GDT(1/4): Toronto Blue Jays @ Oakland Athletics - Dickey vs. Gray - 9:05 PM ET

[jaysfan2014]

Most division champions play .500 ball 4 months out of the year, and play .650 ball two months out of the year. Its an honest fact.

 

That's true for most power hitters as well. Even the best ones have two good months, and 4 average months.

 

If you don't believe me go look at 14 years of Braves division titles (My second favorite team), Go look at the Yankees and how they win divisions. Its usually they have 3 hot streaks a year, and rest of the time play .500 ball. I am not saying you aren't wrong, I am just pointing out facts, and how the world works.

 

The Jays have a ridiculously easy schedule after the all star break. They will play 35 of the remaining games at home, out of 67. Of those 67 games, only 22 games are against teams that are over .500 at the days end. I don't know about you, but I'd take those chances.

 

However at the same time, you can't throw away games by playing below replacement level defenders at key positions. Dickey was outstanding tonight, he deserves better then to have EE in left field, Thole not catching routine knuckle balls, you have to be stronger defensively, and you do that by not sacrificing defense to get a bat in the game

 

I love Adam Lind, but if its a choice between having him or the Bautista, I'd go with Bautista.

 

Lawrie will be back post-All Star break. And our schedule is pretty easy compared to Baltimore, who have a difficult West Coast swing post break. No easy teams like the O's just saw vs. the Rangers, who are possibly worse than the Astros right now.

[jaysfan2014]

I think the O's will run away with the division. No other team will get to October. "Out of the race" as in 5+ games back.

 

O's won't win if their pitching staff doesn't improve. You can't contend with a bunch of #4 and #5 starters, especially in the playoffs, although Kevin Gausman shows promise. And most teams aren't like the Rangers who they just faced, who basically sent a near AAA pitching staff out that series.

 

O's will need to hit vs. the Red Sox.. Lester and Lackey are going in that series, vs. the weaker parts of the O's pitching staff. I can see the Jays back in 1st quickly if we can win vs. the A's.

[DickeyJohnsonWang]

can someone give me cliff notes on the game? A tl;dw version please.. bad d, bad gibby, etc.?

[theblujay]

can someone give me cliff notes on the game? A tl;dw version please.. bad d, bad gibby, etc.?

 

Horrendous defense, bad hitting, left Dickey in too long, bad base running...just gross

[G-Snarls]

Fortunately, today is a new day and we have Stroman going

 

If only we matched up better against the lefty

[admin]

Gonna be a good test for Stroman. Can he be consistently good?

[eastcoastjaysfan]

Why is the Around Baseball thread locked?

[fatcowxlive]

Why is the Around Baseball thread locked?

 

The old one is because its time is done. Use the 2014 thread

[Dylan]

The old one is because its time is done. Use the 2014 thread

 

2014 one was locked for a few minutes

[Convo]

Do you really think this team is capable of sustaining a +33 run differential for the rest of the season (which would put them at about +63 by seasons end)? I say not without significant upgrades. Do you not agree that this is basically a .500 ball club (and there's still a chance we could win the division with that)? Edited July 4, 2014 by Convo

[Convo]

can someone give me cliff notes on the game? A tl;dw version please.. bad d, bad gibby, etc.?

 

Come back with a non troll alias and we'll talk.

[DickeyJohnsonWang]

Horrendous defense, bad hitting, left Dickey in too long, bad base running...just gross

 

thanks I appreciate it.

 

Come back with a non troll alias and we'll talk.

 

If you think I'm a troll then I don't want to talk to you.

[Convo]

thanks I appreciate it.

 

 

 

If you think I'm a troll then I don't want to talk to you.

 

Never said that. Theblujay already summarized pretty well anyway...

[Horses Fart]

I love this site but the bickering is unreal.....f***in brutal. GDT's would only be about 6 pages long if we didnt have all the fighing. LoL