Blue Jays Discussion: The official Danny Jackson Appreciation Society

[SDig14]

What's happened to this team? I thought we were supposed to be good by now

They're good. Just not great. The everyday roster is pretty solid, above average, but have no depth and no prospects pushing for spots immediately that could be impact players.

They'll probably end up being around 8th to 10th best record in the league at the end of the year, which isn't bad, just not living up to expectations. Mostly the offense as the starters outside of Manoah have been very good and healthy.

 

[GreytWun]

What's happened to this team? I thought we were supposed to be good by now

They can’t hit when runners get on. Also our manager makes very poor bullpen decisions.

 

[canucksfan]

 

[dredeye]

Poor timing on the injury for sure. He was finally goin'. Hopefully, he picks up where he left off when he's back

 

[Dr.Funk]

Poor timing on the injury for sure. He was finally goin'. Hopefully, he picks up where he left off when he's back

Same story for Danny Jansen. Hopefully he picks it right back up when he is back probably Tuesday.

 

[Eyedea]

What's happened to this team? I thought we were supposed to be good by now

I know this post was made during that 1st inning debacle, but considering the hill they just climbed back out of I’d say they’re doing better now. Still have a tough schedule but they’ve gotten themselves back to within a half game of a playoff position. 7-3 in their last 10.

 

[Dr.Funk]

 

[canucksfan]

I find this to be a good podcast. Worth a listen.

 

[Puckstuff]

They're good. Just not great. The everyday roster is pretty solid, above average, but have no depth and no prospects pushing for spots immediately that could be impact players.

They'll probably end up being around 8th to 10th best record in the league at the end of the year, which isn't bad, just not living up to expectations. Mostly the offense as the starters outside of Manoah have been very good and healthy.

The second half schedule is a bit lighter then the first half with some pitching reinforcements after the AS break. I still feel like they haven’t hit their stride yet offensively. A huge second half isn’t out of the question for this team imo.

 

[saska sault]

Has their been any rumors of stretching out Nate to go back into a starter role?

 

[dredeye]

WTF are you talking about? You would sell with a bunch of free agents and young guys about to exit another year until free agency? Dude this franchise is about to throw the kitchen sink out the window to win because they all seen what happened to Dubas. Atkins isn’t new to this job. He hasn’t gotten this team anywhere close to expectations…. You really think they will sell LOL

This team better get a bullpen and some bats because you ain’t winning shit just waiting for Vladdy and Bo to do something

Your reading comprehension seems weak at best. But what's more comical is you think the blue jays will do something because Dubas just left for another org lol. I literally said in my post I know they will add but what would you do? I don't think this team is legit based on the performances we've seen to date, but I know they will add. We would have to go on a hell of a losing streak before it's even considered to sell. My problem is trading away more farm pieces for a run that likely won't amount to much. KK, Chapman and Belt all free agents at the end of the year would be pieces that would bring back strong returns is what I was more getting at.
Really, what i was trying to do was get us back on baseball chat instead of the toxicity that's been on the forum for a bit now but here we are once again

 

[Eyedea]

The Jays have gone from a "need" of a LHH OF bat to a complete redundancy. They've gone from being the 3rd best team against righties in 2022 to being... the third best team against righties in 2023. They've also gone from being the 7th best against lefties to now 22nd. Granted, Kiermaier and Varsho can at least get on base somewhat in their SSS against lefties, however the lack of power featured in the Jays lineup falls squarely on their inability to crush left handed pitching. Lukes serves no purpose on the team when they already have three CFs, two of which are LHBs.

Either call up Davis Schneider or reunite with Grichuk.

 

[mydnyte]

Jays and Leafs have something in common, they both get out-coached, or the coach/manager misuses his players
poor relief pitcher selections/management vs Holl as a 20+ min regular
which is worse?

 

[Discoverer]

The Jays have gone from a "need" of a LHH OF bat to a complete redundancy. They've gone from being the 3rd best team against righties in 2022 to being... the third best team against righties in 2023. They've also gone from being the 7th best against lefties to now 22nd. Granted, Kiermaier and Varsho can at least get on base somewhat in their SSS against lefties, however the lack of power featured in the Jays lineup falls squarely on their inability to crush left handed pitching. Lukes serves no purpose on the team when they already have three CFs, two of which are LHBs.

Either call up Davis Schneider or reunite with Grichuk.

I was happy with the moves they made over the offseason because I liked the shift to a more well-rounded team, but the need to get more left-handed bats was never a real thing because hitting righties has never been a weakness. I think Belt was probably the only one they targeted as a LH bat... Kiermaier and Varsho were guys who filled other needs for the team (OF defense and baserunning) and the fact they hit left was secondary at best.

I have absolutely no interest in Grichuk at this point, but I can't deny his effectiveness against lefties.

Any of Clement, Schneider, or Lantigua make more sense on the roster right now (though the latter two have some weirdly extreme reverse splits right now).

 

[Hoverhand]

The Jays have gone from a "need" of a LHH OF bat to a complete redundancy. They've gone from being the 3rd best team against righties in 2022 to being... the third best team against righties in 2023. They've also gone from being the 7th best against lefties to now 22nd. Granted, Kiermaier and Varsho can at least get on base somewhat in their SSS against lefties, however the lack of power featured in the Jays lineup falls squarely on their inability to crush left handed pitching. Lukes serves no purpose on the team when they already have three CFs, two of which are LHBs.

Either call up Davis Schneider or reunite with Grichuk.

It's pretty frustrating that the entire fanbase was screaming for an RHH platoon bat and the media backed this up by consistently reporting that they were looking at players in this vein. Why they decided to white knuckle it again with Cavan is certainly a fun question but I'm pretty annoyed that this has to be rectified at the TDL.

Unless I'm forgetting someone, the 5 names that were thrown around the most

McCutchen - Good!

Garlick - AAAA

Pollock - Yuck

Duvall - Good but mostly injured

Grossman - Pure platoon

I think Duvall was looking for a bigger chance at everyday playing time and I don't believe there was actually reported interest in Garlick. If they just took a cheap risk on one of the other options, they would have had a pretty good chance of hitting.

 

[Discoverer]

It's pretty frustrating that the entire fanbase was screaming for an RHH platoon bat and the media backed this up by consistently reporting that they were looking at players in this vein. Why they decided to white knuckle it again with Cavan is certainly a fun question but I'm pretty annoyed that this has to be rectified at the TDL.

Unless I'm forgetting someone, the 5 names that were thrown around the most

McCutchen - Good!

Garlick - AAAA

Pollock - Yuck

Duvall - Good but mostly injured

Grossman - Pure platoon

I think Duvall was looking for a bigger chance at everyday playing time and I don't believe there was actually reported interest in Garlick. If they just took a cheap risk on one of the other options, they would have had a pretty good chance of hitting.

Merrifield being so good has been a bit of a saving grace against LHP, but that's been balanced out by Jansen and Espinal being injured and struggling offensively.

When healthy, they can still put together a really strong lineup against LHP:

CF Springer
SS Bichette
1B Vlad
DH Kirk
3B Chapman
LF Merrifield
C Jansen
2B Espinal
CF Varsho/Kiermaier

I have no problem with that since the only spot in the lineup who doesn't hit LHP well is the elite defensive CF. But not having one more strong RH bat means there's no depth in that lineup and as soon there's an injury or someone needing a day off you have no choice but to fill that spot with a lefty who can't hit LHP. It seems like it should have been an easy problem to fix.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

3 Jays leading in votes at their positions. Vladdy, Bo and Chapman. This is where other teams fans complain about it, a yearly tradition.

 

[MS]

3 Jays leading in votes at their positions. Vladdy, Bo and Chapman. This is where other teams fans complain about it, a yearly tradition.

Unlike other years, nothing seems too weird there.

Bo and Chapman are 2nd and 4th in WAR in the AL, and Chapman should actually be a lot further in front of Josh Jung than he is.

Guerrero is one of those guys who is always going to lead in votes or be close because of his massive star profile. Nolan Arenado is the same deal in the NL right now.

Kiermaier is 2nd in the AL in OF WAR but 5th in voting so there's even a Jay getting kinda screwed.

 

[Dr.Funk]

Has their been any rumors of stretching out Nate to go back into a starter role?

None. Nor should there be.

Set-up man/Closer is his ceiling role now.

 

[MS]

They should absolutely be looking to move Pearson back to the rotation for next year in my opinion.

He didn't fail as a starter because of a lack of talent or arm trouble (why most players make that move), but because of a freak series of injuries - broken arm off a line drive, mononucleosis, hip and lat strains.

His mechanics look great, he doesn't have elbow/shoulder worries, his stuff should play as a starter, his control has improved, and he's worth so, so much more to the team if he can be an effective MLB starter than as a 1-inning bullpen guy.

 

[Dr.Funk]

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

7 in a row for Oakland. They just won a series vs Tampa lol

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

At what point do we retool by selling off our potential free agents? Chapman and Kiermaier should be able to get a pretty good return, but I kind of want to resign KK.