General Blue Jays Discussion Thread (2023)

[Laika]

No Marlins no Indians?

 

Sandy is on there but Luzardo is 64th

 

Guardians have Bieber and McKenzie. Civale is 70th

[Eat My Shatkins]

Maybe my reading comprehension is lacking but how in the f*** is Senga ranked so high? 35th?

 

He hasn't even pitched an inning of MLB yet.

[Grant77]

Maybe my reading comprehension is lacking but how in the f*** is Senga ranked so high? 35th?

 

He hasn't even pitched an inning of MLB yet.

 

Masahiro Tanaka was in that range for his rookie season. It's not unheard of.

[G-Snarls]

[WryNGinger]

hmmm let me see.

yes, several. and many with 3 in the top 60 as well.

 

Brewers

1 - Burnes

6 - Woodruff

51 - Peralta

 

Yankees

2 - Cole

10 - Rodon

25 - Severino

36 - Cortes

 

Mets

9 - Verlander

11 - Scherzer

35 - Senga

 

Mariners

13 - Castillo

30 - Kirby

31 - Gilbert

32 - Ray

 

Padres

21 - Snell

22 - Darvish

23 - Musgrove

 

Twins

53 - Lopez

55 - Mahle

60 - Ryan

 

Rays

7 - McClanahan

20 - Glasnow

33 - Rasmussen

45 - Springs

 

Rangers

8 - deGrom

49 - Eovaldi

52 - Gray

54 - Heaney

 

Dodgers

19 - Urias

34 - Kershaw

41 - May

 

Braves

3 - Strider

29 - Fried

42 - Morton

48 - Wright

 

Astros

16 - Javier

26 - Valdez

44 - Garcia

 

Awesome, thank you! Mariners with 4 in the top 35 I wasn't expecting. Recency bias nor projection seem to support those rankings to me.

 

You guys always have the analytics. Just can't see them running 4 top 35 pitchers this year.

[Laika]

Awesome, thank you! Mariners with 4 in the top 35 I wasn't expecting. Recency bias nor projection seem to support those rankings to me.

 

You guys always have the analytics. Just can't see them running 4 top 35 pitchers this year.

 

I think Castillo is an Ace and Kirby and Gilbert are very good.

 

Ray seemed to be slipping last year but he may be able to do it if he can just chew innings.

 

Oh, also, these are FANTASY projections by Eno Sarris so not necessarily WAR projections. The Mariners pitchers have a good park, so they get a park factor boost.

Edited February 22, 2023 by Laika

[L54]

 

Changing eye levels

[Krylian]

 

[Carlos Danger]

 

Ask Shapiro what happened to those glasses they gave to the Wild Thing?

[Stangstag]

 

Lol mid-season form already

[Pendleton]

Was it Kirk catching though? That would at least be only four and a half feet over most catcher's heads.

[The_DH]

Was it Kirk catching though? That would at least be only four and a half feet over most catcher's heads.

 

Kirk is back in Mexico according to an article I just read.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/mlb/alejandro-kirks-absence-a-growing-concern-at-blue-jays-spring-training/ar-AA17NBl9

[Laika]

Kirky makin' meatballs

 

happy for him

 

f*** Rob Longley

[Jonn]

 

First look at the kid before he comes and dominates in June.

[John_Havok]

https://www.thestar.com/sports/bluejays/opinion/2023/02/21/nate-pearson-isnt-the-prospect-he-once-was-the-blue-jays-believe-the-star-potential-is-still-there.html?fbclid=IwAR1Irlc3g2YLsamtbGFlXTkO-n-DNpo0ayqP0Etr5PzF3husEPQH0XofD3I

 

Pearson update.

 

Short version is,......"this spring the Jays would be content if he established himself as someone who can be regularly called upon from the bullpen.

 

“It’s just the way things have been going,” Pearson said when asked to reflect upon his transition from starter to reliever. “Obviously I’ve been a starter for my whole career and the last couple of years there were just a bunch of injuries. Right now, if pitching out of the bullpen is what I have to do to get back to starting one day, or whatever it may be, I’m just ready to pitch and I’m excited for it.”

 

That means Pearson, for now, is coming back as a reliever, one that is expected to open the year at Triple-A Buffalo.

 

“Whether it’s relief or bulk, his stuff speaks for itself,” Jays manager John Schneider said. “He’s kind of a wild card. Last year was tough for him with injuries and illnesses and things like that, but we’re still talking about a guy who was the No. 1 pitching prospect in baseball just a couple years ago ... To be here healthy and throwing is just a plus for us and we’re looking for him to be a big part of what we’re doing.”

[wilko]

https://www.thestar.com/sports/bluejays/opinion/2023/02/21/nate-pearson-isnt-the-prospect-he-once-was-the-blue-jays-believe-the-star-potential-is-still-there.html?fbclid=IwAR1Irlc3g2YLsamtbGFlXTkO-n-DNpo0ayqP0Etr5PzF3husEPQH0XofD3I

 

Pearson update.

 

Short version is,......"this spring the Jays would be content if he established himself as someone who can be regularly called upon from the bullpen.

 

“It’s just the way things have been going,” Pearson said when asked to reflect upon his transition from starter to reliever. “Obviously I’ve been a starter for my whole career and the last couple of years there were just a bunch of injuries. Right now, if pitching out of the bullpen is what I have to do to get back to starting one day, or whatever it may be, I’m just ready to pitch and I’m excited for it.”

 

Lets see if you can pitch more than 20 Innings in the MLB before we start talking about the rotation nasty Nate.

[John_Havok]

Lets see if you can pitch more than 20 Innings in the MLB before we start talking about the rotation nasty Nate.

 

No doubt... a quick rundown of Pearson's injury history:

 

2018 he fractured his right forearm after being struck by a comebacker

2019 - actually healthy and shot up prospect boards to be arguably the top pitching prospect in baseball

2020 - flexor strain kept him out almost all season

2021 - strained his groin, which eventually became a sports hernia that required surgery

2022 - mononucleosis and later straining a lat muscle

 

Total major/minor league IP from 2020 - 2022: 78 plus the 12 innings in winter ball in this offseason. 90 IP over 3 full seasons. Bulk reliever would be his best case scenario this season.

[Laika]

No doubt... a quick rundown of Pearson's injury history:

 

2018 he fractured his right forearm after being struck by a comebacker

2019 - actually healthy and shot up prospect boards to be arguably the top pitching prospect in baseball

2020 - flexor strain kept him out almost all season

2021 - strained his groin, which eventually became a sports hernia that required surgery

2022 - mononucleosis and later straining a lat muscle

 

Total major/minor league IP from 2020 - 2022: 78 plus the 12 innings in winter ball in this offseason. 90 IP over 3 full seasons. Bulk reliever would be his best case scenario this season.

 

This is also missing his high school injury. I think he had a screw put into his elbow!

[Krylian]

At least we know his arm is fresh. He should be able to pitch into his 40s

[Stangstag]

No doubt... a quick rundown of Pearson's injury history:

 

2018 he fractured his right forearm after being struck by a comebacker

2019 - actually healthy and shot up prospect boards to be arguably the top pitching prospect in baseball

2020 - flexor strain kept him out almost all season

2021 - strained his groin, which eventually became a sports hernia that required surgery

2022 - mononucleosis and later straining a lat muscle

 

Total major/minor league IP from 2020 - 2022: 78 plus the 12 innings in winter ball in this offseason. 90 IP over 3 full seasons. Bulk reliever would be his best case scenario this season.

 

I just view him as Merryweather 2.0 at this point. Crazy stuff but can’t stay healthy and won’t ever put it together. I don’t expect him to pitch more than 10 innings this year

[max silver]

I just view him as Merryweather 2.0 at this point. Crazy stuff but can’t stay healthy and won’t ever put it together. I don’t expect him to pitch more than 10 innings this year

 

Pearson is nearly 5 years younger and has 4 years of remaining control so he's not quite Merryweather level lost cause just yet.

[Terminator]

The ship has sailed on him becoming a frontline starter but it seems like he could still become a late inning fireballer or multi-inning reliever.

[max silver]

The ship has sailed on him becoming a frontline starter but it seems like he could still become a late inning fireballer or multi-inning reliever.

 

I think Nate will eventually settle into a Chad Green fireman type role. Having Nate in this role and actual Chad Green as well would make for a nice combination.

[Stangstag]

The ship has sailed on him becoming a frontline starter but it seems like he could still become a late inning fireballer or multi-inning reliever.

 

I don’t expect him to ever be anything.

 

If we could get 1 season of Pearson in the bullpen providing 1ish WAR it would be a miracle

[Spanky99]

Shapiro interview...

 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/

[Spanky99]

Kirky makin' meatballs

 

happy for him

 

f*** Rob Longley

 

Sounds like the Jays and Schneider's going to pull the plug on his WBC participation according to Shi Davidi. I'd rather see him working with our staff and the new rules etc, to be honest.

[Laika]

Sounds like the Jays and Schneider's going to pull the plug on his WBC participation according to Shi Davidi. I'd rather see him working with our staff and the new rules etc, to be honest.

 

Yeah Toronto likely doesn't care about him being a bit late but they WILL use it as a reason to make him betray Mexico

[Deadpool]

The ship has sailed on him becoming a frontline starter but it seems like he could still become a late inning fireballer or multi-inning reliever.

 

I more or less agree. Sounds like he still wants to start, but it'll be a long-shot, and he'll have to work VERY hard to make that kinda progress. Certainly wouldn't be this season at any rate.

[glory]

Pearson needs to be a 1 inning reliever. Maybe stretch him to multi innings occasionally if he’s successful and can handle it but he’s not going to be a SP given his age/injury history and even a bulk reliever is probably asking a lot. I think whatever ceiling he has left is most likely to be reached as a 1 inning RP.

[Dick_Pole]

Curious as to why people auto write off Pearson as a starter when very little of his injuries are actually related to arm longevity. Definitely at least two years behind development but I don't see anything that precludes him from a Dustin McGowan 2007 season in two years.