Jays 2021/22 General Off-Season Discussion

[John_Havok]

If the shift goes away do defensive specialists become more valuable? This guy hits so poorly that I don't think he'll be anything other than an org guy but just curious in general.

 

I don't think so. There's already a "you have to be able to hit X good" for defensive only and I dont see how that would change to any large degree with banning the shift. They'll still suck too much at the plate to be anything other than a bench guy.

 

Ozzie Smith was the best SS of all time and if he hit 1 or 2 tiers lower than what he did, nobody would ever have known his name.

[Laika]

If the shift goes away do defensive specialists become more valuable? This guy hits so poorly that I don't think he'll be anything other than an org guy but just curious in general.

 

not sure i would frame it like that but range becomes more valuable

 

particularly for 3B and 2B; you might see some slight changes over time in how teams use those positions. becomes harder to hide a slower infielder at 2B like you can with shifting right now.

[jerb]

[Brownie19]

https://www.blogto.com/sports_play/2022/03/someone-leaked-photo-new-screen-torontos-rogers-centre-and-its-huge/

 

Info on the Rogers Centre renos

[Carlos Danger]

https://www.blogto.com/sports_play/2022/03/someone-leaked-photo-new-screen-torontos-rogers-centre-and-its-huge/

 

Info on the Rogers Centre renos

 

All for bigger and better. However, I don't see the added value vs getting rid of the restaurant. With 65"-85" TVs standard in most homes these days, I think a dining experience/tables drinking at the ball park during a game adds a more unique value added experience then a scoreboard/replay board.

 

Maybe they will add a restaurant somewhere else...?

[Abomination]

https://www.blogto.com/sports_play/2022/03/someone-leaked-photo-new-screen-torontos-rogers-centre-and-its-huge/

 

Info on the Rogers Centre renos

 

Auctioning off the old scoreboard is hilarious! They're gonna get about $500k for it too.

 

On an unrelated note, I also spotted this from the links further down in the article:

 

https://www.blogto.com/sports_play/2022/03/niagara-falls-speedway-opens-season-2022/

[Abomination]

All for bigger and better. However, I don't see the added value vs getting rid of the restaurant. With 65"-85" TVs standard in most homes these days, I think a dining experience/tables drinking at the ball park during a game adds a more unique value added experience then a scoreboard/replay board.

 

Maybe they will add a restaurant somewhere else...?

 

They'll probably run periodic ads on the wings that will bring in more revenue than the restaurant did.

[43211234]

 

When did Espinal get jacked?

[jerb]

 

Jamie Campbell

@SNETCampbell

 

#BlueJays have signed Joe Biagini to a minor league deal.

[Spanky99]

When did Espinal get jacked?

 

Damn, he's big...

 

[jerb]

 

Keegan Matheson

@KeeganMatheson

 

The #BlueJays have signed 1B Greg Bird to a Minor League deal.

 

Bird played parts of four MLB seasons with the Yankees (15-19) and spent 2021 with the Rockies’ AAA affiliate, where he hit .267 with 27 HR and a Len .894 OPS.

[Olerud363]

 

Keegan Matheson

@KeeganMatheson

 

The #BlueJays have signed 1B Greg Bird to a Minor League deal.

 

Bird played parts of four MLB seasons with the Yankees (15-19) and spent 2021 with the RockiesÂ’ AAA affiliate, where he hit .267 with 27 HR and a Len .894 OPS.

 

Only 29 so still time... he reached a stage in his early 20s that almost no one does... Mature hitter at 20 (low minors) in the majors at 22 having success in a pennant race.

 

On September 22nd 2015 he gave the Jays a crushing blow that could have turned the pennant race for the Yankees. Luckily Russel (Russel! Russel! Russel! the French call was awesome) struck back the next night and got the momentum back in the Jays direction.

 

Yes Nuckleheads, I realize he is probably so broke that he can never be fixed (though played 100+ games last year in the minors I think), but there is serious hitting talent there, not quite Nick Johnson level and more broke then even Johnson was but some serious talent was there once.

[Laika]

 

Jamie Campbell

@SNETCampbell

 

#BlueJays have signed Joe Biagini to a minor league deal.

 

nice!

[Laika]

Only 29 so still time... he reached a stage in his early 20s that almost no one does... Mature hitter at 20 (low minors) in the majors at 22 having success in a pennant race.

 

On September 22nd 2015 he gave the Jays a crushing blow that could have turned the pennant race for the Yankees. Luckily Russel (Russel! Russel! Russel! the French call was awesome) struck back the next night and got the momentum back in the Jays direction.

 

Yes Nuckleheads, I realize he is probably so broke that he can never be fixed (though played 100+ games last year in the minors I think), but there is serious hitting talent there, not quite Nick Johnson level and more broke then even Johnson was but some serious talent was there once.

 

Yeah Greg Bird looked legit at one point. I thought he would turn into a Brandon Belt type of MLB hitter.

 

But then he broke his ankle like 47 times in a row...

[jerb]

 

Shi Davidi

@ShiDavidi

 

With Canadian border still closed to unvaccinated visitors, MLB players who haven't taken COVID-19 shots will be placed on restricted list when their teams are in Toronto, source tells me and @bnicholsonsmith. That means no pay and no service time for duration of series.

 

Shi Davidi

@ShiDavidi

 

This was a significant discussion point as players considered CBA yesterday. We're told a few teams took serious issue with the matter, but ultimately relented.

 

Shi Davidi

@ShiDavidi

 

The Canadian vaccination rules aren't a problem for the current Blue Jays, but it's been a consideration in their player moves all off-season.

 

Shi Davidi

@ShiDavidi

 

MLB finished the 2021 post-season with nearly 88 per cent of all Tier 1 individuals fully vaccinated.

[Stangstag]

Dayum. Will be interesting to see how that plays out for us. Massive home field advantage??

[jerb]

 

Shi Davidi

@ShiDavidi

 

With Canadian border still closed to unvaccinated visitors, MLB players who haven't taken COVID-19 shots will be placed on restricted list when their teams are in Toronto, source tells me and @bnicholsonsmith. That means no pay and no service time for duration of series.

 

Ben Nicholson-Smith

@bnicholsonsmith

 

This not only impacts #BlueJays’ moves but has also been informing personnel decisions for other AL East teams per sources

[jerb]

 

Ben Ennis

@SportsnetBen

 

Just now on @MLBNetwork @Joelsherman1 : “Agents and other teams anticipate the Blue Jays are going to make 1 more big move offensively”

[Ehjays]

 

Ben Ennis

@SportsnetBen

 

Just now on @MLBNetwork @Joelsherman1 : “Agents and other teams anticipate the Blue Jays are going to make 1 more big move offensively”

 

Keep this in mind, " Big Move" may not mean free agent, it could be trade.

[Laika]

I think the KEY to the 2022 Toronto Blue Jays season is Cavan Bigg*

 

*dies laughing

[Jays24]

I think the KEY to the 2022 Toronto Blue Jays season is Cavan Bigg*

 

*dies laughing

 

I remember I was making these comments prior to last season and was being roasted because of his previous WAR lol. Biggio in a platoon at 2B or 10th man is the perfect spot for him.

[Deadpool]

I remember I was making these comments prior to last season and was being roasted because of his previous WAR lol. Biggio in a platoon at 2B or 10th man is the perfect spot for him.

 

Biggio is a perfectly cromulent starting 2B on the Jays this year, he doesn't need a platoon. We don't need all stars at every position, we need good players at some positions, all stars at others.

 

IF we upgrade 3B, I wouldn't hate Espinal splitting time @ 2B with Biggio (and acting as the supersub for the rest of the IF), but I'm honestly not very worried about Cavan, I expect him to have a solid year.

[Laika]

I remember I was making these comments prior to last season and was being roasted because of his previous WAR lol. Biggio in a platoon at 2B or 10th man is the perfect spot for him.

 

no shifts; Biggio is a 3+ WAR player now

[John_Havok]

Haven't heard ay rumblings of a contract extension for Chuckles yet, 2022 is his last season under contract. Typically we dont see managers on lame duck contracts any more - they either get extended or fired before the season starts.

 

I know which way i would go, but if you're looking at numbers over his 3 years... it's hard to deny there's been steady and rather remarkable progress in the W/L column, a finalist for the most useless award in sports, 1 expanded playoff appearance and 1 playoff miss by a hair.

 

Are we going to see the extension announcement soon?

[Jimcanuck]

Haven't heard ay rumblings of a contract extension for Chuckles yet, 2022 is his last season under contract. Typically we dont see managers on lame duck contracts any more - they either get extended or fired before the season starts.

 

I know which way i would go, but if you're looking at numbers over his 3 years... it's hard to deny there's been steady and rather remarkable progress in the W/L column, a finalist for the most useless award in sports, 1 expanded playoff appearance and 1 playoff miss by a hair.

 

Are we going to see the extension announcement soon?

 

I think they’ve taken decision making away from chuckles, he’s just a clubhouse mascot now. So don’t care either way.

[John_Havok]

Martin Perez is the next domino to fall... 1 year/4m to the Rangers.

 

The market is on fire.

[Ehjays]

 

Vladdy vs Romano

[TwistedLogic]

It just hit me that at some point next year, most of us will have been on this website for ten years.

 

That's f***ing wild to me. It really doesn't feel like it's been that long.

 

Knowing I'll have 10-year-old posts on here at that point makes me wonder how much f***ing dumb ass s*** I've said on this site over the years.

[Jays24]

no shifts; Biggio is a 3+ WAR player now

 

No shifts kicks in 2023 doesn't it?

[Jays24]

Biggio is a perfectly cromulent starting 2B on the Jays this year, he doesn't need a platoon. We don't need all stars at every position, we need good players at some positions, all stars at others.

 

IF we upgrade 3B, I wouldn't hate Espinal splitting time @ 2B with Biggio (and acting as the supersub for the rest of the IF), but I'm honestly not very worried about Cavan, I expect him to have a solid year.

 

Agreed with most of this. I was very negative on Biggios ability to play 3B full time. He may have brought his defensive woes to the plate like Vladdy the year before because he's definitely not as bad as he looked last year.

 

Biggio at 2B full-time with Espinal as the backup 3B/SS/2B works for me too. Let's find a good starting 3B though.