Blue Jays Discussion: The official Danny Jackson Appreciation Society

[Dr.Funk]

The only positive thing regarding the Jays offence is it can only get better!

RISP for sure but almost everything else they are already among the top teams

 

[LaP]

For some people, the grass is always greener on the other side. Like it can’t be that Toronto Blue Jays are one of the best teams in the league. Houston has almost the identical record with Toronto. Baltimore maybe 6.5 games ahead, but the run differential and other stats are almost identical with Toronto. Yet those teams are so amazing, while Toronto is no good.

The sky is always less cloudy on your own side too. I mean last year the bullpen needed an upgrade. Altkins tried to fix it with questionable acquisitions (imo). Result was bullpen crapped the bed in playoffs big time and it started with one of the acquisition failing to protect a huge lead in the 8th.

It's not uncommon at all for cup and ws winners to acquire a player or two at the deadline. Colorado added Lehkonen and Manson for their cup run despite having a rock solid team already. I still think the Jays need to add a bat. I'm fine with Dejong being the Bichette replacement short term (hopefully) but the Jays still need more help offensively imo.

I know lot of fans are high on Belt but he's not a DH you can send every night and think he'll do the job. He has holes in his game.

 

[Eyedea]

The sky is always less cloudy on your own side too. I mean last year the bullpen needed an upgrade. Altkins tried to fix it with questionable acquisitions (imo). Result was bullpen crapped the bed in playoffs big time and it started with one of the acquisition failing to protect a huge lead in the 8th.

It's not uncommon at all for cup and ws winners to acquire a player or two at the deadline. Colorado added Lehkonen and Manson for their cup run despite having a rock solid team already. I still think the Jays need to add a bat. I'm fine with Dejong being the Bichette replacement short term (hopefully) but the Jays still need more help offensively imo.

I know lot of fans are high on Belt but he'S not a DH you can send every night and think he'll do the job. He has holes in his game.

Bass was obviously a huge disappointment but he was a pretty big deadline acquisition being arguably the best reliever on the market. Whit was a more shrewd move that paid off in spades.

I don't really see a big issue with how they're utilizing Belt. He's been great against righties and with Kirk/Jansen heating up they've given him some rest. Pham would be a nice bat that could spend some time at DH as well but it's not like the Jays need to actively look for a premium bat to hit early on in the lineup.

 

[jetsforever]

I like the DeJong trade as long as it doesn't signal Bo problems

If Bo's injury is minor I wonder if he can DH for a bit with Paul/Espinal manning SS

 

[LaP]

Bass was obviously a huge disappointment but he was a pretty big deadline acquisition being arguably the best reliever on the market. Whit was a more shrewd move that paid off in spades.

I don't really see a big issue with how they're utilizing Belt. He's been great against righties and with Kirk/Jansen heating up they've given him some rest.

The easiest path to upgrade the offense is Belt. All the position players are either too good offensively to be easily upgraded or two good defensively so that if you upgrade then offensively you'll likely downgrade the defense.

If you don't upgrade Belt i don't see how you upgrade the offense and unless the players figure it out by themselves before the playoffs this offense will struggle against the best teams. Winning 4 games out of 7 by allowing less than 5 runs is not that easy. You gotta go grab a win or 2 with the offense.

 

[Eyedea]

The easiest path to upgrade the offense is Belt. All the position players are either too good offensively to be easily upgraded or two good defensively so that if you upgrade then offensively you'll likely downgrade the defense.

If you don't upgrade Belt i don't see how you upgrade the offense and unless the players figure it out by themselves before the playoffs this offense will struggle against the best teams.

How do you upgrade 126 wRC+ against righties? I think that's pretty hard. Even the O's only have two guys that have better marks against righties (O'Hearn and Henderson). Belt's currently our best bat against righties.

 

[trellaine201]

3 out of 5. Short series. Need pitching.

 

[ShaneFalco]

The easiest path to upgrade the offense is Belt. All the position players are either too good offensively to be easily upgraded or two good defensively so that if you upgrade then offensively you'll likely downgrade the defense.

If you don't upgrade Belt i don't see how you upgrade the offense and unless the players figure it out by themselves before the playoffs this offense will struggle against the best teams. Winning 4 games out of 7 by allowing less than 5 runs is not that easy. You gotta go grab a win or 2 with the offense.

yup Belt has been streaky but somewhat disappointing overall. I can see him turning it up a notch though for a new contract

 

[kb]

The easiest path to upgrade the offense is Belt. All the position players are either too good offensively to be easily upgraded or two good defensively so that if you upgrade then offensively you'll likely downgrade the defense.

If you don't upgrade Belt i don't see how you upgrade the offense and unless the players figure it out by themselves before the playoffs this offense will struggle against the best teams. Winning 4 games out of 7 by allowing less than 5 runs is not that easy. You gotta go grab a win or 2 with the offense.

Belt is leading the team in OBP at .356, and has an OPS+ of 116.

Might wanna look at the stats before posting - he's doing his job.

 

[Puckstuff]

A couple bullpen pieces and a defensive upgrade sounds like a Shapiro/Atkins type off-season. I don’t mind it. I wouldn’t want to be giving up Ricky T for Verlander if I’m being honest. We’re getting Ryu and Green back. I’m fine if we do nothing else. David Schneider is a possible RH bat/4th of. No need to break the bank for a 4th outfielder unless something falls in our lap that’s more of a value trade imo.

 

[LaP]

How do you upgrade 126 wRC+ against righties? I think that's pretty hard. Even the O's only have two guys that have better marks against righties (O'Hearn and Henderson). Belt's currently our best bat against righties.

That's a good thing LHP went extinct then.

 

[Eyedea]

Knock on wood but Bichette's been pretty resilient these last few years. Even that collision with Springer last year left him unscathed.

 

[trellaine201]

Not a fan of Belt. Whiffs a lot and slow as molasses.

 

[Eyedea]

That's a good thing LHP went extinct then.

He doesn't start vs them and he gets pinch hit for in crucial situations.

 

[Kurtz]

We're 100% still getting a right-handed bat.

 

[kb]

Not a fan of Belt. Whiffs a lot and slow as molasses.

He's a DH/1B signed for $9 million who is leading the team in on base percentage. What were you expecting, really?

 

[LaP]

Belt is leading the team in OBP at .356, and has an OPS+ of 116.

Might wanna look at the stats before posting - he's doing his job.

Let's not upgrade the offense then and see how that goes. I'll happily be wrong about it. OBP lose lot of value when you're slow on base. BBs rarely run batters in. Truck load of strikeouts too which usually is not good against best relief pitchers.

 

[ShaneFalco]

We're 100% still getting a right-handed bat.

have to

 

[shaner8989]

He's a DH/1B signed for $9 million who is leading the team in on base percentage. What were you expecting, really?

He’s hitting .239 with minimal power and leads the world in strikeouts with 102. Thats garbage.

 

[LaP]

He's a DH/1B signed for $9 million who is leading the team in on base percentage. What were you expecting, really?

What's the argument then?

I did not say he was useless i said it's the easiest path to upgrade the offense. It could be acquiring a guy sharing the work with him and covering for his shortcomings. Not sure Dejong is that guy. I did not say the Jays had to go get a hall of fame players ...

 

[Eyedea]

He’s hitting .239 with minimal power and leads the world in strikeouts with 102. Thats garbage.

He doesn't even lead the team in strikeouts. Thanks for dropping by Shaner

 

[Discoverer]

What's the argument then?

I did not say he was useless i said it's the easiest path to upgrade the offense. It could be acquiring a guy sharing the work with him and covering for his shortcomings. Not sure Dejong is that guy. I did not say the Jays had to go get a hall of fame players ...

Right, but all everyone's been talking about them needing for the last month is a right-handed bat.

 

[kb]

Let's not upgrade the offense then and see how that goes. I'll happily be wrong about it. OBP lose lot of value when you're slow on base. BBs rarely run batters in. Truck load of strikeouts too which usually is not good against best relief pitchers.

He was signed as a DH/1B for $9 million. He's 35. He is earning his keep.

He's doing his job. The Jays strike out less than most teams on the whole.

The team-wide lack of bringing home RISP is the issue. He's not the issue.

He’s hitting .239 with minimal power and leads the world in strikeouts with 102. Thats garbage.

Oh, so batting average and K's are the be all and end all you say?

GTFOH with that. lol

What's the argument then?

I did not say he was useless i said it's the easiest path to upgrade the offense. It could be acquiring a guy sharing the work with him and covering for his shortcomings. Not sure Dejong is that guy. I did not say the Jays had to go get a hall of fame players ...

Where are you going to upgrade for that money (or less) at a reasonable acquisition cost is the argument.

 

[LaP]

He doesn't even lead the team in strikeouts. Thanks for dropping by Shaner

Chapman has like 150 AB more than Belt and has only 17 more strikeouts ...

 

[Vector]

Scherzer says the Mets are retooling for the 2025 or 2026 season and not next season.

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“I talked to Billy,” Scherzer told The Athletic. “I was like, ‘OK, are we reloading for 2024?’ He goes, ‘No, we’re not. Basically our vision now is for 2025-2026, ‘25 at the earliest, more like ‘26. We’re going to be making trades around that.’

“I was like, ‘So the team is not going to be pursuing free agents this offseason or assemble a team that can compete for a World Series next year?’ He said, ‘No, we’re not going to be signing the upper-echelon guys. We’re going to be on the smaller deals within free agency. ‘24 is now looking to be more of a kind of transitory year.’”

Eppler, according to Scherzer, went on to say the Mets were open to trading not only players who would become free agents after 2023 but also after ‘24. That group included three-time Cy Young winner Justin Verlander (who was traded to the Astros on Tuesday), three-time All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso, left-hander José Quintana and lefty reliever Brooks Raley.