Blue Jays Discussion: Maybe guys are starting to turn it around.

[Scrub*]

Its old. Happ turns 34 in five months and Estrada turns 33 in two months; so hardly "early thirties". Tulo isn't "old", but given his injury history and the fact that shortstops typically regress earlier than other positions (on top of the fact that he's been a poor hitter for about a year now) its hard to pretend that his abysmal performance isn't a bad sign for the future. Saunders is hardly a part of the "core" as he entered this season as a guy who may not have even been on the team. The "core" includes Martin, EE, and Bautista who are 33, 33, and 35 (Jose turns 36 in five months).

can we compare this core of hitters in age to our 92 or 93 teams?

1992- winfield-40 carter-32 white-29 alomar-24 olerud-23

1993- add 1 year to each player and subtract winfield, add molitor-36 and fernandez-31

you could argue we had 3-4 core hitters in their prime years or younger back then but now we don't

 

[p.l.f.]

so if this lineup works we get 3 solo shots to start the game

 

[Canada4Gold]

Bautista batting lead off tonight.

I called for this for a while early in the year. He made the most sense to me when he was getting on base at a crazy good clip.

With the way him and Saunders are hitting it makes less sense now than it did then though.

I still don't mind it. But it feels like something he's doing to switch it up, get somebody going.

 

[Bluelines]

He'sa great reliever and does this every year.

Great relievers don't suck the wind out of teams sails.

 

[TootooTrain]

Great relievers don't suck the wind out of teams sails.

Analysis doesn't contain nautical anecdotes.

 

[p.l.f.]

I remember way back when Bautista sucked and Cito put him in the leadoff spot because he sensed he was figuring it out.
He was laughed at for trying it at the time

 

[Eyedea]

I remember way back when Bautista sucked and Cito put him in the leadoff spot because he sensed he was figuring it out.
He was laughed at for trying it at the time

Probably because he was a slap hitting utility player at the time.

 

[tml19]

Travis is 3 for 3 with a double and 2 RBI so far

 

[Canada4Gold]

Travis seems ready. Hope he gets called up within the next week.

Meanwhile Urena left the Dunedin game, not sure why

 

[Loosie]

With the amount of times that Bautista gets walked I don't mind him being the lead-off guy.

 

[metafour]

All the transactions made in 2015 pretty much ensured that barring a miracle this team will be garbage in 4-5 years anyways. I'd rather be reckless as hell and try to win over the next 3 years and be truly utter garbage after that.

I think that this is a pretty silly standpoint considering that this team has a lot of assets they can trade off which would speed up a retool/rebuild considerably if they chose to go that way. Not just Bautista/EE, but a guy like Estrada who is starting to put up a long enough resume of #2 type performance that he'd bring back a legitimate package.

 

[Radiohead]

Perdomo with another solid outing in Lansing tonight. Looks like a big 4 forming in the rotation down there.

 

[canucksfan]

Can't wait until Travis comes back.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Estrada is even better than he was last year.

 

[TootooTrain]

Estrada is even better than he was last year.

Only thing that sticks out is his walk rate which has jumped. But aside from that he's been excellent.

 

[lebdafor norris]

Interviews with Barry Davis can get so cringeworthy at times.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Estrada is even better than he was last year.

He's really our #1 guy right now

 

[weems]

Only thing that sticks out is his walk rate which has jumped. But aside from that he's been excellent.

Meanwhile the advanced stats community think hes not very good.

 

[Discoverer]

Meanwhile the advanced stats community think hes not very good.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/marco-estrada-al-contact-manager-of-the-year/

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/marco-estrada-isnt-just-a-one-year-fluke/

 

[Sokil]

He's really our #1 guy right now

But...wait....his numbers were unsustainable and Stroman was gonna be our #1 ace this year, I thought?

Meanwhile the advanced stats community think hes not very good.

those people are idiots

 

[p.l.f.]

stroman sanchez happ estrada
you could rearrange that order any way
they've all been equally as good

 

[Discoverer]

those people are idiots

There were legitimate concerns that his ERA wouldn't be quite as sparkling this year as it was last year.

Introducing the cutter has been a game-changer for him as far as keeping hitters off balance. He's been amazing.

 

[p.l.f.]

Shappy gives Gibby a vote of confidence

 

[Brown Dog]

Shappy gives Gibby a vote of confidence

Also known as the "dreaded" vote of confidence.

 

[Loosie]

Shappy gives Gibby a vote of confidence

Just coming to post this...Gibbons days are numbered then. When was the last time a coach/manager did NOT get fired after a 'vote of confidence'