Blue Jays Discussion: Off-Season Edition III: Spring Training Madness (Spring Training is over. Season starts on Thursday, Mar 30)

[hockeywiz542]

We look forward to seeing you

 

[The Nemesis]

OK, which of you guys complained about not seeing the pitch clock during these home games?

There's a clock overlay in the corner now. I hope if they're going to keep this they find a way to better integrate it into the score bug.

 

[SDig14]

 

[kb]

His second outing looked better than his first.
But he has the Kikuchi brain thing going on. Overthinking everything, and trying to make every pitch perfect.

 

[cyris]

His second outing looked better than his first.
But he has the Kikuchi brain thing going on. Overthinking everything, and trying to make every pitch perfect.

Hopefully another guy who benefits from the pitch clock. If he is overthinking don’t give him time to think.

 

[kb]

Hopefully another guy who benefits from the pitch clock. If he is overthinking don’t give him time to think.

You could see when he came back out for the next inning, for the first batter at least, he just got the sign and pitched.

Needs the to remember the Nuke Laloosh mantra "Don't think, just pitch....don't think, just pitch"

 

[The Nemesis]

Oh no! Chapman sucks now!

 

[The Nemesis]

Has Mattingly told Bo to shave his sideburns yet?

 

[The Nemesis]

Drink. You know why.

 

[kb]

Oh no! Chapman sucks now!

 

[The Nemesis]

View attachment 661305

 

[Bjindaho]

His second outing looked better than his first.
But he has the Kikuchi brain thing going on. Overthinking everything, and trying to make every pitch perfect.

Honestly, his problem with the first batter was that his curveball didn't work. He came back out with curveball control and the result was better.

 

[kb]

Honestly, his problem with the first batter was that his curveball didn't work. He came back out with curveball control and the result was better.

Exactly. You could see with the first batter he was thinking too much about making a perfect pitch with the curve.

 

[The Nemesis]

jeebus, we're gonna get shut down from a bases loaded, no outs situation.

Good thing it's just spring training and these guys are all farmhands.

 

[The Nemesis]

 

[Nineteen67]

If you’re planning to go to a game in Dunedin bring lots at money - $18.50 for two pops. My son and and I ate our supper cheaper than the 2nd inning.

Having said that, it’s still one of the most beautiful places on the earth.

 

[canucksfan]

Jays look like they have nice relief pitching depth in AAA this year.

Looks like a week or so away from Belt being in the lineup

 

[canucksfan]

Anyone know the pitchers who are out of options and have to make the team? Obviously asking about players on the bubble.

 

[The Nemesis]

Anyone know the pitchers who are out of options and have to make the team? Obviously asking about players on the bubble.

According to the Fangraphs Roster Resource Jays' depth chart:

Rotation
Manoah and Kikuchi have 3 options apiece, every other projected starter is past the point of being optionable.

As far as depth guys:
Pearson - 2
Zulueta - 3
Zach Tompson - 3
Hatch - 1
Hutchison - n/a
Lawrence - 0
Matt Peacock - 1
Bowden Francis - 2
Nick Allgeyer - 2



Bullpen
Romano - 2
Swanson - 1
Garcia - n/a
Bass - n/a
Mayza - 2
Cimber - 3
Richards - 0
White - 0

Depth
Pop - 2
Thornton - 1
Jay Jackson - 0
Junior Fernandez - 0
Luke Bard - 0
Paul Fry - 2
Julian Fernandez - 2
Hagan Danner - listed as 2 but I don't recall him ever getting called up so that seems weird.

Honestly, except for the options issue, I think Pop should be in the pen to begin with. I get them wanting White as a long man / emergency or spot starter but I wouldn't be against firing Richards into the sun unless he conclusively demonstrates that his massive walk spike last season was the flukiest of flukes

 

[The Nemesis]

Gausman supposed to be on the hill for tomorrow's game, but it's likely the audience here is going to be super small because TDL.

I might see about firing up a stream of TSN's coverage on my laptop and played on a connected monitor (really a smallish TV) while I put the game on my actual TV, but we'll see.

 

[theaub]

Are there even any trades left to make

 

[kb]

Are there even any trades left to make

Gavin Lux is out for the season for the Dodgers.

Perhaps a deal can be made.....Jays have the Biggio, Espinal, and Whitfield logjam. One of the blogging sites was speculating about an Espinal for Ryan Pepiot deal.....their 6th ranked prospect, and #2 pitching prospect.

I'd rather hang on to Espinal as he can play all infield positions and back up SS, TBH.

 

[Bjindaho]

Gavin Lux is out for the season for the Dodgers.

Perhaps a deal can be made.....Jays have the Biggio, Espinal, and Whitfield logjam. One of the blogging sites was speculating about an Espinal for Ryan Pepiot deal.....their 6th ranked prospect, and #2 pitching prospect.

I'd rather hang on to Espinal as he can play all infield positions and back up SS, TBH.

I love how quick people are to do that.

Espinal put up 2.3fWAR last year while visibly slowing down. Whit put up a 1.5.

I see a problem in getting Biggio at bats, because he hasn't done anything to warrant playing over either one, but he's excellent depth who can play a few positions in a pinch.

Against lefties, Espinal and Merrifield should be playing every time. We have 3 lefties who are all better versus righties and who should see some of their days off correspond to lefties on the mound.

One of the things that drives me mad is using the DH spot as a "half day off". While you take away the stress of playing the field, you still keep everything else.

Our DH spot this year should almost exclusively be one of Belt, Kirk, or Springer (the latter two being used there for load management)

 

[kb]

I love how quick people are to do that.

Espinal put up 2.3fWAR last year while visibly slowing down. Whit put up a 1.5.

I see a problem in getting Biggio at bats, because he hasn't done anything to warrant playing over either one, but he's excellent depth who can play a few positions in a pinch.

Against lefties, Espinal and Merrifield should be playing every time. We have 3 lefties who are all better versus righties and who should see some of their days off correspond to lefties on the mound.

One of the things that drives me mad is using the DH spot as a "half day off". While you take away the stress of playing the field, you still keep everything else.

Our DH spot this year should almost exclusively be one of Belt, Kirk, or Springer (the latter two being used there for load management)

Oh, I didn't say I would go for it. In fact, I said that I would prefer to keep Espinal over doing that deal. Espinal provides so much more positional versatility as he is the only real SS backup option currently, plus he is an above average defender at 3 positions.

It's just that there are 3 natural 2B on the roster (plus Lopez and possibly Barger waiting in the wings), so it would be a way to deal from a position of strength to either fill another need, or to add a prospect from that Dodger pipeline. Again, I keep Espinal first.

Agreed about the DH spot. They can mostly run Belt out there against righties, and then use the DH spot to give a regular like Springer, Kirk, or Jansen a rest vs lefties.....

 

[Bjindaho]

Oh, I didn't say I would go for it. In fact, I said that I would prefer to keep Espinal over doing that deal. Espinal provides so much more positional versatility as he is the only real SS backup option currently, plus he is an above average defender at 3 positions.

It's just that there are 3 natural 2B on the roster (plus Lopez and possibly Barger waiting in the wings), so it would be a way to deal from a position of strength to either fill another need, or to add a prospect from that Dodger pipeline. Again, I keep Espinal first.

Agreed about the DH spot. They can mostly run Belt out there against righties, and then use the DH spot to give a regular like Springer, Kirk, or Jansen a rest vs lefties.....

My thought was more about the lack of love Espinal has been getting. He posted 1.8 fWAR up to Jul 2nd, then 0.5 after with an obvious reason.