Blue Jays Discussion: Off-Season Pt VIII: Spring approaches and less (fewer) things are happening

[phillipmike]

Best comments I saw today in response to the Bergen trade;

-Instead of trading cash considerations for Bergen, the Jays should have traded cash to a broadcasting crew for their own spring training broadcast.

-Next time we should trade Cash Considerations for Preseason Broadcasts.

 

[hoglund]

Here's what I put together for ST. I believe everything that is not on Sportsnet is available via MLB TV (including the webcasts), but not guaranteeing it. The Jays have no indicators of any broadcast information on the team website so I'm working off the assumption that the only games being carried are the TV games per their press release.

3/1 vs PIT - Radio (pirates.com webcast)
3/2 vs PHI - None
3/3 @ NYY - None
3/4 @ DET - Radio (WXYT)
3/5 vs BAL - None
3/6 vs PHI - None
3/7 @ DET - Radio (97.1 DET)
3/9 vs PHI - None
3/10 @ BAL - None
3/11 vs DET - None
3/12 @ PIT - TV (Sportsnet)
3/13 vs BAL - None
3/14 vs NYY - Radio (WFAN)
3/15 @ DET - TV (Sportsnet)
3/16 @ PHI - None
3/17 vs NYY - None
3/19 @ DET - None
3/20 @ PHI - TV (Sportsnet)
3/21 vs NYY - TV (Sportsnet)
3/22 vs DET - TV (Sportsnet)
3/23 @ PHI - None
3/24 @ NYY - TV (Sportsnet)
3/25 vs DET - None
3/26 vs PHI - None
3/27 @ NYY - TV (Sportsnet)
3/28 vs DET - TV (Sportsnet)
3/29 @ PHI - TV (Sportsnet)

So yeah...not great!

What happened to the fan 590?

 

[Anthrax442]

they wont do radio production anymore, so i assume if theres not TV aspect, theres nothing to draw radio from.

 

[rojac]

What happened to the fan 590?

They'll only be doing simulcasts of the Sportsnet TV broadcasts (during the season) this year.

It is interested to note that most of our opponents this season are only doing limited radio and TV broadcasts during spring training. For example, it looks like the Phillies only have radio broadcasts of a handful of their TV games and no radio broadcasts of non-TV games. The Yankees also have limited radio coverage this year. I haven't looked at the Pirates, Tigers, or Orioles broadcast schedules. Those are all the teams that the Jays play this spring.

 

[phillipmike]

Jays starting the season in Dunedin this year. So we can call them the Dunedin Blue Jays, I mocked up a logo;

 

[canucksfan]

 

[BigBlu]

I'll read about it in the papers on Tuesday.

 

[Jozay]

Glad we get to watch

 

[phillipmike]

 

[Amadeus]

That guy should be fired for a consistent display of incompetency, union or no union.

 

[theaub]

I'm all for ripping on Angel but that's a borderline strike at best.

 

[phillipmike]

Each team's active WAR leader

Blue Jays: Cavan Biggio, 2B (4.9 WAR)
94th all-time in Blue Jays history
Next up: Tom Underwood, 5.0
The Blue Jays are so young that Biggio, amazingly, leads them in career WAR. Which Jay catches him over the next decade? Do any of them?

Damn that means the other 25 guys dont deserve to be on the roster either.

 

[Discoverer]

I'm all for ripping on Angel but that's a borderline strike at best.

That's exactly what I thought. He's the absolute worst, but that's not a good example of how bad he is.

 

[Hoverhand]

Each team's active WAR leader


Damn that means the other 25 guys dont deserve to be on the roster either.

At first I was shocked that Biggio was our war leader until I took a few seconds to think about it. The three major sports teams in Toronto have a combined 2 players that have been here since before 2016, Kyle Lowry and Morgan Rielly. I can't imagine there's another city with atleast 3 teams that comes close to that.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[heatersthebest]

Nice to see Anthony Alford again. It was an interesting path he took, which maybe made him more interesting to follow.

 

[phillipmike]

Three Hitters Poised for a Breakout Season in 2021

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B/3B, Toronto Blue Jays

Long have we heard about the coming of Vladito.

Baseball’s No. 1 prospect two years ago, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has not yet lived up to the hype—minus the show he put on in the 2019 Home Run Derby before losing in the finals to Pete Alonso. But, I assure you, this is the year he puts it all together.

First off, let’s acknowledge all that Guerrero has done over his first two seasons. He’s hit .269/.336/.442 with 24 home runs in 183 games—impressive numbers for most players before their 22nd birthday. But he’s not supposed to be most players. He was born to be a star.

best shape of his life. Guerrero had dropped 40 pounds by the end of November, and those who had seen him in person raved about his progress. That he played as well as he did in 2020, despite reporting to summer camp after the COVID-19 shutdown at 280 pounds, which is indicative of his talent. He had a 115 OPS+ and played in all 60 of Toronto’s games.

• Read more about the Blue Jays' 2021 outlook in SI's Fantasy Preview

But because his weight gain hindered his mobility, the Blue Jays moved him from third base to first. He took the demotion to heart and worked to cut his weight without sapping his power, with the intention of earning back his third base job. Regardless of where he plays, though, a more fit Vladdy is going to be a far more productive player.

Beyond his body composition, Guerrero’s peripherals suggest his breakout season is imminent, so long as he makes a few adjustments. Last year he ranked in the 93rd percentile in hard-hit percentage and average exit velocity, according to Statcast. The problem was his 4.6-degree launch angle, well below the MLB average (11.9 degrees). So, even though he was hitting the ball insanely hard, more than half of his balls in play were hit on the ground. Grounders are more likely to be turned into outs, especially when the batter is not fast. If Guerrero lifts the ball more, he’ll be one of the best hitters in baseball.

 

[TopChedder]

Is there no stream anywhere for this game?

 

[theaub]

Rowdy may never get out again.

 

[as Pure as Evil]

Rowdy may never get out again.

i think a good year for him will be something along the lines of 20 doubles 20-25 homeruns and hopefully around a 270ish average.. is what i hope he pulls off this year at least or something around that. he could easily eclipse that homerun number in my opinion.

 

[phillipmike]

lol

 

[The Nemesis]

Is there no stream anywhere for this game?

Other than a Pirates radio broadcast from their website (referenced in the lineup graphic) I don't think there is anything for this game.

As much of a big deal as was made about the Angels showing every spring game on TV, it looks like a lot of teams have cut back their spring training broadcast coverage, not just the Blue Jays.

 

[The Nemesis]

I shouldn't even be surprised anymore. But damn, he is bound and determined to die on that hill.

"Signing Semien is a clear indicator Biggio should not be an everyday player on a contender"

Blue Jays: "Biggio's going to get most of the reps at 3rd base, a position he's only played scant innings at before. We literally prefer sticking a guy at an unfamiliar position to taking him out of the lineup entirely. Your move, Keith."


This also reminds me of "joebaiting" from the days of Fire Joe Morgan. People in the chats are intentionally leading him with questions about Biggio so they can laugh at him continuing his hardline stance without him being in on the joke.

 

[phillipmike]

That is now 2 MLBTR writers and now a FG writer thinking Odorizzi's best fit is with the Jays.

This is the first time we see someone suggesting a one yer deal for Odorizzi. If thats the case then his agents screwed up in back to back off-seasons.

He was the first to sign last off-season from the top 50 via a QO and might be the last this off-season.

Tough last 18 months for Odorizzi.

 

[TF97]