Blue Jays Discussion: The official Davis Schneider Appreciation Society

[Dr.Funk]

 

[Puckstuff]

The more I think about, the more I think I will be onboard with signing Gurriel Jr. and Teo in the winter. Unless the Jays can and will aim higher?

Honestly me too. Although I hope they go big name hunting and I'd even take an older player with a good bat even if it comes with some risk i.e Yelich, Arenado, Goldschmidt etc. Even Trout or Soto but those are probably pipe dreams at best. Hernandez and Gurriel are some of the lower profiles I'd be interested in that we could actually land and probably more "realistic".

 

[hockeywiz542]

Olney: Toronto Blue Jays reaching ‘tipping point’ on Vladimir Guerrero’s future | TSN

ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney discussed Guerrero Jr. on TSN’s First Up on Tuesday, explaining that, with just two more seasons before he becomes an unrestricted free agent, the Blue Jays are reaching a critical decision point on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s future with the club.

www.tsn.ca

The Toronto Blue Jays’ Game 2 elimination against the Minnesota Twins was a microcosm of their 2023 season as poor base running, a lack of timely hitting, and poor bullpen management resulted in a second consecutive sweep in the wild-card series.

The game will be remembered for two events: the removal of starter Jose Berrios after just 47 pitches and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. getting picked off at second base with Bo Bichette at the plate to end a potential fifth-inning rally.

ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney discussed Guerrero Jr. on TSN’s First Up on Tuesday, explaining that, with just two more seasons before he becomes an unrestricted free agent, the Blue Jays are reaching a critical decision point on the slugger's future with the club.

“Vlad, with his salary climbing through arbitration, is reaching the tipping point,” said Olney. “This is where teams begin to say, ‘We can start to replace this.’ I do think this is going to be the winter where you can start to have this conversation as he starts to near free agency.”

The 24-year-old first baseman made $14.5 million last season and will likely see a raise in his third year of arbitration despite a disappointing season at the plate where he hit just .264 with 26 home runs. Olney compared Guerrero’s situation to that of 2019 MVP Cody Bellinger and his eventual exit from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

While Guerrero did not reach the lows that Bellinger did in his final season with the Dodgers, when he hit just .210 with 19 home runs and 68 RBI in 2022, Olney said that Guerrero’s one-dimensional skill set is a significant factor the Blue Jays will need to consider when deciding his future in Toronto.

..............

The Dodgers let Bellinger walk and he had a resurgent season with the Chicago Cubs, hitting .307 with 29 homers and 97 RBI. With the Jays in approaching a similar crossroad, Olney said the Blue Jays cannot let Guerrero Jr. walk for nothing if they are unwilling to commit to a long-term contract. While he did not say the club is actively trying to trade the first baseman, Olney did say that Guerrero’s performance over the past two seasons has created a difficult decision for the future of the once generational prospect.

“If you aren’t going to sign him to a big, massive contract, you don’t want him to walk away and get nothing in return,” said Olney. “You want to make sure you get some value in return, 75 cents on the dollar or whatever it is, if you don’t feel like you’re going to invest in him. Based on what happened the past couple of years, it would be pretty hard to throw $150 million at him.”

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[Eyedea]

Oh no, Atkins leaked the Click screw up to protect his job

 

[GoonieFace]

It’s like a 3rd grade game of telephone. So ridiculous, but I guess people love this kind of crap. I wonder where the one-armed man falls into all of this

 

[Amadeus]

I still don't get the massive controversy surrounding that decision. If you tell me the other team scores 2 in a game, I'd still give us a decent chance to win. We scored 1 run the entire series, that's why we lost.

 

[tmlfan98]

Atkins is a massive snake wow.

I still don't get the massive controversy surrounding that decision. If you tell me the other team scores 2 in a game, I'd still give us a decent chance to win. We scored 1 run the entire series, that's why we lost.

This was literally Ross Atkins' talking point in his presser. He basically said he doesn't think it was a mistake because the other team only scored 2, yet still doesn't want to take any responsibility for having any sort of hand in this decision.

 

[Eyedea]

I still don't get the massive controversy surrounding that decision. If you tell me the other team scores 2 in a game, I'd still give us a decent chance to win. We scored 1 run the entire series, that's why we lost.

Yeah as ridiculous as it might be in a game-time decision I wouldn't consider it as a justifiable reason to fire someone (Atkins or Schneider). I thought of it as micromanaging but I don't think it ended up being as egregious as the media portrays. The boys just flat out didn't hit.

 

[Amadeus]

I trust the instinct of a guy who has a World Series ring under his belt.

We lost because the bats were cold as ice.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Yeah as ridiculous as it might be in a game-time decision I wouldn't consider it as a justifiable reason to fire someone (Atkins or Schneider). I thought of it as micromanaging but I don't think it ended up being as egregious as the media portrays. The boys just flat out didn't hit.

It’s true, but how much hope do you have that Atkins will figure it out? So far, he has not built a balanced team yet. Went too heavy on D last winter. Can he correct it? I really don’t want to squander more years of Bo, Vladdy, and the starting rotation. The window can close fast if he doesn’t figure out a way to build a good balanced team. Although, Vladdy needs to figure his own shit out because he wasn't helping the situation.

 

[tmlfan98]

It’s true, but how much hope do you have that Atkins will figure it out? So far, he has not built a balanced team yet. Went too heavy on D last winter. Can he correct it? I really don’t want to squander more years of Bo, Vladdy, and the starting rotation. The window can close fast if he doesn’t figure out a way to build a good balanced team. Although, Vladdy needs to figure his own shit out because he wasn't helping the situation.

News flash: Vlad isn't good enough anymore to "squander years" of him. He's closer to a non-tender candidate than he is to a guy teams can squander years of.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

I still don't get the massive controversy surrounding that decision. If you tell me the other team scores 2 in a game, I'd still give us a decent chance to win. We scored 1 run the entire series, that's why we lost.

And it's just as easy to suggest that had Berrios been left in, he would have let in 0 runs as opposed to 2.

Did it hurt the team in the end considering they couldn't score a run? No. Was it still an asinine decision? Absolutely.

 

[Suntouchable13]

News flash: Vlad isn't good enough anymore to "squander years" of him. He's closer to a non-tender candidate than he is to a guy teams can squander years of.

Ok, you won’t get an argument from me. We have a good team, though, I’d like to see them level up. I’d like to see them making some moves this winter. If it means trading Vladdy, then so be it.

 

[Eyedea]

It’s true, but how much hope do you have that Atkins will figure it out? So far, he has not built a balanced team yet. Went too heavy on D last winter. Can he correct it? I really don’t want to squander more years of Bo, Vladdy, and the starting rotation. The window can close fast if he doesn’t figure out a way to build a good balanced team. Although, Vladdy needs to figure his own shit out because he wasn't helping the situation.

He’s also built some offensively talented lineups in years past so I have some hope that he can correct it. Just a year ago the Jays had arguably the second best lineup in baseball. Is part of that relying on some internal progression? Perhaps. I think we can expect better from Kirk and Vlad, potentially even Springer too. I don’t doubt that he’ll try to swing a trade for a bat and maybe pickup someone like Teo or Gurriel in FA.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Former Jays reliever Bass says his release last June 'was not a baseball decision' | TSN

Former Toronto pitcher Anthony Bass said he reached out to the MLB Players Association after the Blue Jays released him last June, and disagreed with general manager Ross Atkins' assertion that the move was a "baseball decision."

www.tsn.ca

Former Toronto pitcher Anthony Bass said he reached out to the MLB Players Association after the Blue Jays released him last June, and disagreed with general manager Ross Atkins' assertion that the move was a "baseball decision."

The team designated Bass for assignment on June 9, nearly two weeks after he shared a social media post that supported anti-LGBTQ boycotts.

Bass, in his first public comments since the mid-season imbroglio, said he was told by the MLBPA that there wasn't a grievance opportunity because he was guaranteed the remainder of his US$3-million salary.

"If this causes future issues, I think there is a strong case to be had," Bass told The Canadian Press via direct message.

Bass, a 35-year-old free agent, has been training ahead of a potential return to the big leagues in 2024 and said "there has already been early interest."

"I have more left in the tank," he said.

Bass made a brief public apology the day after his later-deleted post and met with Pride Toronto executive director Sherwin Modeste. They talked for about an hour and discussed Bass catching the ceremonial first pitch to kick off Pride Weekend at Rogers Centre.

Plans changed when Bass was designated for assignment a few hours before the game.

"No one should be fired because of his/her personal beliefs," Bass said in a DM.

Atkins spoke shortly after the roster move was announced and said it was a "baseball decision to make our team better," adding the distraction was something that the club had to factor in.

Bass, a native of Dearborn, Mich., said he was surprised by the news.

"I thought they were calling me into the office to say that I would not be catching the first pitch to kick off Pride Weekend/month," he said.

Bass was formally released on June 15 and didn't land with another team.

"Ross didn't give me an explanation," he said. "Told me that they are releasing me."

"I can read between the lines," Bass added.

 

[Eyedea]

If it can't be construed as a baseball decision, then perhaps he should've caught on with another team this season. Didn't look like that was a possibility as he was DFA'd and released.

Even if it optically looks like a political decision (duh), he was still bad enough to where there was reason to not roster him. Anyway, get ready to re-learn Japanese buddy.

 

[LaP]

It was both a baseball and political decision. Bass was never going to be part of the Jays bullpen by the end of the season. He was not good enough. But it would have likely happened a few weeks later than it did.

 

[Hoverhand]

Oh that's a shame, Anthony.

Anyway.

 

[GreytWun]

I still don't get the massive controversy surrounding that decision. If you tell me the other team scores 2 in a game, I'd still give us a decent chance to win. We scored 1 run the entire series, that's why we lost.

Because it’s not the first time. Last year with Gausman. 2020 with Shoemaker. This front office can’t help but get in their own way.

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

Oh no, Atkins leaked the Click screw up to protect his job

It doesn't say it was Click who made the call. It says he was "involved" which could literally mean any level of involvement. Heck, he could have been against it and that would still have him technically involved. lol

 

[Eyedea]

It doesn't say it was Click who made the call. It says he was "involved" which could literally mean any level of involvement. Heck, he could have been against it and that would still have him technically involved. lol

I don’t think that’s the implication here.

And I’m a fan of Click.

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

I don’t think that’s the implication here.

And I’m a fan of Click.

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

I don’t think that’s the implication here.

And I’m a fan of Click.

I understand the implication the leaker wanted to give off. I'm just saying the words are ambiguous enough to make it true regardless of the level of involvement. That way it covers the leaker's ass while also having its intended effect. The word involved is doing a lot of heavy lifting in the sentence.

 

[hockeywiz542]