2018 Toronto Blue Jays General Season Thread
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hockeyfan1
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Starting Pitchers:
Tuesday May 22 7pm
Garrett Richards RH (Angels) 4-2 3.47 ERA vs J.A.Happ LH (Blue Jays) 5-3 4.15. ERA
Wednesday May 23 7pm
Tyler Skaggs RH (Angels) 3-3 2.88 ERA vs Aaron Sanchez RH (Blue Jays) 2-4 4.47 ERA
Thursday May 24 1pm
Nick Tropeano RH (Angels) 1-3 4049 ERA vs Marco Estrada RH (Blue Jays) 2-4 5.15 ERA
All games on SN & SN590 radio.
Source: FOXSports, theStar.com, MLB.com
The Los Angeles Angels (26-21) roll into town in a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays (22-25).
While the Angels are currently third in the A.L.West, 3.5 GBL Houston Astros, they sport the new kid on the baseball block, Japanese Shohei Ohtani who is batting a respectable. 321 with 6 RBIs & 17 homeruns. Of course, the Angels also have veteran All-Star & MVP Mike Trout who has always been nothing but a handful to handle for the Jays.
As for the Blue Jays, they come off from an atrocious sweep by the Oakland Athletics in their most recent series here at home. Actually the descriptions is an understatement, as the Jays may very well have played their absolute worst baseball of this season.
To make matters worse still, Toronto has tumbled from third to fourth place in the A.L. East, usurped by the rising Tampa Bay Rays. The Blue Jays are now a whopping 10.5 GBL NY Yankees.
A nice series sweep of their own is sorely required to get the Jays back on track.
LET'S GO BLUE JAYS!
If they Jays can't turn it around on the upcoming road trip, management will start to blow up the team, IMO. We're seeing lack of hustle from guys like Morales last night standing and admiring what turned out to be a single (that should have been a double) when he represented the tying run in the bottom of the ninth. Pathetic and unacceptable, particularly considering that he has been struggling and could be DFA'ed with Guerrero coming up to replace him.
hockeyfan1
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sickbeast said:
That is something Jays fans are very much looking forward to.
hockeyfan1
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Starting Pitchers:
Friday May 25 7pm
Sam Gaviglio RH (Blue Jays) 1-0 0.93 ERA vs Zack Eflin RH (Phillies) 1-0 1.56 ERA
Saturday May 26 4pm
Jaime Garcia LH (Blue Jays) 2-3 6.28 ERA vs Aaron Nolan RH (Phillies) 6-2 2.37 ERA
Sunday May 27 1:30pm
J.A.Happ RH (Blue Jays) 6-3 3.97 ERA vs Nick Pivetta RH (Phillies) 4-2 3.23 ERA
All games on SN & SN590 radio.
Source: theStar.com, MLB.com, ESPN.com
The Toronto Blue Jays (23-27) visit Citizens Bank Park for a three-game interleague series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Phillies (28-16) are in second place in the N.L. East, 0.5 GBL Atlanta Braves. Philadelphia's Mikeil Franco leads the team with 30 RBIs & seven homers.
The Blue Jays are mired in fourth in the A.L.East, 11.0 GBL Yankees, and just came off an uninspired seven game homestand where they went 1-6.
Nothing has been going right of late for the Jays. Their starters have been atrociously inconsistent, their bullpen on the brink of wear, and their defence has been questionable. Save for players the likes of starter J.A.Happ & hitter's Donaldson & Smoak, the rest of this squad shows little to no signs of improvement.
To put it in perspective, Toronto's record at this point in the season is exactly the same as where they were last season. Don't tell that to starting pitcher Marco Estrada who believes this year's edition of the Blue Jays is a much better version. Hmm. Try telling that to the fans, Marco.
Josh Donaldson obviously has a different view as he questions the team in all areas:
Read about it here:
https://www.thestar.com/sports/bluejays/2018/05/24/donaldson-suggests-blue-jays-failing-in-all-aspects-of-the-game.html
Key areas are in desperate need of improvement & consistency. C'mon Blue Jays, get your act together!
LET'S GO BLUE JAYS!
Kin
New member
Arn said:
I think they could bring him up at any point after June 1st and his contract status would be unchanged so there's no real worry there. The bigger question is, as you say, what could appreciably be gained from bringing him up when this team's problems run so deep.
I think the smart thing to do would be to let him play the season in the minors(although call him up to AAA at some point) and maybe make him a September call up. That way he can sample big league pitching while the team can use the DH spot to try and coax some decent performances out of players they may want to flip for assets.
Because, honestly, otherwise it seems like a desperation to play meaningful September baseball instead of a long term vision of what's best for Guerrero or the team.
Andy007
Active member
Well bringing him up before June 1st makes no sense but I'd absolutely consider it after that deadline passes.
The jump to AA is usually the biggest learning curve for prospects and Vlad is absolutely destroying that level at nearly unprecedented numbers. I'm not really sure what kind of test AAA is going to be; in all likelihood he'd be facing less talented opponents.
A September call-up would be nice and all but that never really paints a strong picture of a young player's worth, what with the season ending and some teams not trying, others resting their stars, teams starting their own call-ups, pressure from winning alleviated, and so forth.
After June 1st bring him up. It wouldn't affect the long term vision of the team at all if his contract status remains unchanged.
The jump to AA is usually the biggest learning curve for prospects and Vlad is absolutely destroying that level at nearly unprecedented numbers. I'm not really sure what kind of test AAA is going to be; in all likelihood he'd be facing less talented opponents.
A September call-up would be nice and all but that never really paints a strong picture of a young player's worth, what with the season ending and some teams not trying, others resting their stars, teams starting their own call-ups, pressure from winning alleviated, and so forth.
After June 1st bring him up. It wouldn't affect the long term vision of the team at all if his contract status remains unchanged.
Kin
New member
Andy said:
That seems to be working on the assumption that the purpose of calling him up would be evaluation as opposed to development. I don't think the Jays need a stronger picture of his worth. He's hitting .427. I think it's safe to say he's pretty good.
The question is what, if anything, calling him up actually does for anyone. Especially if you're just going to DH him. Just looking at most of the other top prospects in the game, most of them spent a reasonable amount of time at AAA so clearly their teams thought there was a value in the shift. Meanwhile he can work on his fielding away from the bright lights and media scrutiny that doing so in the big leagues would bring. Then, in September, he gets enough of a look at real Major League pitching to either humble him and get him ready for next year or encourage him while exposing him to the unique challenges of playing big league ball.
The flip side being they bring him up and...what? He hits like crazy and the Jays end up drafting 15th instead of 11th?
bustaheims
Active member
Let's also not forget that he just turned 19 a couple months ago. Let's not rush the kid.
Arn
Active member
Thanks for clarifying that - I thought it was any time up til the rosters expanded in September would burn a year of his contract so fair enough on that point.
However a bit like the Leafs have started to do, let him stay in the minors a little longer rather than rush him. It's pretty obvious the Jays won't be contending for the playoffs this season at this point and there's a few guys who probably need moved out if possible. Let the kid dominate and win rather than come up and potentially stall (all be it he probably wouldn't) and get into a losing atmosphere.
However a bit like the Leafs have started to do, let him stay in the minors a little longer rather than rush him. It's pretty obvious the Jays won't be contending for the playoffs this season at this point and there's a few guys who probably need moved out if possible. Let the kid dominate and win rather than come up and potentially stall (all be it he probably wouldn't) and get into a losing atmosphere.
Andy007
Active member
bustaheims said:
Sure, and he's got an OPS near 1.200 and has walked more times than he has struck out. This isn't a regular prospect or normal situation; Vlad is an absolute phenom. I'm not sure why you'd keep him playing against inferior opponents simply because of his age.
Andy007
Active member
Nik the Trik said:
I certainly see both sides and you do make a lot of good points. I just think I'd prefer to see him challenged and getting instruction at the big league level. Why not let him work on his fielding with MLB teachers as opposed to AAA?
3B is open; Donaldson is either going to be traded, put on the DL or used at 1st/DH (his arm/shoulder is clearly still injured). Vlad's MLB ready and numerous scouts have echoed this sentiment. It will also give the fans someone to watch/root for while (hopefully) a ton of vets are cleared off the roster for prospects. I really don't see the downside.
Kin
New member
Andy said:
It's not a terrible idea or anything. I'm just worried of hitting him with the dual challenges of having to adjust to major league pitching aend developing as a fielder at the same time. Especially when every mistake will be magnified at this level.
Andy said:
I think that if you wanted to call him up post-trade deadline, when Donaldson and Smoak are likely gone, as opposed to in September it would be fine enough but again I'm really stretching to try and see a real upside for either Guerrero or the team in bringing him up that early. The Jays aren't good enough for him to make a real difference this year and I don't think an extra month or two will make a big change in his development when regardless of how he plays this year he's going to be with the Jays next year.
I may very well be being overly cautious in the application of the kid gloves here but I really don't know if doing it to throw a bone to fans is a good reason.
bustaheims
Active member
Andy said:
Because his development as a person is as important as his development as a player. Rushing him into a situation he may not be mature enough to handle is a recipe for disaster. Bringing him up to the bigs does little to nothing for the team right now, so why risk it? Let him destroy AA pitching for a couple more months, then move him up to AAA, and let's see how he does there.
Andy007
Active member
bustaheims said:
Yea, I can understand not wanting to rush him, it's crazy that he's still only 19, but I guess I just don't see how keeping him in a league he is destroying for an extra two months adds to his level of maturity. I would, at least, do what Nik is suggesting. Promote him to AAA with the aim of a September call up. I don't see any reason to keep him in AA.
bustaheims
Active member
Andy said:
The league is kind of immaterial - AA or AAA are equally good for me. It's more about giving him more time to grow up before you bring him up to the show. I'd also like to give him more than 2 months in a league before moving him to a new city again.
hockeyfan1
New member
I think a September callup would be the right thing (this is how I always saw it) for Guerrero.
The only reason to bring him up now is for 'entertainment' purposes. It would fill the seats as Jays fans attend to see this wonder phenom.
Personally speaking, and as a Blue Jays fan, I'd love go see Vladimir in a Jays uni as soon as possible, but hindsight calls for caution. Wouldn't want him mixed in with the mess the team is in right now, which makes a September calling best.
The only reason to bring him up now is for 'entertainment' purposes. It would fill the seats as Jays fans attend to see this wonder phenom.
Personally speaking, and as a Blue Jays fan, I'd love go see Vladimir in a Jays uni as soon as possible, but hindsight calls for caution. Wouldn't want him mixed in with the mess the team is in right now, which makes a September calling best.
Osuna, what's the deal with administrative leave extensions? Why don't they just extend it to the court date and go from there?
https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-pitcher-roberto-osunas-administrative-leave-extended/
How does all this work? Does he have to be proven guilty in court before a MLB suspension can be applied? That could take forever.
https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-pitcher-roberto-osunas-administrative-leave-extended/
How does all this work? Does he have to be proven guilty in court before a MLB suspension can be applied? That could take forever.