The Blue Jays sign Yusei Kikuchi

[Terminator]

Yeah it’s frustrating because you see the talent he has, and he DOES have success in small sample sizes, but he just completely inplodes for weeks on end it seems.

 

I’d still give him a shot in the rotation next year but it might be time to stick him in the bullpen for 2022 and reserve him for mop-up duty until he shows he can throw strikes consistently

 

Problem is I'm not sure who we use to take his spot.

[Stangstag]

Problem is I'm not sure who we use to take his spot.

 

Give Castillo a shot

[John_Havok]

Give Castillo a shot

 

And what about Berrios… dude is legit lost right now it seems. Berrios and Kikuchi are a constant migraine for the team right now.

[Stangstag]

And what about Berrios… dude is legit lost right now it seems. Berrios and Kikuchi are a constant migraine for the team right now.

 

Can’t really do much about Berrios, he’s signed here long term and he has a track record of being good. Gotta just hope he turns it around

[TwistedLogic]

TL tell us how much you really hate Kikuchi

 

I hate Kikuchi as much as you hate me talking about Kikuchi.

[Stangstag]

Why are you so insecure about Kikuchi? Did you make a really flaming hot take or something when he was signed? Predict he'd win a few Cy Youngs or something? It's odd how much you're offended by this thread.

 

Im not offended by this thread lol, just don’t agree with digging up every old thread to dunk on people after a player has a few bad outings.

 

Idk about you, but I WANT Kikuchi to pitch well, because it would be good for the team. He’s shown flashes of brilliance this year but I agree he’s probably a wash for this season. Hoping he comes back better next year.

 

I was also hopeful about Roark….

 

But hey I don’t like to sit and complain about every problem with the team. Try to be optimistic maybe.

[TwistedLogic]

But hey I don’t like to sit and complain about every problem with the team.

 

Good to know that calling one player trash is "sitting there and complaining about every problem with the team."

[Laika]

And what about Berrios… dude is legit lost right now it seems. Berrios and Kikuchi are a constant migraine for the team right now.

 

Berrios must be tipping his pitches or something. It's bizarre that he keeps getting hammered.

 

Kikuchi the problems are obvious.

[Terminator]

https://www.bluejaysmessageboard.com/threads/9933-2021-2022-Free-Agency-Thread?p=1566117&viewfull=1#post1566117

 

 

https://www.bluejaysmessageboard.com/threads/9933-2021-2022-Free-Agency-Thread?p=1566140&viewfull=1#post1566140

 

 

Lol the President of the Greg Bird Fan Club who blocks people when they bump/mention that terrible take now wants to dunk on Kikuchi for sucking ass. Congrats?

[Jimcanuck]

No one should be surprised with an SP5 proceeds to suck. The chance an SP5 sucks is high by definition.

 

Sometimes they don't (Matz last year), sometimes SP5 ends up being a revolving door of shitballers which looks to be the case this year.

[Brownie19]

No one should be surprised with an SP5 proceeds to suck. The chance an SP5 sucks is high by definition.

 

Sometimes they don't (Matz last year), sometimes SP5 ends up being a revolving door of shitballers which looks to be the case this year.

 

The MUCH bigger issue is when the top of the rotation starter you just gave a 7 year deal to is pitching like Josh Towers and the "ace" you signed in 2020 looks like Jaime Moyer and blows out his elbow. Thank god we have Stripling.

[Laika]

When you think about it, Toronto is getting f***ed by injuries and underperformance. I don't see how you can reasonably blame the team for any of this.

 

Sure Ryu was always an injury risk but who saw Berrios struggling like this? And Kikuchi should have at least been able to pitching like a 1 WAR SP5.

 

Pretty s*** luck ngl

[Jimcanuck]

The MUCH bigger issue is when the top of the rotation starter you just gave a 7 year deal to is pitching like Josh Towers and the "ace" you signed in 2020 looks like Jaime Moyer and blows out his elbow. Thank god we have Stripling.

 

True..... the way the pitching is going it's a lost season unless the FO makes some acquisitions, have been saying this for at least a month now

[Jimcanuck]

Says here Kikuchi is overperforming.

 

https://fantasy.fangraphs.com/starting-pitcher-xera-overperformers-jun-27-2022/

[AMS528]

No one should be surprised with an SP5 proceeds to suck. The chance an SP5 sucks is high by definition.

 

Sometimes they don't (Matz last year), sometimes SP5 ends up being a revolving door of shitballers which looks to be the case this year.

 

I think that reasoning is a bit disingenuous. You don't give a guy you think has a high chance of sucking three years and 36 million dollars. The front office obviously thought they were getting someone who had a floor of a #5 with a chance to pitch more like a #3/#4 because he has good stuff. They gave him the term because if he did pitch like that they had him locked in for an additional two years at a cheaper rate if he was really good. It seems to me like that was their probable reasoning internally.

 

And it hasn't worked out clearly. It was a gamble and for now they lost.

[Brownie19]

I think that reasoning is a bit disingenuous. You don't give a guy you think has a high chance of sucking three years and 36 million dollars. The front office obviously thought they were getting someone who had a floor of a #5 with a chance to pitch more like a #3/#4 because he has good stuff. They gave him the term because if he did pitch like that they had him locked in for an additional two years at a cheaper rate if he was really good. It seems to me like that was their probable reasoning internally.

 

And it hasn't worked out clearly. It was a gamble and for now they lost.

 

Yeah I'd say that's spot on.

[The Iceman]

I think that reasoning is a bit disingenuous. You don't give a guy you think has a high chance of sucking three years and 36 million dollars. The front office obviously thought they were getting someone who had a floor of a #5 with a chance to pitch more like a #3/#4 because he has good stuff. They gave him the term because if he did pitch like that they had him locked in for an additional two years at a cheaper rate if he was really good. It seems to me like that was their probable reasoning internally.

 

And it hasn't worked out clearly. It was a gamble and for now they lost.

 

100% this was supposed to be our Robbie Ray 2.0 signing.

[TwistedLogic]

The Jays were definitely looking for their next Robbie Ray. They made an offer to Andrew Heaney for that exact reason.

 

If only they'd have gotten Heaney instead. They would have at least gotten three incredible starts out of him in between his injuries.

 

Instead, we have to watch them trot out this f***ing hack for the next three years.

[Laika]

I honestly do not think Toronto was using Ray as a precedent for the Kikuchi signing

 

It's easy for fans to think like that because of recency and left handedness but I very much believe the front office just measured up Kikuchi and thought on the balance of things he would probably be worth that contract. Upside is part of the balance.

[glory]

I think that reasoning is a bit disingenuous. You don't give a guy you think has a high chance of sucking three years and 36 million dollars. The front office obviously thought they were getting someone who had a floor of a #5 with a chance to pitch more like a #3/#4 because he has good stuff. They gave him the term because if he did pitch like that they had him locked in for an additional two years at a cheaper rate if he was really good. It seems to me like that was their probable reasoning internally.

 

And it hasn't worked out clearly. It was a gamble and for now they lost.

 

Pretty much. They thought they could fix him and turn him into a much better SP. A team looking for a gamble on a 5th starter signs him to a one year deal. Jays liked him enough to go longer. So far it hasn’t worked. Walker has some work to do.

[AMS528]

I honestly do not think Toronto was using Ray as a precedent for the Kikuchi signing

 

It's easy for fans to think like that because of recency and left handedness but I very much believe the front office just measured up Kikuchi and thought on the balance of things he would probably be worth that contract. Upside is part of the balance.

 

No I'd agree with that, Ray isn't really a reasonable precedent when it comes to fixing pitchers, you almost never get a result like that, and more than that Ray had a track record that already showed he was capable of high performance.

 

I just think the term was indicative of the team believing strongly that there was a good floor, and potentially good upside. The 350 innings he had pitched before this in my opinion, weren't really deserving of 3 years of steady job security otherwise (or just financial security if can't turn it around at all and we give up on him).

[G-Snarls]

When you think about it, Toronto is getting f***ed by injuries and underperformance. I don't see how you can reasonably blame the team for any of this.

 

Sure Ryu was always an injury risk but who saw Berrios struggling like this? And Kikuchi should have at least been able to pitching like a 1 WAR SP5.

 

Pretty s*** luck ngl

 

Yeah

 

Berrios is the real puzzler

 

Like seriously WTF is going on with him and will he ger it sorted out soon or no

[wilko]

Yeah

 

Berrios is the real puzzler

 

Like seriously WTF is going on with him and will he ger it sorted out soon or no

 

He was watching homeless Romo pitching yesterday so I assume he picked up a few things.

[Terminator]

When you think about it, Toronto is getting f***ed by injuries and underperformance. I don't see how you can reasonably blame the team for any of this.

 

Sure Ryu was always an injury risk but who saw Berrios struggling like this? And Kikuchi should have at least been able to pitching like a 1 WAR SP5.

 

Pretty s*** luck ngl

 

Yeah the performance of the two are almost inexplicable.

 

Berrios can't get whiffs to save his life after 5 straight years of solid #2 SP history. Kikuchi cannot throw his fastball for a strike to save his life. In 3-2 counts he's throwing his slider, that's how bad his fastball command is. It's crazy.

[Jonn]

Would have preferred this without the third year. Not a huge fan. Would have preferred this money was put elsewhere. He could surprise us like Matz though. His Major Career has been extremely unimpressive thus far however.

 

I was definitely drunk when I wrote this but yup the years still piss me off.

[Stangstag]

Bump

 

Cooch dominated the Rays tonight for 6 innings

[Ray]

This man absolutely dominates the Rays every start.

 

That fact alone almost makes the signing worth it.

[Eat My Shatkins]

Kikuchi

 

April - 7.98 K/9 - 7.98 BB/9 - 5.52 ERA - 5.52 xFIP

May - 10.46 K/9 - 3.71 BB/9 - 2.36 ERA - 3.59 xFIP

June - 12.91 K/9 - 6.46 BB/9 - 9.39 ERA - 4.92 xFIP

 

Doesn't include todays game.

[Stangstag]

Kikuchi

 

April - 7.98 K/9 - 7.98 BB/9 - 5.52 ERA - 5.52 xFIP

May - 10.46 K/9 - 3.71 BB/9 - 2.36 ERA - 3.59 xFIP

June - 12.91 K/9 - 6.46 BB/9 - 9.39 ERA - 4.92 xFIP

 

Doesn't include todays game.

 

Soooo if we follow the pattern he’s gonna dominate July??

[Eat My Shatkins]

Soooo if we follow the pattern he’s gonna dominate July??

 

Hopefully, and he just decided to start one day early because he was extra bad in June lol