General Blue Jays Discussion Thread (2023)

[Brownie19]

Yeah I'd go with Wynton Bernard also as our 26th man. I also wonder if one of the flame throwing Fernandez's may surprise and grab a spot in the pen. Paul Fry would be my guess if we want another lefty reliver.

[Terminator]

One of the lefty relievers has a shot, Eisert maybe. I think there's 0 chance of a position player making it out of camp unless there's a series of injuries

 

Yeah a lefty like Eisert could have a chance, good call. If injuries hit he'd have to beat out Pearson and Pop among others but if multiple injuries hit they could easily opt for a lefty.

 

As for hitters, there's a very significant chance IMO. Roster Resource has Lukes on the 25 man team right now and he's an expendable lefty with options. The final bench spot is wide open and Capra and Bernard have a real shot to make the team and neither are on the 40 man. Their 40-man competition mainly consists of left handed bats (which we don't need on the bench) and Otto Lopez.

 

I could see them trying out Bernard to see if he can handle the pressure of being a pinch runner and defensive replacement. If he gets thrown out a couple of times trying to steal they could quickly move on to one of the other contenders.

[Pendleton]

[Brownie19]

Yeah a lefty like Eisert could have a chance, good call. If injuries hit he'd have to beat out Pearson and Pop among others but if multiple injuries hit they could easily opt for a lefty.

 

As for hitters, there's a very significant chance IMO. Roster Resource has Lukes on the 25 man team right now and he's an expendable lefty with options. The final bench spot is wide open and Capra and Bernard have a real shot to make the team and neither are on the 40 man. Their 40-man competition mainly consists of left handed bats (which we don't need on the bench) and Otto Lopez.

 

You have to think Otto has the inside track on the 26th spot, but you never know. Should be fun to watch this spring.

[John_Havok]

Yeah a lefty like Eisert could have a chance, good call. If injuries hit he'd have to beat out Pearson and Pop among others but if multiple injuries hit they could easily opt for a lefty.

 

As for hitters, there's a very significant chance IMO. Roster Resource has Lukes on the 25 man team right now and he's an expendable lefty with options. The final bench spot is wide open and Capra and Bernard have a real shot to make the team and neither are on the 40 man. Their 40-man competition mainly consists of left handed bats (which we don't need on the bench) and Otto Lopez.

 

That's why i dont think there's a realistic shot for a position player to make it, it would require a significant injury or losing a guy like Lopez off the roster, which i really doubt would happen. Lopez is actually a great bench piece with his IF/OF defensive versatility and baserunning. He's about as perfect a bench piece as you can get on the Jays team that clearly values positional flexibility. I can't see a scenario where they DFA a guy like Lopez in favor of any of the other non-roster guys.

 

Could a DFA of a pitcher be done to add another position player? Sure, but that might be a short term thing since I think the jays will always be carrying the max 13 allowable pitchers.

[Terminator]

You have to think Otto has the inside track on the 26th spot, but you never know. Should be fun to watch this spring.

 

In a vacuum he would be my choice due to his defensive versatility. But there's no rush with him as he's young, has options and we've basically got all the positions covered as is anyway. We could try out Bernard for a month to see what he could do while giving Lopez everyday ABs in Buffalo.

[Carlos Danger]

My boy Varsho is in camp. Blue Jays just shared some video of him shagging fly balls.

[Terminator]

That's why i dont think there's a realistic shot for a position player to make it, it would require a significant injury or losing a guy like Lopez off the roster, which i really doubt would happen. Lopez is actually a great bench piece with his IF/OF defensive versatility and baserunning. He's about as perfect a bench piece as you can get on the Jays team that clearly values positional flexibility. I can't see a scenario where they DFA a guy like Lopez in favor of any of the other non-roster guys.

 

Could a DFA of a pitcher be done to add another position player? Sure, but that might be a short term thing since I think the jays will always be carrying the max 13 allowable pitchers.

 

I like Lopez in the final spot too but he has options and we wouldn't have to lose him. We can just put Ryu on the 60 day DL which opens up a 40 man spot for someone like Bernard and Lopez can play every day in Buffalo.

 

And while Lopez has defensive versatility he strikes me as a jack of no trades type when it comes to that. With Espinal and Biggio slotted in above whoever the 26th man is it's not that imperative to have that defensive versatility anyway.

 

Plus, Bernard could be an elite pinch runner and better defensive OFer which might be better for us than the defensive versatility that Lopez brings. He could be a better hitter too who knows. He had some sort of skill change last year and saw his homers spike.

[Terminator]

There's not much data on Bernard but he was in the top 1% of sprint speed.

 

He had 14 "Bolts" in extremely limited playing time last year. He can basically get a Bolt whenever he wants.

 

For context, our entire team had 27 Bolts last year combined and 23 of those were from Tilapia, Zimmer and Teoscar, none of whom are on the team anymore.

 

So Bernard might be worth a shot.

[John_Havok]

There's not much data on Bernard but he was in the top 1% of sprint speed.

 

He had 14 "Bolts" in extremely limited playing time last year. He can basically get a Bolt whenever he wants.

 

For context, our entire team had 27 Bolts last year combined and 23 of those were from Tilapia, Zimmer and Teoscar, none of whom are on the team anymore.

 

So Bernard might be worth a shot.

 

yeah, DFA Lukes, save Bernard for a bit... it could happen.

[glory]

Based on the roster as of now (assuming the Jays don't sign Grossman), I think I'd lean towards Bernard too. With the rule changes on pick off attempts, stolen bases are going to go up, so Bernard's speed will come in handy as a pinch runner, and if he's a CF defensively, then he'll obviously have value there as well. Basically a RH version of Zimmer, though hopefully not as helpless at the plate. If he hits his Steamer/ZiPS projection offensively he'd be more than serviceable as a 4th/5th OF, though it seems a little optimistic. Lopez has options, and while I don't think his upside is all that high, the Jays might prefer to have him get regular PA's rather than to sit on the bench as a pinch runner/defensive replacement.

[jerb]

[G-Snarls]

Excited for Varsho

[Captain_Obvious]

Excited for Varsho

 

6 WAR season incoming.

[Stangstag]

Excited for Varsho

 

Same here. I have a blank jersey ready to get pressed once his number is finalized.

[Terminator]

I also can't wait to see what Varsho can do. He might be our best player!

[John_Havok]

Same here. I have a blank jersey ready to get pressed once his number is finalized.

 

According to the Jays page on MLB.com, it's 25 but not sure if that's like officially official yet. Plus his twitter is @DaultonVarsho25 so educated guess it will likely be 25

Edited February 14, 2023 by John_Havok

[Brownie19]

I also can't wait to see what Varsho can do. He might be our best player!

 

I think he has FAN FAVOURITE written all over him. Hussle, speed, defense, power. Fans are going to love him.

[John_Havok]

https://www.tsn.ca/mlb/toronto-blue-jays-george-springer-feeling-healthy-again-comfortable-moving-to-right-field-1.1919365?fbclid=IwAR2AY1TEUlyzDiwBzlnzyt1YV256wvs9wlKS4w3_jPOvPsPD1XQuIFwtP-k

 

Long and short of it. Springer feels great, is fine with moving to RF.

[max silver]

6 WAR season incoming.

 

I can certainly see a 5+ WAR season, how much does the defensive adjustment for primarily playing left field likely affect his overall WAR numbers?

[Carlos Danger]

According to the Jays page on MLB.com, it's 25 but not sure if that's like officially official yet. Plus his twitter is @DaultonVarsho25 so educated guess it will likely be 25

 

Same numer as Leonardo DiCaprio's dating cap .

[wilko]

https://www.tsn.ca/mlb/toronto-blue-jays-george-springer-feeling-healthy-again-comfortable-moving-to-right-field-1.1919365?fbclid=IwAR2AY1TEUlyzDiwBzlnzyt1YV256wvs9wlKS4w3_jPOvPsPD1XQuIFwtP-k

 

Long and short of it. Springer feels great, is fine with moving to RF.

 

At this point/age in his career he's way better off playing mostly RF anyway.

[Stangstag]

I also can't wait to see what Varsho can do. He might be our best player!

 

He’s definitely going to be one of the most exciting players to watch, along with Springer, Vlad, Kirk, Manoah, Bichette, KK, Chapman…. This team is just great overall

[Stangstag]

I think he has FAN FAVOURITE written all over him. Hussle, speed, defense, power. Fans are going to love him.

 

He’s like Johnny Mac but he can actually hit

[G-Snarls]

I also can't wait to see what Varsho can do. He might be our best player!

 

He won't be our best hitter (we have Vladdy and Bo)

 

He won't be our best defender (We have Chapman and Keirmaier)

 

But he still might be one of the best all around players we have. Good at eveything.

[G-Snarls]

He’s like Johnny Mac but he can actually hit

 

If I had a troll account I'd pop in here and call hin the left handed Mike Trout

[max silver]

He won't be our best hitter (we have Vladdy and Bo)

 

He won't be our best defender (We have Chapman and Keirmaier)

 

But he still might be one of the best all around players we have. Good at eveything.

 

If Varsho can repeat his defensive results from 2022 he very well may be the team's best defender despite the presence of Kiermaier and Chapman on the roster.

[WryNGinger]

Perhaps a 2023 team MVP poll?

[Jimcanuck]

Perhaps a 2023 team MVP poll?

 

There usually are a bunch of prediction threads starting in March, sometimes a poster puts up a reward for closest prediction.

[Dick_Pole]

The Score offering boosted odds +250 for the Jays to win the AL East. Mostly going around +200 to +220 elsewhere. I'm dropping some pesos on that. I think the Yankees are going to underperform this year. If I can get above +400 for them to miss the playoffs I'm taking it. I think a lot of people forgot how absolutely mediocre that team was for most of the year after that .780 start or whatever it was. Then 3-6 in the playoffs.