Preparing for 2018

[Terminator]

[Deadpool]

 

Otani confirmed!

[Terminator]

There is all sorts of s*** from this presser that Atkins is saying. Bautista is likely gone, wants to add speed, Vlad Jr. not in the 2018 plans but won't count him out, Blad Jr. might get OF reps next year because Atkins thinks both Donaldson and Vlad can be on the team, etc.

[Krylian]

 

Aim. Lots of people aim for this every off-season and miss. I'm not holding my breath. We'll see how this plays out.

[CanuckofChicago]

Hey everyone.

 

I made the mistake of watching the presser, which I must admit I become a fan of Atkins more and more when I hear him speak, but the comments by people on the SportsNet board were just awful - not a single positive note. All just a bunch of negative Nancys. From now on just going to avoid reading them.

[Abomination]

Hey everyone.

 

I made the mistake of watching the presser, which I must admit I become a fan of Atkins more and more when I hear him speak, but the comments by people on the SportsNet board were just awful - not a single positive note. All just a bunch of negative Nancys. From now on just going to avoid reading them.

 

Avoid Reddit, avoid comments to articles posted on new sites, avoid Twitter. Take what Atkins says, and try to figure out what players he may be interested in. Debate their merits with other level headed people. You'll be much happier, enjoy the process, and probably learn some stuff too

[Terminator]

Hey everyone.

 

I made the mistake of watching the presser, which I must admit I become a fan of Atkins more and more when I hear him speak, but the comments by people on the SportsNet board were just awful - not a single positive note. All just a bunch of negative Nancys. From now on just going to avoid reading them.

 

Yeah the Sportsnet board is probably the worst. Reddit is also bad. Shatkins is largely responsible for the fantastic team in Cleveland so I trust them more than dopes on the internet.

[CanuckofChicago]

Yeah the Sportsnet board is probably the worst. Reddit is also bad. Shatkins is largely responsible for the fantastic team in Cleveland so I trust them more than dopes on the internet.

 

I have not tried Reddit. I have certain sites that I enjoy reading.

 

In regards to "Shatkins", I did not fully welcome them on-board, I waited until after a year into their tenure to see how they would operate and now I can say I like them. I personally do not see them doing a full Houston/Chicago rebuild considering how it would kill the goodwill created by the past couple of seasons and alienate the fan base, even if they are casuals (I know some of you despise casuals).

[Sammy225]

I heard Stanton is going to be out of Miami...... Might as well plop him into that 3rd spot in the order behind JD..... I am sure that wouldn't intimidate pitchers.

[Abomination]

I heard Stanton is going to be out of Miami...... Might as well plop him into that 3rd spot in the order behind JD..... I am sure that wouldn't intimidate pitchers.

 

I think I'd be fine with taking that full contract off their hands, in spite of Stanton's injury history. I wouldn't want to give up blue chippers in addition though. He probably earns the contract in the next five or six years, which makes up for the last few being a little ugly.

[z3r0s]

 

Otani confirmed!

 

I heard Stanton is going to be out of Miami...... Might as well plop him into that 3rd spot in the order behind JD..... I am sure that wouldn't intimidate pitchers.

 

Otani AND Stanton confirmed.

 

f***, aren't we all just going to be excited when this happens?

[Terminator]

I think I'd be fine with taking that full contract off their hands, in spite of Stanton's injury history. I wouldn't want to give up blue chippers in addition though. He probably earns the contract in the next five or six years, which makes up for the last few being a little ugly.

 

I'd probably take that deal as well under the theory that he could provide enough value on the frontend of it and that inflation would take a bite out of the latter half of it to make the contract palatable. I'd hate to give up anything of value for him though.

[G-Snarls]

[Krylian]

Shouldn't have brought him back for this season. Oh well... At least we can finally turn that page.

[Spanky99]

Otani confirmed!

 

Deadpool is right!

[glory]

Shouldn't have brought him back for this season. Oh well... At least we can finally turn that page.

 

Agreed but when it looked like the comp pick was slipping away and Jose looked like the best OF option available, they pretty much had no choice. Wish he had one more good year in him, but at least it was only a one year deal.

[Abomination]

Agreed but when it looked like the comp pick was slipping away and Jose looked like the best OF option available, they pretty much had no choice. Wish he had one more good year in him, but at least it was only a one year deal.

 

They probably got as much from ticket sales and stuff when they announced it as it cost them anyway.

[Jimcanuck]

if the jays somehow land Ohtani, i take back everything i said about rebuilding

[Spanky99]

if the jays somehow land Ohtani, i take back everything i said about rebuilding

 

Otani!!!

[Jimcanuck]

Otani!!!

 

Almost everyone, including fangraphs, has switched to Ohtani. According to Jeff Sullivan, Ohtani is closer to the correct translate, or something...

[Bobthe4th]

"Blue Jays managers John Gibbons on the Jeff Blair show, says the team is much better with Devon Travis in the lineup, but even doctors expect he’ll never again be 100% healthy."

 

That is a quote from Sportsnet.

 

Jays better be pursuing a starting second baseman. Play Travis a couple of games a week off the bench, maybe at 2B and other positions (3B? OF?). Might help keep him healthy longer and he should still be able to provide value.

 

Link: Gibbons interview

 

Gibbons said that realistically Travis will always have to deal with his knee, and will have to be managed like an older injury prone player - he isn't planning for Travis to be the lead off hitter and play 150+ games.

 

Other highlights:

 

Gibby thinks Danny Jansen needs at bats everyday so would prefer him to start at AAA;

he was happy with what he's seen from Teoscar;

he was positive about the chances of Sanchez being fit next year ("all indications show his problems are behind him").

[G-Snarls]

Link: Gibbons interview

 

Gibbons said that realistically Travis will always have to deal with his knee, and will have to be managed like an older injury prone player - he isn't planning for Travis to be the lead off hitter and play 150+ games.

 

Other highlights:

 

Gibby thinks Danny Jansen needs at bats everyday so would prefer him to start at AAA;

he was happy with what he's seen from Teoscar;

he was positive about the chances of Sanchez being fit next year ("all indications show his problems are behind him").

 

Having Sanchez back and finding an above average corner OF in Hernadez would be huge

[SaskJaysFan_2]

Having Sanchez back and finding an above average corner OF in Hernadez would be huge

 

~ 8 wins right there. That's a big leap. Assuming we need 15 more wins to get to playoffs in 2018.

 

Just need ~ 7 wins from other places. Cobb would get us 1-2 more wins. A decent infielder at 2B would get us 3-4 more wins than 2017, whether that is Dee or Devon. People like to slam this roster but really a few twists and we're right back in the thick of things.

[burlingtonbandit]

~ 8 wins right there. That's a big leap. Assuming we need 15 more wins to get to playoffs in 2018.

 

Just need ~ 7 wins from other places. Cobb would get us 1-2 more wins. A decent infielder at 2B would get us 3-4 more wins than 2017, whether that is Dee or Devon. People like to slam this roster but really a few twists and we're right back in the thick of things.

 

Doesn't really work like that. Better to just look at overall projections of win totals given the roster and work your way from there. What happened last year will weigh into projections but adding wins from players isn't as easy as adding the wins from last year to next year.

[G-Snarls]

Depends who they're replacing too

 

Bautista was below replacement level so even a 2-3 war season is a bigger upgrade from 2016 in RF than you'd first think if you were replacing a 1 WAR player

Edited October 5, 2017 by G-Snarls

[Jimcanuck]

~ 8 wins right there. That's a big leap. Assuming we need 15 more wins to get to playoffs in 2018.

 

Just need ~ 7 wins from other places. Cobb would get us 1-2 more wins. A decent infielder at 2B would get us 3-4 more wins than 2017, whether that is Dee or Devon. People like to slam this roster but really a few twists and we're right back in the thick of things.

 

You sure are a glass half full guy. Sanchez was the pitcher battling the injury bug all year. Next season it will be a different pitcher, or two.

 

~7 wins and a whole LOT of luck, you mean.

[SaskJaysFan_2]

Doesn't really work like that. Better to just look at overall projections of win totals given the roster and work your way from there. What happened last year will weigh into projections but adding wins from players isn't as easy as adding the wins from last year to next year.

 

You can look at it as a composite, or break it down to make it more granular. I like to look at groups, and the WAR for each group in 2017 and what I hope or think may be the case for 2018. But I'm no expert. I really like stats, and they are super interesting if you break them down in different ways. But I know a lot of you are real metrics masters. I just started getting into the advanced metrics thing.

[SaskJaysFan_2]

With Stroman, Sanchez, Cobb (I pray), Happ and Estrada you have 5 decent starters. 3-4 should pitch most of the season.

 

Biagini and maybe Anderson, and that guy in AAA who seems decent (name escapes me) would be good 6-8 SPs. Koehler if he is brought back would also be great depth.

 

To sign Anderson and Koehler it might take $8M+ AAV though. I am not sure that's possible. Koehler goes to arb4 for 2018 and should command at least $5M. Anderson showed enough promise to probably earn $3M+. He's only 29.

[Key22]

I was surprised by the firing of Girardi who I thought was one of the best manager's in baseball - a team that makes the 7th game of the ALCS and did better than most would have predicted seems strange they'd fire him.

 

Which brings me to the inevitable - should the Jays take a long look here. I am pretty satisfied with Gibby at the helm but it would seem that Joe would be an upgrade. Surely there are a lot of Jays fans who hate Gibby as manager and it would be tough to argue against Joe's credentials (other than his flub against the Indians not calling for the camera replay).

[Spanky99]

I was surprised by the firing of Girardi who I thought was one of the best manager's in baseball - a team that makes the 7th game of the ALCS and did better than most would have predicted seems strange they'd fire him.

 

Which brings me to the inevitable - should the Jays take a long look here. I am pretty satisfied with Gibby at the helm but it would seem that Joe would be an upgrade. Surely there are a lot of Jays fans who hate Gibby as manager and it would be tough to argue against Joe's credentials (other than his flub against the Indians not calling for the camera replay).

 

Girardy suxxxxxxxxxx...