Jays the front runners for Melvin Upton

[King]

BJ is pretty much warm garbage, strikes out a ton, doesn't walk, has almost zero pop in his bat the last 3 years before running into a few this year. He plays passable defense, but he is prone to some serious slumps at the plate where he looks absolutely lost at the plate ala justin smoak. Hes not BJ from 2011 and prior. Dont need him, much rather the jays go after some help for the pen.

 

I will never understand why people chalk up consistency ("prone to serious slumps at the plate") as a negative. Literally every position player in baseball is "prone to serious slumps at the plate". Consistency, especially for non elite position players, does not exist.

 

Mike Trout has played in 97 games this season. In ~35 of them, he has recorded a wRC+ under 60. I guess he sucks, too inconsistent.

[Belliss101]

AA lovers gonna hate no matter what

[Caper]

I'd open just rather promote Pompey. Way better D, far more speed. Bat did not play last year, but It wouldn't surprise me if he got hot.

[baubau]

Man, would love it if Atkins could somehow land Norris in this.

[thatoneguy]

AA lovers gonna hate no matter what

 

http://coffeetablecongress.com/Straw-Man_500.gif

[Grant77]

I'd open just rather promote Pompey. Way better D, far more speed. Bat did not play last year, but It wouldn't surprise me if he got hot.

 

I don't know if that's true. Pompey will get his chance in September and 2017, but having another veteran can't hurt.

[Laika]

Man, would love it if Atkins could somehow land Norris in this.

 

why? I don't see how he fits at all

[Grant77]

Man, would love it if Atkins could somehow land Norris in this.

 

I'd rather land Cashner or Maurer.

[Caper]

I don't know if that's true. Pompey will get his chance in September and 2017, but having another veteran can't hurt.

 

You guys no more then I do... But man, I hate guys that strike out a tonne.

[King]

Per Davidi - we are also interested in Tyson Ross.

 

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/sanchez-dilemma-lingers-blue-jays-hunt-pitching-help-continues/

 

Starter Andrew Cashner starts Tuesday and the Blue Jays have scouted him, and they’re also believed to have some interest in the injured Tyson Ross, who’s working toward a mid-August return. Really, though, they’re exploring every possible avenue, trying to find the right value and fit, armed with enough prospect capital to get a deal done, but not the fattest stash of chips at the table.

[guylaroche5]

Good move, say what you want about Melvin but the guy is a proven MLB caliber outfielder. Did you have fun watching Junior Lake for a couple weeks because I sure as hell didn't, gettur dun Shatkins!

[burlingtonbandit]

This move is solely because the team has said Bautista is DHing a lot more down the stretch. Smoak doesn't deserve to be on the team, but he is a decent defensive replacement late in games. Smoak signed an extension solely as an emergency option for next year....assuming we resign no one.

 

Not to nitpick but Smoak has been pretty garbage defensively. Even tonight he made another misplay which cost them an out. He has decent hands and a large wingspan but thats about it...

[Frenchsoup]

No Upton please, THX.

[baubau]

why? I don't see how he fits at all

 

Why? Cause I am an idiot. I thought Bud Norris was still w/ SD Padres.. turns out he is with Atlanta. Figured he'd be cheap depth. Ban me?

 

E: Holy f*** he's with the dodgers.. well I fail.

[admin]

Pompey should be our fielder.

Carrera can be our fourth OFer.

Carrera .191/.325 in last month.

.059/.158 in last two weeks.

.000/.000 in last week.

Let him play vs Lefties

[King]

Why? Cause I am an idiot. I thought Bud Norris was still w/ SD Padres.. turns out he is with Atlanta. Figured he'd be cheap depth. Ban me?

 

E: Holy f*** he's with the dodgers.. well I fail.

I thought you meant Derek Norris.

[Daniel Labude]

Not to nitpick but Smoak has been pretty garbage defensively. Even tonight he made another misplay which cost them an out. He has decent hands and a large wingspan but thats about it...

 

I agree...he has been going south quickly in all aspects.

[nmrch]

I agree...he has been going south quickly in all aspects.

 

he's never been good though, people just think his defence is good because he's a horrible hitter, that's a weird thing baseball fans do, not just Jays fans.

Edited July 26, 2016 by nmrch

[baubau]

I thought you meant Derek Norris.

 

Nah, Bud. I won't mind if the Jays landed Derek Norris, means no more Thole! But not sure how that could work out with the roster. Martin would be the no. 1 catcher so Norris would be backup but he's a waste of a asset at backup and better that they flip him for help in other areas which can improve the team.

[nmrch]

I say pass on Melvin Upton BTW, he's not reliable.

 

Pojections have him with a 84 wRC+ going forward and a non contributor defensively, that's considerably worse than Pompey. I'll be disappointed at Shapiro and Atkins if we do indeed get him, they can't coast on their reputation forever, at some point you have show people that you're not idiots but they keep making stupid decisions like the Smoak extension last week.

Edited July 26, 2016 by nmrch

[Laika]

he's never been good though, people just think his defence is good because he's a horrible hitter, that's weird thing baseball fans do, not just Jays fans.

 

No, it's reputation based. Scouting reports all along pegged him as a plus defensive 1B. He got frequent Mark Teixeira comps as a prospect.

 

It's not like he's ever been bad. He has great hands and is a fantastic fundamental 1B. He just has s*** range, which kind of cancels the rest out. He's an average 1B.

[glory]

Smoak is replacement level, and Bautista and Saunders are s*** fielders. Upton is probably just as good a hitter as Smoak but plays a solid OF, which means they can move Bats and MS to DH. Improves the defense tremendously and does nothing to the offense, maybe even improves it since at least Upton can run a bit.

 

This would be an upgrade for 2016, no question. Depends what is given up though. Better not be a good prospect, and I suspect it won't be.

[RealAccountant]

Bj Upton probably hits a bit better in Toronto considering the lineup he is in. He will add another dimension to this offense

 

Having said that I would give up zero for him.

[Terminator]

My guess is Upton would be pretty cheap and that the Padres would eat a lot of his salary. He better be his projections are pretty garbage and he is very well paid.

 

I've been trying to talk myself in to him and can't really seem to find a way to do it. If all he took was a C prospect and the Padres threw in quite a bit of cash I wouldn't hate it but then again what does he do that Pompey doesn't?

[Terminator]

Smoak is replacement level, and Bautista and Saunders are s*** fielders. Upton is probably just as good a hitter as Smoak but plays a solid OF, which means they can move Bats and MS to DH. Improves the defense tremendously and does nothing to the offense, maybe even improves it since at least Upton can run a bit.

 

This would be an upgrade for 2016, no question. Depends what is given up though. Better not be a good prospect, and I suspect it won't be.

 

I hear you on Upton but couldn't Pompey do those same things?

[burlingtonbandit]

Hit for power

[Terminator]

Hit for power

 

Yeah his SLG is projected to be a tad higher and his ISO a lot higher.

[glory]

I hear you on Upton but couldn't Pompey do those same things?

 

I'd rather go with Pompey too, but for whatever reason that's not happening.

 

Upton wouldn't be my first choice but I don't want to see Bautista and Saunders play the OF together. That's two pylons beside Pillar. Upton is better than Smoak, and that's really the way I'm looking at it. But if they give up anything of value, I'd be disappointed.

[BTS]

I hear you on Upton but couldn't Pompey do those same things?

 

Pompey looks like he's going to hit like Kevin Pillar, and I don't think his defence is good enough for that to play on a corner. Upton looks like he can bring a league average bat and plus defense to a corner spot.

[Laika]

My guess is Upton would be pretty cheap and that the Padres would eat a lot of his salary. He better be his projections are pretty garbage and he is very well paid.

 

I've been trying to talk myself in to him and can't really seem to find a way to do it. If all he took was a C prospect and the Padres threw in quite a bit of cash I wouldn't hate it but then again what does he do that Pompey doesn't?

 

Upton has been solid for two seasons now. 3.1 WAR in ~600 PA over 2015 and 2016.

 

He's an ideal 4th outfielder. Pinch hit option with real pop, decent defense, good pinch running option, veteran.