General 2018 Blue Jays Discussion Thread

[Pendleton]

ummm.... just look at the elite MLB teams today, Vlad and Bichette surrounded by average players is unlikely to be enough. Not even close actually.

 

Can't expect too many down years in the AL East either, going to need more high end talent to compete with the big boys.

[BTS]

ummm.... just look at the elite MLB teams today, Vlad and Bichette surrounded by average (1-2 WAR) players is unlikely to be enough. Not even close actually.

 

Danny Jansen has a legit chance to be a very good player.

[tercet]

ummm.... just look at the elite MLB teams today, Vlad and Bichette surrounded by average (1-2 WAR) players is unlikely to be enough. Not even close actually.

 

You realize that Bo has been quite mediocre this year in AA right? It possible that he isn't as good as we all hoped based off his 2017 season.

[tercet]

Its possible that Sanchez is toast, Stroman will 99% be traded this off-season, etc etc

[Jimcanuck]

Can't expect too many down years in the AL East either, going to need more high end talent to compete with the big boys.

 

A #1 pitcher, one or two #1Bs, a reliable closer, at least 4 position players providing 4 WAR or better, no significant lineup holes, and reasonable depth will have the Jays competing with the big boys.

[Laika]

Everything that Bo has lost this year in terms of hit/power he seems to have made up with respect to speed and defense.

 

He is *nearly* leading the EL in 2B, 3B, and SB, which is pretty nuts for a guy who was visibly fat in high school and pegged as a 3B/LF by some evaluators.

 

Obviously the slash line isn't eye popping but his season is still objectively awesome for a 20 year old SS prospect in that league. It's just maybe not top 10 prospect in baseball awesome? I dunno.

[Jimcanuck]

You realize that Bo has been quite mediocre this year in AA right? It possible that he isn't as good as we all hoped based off his 2017 season.

 

I wouldn't call the season he has had mediocre. His season has lowered expectations a tad, but age and performance considered he is still a top 10 MLB prospect.

[BTS]

Its possible that Sanchez is toast, Stroman will 99% be traded this off-season, etc etc

 

Sanchez should be shifted to the pen next year. He has no trade value, and it's become clear that he's not a viable starter.

[BTS]

Everything that Bo has lost this year in terms of hit/power he seems to have made up with respect to speed and defense.

 

He is *nearly* leading the EL in 2B, 3B, and SB, which is pretty nuts for a guy who was visibly fat in high school and pegged as a 3B/LF by some evaluators.

 

With some of the posts on here you'd think he had bombed the season. He's still putting up a 120 wRC+ in AA at 20 with plus speed and good reports on his defense. I don't think he's taken a step back this year.

[Jimcanuck]

Danny Jansen has a legit chance to be a very good player.

 

Agreed. And for some reason a guy that is often overlooked.

[bowld]

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Blue Jays are planning to place Josh Donaldson on revocable trade waivers today.

 

Donaldson, who hasn't appeared in a major league game since May 28 due to a lingering left calf injury, went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk in his rehab debut Tuesday night at High-A Dunedin. 2018 has been a huge letdown of a season for the 32-year-old impending free agent third baseman, but he was one of the best players in all of baseball from 2015-2017 and a number of contending teams will likely try to land him. Rosenthal says the Jays "want Donaldson gone" so that they don't have to make the decision about whether to offer him a qualifying offer in the winter. He's owed around $4 million for the remainder of the year.

[Laika]

With some of the posts on here you'd think he had bombed the season. He's still putting up a 120 wRC+ in AA at 20 with plus speed and good reports on his defense. I don't think he's taken a step back this year.

 

It's just so hard to predict where he will land in terms of MLB production. I think there is a lot of variance in the possibilities. I think the proper way to interpret his 2018 is maybe to temper expectations of his ceiling but to raise his floor expectations a little bit.

[Jimcanuck]

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Blue Jays are planning to place Josh Donaldson on revocable trade waivers today.

 

Donaldson, who hasn't appeared in a major league game since May 28 due to a lingering left calf injury, went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk in his rehab debut Tuesday night at High-A Dunedin. 2018 has been a huge letdown of a season for the 32-year-old impending free agent third baseman, but he was one of the best players in all of baseball from 2015-2017 and a number of contending teams will likely try to land him. Rosenthal says the Jays "want Donaldson gone" so that they don't have to make the decision about whether to offer him a qualifying offer in the winter. He's owed around $4 million for the remainder of the year.

 

Strange position for Shatkins to take. Must be something going on behind the scenes.

[Jimcanuck]

Alford is the big wildcard. Has the talent to be a Lorenzo Cain type.

[Krylian]

Strange position for Shatkins to take. Must be something going on behind the scenes.

 

This whole Donaldson thing couldn't have worked out worse.

[tercet]

It's just so hard to predict where he will land in terms of MLB production. I think there is a lot of variance in the possibilities. I think the proper way to interpret his 2018 is maybe to temper expectations of his ceiling but to raise his floor expectations a little bit.

 

Well said I agree for the most, for realistic comps maybe Starlin Castro?

[THANOS]

You realize that Bo has been quite mediocre this year in AA right? It possible that he isn't as good as we all hoped based off his 2017 season.

 

Not sure why I bother, but Bo is 20yrs in AA and putting up a 119 wRC+, with 32 SB (76% SB/CS), and, by most accounts, much improved SS Def.

 

I wouldn't call that mediocre, by any means, just because Vlad is a phenom.

[Barkerscousin]

Not sure why I bother, but Bo is 20yrs in AA and putting up a 119 wRC+, with 32 SB (76% SB/CS), and, by most accounts, much improved SS Def.

 

I wouldn't call that mediocre, by any means, just because Vlad is a phenom.

 

Last 40 games opsing at .891

[SaskJaysFan_2]

This whole Donaldson thing couldn't have worked out worse.

 

I know, right?

 

You could have written 20 scenarios before this season started, from best to worst, and the current scenario is worse than the worst hypothetical.

[P2F]

I know, right?

 

You could have written 20 scenarios before this season started, from best to worst, and the current scenario is worse than the worst hypothetical.

 

Nobody died, so it could've been worse.

[Krylian]

Nobody died, so it could've been worse.

 

A death has a built in excuse.

[tercet]

Well its nice that Bo has had a better second half, his numbers are still rather meh. I'm still not convinced he will be any in the star realm like most though in 2017 and pre 2018.

 

Most people can make a good educated guess on what he will be in the majors. Which is a high swing, good contact, low walk player with a ceiling of somewhat along the lines of Starlin Castro.

 

But anyways go ahead berate me, prospects never fail, always reach their ceilings, blah blah

[KevinGregg]

Well its nice that Bo has had a better second half, his numbers are still rather meh. I'm still not convinced he will be any in the star realm like most though in 2017 and pre 2018.

 

Most people can make a good educated guess on what he will be in the majors. Which is a high swing, good contact, low walk player with a ceiling of somewhat along the lines of Starlin Castro.

 

But anyways go ahead berate me, prospects never fail, always reach their ceilings, blah blah

 

I don't think you know what the word ceiling means

[KevinGregg]

Looks like they aren't doing the Montreal games in ST next year.. kinda sad but understandable I guess, they only had like 20k people this year

https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/schedule/2019-03?sf92039295=1

[Laika]

Well said I agree for the most, for realistic comps maybe Starlin Castro?

 

Not bad but it's hard to predict how the defense, power, and contact will actually play in the MLB for Bo. I'm expecting him to be somewhere along the spectrum of Castro, Addision Russell, or Chris Taylor. Russell might be the best comp IMO. I think if he's worse than those players it will be disappointing. I think he could maybe be better if it all works out.

[tercet]

Not bad but it's hard to predict how the defense, power, and contact will actually play in the MLB for Bo. I'm expecting him to be somewhere along the spectrum of Castro, Addision Russell, or Chris Taylor. Russell might be the best comp IMO. I think if he's worse than those players it will be disappointing. I think he could maybe be better if it all works out.

 

Well i was thinking Castro as a ceiling, I don't think he could be much better, low bb, guys just almost never work out. Maybe Adam Jones as a peak?

 

But just back to my original spot, this team is f***ed, the FO/Rogers won't let us tank and lose 100+ games, our minors now probably doesn't have enough players that end up being 3+ WAR players(besides VGJ and DJ) to make the team any good in 2-3 years.

[Krylian]

So sell high on Bichette then? This offseason?

[tercet]

No keep him, no point in trading him, he still has some value if hes a 1.5-2 WAR regular. We are going to win 65-75 games next year anyways.

 

Just hope that some of the prospects/young major-leaguers break-out and don't suck otherwise we won't be making the playoffs for a while. But my fear is that nothing is going to come out of most of them and we will be stuck in 65-75 win mode for a while.

[tercet]

Desmond and Hardy were more free-swingers who just went for HRs.

 

I think Bichette will have better contact numbers in line with the Adam Jones/Starlin Castro but less HR then Desmond/Hardy.

[Laika]

low bb guys just almost never work out.

 

I don't know if it's fair to bin Bo as a "low bb guy". His rate is probably pretty close to average.