Offseason Roster Thread 2016-17

[Angrioter]

Lol these are so not happening.

Dave Stewart kinda deal. I miss that guy.

[Laika]

RHRP Chris Smith is getting some surprising mentions right now. Arden Zwelling mentioned him along with Rowdy Tellez when asked which young guys he was looking forward to getting eyes on.

 

I did not know Chris Smith existed until this afternoon. Never heard of him. Apparently he was called up for a day last September when Benoit got hurt.

 

Anyway, his numbers last year were pretty sick. 81 K's in 60 innings between AA and AAA. Apparently he throws hard (95) with a good slider.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=smith-011chr

 

Really interesting, long route to get here too. He was a Div 2 two-way player who converted to pitching, went to indy ball for a few years (getting released multiple times), then the ABL, then the Yankees for a few years (broke his forearm, came back and was decent, got released, re-signed, released again.).

 

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2015/8/5/9099145/blue-jays-farmhand-chris-smith-an-arduous-journey-through-the-minor

https://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles//released-and-re-released-chris-smith-now-a-big-league-reliever-with-jays

 

Go Chris Smith!

 

And get used to the name, because he's on the 40 now and he has three options left.

[Dr. Dinger]

Happ for Brendan Rodgers or

Happ + Pompey for Alex Bregman

 

Actually delete your account.

[HERPDERP]

angrioter has immunity, you should know that dinger

[rydermike]

Jays agree to minor league deal with catcher Rafael Lopez per the Score app

[z3r0s]

who?

[43211234]

RHRP Chris Smith is getting some surprising mentions right now. Arden Zwelling mentioned him along with Rowdy Tellez when asked which young guys he was looking forward to getting eyes on.

 

I did not know Chris Smith existed until this afternoon. Never heard of him. Apparently he was called up for a day last September when Benoit got hurt.

 

Anyway, his numbers last year were pretty sick. 81 K's in 60 innings between AA and AAA. Apparently he throws hard (95) with a good slider.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=smith-011chr

 

Really interesting, long route to get here too. He was a Div 2 two-way player who converted to pitching, went to indy ball for a few years (getting released multiple times), then the ABL, then the Yankees for a few years (broke his forearm, came back and was decent, got released, re-signed, released again.).

 

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2015/8/5/9099145/blue-jays-farmhand-chris-smith-an-arduous-journey-through-the-minor

https://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles//released-and-re-released-chris-smith-now-a-big-league-reliever-with-jays

 

Go Chris Smith!

 

And get used to the name, because he's on the 40 now and he has three options left.

 

I had never heard of him until I came across this article last September:

 

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/minor-league-review-top-blue-jays-prospects-fared-2016/

 

At first, I remember thinking it was a mistake and they had somehow mis-named a player in the article.

 

 

 

Quite the severe case of Boring Name Syndrome for the BJMB as a whole to not be aware of him.

[o2cui2i]

RHRP Chris Smith is getting some surprising mentions right now. Arden Zwelling mentioned him along with Rowdy Tellez when asked which young guys he was looking forward to getting eyes on.

 

I did not know Chris Smith existed until this afternoon. Never heard of him. Apparently he was called up for a day last September when Benoit got hurt.

 

Anyway, his numbers last year were pretty sick. 81 K's in 60 innings between AA and AAA. Apparently he throws hard (95) with a good slider.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=smith-011chr

 

Really interesting, long route to get here too. He was a Div 2 two-way player who converted to pitching, went to indy ball for a few years (getting released multiple times), then the ABL, then the Yankees for a few years (broke his forearm, came back and was decent, got released, re-signed, released again.).

 

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2015/8/5/9099145/blue-jays-farmhand-chris-smith-an-arduous-journey-through-the-minor

https://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles//released-and-re-released-chris-smith-now-a-big-league-reliever-with-jays

 

Go Chris Smith!

 

And get used to the name, because he's on the 40 now and he has three options left.

 

the thing I find fascinating in all of this is not that this guy exists, but that you didn't know who he was. I don't either but you have such a good knowledge of the jays org.

 

so, how does it feel to be pleasantly surprised?

[o2cui2i]

f***ing eh.

 

Just platoon pompey with upton and keep pearce at 1b. I don't want smoak near the lineup for any reason.

 

ftfy

[jaysblue]

Happ for Brendan Rodgers or

Happ + Pompey for Alex Bregman

 

Those would be wise offers.

[Ray]

I would take nothing less than Mike Trot for Pompey + Happ

[Angrioter]

Actually delete your account.

 

Sarcasmo dominicano.

I traded Happ for Severino in 16 team keeper league

[Spanky99]

I did not know Chris Smith existed until this afternoon.

 

Yer dumn.

[G-Snarls]

MLBTR:

 

As Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi further reports, Latos says he’s “willing to do whatever I need to do,” expressing a willingness to work from the rotation, out of the pen, or even at Triple-A. “I’ve got a lot of earning I need to do,” he said, “and I need to earn everything as it comes.” GM Ross Atkins, meanwhile, says he’s “excited” to bring Latos into camp, noting that the organization is hopeful he’ll earn a MLB job and wasn’t motivated to try to stash him in the minors.

 

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/latos-lot-earning-signing-blue-jays/

 

Indeed, the Blue Jays now seem largely set with their roster more generally, as Atkins further told Davidi. Per the general manager, the organization is still looking into trade opportunities, but sees additional signings as “unlikely.” Toronto also doesn’t appear inclined to further bolster its rotation mix, with Atkins calling it “a tough sell” to add a starter given the team’s existing stock.

[wamco]

Pay me 1m all day to pitch in aaa

[george09]

[BlueJayWay]

They really like Smoak.

[rydermike]

 

I read that as a "We shouldn't have signed him, but we will talk him up to boost his value and to keep him happy. If he's happy maybe he'll overperform to start the season and we can trade him"

[intentional wok]

Dunno about "really like". It's bad business to definitively put down your no-value 1B by publicly dropping him on the depth chart before he even arrives at ST. It's entirely possible that Pearce goes running with the LF job over freaking Zeke, which leaves Smoak as the default 1B, and you would have done a net negative by belittling him in the media.

 

It's also possible they're trying to find any buyer to take him.

[Bobthe4th]

 

Shi is using that quote completely out of context:

 

Bluejays.com

 

"Atkins said that the Blue Jays will have their best and most versatile team with Pearce in left field and Justin Smoak at first base for the majority of the season.

 

That would give us the most versatility, Atkins said. "So [we're] projecting for Steve to play a good amount of outfield and Justin to play a good amount of first base. That would be the best-case scenario.

 

Atkins, however, said that Smoak would have to show improvements at the plate to be an effective everyday first baseman."

 

So if Smoak plays well at 1B, they'd want Pearce to still play the majority of games, meaning he'd be in left field over Carrera/Upton. Obviously very few people would disagree with this, but he isn't saying Smoak will play 1B even if he continued to be rubbish.

[Ray]

Is there a reason why Angel Pagan hasn't been signed yet? Switch hitter. 112 wRC+ and .358 OBP againts RHP last season should still be valuable even if his defense was terrible. He put up 1.0 WAR last season which is still decent.

 

And not just signed by us, just in general by any team.

[KingKat]

Is there a reason why Angel Pagan hasn't been signed yet? Switch hitter. 112 wRC+ and .358 OBP againts RHP last season should still be valuable even if his defense was terrible. He put up 1.0 WAR last season which is still decent.

 

And not just signed by us, just in general by any team.

 

I have never heard of any personal issues or anything like that. The biggest mark against him seems to just be age related decline. In addition to that, you have to figure his Agent must not have played the market very well. I've felt like he was a fit for the Jays from day one of the off season so I'm heartened that he's still on the market. I'm really hoping the Jays decide to sign him now that he should come pretty cheap.

[Terminator]

Shi is using that quote completely out of context:

 

Bluejays.com

 

"Atkins said that the Blue Jays will have their best and most versatile team with Pearce in left field and Justin Smoak at first base for the majority of the season.

 

That would give us the most versatility, Atkins said. "So [we're] projecting for Steve to play a good amount of outfield and Justin to play a good amount of first base. That would be the best-case scenario.

 

Atkins, however, said that Smoak would have to show improvements at the plate to be an effective everyday first baseman."

 

So if Smoak plays well at 1B, they'd want Pearce to still play the majority of games, meaning he'd be in left field over Carrera/Upton. Obviously very few people would disagree with this, but he isn't saying Smoak will play 1B even if he continued to be rubbish.

 

Even though he is spitballing he's dead wrong about this IMO. Upton playing well in LF and Pearce at 1B is a far better defensive alignment and I think Upton has a better chance of putting up a 1.5 WAR season than Smoak does. You'd have to think that 1B would help protect Pearce's elbow more as well.

[Brownie19]

Even though he is spitballing he's dead wrong about this IMO. Upton playing well in LF and Pearce at 1B is a far better defensive alignment and I think Upton has a better chance of putting up a 1.5 WAR season than Smoak does. You'd have to think that 1B would help protect Pearce's elbow more as well.

 

IMO, it's nearly impossible for Smoak to produce a higher WAR and Upton (or Pompey). His career high for a season is 0.7 WAR and he needed 520+ PA's to get to that. Pearce at 1st, Upton or Pompey in LF. Done. This is all a smoke screen because they want to ease Pearce back into a fulltime role.

[glory]

Wouldn't surprise me if Pearce isn't ready for opening day and the Jays are bracing for that by selling Smoak as being given a chance. Otherwise, this talk makes no damn sense (Smoak at 1st, Pearce in LF, and two OF's on the bench).

[Ray]

I don't quite get the whole playing Smoak thing when there's literally better alternatives on your own team.

 

Optimal everyday lineup would be to have Pearce at 1B and Upton as LF. When Melvin Upton Jr. is the worst player on your lineup, that's not exactly a bad thing. You can do a lot worse than that.

[RealAccountant]

Wouldn't surprise me if Pearce isn't ready for opening day

 

LMFAO

 

So you mean to tell me that the man of Glass is broke again, and here I am following the BJMB experts who keep telling me Pearce will be a 4 WAR player this year

[puphood]

In 2016 I questioned if Travis or Pearce would be ready for opening day. However if this does turn out to be the case my concern is what is the team's propaganda on Travis's knee these days?

[LGBJ29]

In 2016 I questioned if Travis or Pearce would be ready for opening day. However if this does turn out to be the case my concern is what is the team's propaganda on Travis's knee these days?

 

Pearce wasnt on the team in 2016

[Candy Maldonado]

Pearce wasnt on the team in 2016

 

I think the troll means December 2016.