Defense Alex?? C'mon...

[Olerud363]

If you missed it there was a fan590 interview with AA yesterday, summarized on mlbtraderumors.

 

One tidbit that caught my eye... AA is blaming defense for the trainwreck. Now before I go on I'm a big believer in defense... and I do think this is a bad defensive team. However I am also a big believer in a transmission for my car. Blaming this season on defense is like totalling a car then after the fact blaming the wreck on the transmission. Afterwards every thing is a mess including the transmission. But a bad transmission wasn't the root cause.

 

Brett Lawrie is a good defensive player but he misses 60 games a year. Melkly Cabrerra was a good defensive player but he is suffering from steroid withdrawal. Colby Rasmus is a good defensive player but injured. I have heard mixed reviews of Bautista's defense. My understanding is it was good enough at 29. But he is now just about 33 and missing 60 games a year... In fact the entire outfield is gone for the last 1/3 of this season. How can you blame defense here?? Injuries. Age. Steroid withdrawal,.

 

OK. Lind/EE?? I don't think you can pin a bad team defense on the first basemen. And what would you do about it anyway?? Buy James Loney at a high point?? (OK this is Beeston's blue jays we are talking about... maybe they would).

 

Now we get to our favourite whipping boy, Mr. Arencibia of the .240 on base percentage. In fact our catchers have about a .240 on base percentage for the year. 2nd basemen .250 something. Now are you telling me they are also bad defensively?? So this team has 2 positions carrying a combined .250 on base percentage AND those positions have bad defense?? What do we do about it?? Give up some offense to get better defensively??

 

Finally Reyes. Reports have always been mixed and struggles this year are related to the injury. So is the problem defense here or injury?? Is it defense or the fact that Reyes will be 31 next year?? Defense or age and injury?? And what do we do?? This guy is our highest paid position player. Signed for big bucks for 4 more years. And now we are saying he's bad defensively??

 

Is the real problem defense?? No. The problem is this team is an incompetent trainwreck. Incompetent trainwrecks have injuries, low on base percentages and bad defense.

 

We can solve this mess by improving the defense?? How?? Move Reyes to 2nd?? Not any time soon with Cito as a consultant. And besides Reyes will probably get more injuries playing second. Goins at second?? Early reports indicate good defense but what will he hit? Can we carry a sub .300 on base percentage at a position again?? Replace the outfielders?? With who?? And what do we do with the present crew?

 

Here is what could help. Somehow replace the .250 combined oba at c/2b with a .320... somehow get Lawrie/Reyes/Rasmus/Bautista on the field for 145 games each. Somehow get Romero's head straightened out. Somehow get Morrow healthy for atleast 150 innings. Out of Nolan, Stroman, Hutch, Drabek, McGowan, Redmond somehow find a 5th/6th/7th starters. And somehow getting another veteran starter (without giving up more youth) would be nice. A lot of somehows but it's a framework for getting the Jays into a wild card race.

 

This management crew looking for "defense"?? Sounds more like a recipe for a .290 team on base percentage and 74 wins.

[Smokey]

Anyone who supports and employs JPA for years and then goes on to blame defense for the teams short coming should be handed a pink slip and a donut and asked to GTFO.

[The_DH]

Anyone who supports and employs JPA for years and then goes on to blame defense for the teams short coming should be handed a pink slip and a donut and asked to GTFO.

 

You hit the nail on the head. So much could have been done here and was not. JPA should have been working with a coach every day and was not. Then you blame defense? We hadno 2b all year.

[z3r0s]

Melkly Cabrerra was a good defensive player but he is suffering from steroid withdrawal.

 

There's little else that frustrates me more than people stating an unsubstantiated opinion as a fact.

 

Is it possible that Melky's injuries were a result of no juice?... sure. Is it actually the case?... you have literally no idea.

 

And Melky hasn't really been a good defender over his career.

[flafson]

I don't think he was mainly blaming defense, it was more of an eye opener what a difference it was when he had both Lawrie and Goins on defense. He still claims the number one problem was starting pitching.

[Caper]

The OP is very flawed. It is simply not true that AA blamed the season on defence.

[The Cats Ass]

If you missed it there was a fan590 interview with AA yesterday, summarized on mlbtraderumors.

 

One tidbit that caught my eye... AA is blaming defense for the trainwreck. Now before I go on I'm a big believer in defense... and I do think this is a bad defensive team. However I am also a big believer in a transmission for my car. Blaming this season on defense is like totalling a car then after the fact blaming the wreck on the transmission. Afterwards every thing is a mess including the transmission. But a bad transmission wasn't the root cause.

 

A bad transmission could technically cause a wreck which could total a car.

 

There have been problems with some vehicles where parts come loose in the trans and cause it to then lock up. Traveling at highway speeds when a trans locks up can easily cause a crash. Especially with a rear-wheel drive vehicle, where when it locks up it would be similar to pulling up hard on the e-brake, the tail end of the car would go and chances are you'll be off the road to one side or the other.

 

So yes... A bad transmission could be the root of the crash.

[The Cats Ass]

And AA did not blame the lost season on defense. He said he should have paid more attention to it last offseason and not looked past it. I feel next year we'll be a better team defensivly. EE is fine at first, he's about average. Our biggest up grades we need are 2B and C. If AA picks up defense only players to fill those spots it'll be an upgrade to the team. Goins I think should be our starting 2B next year, unless we trade for someone who can hit and play good defense, because there is not a single free agent 2B that I would want other then Cano. AA just needs to sign one of the many defensive catchers on the market this winter and kick JPA to the curb or send him to the minors.

[G-Snarls]

Anyone who supports and employs JPA for years and then goes on to blame defense for the teams short coming should be handed a pink slip and a piece of baklava and asked to GTFO.

 

Fixed that for you

[G-Snarls]

And AA did not blame the lost season on defense. He said he should have paid more attention to it last offseason and not looked past it. I feel next year we'll be a better team defensivly.

 

That sounds more reasonable in terms of a quote from AA

 

And I agree with your comment. As long as we have jettisoned Boni and JPA it will be better.

[Convo]

You hit the nail on the head.

 

If one more person uses this expression...

[The Cats Ass]

If one more person uses this expression...

 

My sentiments exactly, you sir have hit the nail on the head.

[G-Snarls]

In interview AA says he called Ricky and talked to him for an hour. Asked him if he wanted to be called up or shut down for the season. Hmmm. Odd. Anyhow, says Ricky has a "clean slate" going in to 2014.

[G-Snarls]

Link to interview:

 

http://pmd.fan590.com/audio_on_demand-3/Alex-Anthopoulos-with-Greg-Brady-and-Jim-Lang-bl-20130905-Interview.mp3

[G-Snarls]

My sentiments exactly, you sir have hit the nail on the head.

 

LOL. Hahaha.

[G-Snarls]

Says they will be looking to add a starter via trade or free agency

 

Seems keen on Goins and Lawrie

 

Says they will decide on Josh Johnson by mid October

 

Not asked about catcher. Probably relieved that they didn't ask him but lame...

[The Cats Ass]

In interview AA says he called Ricky and talked to him for an hour. Asked him if he wanted to be called up or shut down for the season. Hmmm. Odd. Anyhow, says Ricky has a "clean slate" going in to 2014.

 

Ya, AA was asking him what he thought would be best for himself. And he also told him there would be no promises to his role if he were to be called up.

[G-Snarls]

Top 3 free agent starters per MLBTR:

 

Matt Garza. Garza, 29, moves up a spot on the list. He's posted a 3.09 ERA in 14 starts this year, and has averaged over seven innings per start since the Cubs let him loose in late May following a long layoff for injuries. But the main reason he gains a spot is the July 22nd trade to the Rangers, establishing him as the best available free agent who is not eligible for a qualifying offer. There's real value in that.

 

Hiroki Kuroda. With a 2.38 ERA, Kuroda ranks second in the American League behind Felix Hernandez. The 38-year-old is unlikely to maintain a .255 batting average on balls in play moving forward, but his excellence cannot be denied.

 

Ervin Santana. Santana has positioned himself for the second-largest free agent contract given to a starting pitcher. Unlike Garza, however, Santana is likely to require draft pick compensation if he reaches the open market. The 30-year-old sports a 2.97 ERA in 151 1/3 innings, which is partially backed up by the best strikeout and walk rates since his stellar '08 campaign. One major change since then: Santana has a career-best 47.4% groundball rate.

[Convo]

My sentiments exactly, you sir have hit the nail on the head.

 

Dickface.

[jays_fever]

Santana will be a Jay next year on a hefty contract, we all know it's coming.

[Abomination]

Says they will be looking to add a starter via trade or free agency

 

Seems keen on Goins and Lawrie

 

Says they will decide on Josh Johnson by mid October

 

Not asked about catcher. Probably relieved that they didn't ask him but lame...

 

I found the comment on a starter interesting. I wonder if that is in addition to JJ if they retain him, or to replace JJ if they don't. AA also seemed to imply that when team doctors see JJ in October they will assess if he's fully healthy or not. If so, the team will probably qualify him. If not, they'll let him go.

 

The one thing I've noticed the last few years is that when AA hints that he's not happy about something, he does something about it. He wasn't happy about the bullpen, he fixed it (probably went overboard, but that's another argument). He wasn't happy about the starting rotation, he did something that should have fixed it. Now it appears AA is unhappy with team defense, and I have to believe he's going to do something about it. I don't know if Goins will be the 2nd baseman or someone will be brought in, but I will be surprised if JPA is the catcher. I also suspect that Gose will make the team and Melky will slide over to DH or be traded.

[G-Snarls]

I found the comment on a starter interesting. I wonder if that is in addition to JJ if they retain him, or to replace JJ if they don't. AA also seemed to imply that when team doctors see JJ in October they will assess if he's fully healthy or not. If so, the team will probably qualify him. If not, they'll let him go.

 

The one thing I've noticed the last few years is that when AA hints that he's not happy about something, he does something about it. He wasn't happy about the bullpen, he fixed it (probably went overboard, but that's another argument). He wasn't happy about the starting rotation, he did something that should have fixed it. Now it appears AA is unhappy with team defense, and I have to believe he's going to do something about it. I don't know if Goins will be the 2nd baseman or someone will be brought in, but I will be surprised if JPA is the catcher. I also suspect that Gose will make the team and Melky will slide over to DH or be traded.

 

Agree with all this

 

AA plays his hand close to his chest, but like you say, when he actually says something he does it.

 

I see him either extending JJ or nabbing someone else of similar upside

 

And yes, I honestly do think he's going to jettison Arencibia

[P2F]

Anyone who supports and employs JPA for years and then goes on to blame defense for the teams short coming should be handed a pink slip and a donut and asked to GTFO.

 

It's not like Russell Martin wasn't looking for a team with a vacancy or "vacancy" in the off-season or anything. AA should have been all over that one. How he could somehow think JPA would drastically improve his defense in one season blows my f***ing mind.

 

So f*** off with your excuses, AA. Seriously. f*** right off.

[wilko]

It's not like Russell Martin wasn't looking for a team with a vacancy or "vacancy" in the off-season or anything. AA should have been all over that one. How he could somehow think JPA would drastically improve his defense in one season blows my f***ing mind.

 

So f*** off with your excuses, AA. Seriously. f*** right off.

 

Calm down.

[John_Havok]

The entire rant was a giant strawman blowing in the wind.

[Boxcar]

Anyone who supports and employs JPA for years and then goes on to blame defense for the teams short coming should be handed a pink slip and a donut and asked to GTFO.

 

How about just throwing away a premiere defender at short who could hit and was making only 5 million per season?

[DuckDuckGose]

It's not like Russell Martin wasn't looking for a team with a vacancy or "vacancy" in the off-season or anything. AA should have been all over that one. How he could somehow think JPA would drastically improve his defense in one season blows my f***ing mind.

 

So f*** off with your excuses, AA. Seriously. f*** right off.

 

Going in to last off-season I was dreaming AA would land Martin, Dickey, and Melky. AA delivered on 2 of the 3, too bad he picked Melky instead of Martin. I have no idea what he was thinking going with JPA behind the dish. I was obvious the primary focus of the off-season should have been improving the rotation and finding a C. LF was way down the list of priorities and should have been filled with a late off-season value option or platoon. Worst case scenario AA was looking at Gose in CF and Rasmus LF anyways,

 

Good news is this club is still only a couple tweaks away from contention. Bad news is they don't have very many expendable assets in the high minors. I suspect AA will move one of the big names; Stroman, Sanchez, Osuna, Hutch, . If he does pull the trigger it better be for a star 2B, SP, or C though. This team doesn't need to waste assets on more depth, they should seriously look at bringing in some FA's to fill those roles.

[Boxcar]

"UHHH guyz I should have been something other than completely awful at the core aspects of my job. Whoops!"

 

Seriously, you should have paid more attention to defense? Is this not obvious to your basic idiot fan? It's one of THREE areas you look at when building a team, how do you make a comment about overlooking it and just get a free pass?

 

This is f***ing unreal. The guy could probably say "durr, I should have given their stats more than a cursory glance, but I don't use a computer and stats are for nerds. Next year though!!" and he'd get away with it because Rogers are happy that the team made money and don't really seem to care that there's idiots in charge of their property.

[G-Snarls]

How about just throwing away a premiere defender at short who could hit and was making only 5 million per season?

 

Whatevs.

 

Dominicans > Cubans

 

[P2F]

Calm down.

 

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