Blue Jays Discussion: Off-Season VI: It's no longer the off-season, but the thread isn't done yet

[Morgs]

I'll be concerned when Tapia hits leadoff in a real game. It's still Spring Training, and batting Tapia in Springer's spot allows everyone else to stay in what I assume will be their normal spot in the lineup as they continue to get ready for the season.

It's just so Montoyo to do this we all knew it was coming the moment he was traded for.

 

[Discoverer]

It's just so Montoyo to do this we all knew it was coming the moment he was traded for.

Oh yeah, absolutely... I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that he'll figure some of this stuff out. At the very least, I don't think this is any indication that it will happen in the regular season because doing it for today's game actually makes sense.

 

[rojac]

Is the game televised today?

The game is available free on Sportsnet Now.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Video game related but Carlos Delgado apparently got leaked as a legend in MLB 22.

f***. Yes. Give me a milestone 4 HR game card or a Silver slugger card from 2000.

God help my wallet if Delgado is one of the collection rewards.

 

[phillipmike]

MLB's most loaded lineups? We ranked 'em

It’s the most wonderful time of year! Time to pontificate and prognosticate what will happen in the fast-approaching Major League season … and then, of course, argue about it incessantly. Each year, we use this space to rank the top 10 lineups, rotations and bullpens in baseball. It is, well,

www.mlb.com

2) Blue Jays

1. George Springer, R, CF
2. Bo Bichette, R, SS
3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., R, 1B
4. Teoscar Hernández, R, DH
5. Matt Chapman, R, 3B
6. Lourdes Gurriel Jr., R, LF
7. Cavan Biggio, L, 2B
8. Danny Jansen, R, C
9. Raimel Tapia, L, RF

Toronto had the highest team OPS (.797) in MLB last season. Of course, that was with a 45-homer, 39-double season from Marcus Semien, who departed in free agency. (It was also with more than half of their home games in the hitter havens of Buffalo, N.Y., and Dunedin, Fla.) Chapman was a huge add for this infield defensively, but he’s coming off his worst offensive season (.210/.314/.403 slash line), so we’ll see if the move to the AL East and Rogers Centre benefits him.

Regardless, we have only begun to witness what Guerrero, the 2021 AL Hank Aaron Award winner, can accomplish in this league. And if Springer, who only played 78 games last season, can stay healthy, that’s a big boost atop the order. In Guerrero, Springer, Hernández, Bichette, Chapman and Gurriel, the Blue Jays have six players projected by Steamer (available at FanGraphs) for at least 20 homers and 20 doubles this year. The only concern is how right-handed they are.

Ranking the 10 best rotations in MLB

Last season, 396 different human beings took the mound as the starting pitcher in a Major League game. Yes, that was a record (blowing past the previous mark of 368 set in the previous full season in 2019), partly attributable to the changing nature of pitcher usage patterns and partly

www.mlb.com

3. Blue Jays
José Berríos, RHP
Kevin Gausman, RHP
Hyun Jin Ryu, LHP
Alek Manoah, RHP
Yusei Kikuchi, LHP

Even after the departure of reigning AL Cy Young winner Robbie Ray, the Blue Jays could potentially field an even better rotation than the one that ranked sixth in the Majors in ERA (3.79) last season. That's because they'll have a full season from Berríos, their impact 2021 Trade Deadline acquisition (120 ERA+ over the last three seasons), and because of their offseason signing of Gausman (138 ERA+ over the last two seasons).

Ryu, who was league average last season after a run of three straight extraordinary seasons, should benefit from Matt Chapman's defensive help in the infield. Manoah was a breakout rookie last year (136 ERA+ in 111 2/3 innings), and former top pitching prospect Nate Pearson looms as depth here. Toronto hopes to do for the recently signed Kikuchi, who was terrific in the first half last season (3.48 ERA) before cratering in the second (5.98), what it did last year for Steven Matz, whose career was rejuvenated in his lone season north of the border.

The 10 best bullpens in baseball, ranked

Our annual exercise in self-defeat is upon us. Bullpens are every bit as important to team outcome as the lineups and the rotations we ranked earlier this week. But given how erratic this particular area of the game is, we cannot in good conscience tell you that anything you read

www.mlb.com

9) Blue Jays
Closer: RHP Jordan Romano
Primary setup men: RHP Adam Cimber, LHP Tim Mayza, RHP Yimi García, RHP Trevor Richards
A leap of faith here, because the bullpen is basically the reason the Blue Jays fell frustratingly shy of the postseason last year. It had a 4.08 ERA and the lowest number of holds (60) in MLB.

But the above only included partial-season contributions from Cimber and Richards, both of whom were acquired in midseason trades and posted sub-1.00 WHIPs with Toronto. Now, they’ll be around all year to set up Romano, who is one of the best relievers in the game (1.97 ERA in 77 2/3 innings in 2020-21). García, who has a 120 ERA+ and 1.00 WHIP over the last three seasons, is an impact offseason signing. Former top pitching prospect Nate Pearson could be an X-factor, depending on what his role turns out to be. Veteran David Phelps is also healthy and an option. So even though the ’pen underperformed last year, the Blue Jays will have a good bullpen this year.

So according to MLB.com, the Jays have the 2nd best lineup, 3rd best rotation and 9th best pen. Dodgers are ranked ahead of the Jays for the lineup at 1 and pen at 8. However, the Jays are ranked 4 spots higher when ranking the rotation.

White Sox are right behind the Jays in lineup and rotation. However, they are 2nd in pen. Perhaps they are the best team in the league according to this ranking.

 

[phillipmike]

Came across these.

 

[canucksfan]

 

[habamillions]

Charlie montoyo and his love for below average hitters is like Claude Julien and uncontrollable fetish for playing Gregory Campbell and Daniel Paille when the Bruins needed a goal late. Or if you're a Habs fan, Nick Cousins. Or in the post cup years playing an 89 year old Jay Pandolfo in the top 6.

Tapia is not a good hitter, let alone being good enough to lead off. But Charlie sees "muh speed" and '"muh running out poorly hit grounders"

It was maddening then, and it's maddening now. The worst part is if you take away the offender's toy like some have suggested, they just find another toy to replace it.

It was so irritating. Can even add darche and desharnais to the list

 

[Canada4Gold]

AKA sore shoulder from getting vaccinated but didn't want to admit it

 

[Clark4Ever]

I'm obviously not expecting all star calibre Dexter Fowler, but if he can be a reliable depth outfielder off the bench for us, that's a win.

 

[dredeye]

Every year should be the highest payroll in team history just based on indexing inflation.

Winner of dumbest comment

 

[hockeywiz542]

As Fowler finally joins Blue Jays, current outfield mix comes into focus

As Fowler’s deal expired, once again the Blue Jays showed interest, and agreed to terms on a minor-league deal Wednesday.

www.sportsnet.ca

Like Fowler, the Blue Jays find themselves in a far different place now than they did when they last pursued him. They’ve emerged on the other side of a rebuild with a roster that now features plenty of the youth and athleticism it once lacked. With a week remaining in spring training, they look like one of baseball’s best teams.

Still, there’s always room for depth and there’s no harm in taking a shot on Fowler on a minor-league deal. Where that leads is harder to predict since he has played in just 38 total games since 2019. Because he’s arriving late to camp, an opening day roster spot isn’t under discussion and he’ll likely need weeks to get to game speed.

“That’s fair,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said before Wednesday’s Grapefruit League game against the Yankees. “It’ll take a little bit of time because he missed a lot of time, of course. All I know about that guy is that he killed us wherever I was, whether it was with the Rays or with the Blue Jays. Good player.”

The context surrounding Fowler’s pending deal is also relevant here. Greg Bird’s the clear frontrunner to win the open spot on the Blue Jays’ bench, but there’s not a ton of apparent competition for that role with his primary rival perhaps Nathan Lukes, a left-handed hitting outfielder who posted an .808 OPS for the Rays' triple-A team last year. Under those circumstances, some veteran help would be useful while the Blue Jays’ top prospects continue developing in the minor-leagues.

But even if Fowler isn’t an immediate option for the major-league team, their outfield continued taking shape Wednesday when the recently-acquired Raimel Tapia started in centre field for the first time since being traded.

Defensively speaking, the Blue Jays expect to use Tapia primarily as a left fielder but they’ll also use him in centre behind George Springer, who played centre in an intra-squad game at the team’s training facility Wednesday afternoon. While the Blue Jays expect better health from Springer in 2022, he has started fewer games in centre each successive year since moving to the position in 2017. That makes Tapia’s skillset all the more important.

 

[Cloned]

Bold prediction:

Espinal hits .280+ with 20 HRs this season.

 

[TGB]

So, Palacios or Lukes?

Espinal hits .280+ with 20 HRs this season.

Not that bold, actually, although I say it will be more like 290 and 15 home runs. He'll push it more next season. Man this team will be dynamic if he breaks out. Moreso if Biggio can become more consistent.

 

[Puckstuff]

Winner of dumbest comment

Thanks for that. I was quoting your comment "This is the highest payroll in team history" like that is an achievement or something when it should be going up, especially when their revenues are going up every year and the entire fiat economy is growing.

The annual financial conversation about Rogers has been beaten to death. I wasn’t even calling them cheap per say, I just can’t give them an A when they have an average net profit margin of 12.3 % and are a 14.5 billion dollar a year company.

 

[jcollins]

Bold prediction:

Espinal hits .280+ with 20 HRs this season.

How many games do you think he plays in?

 

[Discoverer]

So, Palacios or Lukes?



Not that bold, actually, although I say it will be more like 290 and 15 home runs. He'll push it more next season. Man this team will be dynamic if he breaks out. Moreso if Biggio can become more consistent.

Predicting a 27 year old will break out for 20 HR when he has 2 in half a season in the majors and hit 21 in 1700 minor league PA (with a career high of 10 while being very old for his level) is a very bold prediction, yes.

 

[Cloned]

How many games do you think he plays in?

130 ish.

 

[Puckstuff]

Bold prediction:

Espinal hits .280+ with 20 HRs this season.

Who has a higher WAR this year, Espinal or Lindor? It's crazy I can even ask that question. I love this team.

I hope Bichette works out at SS defensively and I want to see what Biggio can do at 2B, but man, a Chapman-Espinal-Bichette-Gurrerro infield would be pretty damn elite defensively.

 

[canucksfan]

 

[weems]

Manoah starting.

I think this is the best lineup thats played so far.

 

[Bjindaho]

View attachment 524367

Manoah starting.

I think this is the best lineup thats played so far.

That is an interesting top 4. Outside of Jansen or Bird playing, this would be our best lineup right now (ignoring positions).

 

[kb]

Interesting tack on sentence at the bottom.

 

[Bjindaho]

Interesting tack on sentence at the bottom.

Honestly, given what they've done, each of our 3 catchers would be top 30 in baseball with starter playing time (they are all significant upgrades over both catchers in the Bronx for example).

 

[BertCorbeau]

Have you heard the word?