General 2020 Blue Jays Discussion Thread

[saskjayfan]

Well if he ends up as a DH he would have be exceptionally good hitter to provide value. I think if he’s going to be fat and lazy now you should consider trading him while is still a mesmerizing young prospect. That body is just going to be a disaster once he gets into his late 20’s. If that’s his makeup and who he is. Honestly would trade him and try to maximize his return right now. We’re going to find out a lot of in the Spring how committed he is. The Jays have called him fat in every other way you could without saying the word.

 

He can have momma’s Dominican cooking once or twice a week. Otherwise I want to see nothing but chicken breast and kale on his plate if I’m the Jays. Double that water intake as well so his ass can actually fit in his pants this season.

 

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure it's grandma's cooking not momma's that's his vice..lol. We're probably better off with Shaw at 3rd and Vlad at first. I wonder if they'll go there at all next year.

[EMK19]

I think Vlad’s destined for 1B. I realize his arm is an asset and a tool that we’d want to take advantage of, but even if he improves to the point of not being a huge liability I wonder about how well he will age running down hard on turf with his weight (remains to be seen if his slim down project this winter will be effective/long lasting)... I’m thinking possible health issues that may arise will ultimately not be worth it in the long term.

 

Trying him in OF? Probably will be Delgado at LF at the worst and Manny Ramirez-esque at best. Add that to his slow speed and aforementioned turf risks, IMO not worth it. Just going by our own Delgado and EE past track record 1B is likely the safest choice to keep him out in the field.

[Jimcanuck]

Vlad's progression likely 3B / 1B / DH

 

The Miguel Cabrera journey

[43211234]

Huge swing for Biggio vs. UZR.

 

Bo and Vlad are about the same as UZR.

 

Still a big swing and maybe you noticed this already but UZR saw Biggio as very close to average at 2B.

 

His DEF number on Fangraphs is negative mostly because UZR absolutely despised his play at 1B and the OF.

[Jimcanuck]

So if Pearson comes up, he's gonna be used behind an opener, right? To manage his workload?

[Olerud363]

So if Pearson comes up, he's gonna be used behind an opener, right? To manage his workload?

 

I wonder if they'd actually use him as an opener every second start... I believe they did that with him in the minors.

[Jimcanuck]

I wonder if they'd actually use him as an opener every second start... I believe they did that with him in the minors.

 

That was last year. His workload will be ramped up somewhat in 2020. No need for the opener every other start business.

[THANOS]

So if Pearson comes up, he's gonna be used behind an opener, right? To manage his workload?

 

They shouldn't have to. Minimize his innings from April to June, then call him up with zero inning restrictions. Seems pretty easy to me

[Daniel Labude]

I wonder if they'd actually use him as an opener every second start... I believe they did that with him in the minors.

 

That stopped before the year ended. He was full go, no restrictions the last month or so

[Spanky99]

That stopped before the year ended. He was full go, no restrictions the last month or so

 

He went start-start-opener, etc... but yeah.

[Spanky99]

I think Vlad’s destined for 1B. I realize his arm is an asset and a tool that we’d want to take advantage of, but even if he improves to the point of not being a huge liability I wonder about how well he will age running down hard on turf with his weight (remains to be seen if his slim down project this winter will be effective/long lasting)... I’m thinking possible health issues that may arise will ultimately not be worth it in the long term.

 

Trying him in OF? Probably will be Delgado at LF at the worst and Manny Ramirez-esque at best. Add that to his slow speed and aforementioned turf risks, IMO not worth it. Just going by our own Delgado and EE past track record 1B is likely the safest choice to keep him out in the field.

 

We're not worrying about health issues yet, are we??? Lets wait until ST shall we.

[Ryu In My House]

Ballpark ~ 150 inning cap for 2020 do you think? Or go hard the whole season? How many innings would he eat up until he's called up in mid-May?

[The Iceman]

Vlad's progression likely 3B / 1B / DH

 

The Miguel Cabrera journey

 

Cabrera journey was different. He was corner OF in the minors. Played first 3 seasons in the OF. Then 3B when the Marlins traded Mike Lowell/1B/ then when they acquired Prince back to 3B for a couple more seasons when he was 29 and 30 years old. Then back to 1B/DH/Rocking chair is his best position now.

[Olerud363]

Ballpark ~ 150 inning cap for 2020 do you think? Or go hard the whole season? How many innings would he eat up until he's called up in mid-May?

 

Pitching patterns are totally changing... I think they need to assign the number of innings they want Pearson to throw this year, then, assuming they think he is ready, figure out how they can get most of those innings in the majors... it might involve going really lite on him until mid may, call him up, but build his arm strength in the majors. Have him open a bit.. gradually build strength.

[Orgfiller]

So if Pearson comes up, he's gonna be used behind an opener, right? To manage his workload?

 

Is there any functional difference between him getting his ~100-150 innings as a bulk guy as opposed to a regular starter? Like if we want Pearson to have an innings cap of 5 innings per start, shouldn't he be good enough to go in the first inning facing the top of a lineup? I don't mind the idea of an opener but for talented starters like himself I'd rather them begin the game and go for their predefined inning or pitch count limit if one exists.

 

We expect him to be good enough to be a traditional starter going forward so why not put him into that role from the start.

[KevinGregg]

Is there any functional difference between him getting his ~100-150 innings as a bulk guy as opposed to a regular starter?

 

Yeah, the idea of "stressful innings" seems to be a real thing in terms of fatigue. It's possible they would rather keep him in less stressful situations on average to start his MLB career off. However I'd argue we want him to get as much experience facing top tier hitters as possible so we want to avoid using Nate with an opener.

[Jimcanuck]

Is there any functional difference between him getting his ~100-150 innings as a bulk guy as opposed to a regular starter? Like if we want Pearson to have an innings cap of 5 innings per start, shouldn't he be good enough to go in the first inning facing the top of a lineup? I don't mind the idea of an opener but for talented starters like himself I'd rather them begin the game and go for their predefined inning or pitch count limit if one exists.

 

We expect him to be good enough to be a traditional starter going forward so why not put him into that role from the start.

 

I guess a bit of a difference as per above post. I was thinking of Tampa Bays use of an opener for Glasnow, at least initially.

[Laika]

They won't use him as a post-opener. Glasnow has been used in that role by Tampa Bay in part because of his early career struggles; with Pittsburgh Glasnow looked like a SP bust and he was being resigned into a pure relief role.

 

Toronto is going to hope that Nate Pearson is a Power Horse MLB SP a la Syndergaard, Cole, etc. and they will develop him like that to the point of failure.

[Ray]

Ken Giles avoids arbitration, gets $9.6M

[DigitalRock]

Ken Giles avoids arbitration, gets $9.6M

not bad for a years work.

[Dick_Pole]

Reading this opener ******** for Pearson (or in general) makes my skin crawl. I want Pearson's debut to be a 160 pitch complete game a la Al Leiter. It's time to treat Millennial baseball players like real men like they did back in the day. If he gets injured, he gets injured. That was just meant to be. Nolan Ryan pitched over 5,000 innings until age 46 running up pitch counts with all his stupid walks and he never needed a f***ing opener.

[DigitalRock]

Reading this opener ******** for Pearson (or in general) makes my skin crawl. I want Pearson's debut to be a 160 pitch complete game a la Al Leiter. It's time to treat Millennial baseball players like real men like they did back in the day. If he gets injured, he gets injured. That was just meant to be. Nolan Ryan pitched over 5,000 innings until age 46 running up pitch counts with all his stupid walks and he never needed a f***ing opener.

 

I agree bro #notmyBeisbol

[Deadpool]

Reading this opener ******** for Pearson (or in general) makes my skin crawl. I want Pearson's debut to be a 160 pitch complete game a la Al Leiter. It's time to treat Millennial baseball players like real men like they did back in the day. If he gets injured, he gets injured. That was just meant to be. Nolan Ryan pitched over 5,000 innings until age 46 running up pitch counts with all his stupid walks and he never needed a f***ing opener.

 

Yeah, every pitcher should be Nolan Ryan, the most durable pitcher in the history of the game, or they suck f***ing balls!

 

Edit: And also, like, I recall Leiter missing years to injury early in his career, I think blisters, but maybe wrong... So maybe that 160 pitch game wasn't a great idea?

[Daniel Labude]

He went start-start-opener, etc... but yeah.

 

You didnt follow him did you

 

Ended the year...

 

5.2

6

5

6

5.2

7

6

5

 

With those innings it's almost exactly like i said lmao

[Daniel Labude]

You didnt follow him did you

 

Ended the year...

 

5.2

6

5

6

5.2

7

6

5

 

With those innings it's almost exactly like i said lmao

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/torontosun.com/sports/baseball/toronto-blue-jays/jays-pitching-prospect-pearson-sizzles-in-all-star-futures-game/amp

 

Given that he missed almost all of last season with a broken bone in his arm, the Jays player development gurus have been meticulous in handling Pearson. Until now, he’s alternated between five inning and two inning assignments but it appears that harness is about to be loosened.

 

“I’ve finished that now and the rest of the year I’m going to be going five or six (innings) each outing from here on out,” Pearson said.

 

 

This was at/after the allstar game

[Spanky99]

You didnt follow him did you

 

Ended the year...

 

5.2

6

5

6

5.2

7

6

5

 

With those innings it's almost exactly like i said lmao

 

At some point he was, I'm not arguing, I was agreeing with you.

[Daniel Labude]

At some point he was, I'm not arguing, I was agreeing with you.

 

1. Your statement was contradicting me as I read it, but yes at the beginning of the year he was alternating starts... 5 innings then 2

[Jimcanuck]

I just compared the BA profile of Pearson with the profile of Syndergaard for the year prior to his debut. Very similar writeup, virtually identical pitch mix, same fastball and changeup description. Main exception Thor's best secondary was a slurvy curveball, while Pearson's is described as a slurvy slider. They are same height and build.

 

Here's hoping Pearson has a Thor-like debut.

[saskjayfan]

I just compared the BA profile of Pearson with the profile of Syndergaard for the year prior to his debut. Very similar writeup, virtually identical pitch mix, same fastball and changeup description. Main exception Thor's best secondary was a slurvy curveball, while Pearson's is described as a slurvy slider. They are same height and build.

 

Here's hoping Pearson has a Thor-like debut.

 

sounds more like expecting than hoping. Time will tell.

[Jimcanuck]

sounds more like expecting than hoping. Time will tell.

 

Nah, that's not what I wrote. Are you f***ing blind?

 

My only expectation is we will see Pearson in BJ jersey this season.