This team is actually pretty good II

[G-Snarls]

This team is good when they are healthy. I don't want to jinx or anything but the injuries will start eventually. We've had lots of guys hurt but we have avoided major injuries at the same time. Hopefully they can stay relatively healthy because this is really fun to watch!

 

We have been reasonably lucky so far yes.

 

So far injuries have occurred to guys we actually have decent backups for Ramus/Gose, Lind/Francisco. Janssen hurt even though most of us thought we'd be fine with Santos.

 

Lawrie Bautista or Reyes would really hurt as would any of the 3 good starters.

[AngryBird]

Agree, but last years streak and team are vastly different then this years.....

Very true, but we still won 11 straight. And how long will our bats keep hitting out of their minds? And guys like Happ not imploding after 3 innings

[Candy Maldonado]

Because you're derailing a positive thread with crap that doesn't matter anymore.

 

The thread didn't get derailed. Why did you bring up last seasons streak? It doesn't matter anymore.

[Chappy]

I would rather wait to see what we have in stroman before jumping the gun.

[closetjaysfan]

Its been years since I have been able to say that a Jays team is firing on all cylinders.... and we are almost there. Hitting, starting pitching, defence, closing pitching, hustle all of it is working right now. Bullpen is the only thing that has been a little shaky in this last stretch.

[Convo]

The thread didn't get derailed. Why did you bring up last seasons streak? It doesn't matter anymore.

 

I was making a point. Nice try though...

[OtisNixonFan]

While I am quite happy about our recent fortunes, a couple of key weaknesses have me a little concerned. Those being our bats against LHP and our inability to hit offspeed pitches. The first issue is reasonable, as although we give up a lot against LHP our bench is ironclad for the later innings when were like to see a RHP. My real worry is how many junkballs we're chasing outside the zone(namely Reyes, Lawrie, Rasmus, Francisco, etc). While I expect this to decrease as the season goes, I can't say I've felt confident with some of those guys at the plate.

[Chappy]

At the risk of his trade value?

 

Yes. If he pans out the cost and control would be significant for this team. We already have hutch, if stroman pans out we would have two solid young arms that are dirt cheap. It's too early to go all in, if this team is for real then they can cope for the next month. If not then it was all just a pipe dream anyways.

[Cooler Heads Prevail]

We had a great run like this last June, won 11 straight games and brought us up to 38-36 and then we went back down to earth after that.

 

Let's not get ahead of ourselves here.

 

Two seasons aren't comparable at all when you look at them more carefully. Believe what you want, last year's team had Cabrera with a tumour, Bono and Iztirus playing terrible, Josh Johnson getting shelled almost every start ( if he wasn't hurt ), Reyes out half a season, Lawrie in and out of the lineup, and our #4 and #5 starters were t.b.a for two months. Plus Dickey and Buehrle had terrible starts to their year, Hutch wasn't available, and our catcher was terrible.

 

This year's team has reverted to average luck and the worst thing about it was our bullpen. The bullpen is also the easiest thing to fix, Janssen is back, McGowan can help, Santos can help ( no closing please ). We probably need one starter, yes. Our W/L record probably understates how well the team has played so far.

[Chappy]

I think the most important part is that this year players are working with each other as a team rather then working individually. If one player falters then another player will pick up his slack. It seems really cliche, and even something you think they would be doing last year, but it's very noticeable this year.

 

What you stated doesn't exist in baseball.

[Dick_Pole]

You f***ers are going to jinx it with all of your positivity. Let's wait until August when they're 20 games over rather than May when they are 6 games over. There are a lot of issues on this team which have yet to be proven sustainable. The whole Francisco/Lawrie/Tolleson deal, the continued health of several players on this team and the back half of the starting staff. The Jays either need to continue to be lucky or have good contingency plans in case the luck runs out. The team has been VERY lucky thus far in finding a solution to 2B that seems more amicable than the options going into the season and the starting staff has been performing beyond mine and most other people's expectations.

[Bunchedundies]

You f***ers are going to jinx it with all of your positivity. Let's wait until August when they're 20 games over rather than May when they are 6 games over. There are a lot of issues on this team which have yet to be proven sustainable. The whole Francisco/Lawrie/Tolleson deal, the continued health of several players on this team and the back half of the starting staff. The Jays either need to continue to be lucky or have good contingency plans in case the luck runs out. The team has been VERY lucky thus far in finding a solution to 2B that seems more amicable than the options going into the season and the starting staff has been performing beyond mine and most other people's expectations.

 

They have not been lucky, they have played very well period and have now for about a month. The Jays can afford to use a guy like tolleson at Second base because the rest o the lineup is deep, second base is hardly a deal breaker. No team in baseball has studs at every position 1-9. The back half of the rotation and health certainly potentially are far bigger issues. Second base will not be the reason this team fails to make the playoffs.

 

Di I want an upgrade? Yep, but pitching is where the focus should be.

[BlueJaysGirl]

They have not been lucky, they have played very well period and have now for about a month. The Jays can afford to use a guy like tolleson at Second base because the rest o the lineup is deep, second base is hardly a deal breaker. No team in baseball has studs at every position 1-9. The back half of the rotation and health certainly are far bigger issues.

 

Tolleson is serviceable, and when there's a righty pitching against the Jays Lawrie is there. 2B is not nearly the hole it has been since we had good Aaron Hill.

 

My fear right now is Happ gives up 11 runs in two innings to kill the streak.

[G-Snarls]

[G-Snarls]

Tolleson is serviceable, and when there's a righty pitching against the Jays Lawrie is there. 2B is not nearly the hole it has been since we had good Aaron Hill.

 

My fear right now is Happ gives up 11 runs in two innings to kill the streak.

 

Also have to worry that Francisco goes in to a long slump and starts committing errors at 3rd base.

 

But yeah, the quality of our 4/5 starters is what worries me the most too.

[ElNik2013]

You f***ers are going to jinx it with all of your positivity. Let's wait until August when they're 20 games over rather than May when they are 6 games over. There are a lot of issues on this team which have yet to be proven sustainable. The whole Francisco/Lawrie/Tolleson deal, the continued health of several players on this team and the back half of the starting staff. The Jays either need to continue to be lucky or have good contingency plans in case the luck runs out. The team has been VERY lucky thus far in finding a solution to 2B that seems more amicable than the options going into the season and the starting staff has been performing beyond mine and most other people's expectations.

 

 

I can agree with quite a bit of what you say, including the jinxing it part. I always said going into the season that it isn't only the Blue Jays that have issues, but I certainly understand that since this is the team we follow, we focus more on the Blue Jays issues. However, agreed that it's early and there are issues that remain a big concern.

 

I will say though that an argument could be made that the team has played better than their record states at the moment. As we know, they've blown some games that should've been won, but that's baseball and like some of us said at the time, if they stick wittit, good things will come their way.

 

Over all, let's keep serene.

[G-Snarls]

YOU CAN'T JINX A SPORTS TEAM WITH POSTS ON A MESSAGE BOARD. WE DON'T AFFECT THEIR PERFORMANCE.

 

bitch please filler

[jays4life19]

YOU CAN'T JINX A SPORTS TEAM WITH POSTS ON A MESSAGE BOARD. WE DON'T AFFECT THEIR PERFORMANCE.

 

bitch please filler

 

lol

[Deadpool]

YOU CAN'T JINX A SPORTS TEAM WITH POSTS ON A MESSAGE BOARD. WE DON'T AFFECT THEIR PERFORMANCE.

 

bitch please filler

 

Hey man, don't talk about the fact that so far, Happ has a no hitter today. If we talk about that, he'll probably give up a hit or something...

[G-Snarls]

Hey man, don't talk about the fact that so far, Happ has a no hitter today. If we talk about that, he'll probably give up a hit or something...

 

Truth be told I'm actually fairly superstitious. I just felt like saying that. LOL

[GeorgiaPeach]

Wanted to bump the other thread but it was locked.

 

They are pretty good!

 

They are pretty good and could luck their way into the playoffs. But who wants a team that relies more on luck than talent?

 

Not me.

[Bunchedundies]

They are pretty good and could luck their way into the playoffs. But who wants a team that relies more on luck than talent?

 

Not me.

 

Luck? They make the playoffs it's because they performed well enough to make it, luck has zero to do with it. The Sox won a WS last year when many players played above expectations all year, it happens, maybe this year things break right for us, or maybe they fall back to be a mediocre team, luck has nothing to do with it, you are what yopur record shows.

[Deadpool]

They are pretty good and could luck their way into the playoffs. But who wants a team that relies more on luck than talent?

 

Not me.

 

There hasn't been many times this year when I've thought "man, the Jays were lucky to win that game, the other team was clearly better" (it has happened, not often...) and there have definitely been times when I have thought "the Jays should have won that game, but they pissed it away [usually the bullpen, dammit Santos!]"

 

That to me is the mark of a team that's not SEEMING lucky, and is doing it based on talent.

[Bunchedundies]

There hasn't been many times this year when I've thought "man, the Jays were lucky to win that game, the other team was clearly better" (it has happened, not often...) and there have definitely been times when I have thought "the Jays should have won that game, but they pissed it away [usually the bullpen, dammit Santos!]"

 

That to me is the mark of a team that's not SEEMING lucky, and is doing it based on talent.

 

Exactly, in fact the Jays should have 2-3 more wins right now if not for several meltdowns.

[GeorgiaPeach]

There hasn't been many times this year when I've thought "man, the Jays were lucky to win that game, the other team was clearly better" (it has happened, not often...) and there have definitely been times when I have thought "the Jays should have won that game, but they pissed it away [usually the bullpen, dammit Santos!]"

 

That to me is the mark of a team that's not SEEMING lucky, and is doing it based on talent.

 

I know comparing teams on paper over the course of a year doesn't matter because anything can happen. But, when comparing teams on paper, I wouldn't expect the team we currently field to be a playoff talked about team.

 

I'm sorry, but this team as it's constructed is not one of the best teams in baseball.

 

We're exceeding expectations and that's where I get "lucky" from.

[G-Snarls]

The main luck has been with injuries sort of and other AL East teams being crappier than expected

 

Most of it has just been more guys playing to their talent level than last year

[Deadpool]

I know comparing teams on paper over the course of a year doesn't matter because anything can happen. But, when comparing teams on paper, I wouldn't expect the team we currently field to be a playoff talked about team.

 

I'm sorry, but this team as it's constructed is not one of the best teams in baseball.

 

We're exceeding expectations and that's where I get "lucky" from.

 

Fair enough, I'm talking "game by game". This team has rarely looked over matched based on the eyeball test.

[jays4life19]

The main luck has been with injuries and other AL East teams being crappier than expected

 

Most of it has just been more guys playing to their talent level than last year

 

I swear if you just jinxed this and our starting pitcher goes down today...oh wait, JA Happ is pitching. f*** it, who cares.

[G-Snarls]

I know comparing teams on paper over the course of a year doesn't matter because anything can happen. But, when comparing teams on paper, I wouldn't expect the team we currently field to be a playoff talked about team.

 

I'm sorry, but this team as it's constructed is not one of the best teams in baseball.

 

We're exceeding expectations and that's where I get "lucky" from.

 

On paper this team was projected to win maybe 81-84 games depending on who's projections you looked at right? It doesn't take a LOT of luck to have that become 78 wins or 87 wins. And a weak division changes things a LOT. Is that lucky? Yes, it sort of is. Is having Melky and Bautista playing this well lucky? Not so much, they're just playing more to their true talent level and not hurt.

[Cooler Heads Prevail]

The main luck has been with injuries sort of and other AL East teams being crappier than expected

 

Most of it has just been more guys playing to their talent level than last year

 

No, let's stop catering to the negativity on here. We've had an average amount of injuries ourselves. We lost Reyes, Rasmus, Lind, Morrow for significant time already. Those four were supposed to be core players. Our latest wins coincide with Reyes finally hitting full stride, probably the first time he's been healthy since the first week of last season.

 

We've had 3 or 4 upside surprises, not an extraordinary number, this is exactly the kind of thing I said last season. If we can get a few upside surprises, like we did in early 2012, this team is capable. And lo and behold, we have Buehrle, Hutch, Francisco, and Bautista ( the latter I'm not surprised but it's open to debate ). And winning/losing is contageous. Players relax and play better when things are going well.