2015 Toronto Blue Jays thread

[Kin]

50231 at the big O for the game today.

96k for the 2 games.

On a side note. This stadium is a dump. Worse than the skydome for inside a parking garage feeling.

For a building constructed in the 70s, it's to be expected. Now they've drawn 95k 2 years in a row for Spring Training games. It's a different story doing it over 81 regular season games, but I think Montreal has shown they can support a team. Now, who else would you add as the 32nd market and would you keep inter-league play? My answers are yes to inter-league (Jays-Expos in games that count) and not sure on #32. Cities I would consider Charlotte, Nashville, San Antonio, Portland, and Salt Lake.

A lot of the chatter I've heard about where MLB might be interested in expansion says they wouldn't be all that interested in any American markets. Monterrey, Mexico is apparently pretty high up on the list of cities they'd be looking at.

 

[Andy007]

How does a couple of pre-season games prove that Montreal would support a team? That stadium is garbage and they were averaging a ridiculously low amount when they had a winning team.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

How does a couple of pre-season games prove that Montreal would support a team? That stadium is garbage and they were averaging a ridiculously low amount when they had a winning team.

Though funny enough the preseason games averaged higher attendance than the last 4 Tampa Bay Rays playoff games (by about 17,000).  How does that even happen?  I guess they reduced the capacity of their stadium as well with tarps.

I don't think it's fair to point out those attendance seasons devoid of all context.  You even allude to one of the major issues in your comment.

 

[Kin]

It's important, I think, to really get at what's meant by "support" here. Does anyone think Montreal would turn up in droves to support a bad expansion team? They'd probably have a one or two year cushion, like most expansion teams do, but absent them turning it around really quick would they be able to not only be profitable but not be a team that takes revenue sharing money? Is there the regional cable market for them? Because the way the economics of the game are now the regional cable markets are what's really driving things.

I mean, we can make fun of the Rays all we want but the reality is that they're a team with just about every obstacle in front of them, lousy stadium, terrible location, low payroll, no huge successes and they're still, by Forbes' account, profitable. How well you draw when the team's bad, how well you draw if your stadium isn't the nicest...those things matter.

 

[herman]

http://www.bluejaysplus.com/pitcher-gif-database-2/
Links to a GIF for each pitch that Blue Jays pitchers throw.

What an exciting season to see our young up and coming arms in the rotation.

 

[herman]

Castro and Osuna impressing so far. Heavy strikes and off-speed with late movement.

 

[TML fan]

Hopefully Gibbons learns their names so he doesn't just throw Loup out there every game.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

My wife called Gregg Zaun the Glenn Healy of Blue Jays games.  Can't argue with that.

 

[Kin]

My wife called Gregg Zaun the Glenn Healy of Blue Jays games.  Can't argue with that.

That's a terrible insult to...one of them. I can't figure which though.

 

[herman]

My wife called Gregg Zaun the Glenn Healy of Blue Jays games.  Can't argue with that.

That's a terrible insult to...one of them. I can't figure which though.

Your wife is quite astute. That's the SportsNet formula.

 

[Andy007]

Hopefully Gibbons learns their names so he doesn't just throw Loup out there every game.

Well he has 3 of the exact same player in Redmond, Estrada and Hendriks, for some crazy reason, and they are for long relief. Hynes can only be trusted to pitch when either team has a huge lead, so it's essentially a four-man pen.

Which is probably why Loup pitched again tonight (after throwing 20 pitches last night).

 

[L K]

Hopefully Gibbons learns their names so he doesn't just throw Loup out there every game.

Well he has 3 of the exact same player in Redmond, Estrada and Hendriks, for some crazy reason, and they are for long relief. Hynes can only be trusted to pitch when either team has a huge lead, so it's essentially a four-man pen.

Which is probably why Loup pitched again tonight (after throwing 20 pitches last night).

Even if it wasn't the case, Gibbons is obligated to pick someone he loves and overplay them significantly.    It's what he does.

 

[Derk]

Jays finally got Archer out of the game after 7 innings and down 4-0, loaded the bases with none out and the heart of the order coming up, but only got one run on an EE sac fly. Unless there is a big comeback in the 9th, this is looking like another L where the offense scores 3 runs or less.

 

[Derk]

Another day, another home loss, 8-7 to Atlanta. The box score suggests questionable pitching by Hutchison and Cecil, who gave up 5 and 3 runs respectively. The middle of the order went meekly in the 9th. However, Martin and Donaldson with two homers each, and Travis with another one.

 

[TML fan]

So, does Sanchez throw at Jones tonight?

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Hope not.  At some point someone has to take the high road and stop it.

 

[TML fan]

Hope not.  At some point someone has to take the high road and stop it.

Well, Bautista continually hitting bombs after getting thrown at isn't stopping it, so I'm not sure the Orioles are getting the message.

 

[Bill_Berg]

Hope not.  At some point someone has to take the high road and stop it.

Well, Bautista continually hitting bombs after getting thrown at isn't stopping it, so I'm not sure the Orioles are getting the message.

The second one may have put a stop to it. We'll find out tonight! I'm hoping we don't throw at anyone. Maybe someone can flip the bird at Buck as they run by though.

 

[Andy007]

Hope not.  At some point someone has to take the high road and stop it.

Well, Bautista continually hitting bombs after getting thrown at isn't stopping it, so I'm not sure the Orioles are getting the message.

I agree. Toronto keeps taking the high road and that just isn't stopping it. Throw at Jones and continue to throw at him until Baltimore stops taking liberties with Toronto's best player.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Stroman threw at them last season and it's still happening.  Throwing a ball at 80-100 mph at a person is idiotic.  If they want to do it, let them be the idiots.