The 2014 Toronto Blue Jays Thread

[Andy007]

Janssen should focus on closing games instead of giving backhanded compliments out to the other teams in order to stick it to AA.

I can't believe he would state to the media that other teams must value the opportunity to get to the playoffs more; congratulating the other teams that got "those guys'.

Janssen is 18 for 20 in closing out games so I think he's fairly focused in that regard.

Quite frankly I like hearing honest opinions. These guys aren't saying this to get back at anyone; it's an honest belief from players on a team that hasn't even been remotely close to the playoffs in over 20 years.

I'd say 2000 was remotely close!

14 years then

Was 2000 the Tim Johnson year? The one that went on a huge winning streak the last month or so? Sean Green was the man!

Hmm I'm trying to remember - my big memory is Delgado having a monster year.  He was a 7.4 WAR player that season, hit .344 with 41 HR.  Also remember Shannon Stewart.

Oh yea, that was Delgado's best season. Wow. I just looked it up, that was two years after Tim Johnson. They finished 4.5 games back with an 83-79 record.

 

[Kin]

They finished 4.5 games back with an 83-79 record.

That's a little misleading though. They were 5.5 games out heading into September and 10 games out two weeks later. They narrowed the gap after that but they were never really close to making it.

 

[hockeyfan1]

I commend Bautista & Jannsen for speaking out.  (Does anyone ever hear any of the Leafs do that (*sic*) )    They did the right thing.  Obviously, anyone can tell the Jays could use some more help.  Get the impression that the Jays organization is looking towards the team making the playoffs for this year, however and wherever it will take them thereafter.

It's not a bad thing to just be content to eke into a playoff spot, it's just that it's better to be a solid contender to challenge for a World Series championship.  Slowly...slowly...

Oh those memorable '92 & '93 World Series wins.  It felt so good to be champions!!  (*sigh*)

 

[Deebo]

How do you finish a season with a half game back? If every team played the same amount of games, shouldn't everyone be a whole number of games back?

Edit: I see the Yankees only played 161 that season. Now my question is why they only played 161 games.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

How do you finish a season with a half game back? If every team played the same amount of games, shouldn't everyone be a whole number of games back?

Edit: I see the Yankees only played 161 that season. Now my question is why they only played 161 games.

Had a game rained out that didn't get rescheduled due to scheduling issues and because it didn't affect the standings.

 

[bustaheims]

Edit: I see the Yankees only played 161 that season. Now my question is why they only played 161 games.

They had a game rained out late in the season, and was never rescheduled because it wouldn't have had an impact on the standings.

Oakland, Tampa and Florida also only played 161 games that season. It's not an unusual circumstance.

 

[hap_leaf]

Janssen should focus on closing games instead of giving backhanded compliments out to the other teams in order to stick it to AA.

I can't believe he would state to the media that other teams must value the opportunity to get to the playoffs more; congratulating the other teams that got "those guys'.

Janssen is 18 for 20 in closing out games so I think he's fairly focused in that regard.

Quite frankly I like hearing honest opinions. These guys aren't saying this to get back at anyone; it's an honest belief from players on a team that hasn't even been remotely close to the playoffs in over 20 years.

There's a place for honesty and a place for showing respect to your teammates and organization.
What Janssen did was say that he would have done things differently if it was his choice.  He would have made some moves.  And what AA did by standing pat was not the right decision.  Not only that, but indirectly saying that the current guys are just not good enough.

It sucks for him that he is getting old and hasn't been part of anything substantial.  But winning it all may not be in the cards this year.

 

[Corn Flake]

Good bounce back win last night. Hutch looked great. Baltimore seemed completely mesmerized by his fastball, even when it was down the middle.

I hope they can win again!

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Lawrie back on DL and Cabrera had to leave game in 1st inning tonight after being hit by pitch.  What great luck with injuries the Jays have (Cabrera's only day to day, but still).

 

[Andy007]

Lawrie back on DL and Cabrera had to leave game in 1st inning tonight after being hit by pitch.  What great luck with injuries the Jays have (Cabrera's only day to day, but still).

Lind is a platoon player, is out of shape and has suffered chronic back problems the last two years. Lawrie, with the way he plays, is an injury concern running to the dugout (I'm sure it also hasn't helped that the Jays keep rushing him back into the lineup). And Cabrera, like you said, is only day-to-day.

Really the only unforseen injury is to EE and while a big loss, that happens all the time to many major league teams.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Lawrie back on DL and Cabrera had to leave game in 1st inning tonight after being hit by pitch.  What great luck with injuries the Jays have (Cabrera's only day to day, but still).

Lind is a platoon player, is out of shape and has suffered chronic back problems the last two years. Lawrie, with the way he plays, is an injury concern running to the dugout (I'm sure it also hasn't helped that the Jays keep rushing him back into the lineup). And Cabrera, like you said, is only day-to-day.

Really the only unforseen injury is to EE and while a big loss, that happens all the time to many major league teams.

Having all of these guys out at once when they're in a season they have a shot at the division is still bad luck, IMO.  Plenty of teams have injury riddled players where it's not like this.  And any other team with similar situation I'd say is bad luck too.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Also what other contender has an injury to a player as valuable as EE is to the Jays? There may be others who do but off the top of my head I can't think of them. It's unfortunate.

 

[Kin]

Really the only unforseen injury is to EE and while a big loss, that happens all the time to many major league teams.

Exactly. The Cards don't have Molina, the Reds don't have Votto, the Pirates are missing McCutcheon, the Yankees don't have Sabathia or Tanaka or Pineida, the Nats don't have Zimmerman, the Giants don't have Matt Cain.

EE is a good player(although with some perspective, his 3.6 oWAR just barely edges out Jose Reyes at 3.3) but taking an injury to a good player is more or less par for the course for a baseball season.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

So it's tied at 5-5 in the bottom of the 19th right now...

 

[OldTimeHockey]

That was a great game. I had tuned it out when the Tigers went up 5-0. I'm glad I turned it back on at 5-4.

 

[sickbeast]

Also what other contender has an injury to a player as valuable as EE is to the Jays? There may be others who do but off the top of my head I can't think of them. It's unfortunate.

Yankees

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

That was a great game. I had tuned it out when the Tigers went up 5-0. I'm glad I turned it back on at 5-4.

I took my kids to Legoland during the 7th inning around 3:40pm, came home 4 hours later, and the game was still on.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

Melky Cabrera became just the 7th player ever to reach base 8 times in a game, and the first since 1972 (Rod Carew).  3 for 5 with a whopping 5 walks.

 

[L K]

Melky Cabrera became just the 7th player ever to reach base 8 times in a game, and the first since 1972 (Rod Carew).  3 for 5 with a whopping 5 walks.

He's really had a solid year for the Jays.  Also, it was great to see that the bullpen had such a fantastic outing.  15.2 IP of shutout baseball.  Hopefully they aren't too tired heading to Seattle.

 

[dappleganger]

So, I took my 6-month old daughter to her first Blue Jays game today. She made it to the top of the 18th before Mom and the people we were with decided to leave and go get food.

I stayed til the end. Great performance by Jenkins -- 6 innings of shutout ball. Melky was shown BIG respect.

Memorable first game.