, especially since the offense doesn't have anyone you would really want to pinch-hit or run for late in a game. Kirk would at least give them another guy with a bat good enough to DH.

But yeah, I realize it's unlikely and probably not the best use of Kirk's time. I just think it's the best roster construction from a win-now perspective.

 

[as Pure as Evil]

i see donaldson is making lots of friends again. wonder when pitchers might start retaliating against him or his teammates. cause you know the truth is always a cause of repercussion's lol

 

[Greek_physique]

i see donaldson is making lots of friends again. wonder when pitchers might start retaliating against him or his teammates. cause you know the truth is always a cause of repercussion's lol

In Donaldson's case, he'll probably get injured again and pitchers won't need to hear about him again.

 

[phillipmike]

Moreno got snubbed.

 

[Morgs]

Love that Martin made the future stars game, but having no Moreno for Noah "Bo" Naylor with his 53 wRC+ on the season is downright ridiculous. Soderstrom and Adley definitely deserve to be there, but Moreno is arguably more deserving than both.

 

[Discoverer]

Love that Martin made the future stars game, but having no Moreno for Noah "Bo" Naylor with his 53 wRC+ on the season is downright ridiculous. Soderstrom and Adley definitely deserve to be there, but Moreno is arguably more deserving than both.

Yeah, performance-wise, Moreno is head-and-shoulders above everyone this year, including Rutschman.

 

[phillipmike]

Well now we know why Moreno got "snubbed".

 

[Killer Orcas]

Fun fact, did you guys know Grichuk has an AB as a lefty in the MLB? He struck out.

That's interesting indeed guess switch-hitting wasn't for him.

 

[phillipmike]

No Need for Panik: Blue Jays and Marlins Make Marginal Swap

Dickerson, the second part of the Jays’ return, is a sneakily good fit, except for one huge caveat. In an ideal world before this trade, they’d put Springer in center every day and flank him with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Randal Grichuk, with Hernández handling DH duties. Now, they can swap Dickerson into left to give the starters rest while improving their hitting against righty pitching. “Go hit righties” has been Dickerson’s job for his entire career, and he’s accomplished it consistently; he’s been 16% better with the platoon advantage over a decent sample size, and there’s little reason to think that won’t continue.

I like this plan of Teo at DH, Randal in RF and Gurriel in LF with Dickerson platooning.

Andrew McInvale, the other player in the trade, was a 37th round draft pick in 2019. He’s been striking out the world so far this year — 32.4% of opposing batters over two levels of the minors — after a brief introduction to pro ball in 2019. Per Eric Longenhagen, McInvale has worked hard since college to improve his fitness and strength; he was mostly 90-92 in college, but occasionally touched 97. He’s a four-pitch pitcher in theory, but rarely uses his curveball, instead focusing on a slider with vertical action — think of a very poor man’s Shane Bieber. His command makes him relief-only, but if his new physique leads to a sustainable velocity increase, he could be a back-of-the-bullpen type quite soon — at 24, there’s not much benefit to keeping him in the minors if he appears ready to contribute. That doesn’t mean he’s a lock to make the majors — he’s pitched all of 20 innings at Double-A and is walking 15% of opposing hitters there — but he’s certainly an interesting arm.

We had to give up Shane Bieber to get rid of Panik? It had to be done.

 

[stickty111]

 

[phillipmike]

Robert Murray reported this in the offseason;

The rebuilding Pirates don’t need a savior. They simply need a legit big leaguer who can stabilize and mentor an inexperienced staff.

Roark is due $12 million this year, which would make him the Pirates’ most expensive player. Yet, for once, don’t automatically assume those kinds of dollars are a deal-killer. If the Pirates were to trade infielder Adam Frazier ($4.3 million) and reliever Richard Rodriguez ($1.7 million) for Roark and a prospect or two, their Opening Day payroll would rise only to about $46 million.

imagine this was true and traded Roark and 2 prospects for Frazier and Rodriguez.

Sounds like the Jays were heavily after these guys and Dickerson. Maybe a Rodriguez deal is in the cards.