2018 Spring Training Thread

[Orgfiller]

They seem to want two infielders on the bench which makes sense because Donaldson is already nursing a calf injury and Travis will need lots of rest. Diaz will start so that leaves Solarte and perhaps Gift on the bench. Hernandez is a helluva lot better than Gift though but the need for IF help is greater.

 

I think in a traditional 4-man bench (AL) you'd want two infielders anyway. One backup catcher, one 4th OF, one utility IF who can adequately cover SS and then another all-purpose utility guy who can cover 2B/3B/LF; sometimes one of those spots will be given to good pinch hitters who can't play a lick of defense but I don't think that's as common anymore, specially since if they were a good enough hitter they'd be starting at DH or 1B. I kind of wish Pearce would be given some reps at 2B, he's an awful outfielder.

 

For what it's worth, Solarte has played shortstop in the majors before, in fact he started over 20 games there last year so it's no guarantee that Gift will be the de-facto SS backup assuming Diaz is the starter, which I'm not sure is necessarily what will happen. I can see Diaz and Solarte splitting time at short until Travis gets injured.

[BTS]

So it looks like the positional players are pretty set, barring injury.

 

C - Martin

1B - Smoak

2B - Travis

3B - Donaldson

SS - Diaz/Solarte

CF - Pillar

RF - Grichuk

LF - Granderson/Pearce

DH - Morales

 

OF - Granderson/Pearce

SS/2B/3B - Diaz/Solarte

SS/2B/3B - Ngoepe

C - Maile

[Jimcanuck]

So it looks like the positional players are pretty set, barring injury.

 

C - Martin

1B - Smoak

2B - Travis

3B - Donaldson

SS - Diaz/Solarte

CF - Pillar

RF - Grichuk

LF - Granderson/Pearce

DH - Morales

 

OF - Granderson/Pearce

SS/2B/3B - Diaz/Solarte

SS/2B/3B - Ngoepe

C - Maile

 

Fugly

[Boxcar]

Fugly

 

Trade them all for prospects imo.

[BTS]

Fugly

 

I don't think it's THAT bad. Maile and Ngoepe don't really belong on MLB rosters, and Morales and Pearce probably don't, but the rest looks alright.

[Jimcanuck]

I don't think it's THAT bad. Maile and Ngoepe don't really belong on MLB rosters, and Morales and Pearce probably don't, but the rest looks alright.

 

Pitching staff is above average. Lineup has 2, maybe 3 guys that will be above average for their position.

[Boxcar]

Pitching staff is above average. Lineup has 2, maybe 3 guys that will be above average for their position.

 

Do you know what "above average" means? Donaldson, Travis, Grichuk, Pillar, Smoak, Martin are all at least average. Diaz/Solarte are around there and possibly better. Granderson/Pearce platoon will likely be above average as well.

[Jimcanuck]

Do you know what "above average" means? Donaldson, Travis, Grichuk, Pillar, Smoak, Martin are all at least average. Diaz/Solarte are around there and possibly better. Granderson/Pearce platoon will likely be above average as well.

 

I'm talking about how they compare to their starting or bench peers around the league.

 

I have Donaldson and Smoak as above average (top 15) relative to other starting 3B and 1B. Martin, Pillar and Travis as maybes.

[Boxcar]

I'm talking about how they compare to their starting or bench peers around the league.

 

I have Donaldson and Smoak as above average (top 15) relative to other starting 3B and 1B. Martin, Pillar and Travis as maybes.

 

Lol

[Orgfiller]

I'm talking about how they compare to their starting or bench peers around the league.

 

I have Donaldson and Smoak as above average (top 15) relative to other starting 3B and 1B. Martin, Pillar and Travis as maybes.

 

Lol at Donaldson being merely "above average".

[Orgfiller]

So it looks like the positional players are pretty set, barring injury.

 

C - Martin

1B - Smoak

2B - Travis

3B - Donaldson

SS - Diaz/Solarte

CF - Pillar

RF - Grichuk

LF - Granderson/Pearce

DH - Morales

 

OF - Granderson/Pearce

SS/2B/3B - Diaz/Solarte

SS/2B/3B - Ngoepe

C - Maile

 

A lot has to go right in the way of health, but imo not a lot needs to go right in the way of performance - i.e. if the team plays to projections - for that to be a contending team capable of making the playoffs.

 

Maile and Ngoepe definitely need to be upgraded though. Could Ureña have higher upside for this season? We know McGuire and Jansen will almost surely be better than Maile once they're ready.

[Jimcanuck]

Lol at Donaldson being merely "above average".

 

He's a top 5 3B no doubt.

 

The point is the Jays starting 9 is comparatively weak. It's s*****.

[BTS]

A lot has to go right in the way of health, but imo not a lot needs to go right in the way of performance - i.e. if the team plays to projections - for that to be a contending team capable of making the playoffs.

 

Maile and Ngoepe definitely need to be upgraded though. Could Ureña have higher upside for this season? We know McGuire and Jansen will almost surely be better than Maile once they're ready.

 

It really isn't bad - certainly capable of contending for a WC spot if things go well. If the rotation can stay reasonably healthy, they 'll at least finish over 0.500 I think.

 

What's the status on Stroman anyway?

[Deadpool]

It really isn't bad - certainly capable of contending for a WC spot if things go well. If the rotation can stay reasonably healthy, they 'll at least finish over 0.500 I think.

 

What's the status on Stroman anyway?

 

Latest is (I believe) not the opening day starter, but possible for the opening series. The sense I'm getting is that he'll be healthy for opening day, but his throw days won't line up with it.

[Orgfiller]

He's a top 5 3B no doubt.

 

The point is the Jays starting 9 is comparatively weak. It's s*****.

 

Donaldson is a top 5 player. The rest of the team is fine, it most certainly is not s*****.

[Sammy225]

Is it bold to say that i think Grichuk is going to be our best outfielder this year?

[Jimcanuck]

Donaldson is a top 5 player. The rest of the team is fine, it most certainly is not s*****.

 

We will see where JD lands in terms of overall ranking. Quite a lot of competition out there for top 5.

 

As I said, pitching staff is good, lineup is s***** = .500 team.

[G-Snarls]

Donaldson has been a top 5 player the last 3 years right between Trout Bryant and Altuve in WAR over that time frame

 

Now whether he can maintain that...

Edited March 14, 2018 by G-Snarls

[G-Snarls]

BTW how is Mike Trout still only 26

[glory]

The roster + depth is probably capable of 82-85 wins. Some bad luck with injuries will drop that total, and some luck with health, performance, etc, could bump it up. Pretty similar to the Jays teams in the 2000s that always finished above .500 but in distant 3rd place. In this case, there is a chance for a 2nd wild card if things break right due to how s***** the league as a whole is.

[Sammy225]

BTW how is Mike Trout still only 26

 

I don't know it seems like yesterday we were discussing that he should be winning MVP and ROY

[John_Havok]

BTW how is Mike Trout still only 26

 

With a very pedestrian (for him) 6 fWAR season this year he would already be a top 120 all time hitter by the time he is 27.

[devo]

The roster + depth is probably capable of 82-85 wins. Some bad luck with injuries will drop that total, and some luck with health, performance, etc, could bump it up. Pretty similar to the Jays teams in the 2000s that always finished above .500 but in distant 3rd place. In this case, there is a chance for a 2nd wild card if things break right due to how s***** the league as a whole is.

 

Teams outperform or under-perform their projections by 10-15 wins all the time. This team is easily capable of winning 90+ games if they catch some breaks such as core players staying healthy and some luck in 1 run games.

 

Its obviously not super likely to happen but its probably equally as likely, or more likely than, them losing 90+ games this year.

[Captain Adama]

I don't know it seems like yesterday we were discussing that he should be winning MVP and ROY

 

Lol I don't think there was ANY debate whom was winning the ROY that year.

[Sammy225]

Lol I don't think there was ANY debate whom was winning the ROY that year.

 

no i mean winning both... Sorry

[glory]

Is it bold to say that i think Grichuk is going to be our best outfielder this year?

 

Grichuk will have a 3+ WAR in '18. I was going to put this in the bold predictions thread but I'll say it here. Athletic dude in right field who can run, defend, and hit homers. The K/BB is the scary part but I think playing everyday without worry of losing his spot plus the new ball park will help him.

[Krylian]

Some of you sound like gamblers in Vegas trying to convince yourselves that all you need is a couple of hands to break your way and you're right back in it re: Blue Jays. The lineup is bad. Could you get career years and some overperforming? Sure. But any s*** team could say the same thing. I hardly think it's likely for this lineup to do anything of substance.

 

I hope to Hades I'm wrong about this and I'm just not seeing it yet....cause I really don't see what some of you are seeing.

[Terminator]

Some of you sound like gamblers in Vegas trying to convince yourselves that all you need is a couple of hands to break your way and you're right back in it re: Blue Jays. The lineup is bad. Could you get career years and some overperforming? Sure. But any s*** team could say the same thing. I hardly think it's likely for this lineup to do anything of substance.

 

I hope to Hades I'm wrong about this and I'm just not seeing it yet....cause I really don't see what some of you are seeing.

 

I think a lot of us are definitely bullish on the team but what positions do you think are bad?

[Orgfiller]

Some of you sound like gamblers in Vegas trying to convince yourselves that all you need is a couple of hands to break your way and you're right back in it re: Blue Jays. The lineup is bad. Could you get career years and some overperforming? Sure. But any s*** team could say the same thing. I hardly think it's likely for this lineup to do anything of substance.

 

I hope to Hades I'm wrong about this and I'm just not seeing it yet....cause I really don't see what some of you are seeing.

 

Okay, so people like you that think the team is mediocre or bad, what about it is bad? What makes you think they'll underperform the projections that currently have the team as a contender (really only with the Angels) for the WC2?

 

The projections assume everyone plays to their career standard putting more emphasis on the previous seasons, with some regression for overperforming players (Smoak), growth for young players, and decline for older players. I don't think there is anything outrageous about them and yet it has us as a pretty decent squad. Really, like any team I think the only thing we need is some decent luck with health, it doesn't have to be Grichuk putting up a 5 win season.

[Jimcanuck]

Okay, so people like you that think the team is mediocre or bad, what about it is bad? What makes you think they'll underperform the projections that currently have the team as a contender (really only with the Angels) for the WC2?

 

I haven't said the team is bad. The lineup is bad. Offset by a good pitching staff, the team is realistically a .500 team +/- which means the WC2 is possible.

 

This is exactly the kind of team the Jays fielded for 20 years after 1994.