General Blue Jays Discussion Thread (2022)

[Sammy225]

Works for TSN

 

Oh the hockey network that makes more sense.

[The Cats Ass]

I had a guy at the game yesterday try and tell me JBJ is a great defender and a good power hitter.

 

I was like errrrrr idk about that one chief

 

He's 26th in Defensive Runs Saved this season for OFers. He's better in RF than CF right now.

[Daniel Labude]

Honestly I've heard better analysis from Caleb Joseph on the GB % increase and why its happening.

 

I mean if Vlad did just one thing only differently, he would be so much better. That is to do a better job laying off pitches low and away. He is missing or rolling over on them. Rays had a plan with him, especially with 2 strikes. He seems to be worse at laying off when runners on and "clutch". Some say thats just stat noise. Last night with the bases full he rolled over again chasing low and away. If it wasnt hit so softly its a GIDP and no run scores. Next AB runners on same same = GIDP.

 

Book is out this year he will fish. Some guys struggle with this their whole career, but we have seen selective Vlad before. We know he can do it. Its frustrating because our expectations are high. He hits a 2B Tues night and HR last night both nobody on. For any human ball player thats solid. For Vlad we just expect more and want to see him drive in more runs in these big moments. I'm sure he will come around (I keep saying that).

 

The technical side was lacking but the improvements on pitches down and some other things are interesting

[Solaxys]

Vlad has to stop pressing to do stuff - his approach during RISP v. no RISP is night and day. He tries way too hard to put the ball in play in the former situation.

If he can start talking walks during these moments, then he'll do amazing for the rest of the year.

If he continues to push and give the pitchers exactly the type of chase/swing they want, he ain't gonna be doing much.

 

His LA doesn't matter. He peppers doubles cause of his bat-speed/power - that's all he needs to do. Wait for that inside pitch/meatball and turn it - take every other pitch and take the walk (K if they get the paint job on the outside corner). Or f***ing learn how to inside-out if he wants to keep chasing pitches.

 

All Martinez has to do is to simplify the approach for pitch selection.

[Solaxys]

Image too large - so click the link if you want to see Lance Barrett's Ump Performance Card: https://i.imgur.com/IeJoPNN.jpg

 

+0.98 Run Net for Rays

 

lol

[Olerud363]

Vlad has to stop pressing to do stuff - his approach during RISP v. no RISP is night and day. He tries way too hard to put the ball in play in the former situation.

If he can start talking walks during these moments, then he'll do amazing for the rest of the year.

If he continues to push and give the pitchers exactly the type of chase/swing they want, he ain't gonna be doing much.

 

His LA doesn't matter. He peppers doubles cause of his bat-speed/power - that's all he needs to do. Wait for that inside pitch/meatball and turn it - take every other pitch and take the walk (K if they get the paint job on the outside corner). Or f***ing learn how to inside-out if he wants to keep chasing pitches.

 

All Martinez has to do is to simplify the approach for pitch selection.

 

This year Vlad will end with about 55 walks and 110 ks. If he decided to change his approach and walk 100 times at the expense of 160 ks, many looking would his final numbers be better or worse?

 

Presumably he hits for less average, but maybe not. Aaron Judge carries a decent average with the ultra patient 100 walk, 180 k approach.

[Solaxys]

This year Vlad will end with about 55 walks and 110 ks. If he decided to change his approach and walk 100 times at the expense of 160 ks, many looking would his final numbers be better or worse?

 

Presumably he hits for less average, but maybe not. Aaron Judge carries a decent average with the ultra patient 100 walk, 180 k approach.

 

Probably better, most of the pitches he is making contact with are just terrible pitcher's pitches. They are just as useful as a K or worse (GIDP).

[Daniel Labude]

Kind of weird that the coaches don't seem to make a distinction between pitches down and in and pitches down and away

 

It seems like Vladdy is able to use his A swing on pitches down and in and elevate them often enough

 

Most of the clips at the top of the article are pitches down and in. Even the one pitch away is more middle away than down and away...

 

It's down and away that is the problem

 

 

"“His natural path works well with four-seamers up in the zone and when it comes to hitting sinkers or down and in, you want to think more of an inside-out type of swing," said Blue Jays hitting coach Guillermo Martinez.""

Like this quote is weird... Guillermo the problem is breaking balls down and away not sinkers down and in

 

"“Ideally you don't want to swing at their pitches. (Guerrero) knows if there's a guy that's throwing down and in on him, the job is to see it up and push him out and over,” said Martinez. “I always say that you have to understand the start of the pitch to understand that start of the swing. If it's a four-seamer, you want to get a little bit above it. If it's more of sinker, then you have to stay closed and stay inside it. When he's consistent doing that, he's very dangerous.”

 

Again, what the f*** is he talking about. They are trying to get Guerrero to slash sinkers down and in the other way? Who the f*** cares?

 

To the last comment, I think the thought is staying inside out will let him square up the ball more and top it less. He has had an issue with sinker ballers at times this year, hitting a lot of ground balls no matter where the sinker is located. Definitely a difference between HRs to the opposite field last year and this year and that could be it

[bones10]

Whose starting Friday? Bullpen game? Going to my first game in Toronto !

[Spanky99]

Whose starting Friday? Bullpen game? Going to my first game in Toronto !

 

Looks like a BP game, enjoy man.

[Laika]

To the last comment, I think the thought is staying inside out will let him square up the ball more and top it less. He has had an issue with sinker ballers at times this year, hitting a lot of ground balls no matter where the sinker is located. Definitely a difference between HRs to the opposite field last year and this year and that could be it

 

Okay but it's just stupid and bizarre to focus on sinkers down and in, at all.

 

We can see from the data that the main uptick in pitching strategy is pitches down and away.

 

And the main loss in productivity is against four seamers (25 runs worse this year) and sliders (13 runs worse this year). He is only 4 runs worse against sinkers.

 

Dare I say, the hitting coach is an idiot and they are focusing on the completely wrong thing?

 

 

It all comes back to the damn down and away slider and then his mental adjustments to that pitch.

[Spanky99]

Lets Go Birds...

 

[Laika]

Hopefully Gausman is an Ace, man, or McClanahan sucks in his first game back

[Solaxys]

Hopefully Gausman is an Ace, man, or McClanahan sucks in his first game back

 

McC is prolly on a pitch limit; just have to weather the storm and get to their BPen again which we seemingly are destroying.

[G-Snarls]

Love the early game today

 

Destroy the Devil Rays!!!

[Spanky99]

lol

 

[BCZ]

Springer probably shouldn't be playing at all... 78 wRC+ the last 20 games and he looks uncomfortable. Guys playing with nagging injuries almost never works.... at this level you need to be as close to 100% as possible, any downgrade is going to be negatively impactful. Admittedly there may be intangibles with having him in the lineup but he's basically another Tapia right now.

[Spanky99]

[Spanky99]

[Spanky99]

[Spanky99]

McC is prolly on a pitch limit; just have to weather the storm and get to their BPen again which we seemingly are destroying.

 

I was wondering this as he threw 50 pitches in his last session, going to be tough either way. Guy's a beast.

[Spanky99]

[Masterbather]

 

Just had to wave him around third didn't we?

[Masterbather]

I was wondering this as he threw 50 pitches in his last session, going to be tough either way. Guy's a beast.

 

Let's hope he's a bit rusty and we can at least work the count on him.

[Daniel Labude]

Okay but it's just stupid and bizarre to focus on sinkers down and in, at all.

 

We can see from the data that the main uptick in pitching strategy is pitches down and away.

 

And the main loss in productivity is against four seamers (25 runs worse this year) and sliders (13 runs worse this year). He is only 4 runs worse against sinkers.

 

Dare I say, the hitting coach is an idiot and they are focusing on the completely wrong thing?

 

 

It all comes back to the damn down and away slider and then his mental adjustments to that pitch.

 

"when it comes to hitting sinkers or down and in"

 

Its not sinkers down and in....its sinkers OR down and in.

[Spanky99]

Springer probably shouldn't be playing at all... 78 wRC+ the last 20 games and he looks uncomfortable. Guys playing with nagging injuries almost never works.... at this level you need to be as close to 100% as possible, any downgrade is going to be negatively impactful. Admittedly there may be intangibles with having him in the lineup but he's basically another Tapia right now.

 

So we should stick Zimmer in the lineup.

[Spanky99]

Make it stop, so many coaches!!!

[Daniel Labude]

Make it stop, so many coaches!!!

 

[Laika]

"when it comes to hitting sinkers or down and in"

 

Its not sinkers down and in....its sinkers OR down and in.

 

Doesn't change my point

[Spanky99]

Listen if Vlad learns to layoff the slider down and away that would be sweet, but some of you guys seem to think it's easy to spit on it, the pitch is designed by tunneling it repeatedly, it's a hard pitch to lay off. It could be a variety of reasons, pitch recognition, he isn't making the correct tweeks, he's in his head, etc, etc... but LTBF blows me away with the coaching, it's comical.

 

Also, Robo-Umps can't come soon enough.