Official Spring Training 2021 GDT/discussion thread

[Ray]

Because the horrible BB rate looked like the bottom of a trend that started in 2018, and not a one off.

 

Not saying people were right but there were some reasons to believe he had just been getting worse for a couple of years.

 

2018: 5.1 BB/9, pretty terrible but hard to say if it's this is the norm going forward

2019: 4.3 BB/9, significant improvement, still below average, but he's probably an effective pitcher if he's around this level

2020: 7.8 BB/9, shortened season, limited ramp up, completely revamped deliver that backfired etc.

 

I guess its' a "trend" if you put significant stock into his 2020, but he also bounced back in 2019 and limited walks. So not sure I'm seeing a trend just yet. I'm seeing a guy who had a down year in 2018, bounced back in 2019, and then a combination of extraneous factors and completely botched remodel just makes me want to throw out his 2020 completely as an outlier.

 

If he posts 2018 walk rates this year, then yeah you could make a case there's a real trend, but it's hard to make a logical inference right now. He's never going to be a guy that posts average to below average BB-rates consistently between seasons, and that's fine if that your expectation of him.

[jerb]

[Orgfiller]

Ray goes:

 

96.7 mph FB

97.1 mph FB

91 mph Slider

97.2 mph FB

 

to strikeout Schoop

 

I'm really looking forward to Ray this season. The velocity seems real. He's in the 4th inning right now and I doubt he's going to be asked to go more than 6 innings hardly ever.

 

Dear god, even if the gun is hot that's still him sitting like 95 which would put it at the high end of where the velocity was in his best years with the DBacks. Skeptical of that 91 mph slider though, is that a new power slider type pitch that he's going with or did a hard changeup just escape and got mislabeled? I'd probably bet on the latter.

[Deadpool]

 

Good thing they stopped enforcing the "stay in the batters box between pitches" or it would have been more like 20 seconds...

[43211234]

Dear god, even if the gun is hot that's still him sitting like 95 which would put it at the high end of where the velocity was in his best years with the DBacks. Skeptical of that 91 mph slider though, is that a new power slider type pitch that he's going with or did a hard changeup just escape and got mislabeled? I'd probably bet on the latter.

 

It was definitely a slider. Check out the vertical and horizontal movement (sort by Ray then order by velocity): https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/gamefeed?date=2021-03-19&gamePk=642099&chartType=pitch&legendType=pitchName&playerType=pitcher&inning=&count=&pitchHand=&batSide=&descFilter=&ptFilter=&resultFilter=&hf=pitchVelocity#642099

 

Didn't have as much drop as some other sliders so maybe it was firmer than he wanted it. Not a fastball or changeup though.

[wilko]

If Ray can keep this up he's a legit #2. Big if though.

[spats]

Kirk catching Ray again today. The Ray whisperer. More evidence that Kirk breaks camp with the big club.

 

I remember watching Kirk a couple years ago at the complex...he never wanted to leave the cage. He didn't look like much physically but he kept hitting ropes to all fields,always with a smile on his face. God I miss being down there for the past 2 years to watch these kids come through the system.

Edited March 19, 2021 by spats

[Ray]

Dear god, even if the gun is hot that's still him sitting like 95 which would put it at the high end of where the velocity was in his best years with the DBacks. Skeptical of that 91 mph slider though, is that a new power slider type pitch that he's going with or did a hard changeup just escape and got mislabeled? I'd probably bet on the latter.

 

Statcast was tracking it too. He hit 98 mph on his 73rd pitch according to Statcast, so I don’t know if the stadium gun is juiced.

[Ray]

Thornton: 4K through 2 hitless innings. Sitting 92-93 mph with his fastball.

[Ray]

David Phelps was a strike away from pitching an immaculate inning lol.

[Krylian]

He didnt throw a f***ing ball that inning. I think he might be fixed....

 

 

Haven't we seen enough spring training mirages over the years...

 

Do it in the regular season over a meaningful number of games, then we can talk.

[Eat My Shatkins]

Phelps K's the side.

 

14 K's for the Jays staff today, against only 1 walk and 4 hits.

[jerb]

 

Rodney Hiemstra

@therodbot

 

#BlueJays starters now have an MLB-best 1.33 ERA (6 ER/40.2 IP) through 16 games this spring. Next closest is Miami at 2.49.

[Jays24]

 

Rodney Hiemstra

@therodbot

 

#BlueJays starters now have an MLB-best 1.33 ERA (6 ER/40.2 IP) through 16 games this spring. Next closest is Miami at 2.49.

 

That's awesome!

 

When there's good news, it matters. When there's bad news, it's only spring training lol.

[Ray]

 

Rodney Hiemstra

@therodbot

 

#BlueJays starters now have an MLB-best 1.33 ERA (6 ER/40.2 IP) through 16 games this spring. Next closest is Miami at 2.49.

 

Playing the majority of your games against the Orioles, Tigers, and Pirates will do that.

 

Numbers don't matter, but it's encouraging to see Matz and Ray sit 95-96 mph and throw more strikes than not. Even Roark's stuff looks a little crisper with a slight bump in velocity.

[THANOS]

Thornton: 4K through 2 hitless innings. Sitting 92-93 mph with his fastball.

 

Well that right there tells me the gun isn't hot. That seems standard for Thornton. Ray's velo is legit.

[Ray]

Well that right there tells me the gun isn't hot. That seems standard for Thornton. Ray's velo is legit.

 

I topped out at around 70 mph during my heyday, but thank you for the compliment.

Edited March 20, 2021 by Ray

[wilko]

I topped out at around 70 mph during my heyday, but thank you for the complement.

 

70? That you Jamie Moyer? I was throwing 70 in my dad's nutsack.

[jerb]

 

Mike Wilner

@Wilnerness

 

Charlie Montoyo raved about how well Robbie Ray and Alejandro Kirk have been working together this spring, suggested that he could very well keep them together.

 

That's as clear an indication #Bluejays have given that Kirk is going to make the team.

[THANOS]

I topped out at around 70 mph during my heyday, but thank you for the complement.

 

well played

[THANOS]

 

Mike Wilner

@Wilnerness

 

Charlie Montoyo raved about how well Robbie Ray and Alejandro Kirk have been working together this spring, suggested that he could very well keep them together.

 

That's as clear an indication #Bluejays have given that Kirk is going to make the team.

 

Wonderful! Thanks Jerb.

[jerb]

 

Ben Nicholson-Smith

@bnicholsonsmith

 

Asked by @SNJeffBlair & @richarddeitsch on @FAN590 about Thomas Hatch, GM Ross Atkins said “everything is mild in nature” based on what #BlueJays know. Hatch will rest for a week & Jays will gather more info, but Atkins doesn't expect "that there’s anything too serious there”

[jerb]

 

Scott Mitchell

@ScottyMitchTSN

 

Alejandro Kirk simply can’t stop, won’t stop hitting.

 

2018 Appy League: .354/.443/.558

2019 A-/A+: .290/.403/.465

2020 spring: .500/.667/.875

2020 MLB debut: .375/.400/.583

2021 spring: .375/.421/.750

 

Not just an MLB-ready bat, it’s a special one.

The glove is good enough.

[Ray]

I am quite glad we didn't trade Kirk for Kluber in 2019.

[THANOS]

I am quite glad we didn't trade Kirk for Kluber in 2019.

 

As am I. One of the best non-trades we've done . As a prospect guy, I definitely love having our horder FO.

[Krylian]

As am I. One of the best non-trades we've done . As a prospect guy, I definitely love having our horder FO.

 

I've always wished we could find out about more deals that were on the table but never made.

[Jays24]

So should we expect a crappy lineup for tomorrow's televised game or will the big boys be in action?

[RustyTrombone]

So should we expect a crappy lineup for tomorrow's televised game or will the big boys be in action?

 

Most of the regulars didnt play today so you probably will get the "A" squad

[Ryu In My House]

I've always wished we could find out about more deals that were on the table but never made.

 

No kidding, I will bet for every deal that is made, 9 are seriously pondered by 2+ teams. That would make for a great read, a book on the near deals.

[Ryu In My House]

So should we expect a crappy lineup for tomorrow's televised game or will the big boys be in action?

 

No kidding! Joe Panik will definitely be playing. And that 30-year old 1B who no one gives a s*** about.