The Toronto Blue Jays/MLB Thread.

[Mack North]

It's The #Schneidera

Love these guys.

[Joey]

If we can nab Ohtani or Soto, a part of me says sell the farm.

But also, I don't know .. the Yankees are so damn good, and just got better, maybe we just let them win it this year and see whats there this summer.

[Demographic Shift]

Jays are going to have to address Bo Bichette's anemic infield defense in the off season.
Either a move to 2nd is in the offing or their has to be a dramatic improvement over this seasons performance.
The team can't win the AL East let alone the AL with a below.average fielding shortstop. Well below average.

[Joey]

Jays are going to have to address Bo Bichette's anemic infield defense in the off season.
Either a move to 2nd is in the offing or their has to be a dramatic improvement over this seasons performance.
The team can't win the AL East let alone the AL with a below.average fielding shortstop. Well below average.

When he's swinging the bat like he has been, he can field however he likes. Haha

[Demographic Shift]

When he's swinging the bat like he has been, he can field however he likes. Haha

I know.... thats the thing.... His bat is top tier.
But he just doesn;t have the arm to play SS.
Lots of extra outs you cant afford to give away the farther you go ......
Second base and another vacuum cleaner type infielder like Chapman at short who hits 250.... maybe that kid Orlevis Martinez is ready.
Or they buy one in FA.
Or trade some of the talent they have in the minors to get a good young one.

Love Bo... He is a cornerstone of the team... but everyone is better served if he transitions to 2nd...

[Demographic Shift]

The first of nine games against the Blue Jays nemisis the Tampa Bay Rays goes tonite.
I hate the Rays because they play good fundamental baseball while seemingly owning us like we the Orioles..
They turn double plays. They get bunts down and runners get over.
These are areas where Blue Jay teams dating back to the 80's traditionally don't do well.
The tradition continues with this squad as well.
They want to beat you with their bats and play for the big inning.
The September run for the pennant is on and we are in it....

Hoping we get at least a 5-4 split with Tampa.

[Joey]

These Blue Jays have the Yanks numba! Great win. I wouldn't even be that concerned having to face them, knowing how well we've played them of late. Go Jays!

[Demographic Shift]

So the playoffs changed this year....
No more one game showdowns...
It will be Cleveland hosting 3 in Cleveland against whoever finishes i#6 or 3rd WC spot.
Then its the winner of the WC race #4 vs the 2nd place team #5 with the 1st place team hosting all 3.

Then its
#1 Houston vs Winner of #4 vs #5
#2 Wankees vs Winner of #3 vs #6

Us vs Astros...

[Joey]

Oof tough loss. But, that's the beauty of best-of-3. Go Jays Go!

[Demographic Shift]

Black armband day tomorrow.
Just didn't have the wherewithal and a little bit of luck to stop the bleeding today.
Need better infield defense and as always.. more pitching.

[DanH]

Wow. Did not have "Jays Leaf harder than Leafs do" on my bingo card. Rough end to a decent season. Still, young team, sky's the limit going forward.

[Joey]

Wow. Did not have "Jays Leaf harder than Leafs do" on my bingo card. Rough end to a decent season. Still, young team, sky's the limit going forward.

LOL Made the same joke to my buddy. Tough to swallow. But ya, our pitching is definitely the weakness, but infield defense needs a boost as well.

[Demographic Shift]

Well its a new year !
And for the first time in forever the Blue Jays are paying attention to outfield defense.
Too many singles turned into doubles off bad throws and bad outfield defense in general.
Out go the power bat of Teoscar and throwing arm of Guriel ..and in comes a power bat with good defensive chops Daulton Varsho and a vaccum cleaner in centre and perennial gold glove winner Kiermier. He will save our pitching staff a lot of runs and keep them in games longer. He is a shop vac out in centre.

Looks like its Whitt Merrifield at second and Biggio / Espinal in the utility roles.

No room for Moreno as Jansen and the fire hydrant Kirk stay behind the plate in what is looking like a win now team.

Elephant in the room is Bo Bichette at SS. He is offensively gifted and we need this guy on the field . But he just doesnt have a major league arm for the position. You are not winning an October playoff series with a noodle for an arm shortstop. He has to go to 2nd as soon as we find our SS of the future.

EDIT Feb 8th 2023: Bo signs a bridge deal a couple of weeks ahead of training camp. This isn't going to be popular but he is now much easier to trade.

Manoah ... Gausman....Berrios....Free Agent Bassitt.... as the top 4 and the 5th starter could be a platoon of Kikucci and Ryu when he gets back from tommy john surgery in JulyAugust.

We have a better BullPen than last year.
Romano remains the closer
New set up guy from Seatle in Swanson to go along with Cimber Ymii Garcia and Anthony Bass... and then the mop up guys.

All in all they are set to contend again.... Only 3 weeks till pitchers and catchers report.

[Demographic Shift]

And the late night sports media are starting to feature an everyday Jays story.
Pitchers and catchers are in camp.
The long grind of spring training begins.

Our outfield is no longer a double dropping in, miss the cutoff man but carry lots of pop at the plate kinda place. Less bats but we have vaccum cleaners in the outfield. Sea change in approach. Its a more serious approach to winning in the post season. I like it. Think Jackie Bradley who can go get it anywhere stays as 4th OF ... Kiermaier and Springer do get dinged up. Excited to see Varsho ... He is going to be good. We gave up good value in Moreno and Lourdes. One of those two are going to play for Zona.

The infield defense is major league at the corners but minor league up the middle. Platoon at 2nd for sure. Probably Merrifield and one of BIggio or Espinal. Looks like Bo stays at short till one of the kids they have in their system, Orlevis Martinez, comes along (and that we can't trade this one too)and thats the event that moves Bichette to 2nd base. Bo has plus everything but a major league arm at shortstop. He would go from a below average SS to an average or better 2nd B. Gurerro is an incredibly good defensive 1st baseman. Matt Chapman has already played better than his contract. Good get by Shatkins.

We fixed the ramp up to the closer with a trade to get another great arm out of the bullpen. Erik Swanson. So we now have a functional bullpen with roles. Swanson will come in the 8th and Romano remains the closer. Until the first blown save and a baseball controversy errupts. The set up and long men are all familiar faces in Jimi Garcia, Tim Mayza, Bass, Thornton... the list goes on. Never overpay on your bullpen.

The band is back behind the plate with Kirk and Jansen. Long a problem spot the jays are well served here.

Starting pitching is good.. We have an Ace in Manoah. This kid is CC Sabbathia. Hes real good. We have a serious two three punch in Gausman and Barrios. The 4 starter is an innings eater in Chris Bassit. And the always unselttled 5th starter is surprise unsettled. Kikuchi or Ryu ....until the first injury and then the annual scramble for pitching begins. Like fantasy football the season on finding more pitching depth never ever ends.

Its us and the Yankees and probably the Rays. Baltimore is going to be better. They are on their way back. The Red Sox havent done much in the way of anything but lose players to free agency or have to trade them because they don't want to pay them.

Go Jays !!

[Demographic Shift]

The passion of the fans in the World Baseball Classic is incredible to watch.