General Blue Jays Discussion Thread (2023)

[John_Havok]

Wat

 

Not a big Batman fan?

[Omar]

Best thing you can do is go to some Oriental country and climb a mountain. Find one of the Buddha huts on the side of a mountain. Take a hallucinogen. Then open a chest full of bats that come flying out.

 

Should get rid of the PTSD from what I’ve seen

 

Don't forget you have to find a blue flower that grows on the side of the mountain.

[Brownie19]

I never post on here as trolls seem to be taking over but I’m a diehard jays fan and have been observing on this site for many years. This is the stupidest bs I’ve heard on here. This is not a hitting coaches job and the player’s incompetence is the reason the offence is underperforming.

 

Welcome - you should post more!

[Brownie19]

I really don’t know why people are panicking about a potential Vlad contract that hasn’t happened yet lol. Our front office isn’t stupid they are not going to give him a monster extension after his previous 2 Seasons. They are likely going to go year to year with him through arbitration.

 

Not overly worried about it.

 

I think the concern is that he could make $20M+ next year in arbitration, with < 2 WAR results.

[Carlos Danger]

It’s not impossible to know it’s just common sense and understanding how pro sports work. If cans need a scapegoat they should be looking at Atkin’s. he assembled a roster of out of shape, low intensity underachievers. I’m not a management hater as I think they have been OK. But if you need someone to blame coaching should be near the bottom of the list

 

Just to play Devil's Advocate. There is the expression a manager can't win you a game, but he sure can lose you one.

 

I believe this applies to hitting coaches/or team hitting philosophy if they don't have hitters that fit in an approach or a system.

 

This is a general assertion. Kinda like a quarterback not being a good fit for a scheme.

 

Assuming a player wants to be respectful, known as coachable, and buys into the all for the Team approach, I can see them doing day after day, what the hitting coach is preaching. The problem is some guys just aren't wired that way and need to go back to what got them there.

 

If you have a guy who has made his bones off hitting the first pitch, and now the org is preaching daily, take pitches etc or use the whole field when they can only really pull the ball. I can see there being conflict. Especially for a newer player to a team or a younger player.

 

From what I heard from B&B tonight, Vlad is off in his own world doing some slice thing off the T and you have other MLB players going WTF?? So maybe in Vlad's case it is the opposite and he isn't listening to the coaches.

[Daniel Labude]

 

Best thing you can do is go to some Oriental country and climb a mountain. Find one of the Buddha huts on the side of a mountain. Take a hallucinogen. Then open a chest full of bats that come flying out.

 

Should get rid of the PTSD from what I’ve seen

 

 

Don't forget you have to find a blue flower that grows on the side of the mountain.

 

[John_Havok]

Jays signed Rowan Wick to a minor league deal. He’s in Buffalo

[WryNGinger]

s*** its crazier than that. Short version

 

Woke up in the middle of the night with a bat in my bedroom repeatedly crashing into the window. Managed to get out and run into a bathroom...the bat comes right at me and I fight through it to get out, run full speed into a wall (rolled my ankle I think caused this), then bounced into another bedroom. In the end, I basically exploded my thumb, torn ligament, torn tendons, nerve damage, needed rabies shots, and have had PTSD pretty bad which has lead to an extreme lack of sleep or good sleep. Couldn't move my thumb for 3-4 months. Have regained most motion, but can't lift anything, grip some things

 

That is some "bat s*** crazy" stuff...ahem...I will let myself out.

 

2 things

 

1) That will never happen again bro. Just some crazy fiction novel stuff that extremely rarely happens in real life. Sometimes when that crazy s*** happens in real life people die, you didn't. Hope you can move on and be a better baseball dude on this forum going forward. We have enough trolls and s*** talkers...you don't have to be positive about about everything in life, but being negative about everything is a s***** way to exist bro.

 

2) Are you sure you didn't catch the bat with you're g/f and are just blocking out the memory?

[Masterbather]

s*** its crazier than that. Short version

 

Woke up in the middle of the night with a bat in my bedroom repeatedly crashing into the window. Managed to get out and run into a bathroom...the bat comes right at me and I fight through it to get out, run full speed into a wall (rolled my ankle I think caused this), then bounced into another bedroom. In the end, I basically exploded my thumb, torn ligament, torn tendons, nerve damage, needed rabies shots, and have had PTSD pretty bad which has lead to an extreme lack of sleep or good sleep. Couldn't move my thumb for 3-4 months. Have regained most motion, but can't lift anything, grip some things

 

Very sorry to hear about your ordeal friend. That sounds legitimately terrifyingly awful and extremely painful. The thumb especially is the worst finger to injure. I hope you can find yourself back to a good mental place and quality of life.

[Stangstag]

Not a big Batman fan?

 

Lol ok got it. Idk why that completely flew over my head

[Stangstag]

Just to play Devil's Advocate. There is the expression a manager can't win you a game, but he sure can lose you one.

 

I believe this applies to hitting coaches/or team hitting philosophy if they don't have hitters that fit in an approach or a system.

 

This is a general assertion. Kinda like a quarterback not being a good fit for a scheme.

 

Assuming a player wants to be respectful, known as coachable, and buys into the all for the Team approach, I can see them doing day after day, what the hitting coach is preaching. The problem is some guys just aren't wired that way and need to go back to what got them there.

 

If you have a guy who has made his bones off hitting the first pitch, and now the org is preaching daily, take pitches etc or use the whole field when they can only really pull the ball. I can see there being conflict. Especially for a newer player to a team or a younger player.

 

From what I heard from B&B tonight, Vlad is off in his own world doing some slice thing off the T and you have other MLB players going WTF?? So maybe in Vlad's case it is the opposite and he isn't listening to the coaches.

 

Im 100% convinced the coaches f***ed with Varsho in spring when he should have been left alone. Now he may be broken. Exactly what you are saying about some young guys being impressionable and easy to coach… sometimes to their detriment.

 

An easy example is what happened with Sonny Gray when he went to the Yanks. They toyed with his repertoire and he was awful. Then as soon as he leaves he’s back to being good.

 

The same can happen with hitters. Im not sure if its an organizational issue coming from the top, or just the collection of coaches on the Jays staff right now. But clearly something is wrong.

[Sorrow]

In regards to Vlad there was an article in May I think from Davidi that mentioned they brought in other coaches and special assistants like Edwin, Wilton Guerrero, V-Mart to try and talk to Guerrero and he kept doing his own thing. Guillermo Martinez came across as super frustrated with Vlad.

 

It’s as the point where I’m hoping he’s good enough to get a qualifying offer or a trade for assets because I don’t think it’s ever going to click again. I also think his left wrist issue from 2022 is a life long issue (I think this was also in a Davidi article) that he just has to work with as they can’t fix it.

[Brownie19]

s*** its crazier than that. Short version

 

Woke up in the middle of the night with a bat in my bedroom repeatedly crashing into the window. Managed to get out and run into a bathroom...the bat comes right at me and I fight through it to get out, run full speed into a wall (rolled my ankle I think caused this), then bounced into another bedroom. In the end, I basically exploded my thumb, torn ligament, torn tendons, nerve damage, needed rabies shots, and have had PTSD pretty bad which has lead to an extreme lack of sleep or good sleep. Couldn't move my thumb for 3-4 months. Have regained most motion, but can't lift anything, grip some things

 

Rabies shots? When did the bat bite you?

 

I've had bats get into the house a few times. f***ing terrifying. We had to call my FIL over the first time. He came in with the tennis racket and f***ing smacked that **** - sending him flying....right behind our massive wood entertainment unit. Had to move that heavy SOB to get the dead bat out. Not fun.

[Brownie19]

Just to play Devil's Advocate. There is the expression a manager can't win you a game, but he sure can lose you one.

 

I believe this applies to hitting coaches/or team hitting philosophy if they don't have hitters that fit in an approach or a system.

 

This is a general assertion. Kinda like a quarterback not being a good fit for a scheme.

 

Assuming a player wants to be respectful, known as coachable, and buys into the all for the Team approach, I can see them doing day after day, what the hitting coach is preaching. The problem is some guys just aren't wired that way and need to go back to what got them there.

 

If you have a guy who has made his bones off hitting the first pitch, and now the org is preaching daily, take pitches etc or use the whole field when they can only really pull the ball. I can see there being conflict. Especially for a newer player to a team or a younger player.

 

From what I heard from B&B tonight, Vlad is off in his own world doing some slice thing off the T and you have other MLB players going WTF?? So maybe in Vlad's case it is the opposite and he isn't listening to the coaches.

 

I'm sorry, but this isn't the NFL. We don't have an offensive coordinator coming in and implementing the west coast offense forcing Randel Cunningham to change his entire approach. This isn't Phil Jackson bringing in the triangle offense, forcing players to change their game to suit that system.

 

I think this "philosophy" discussion is way overblown. This is probably just the coaches suggesting that with 2 strikes, you try and cut down the swing a bit to make contact because typically, the best teams, and the teams that win in the playoffs have lower K rates. Someone suggested the hitting philosophy needs to change throughout the entire organization? WTF.

 

Good to see we're starting to see some evidence that the team is flying in Vlad's posse and that he probably isn't willing to accept the guidance he's being given. I fully expect that's the prime issue - and perhaps why Guillermo is still employed. Can't blame him if the diva's aren't willing to accept help.

[bluejaysinternNo5]

Just to play Devil's Advocate. There is the expression a manager can't win you a game, but he sure can lose you one.

 

I believe this applies to hitting coaches/or team hitting philosophy if they don't have hitters that fit in an approach or a system.

 

This is a general assertion. Kinda like a quarterback not being a good fit for a scheme.

 

Assuming a player wants to be respectful, known as coachable, and buys into the all for the Team approach, I can see them doing day after day, what the hitting coach is preaching. The problem is some guys just aren't wired that way and need to go back to what got them there.

 

If you have a guy who has made his bones off hitting the first pitch, and now the org is preaching daily, take pitches etc or use the whole field when they can only really pull the ball. I can see there being conflict. Especially for a newer player to a team or a younger player.

 

From what I heard from B&B tonight, Vlad is off in his own world doing some slice thing off the T and you have other MLB players going WTF?? So maybe in Vlad's case it is the opposite and he isn't listening to the coaches.

 

There’s 0 chance Vlad is listening to the team’s coaches I believe that.

[bluejaysinternNo5]

Im 100% convinced the coaches f***ed with Varsho in spring when he should have been left alone. Now he may be broken. Exactly what you are saying about some young guys being impressionable and easy to coach… sometimes to their detriment.

 

An easy example is what happened with Sonny Gray when he went to the Yanks. They toyed with his repertoire and he was awful. Then as soon as he leaves he’s back to being good.

 

The same can happen with hitters. Im not sure if its an organizational issue coming from the top, or just the collection of coaches on the Jays staff right now. But clearly something is wrong.

 

I honestly believe this is 100%. If you’re a player (especially a younger player) why wouldn’t you buy into the team’s philosophy? There’s a level of trust in the organization that they know what they’re doing, especially when the Blue Jays pride themselves as an analytics focused organization.

 

Besides, a lot of players are constantly tinkering with the little things because there is the belief that you can always be better - which may not be wrong, but it’s all too easy to tinker with your swing and mess it up and oops now 3/4 of the season is gone and you’ve lost all your power.

 

I’m sure the Blue Jays saw the bigger bases and the elimination of the shift and thought they could be the team to take advantage of those things before anyone else, but it just ended up backfiring in their faces and I don’t think we will see a change until next season.

[Stangstag]

I'm sorry, but this isn't the NFL. We don't have an offensive coordinator coming in and implementing the west coast offense forcing Randel Cunningham to change his entire approach. This isn't Phil Jackson bringing in the triangle offense, forcing players to change their game to suit that system.

 

I think this "philosophy" discussion is way overblown. This is probably just the coaches suggesting that with 2 strikes, you try and cut down the swing a bit to make contact because typically, the best teams, and the teams that win in the playoffs have lower K rates. Someone suggested the hitting philosophy needs to change throughout the entire organization? WTF.

 

Good to see we're starting to see some evidence that the team is flying in Vlad's posse and that he probably isn't willing to accept the guidance he's being given. I fully expect that's the prime issue - and perhaps why Guillermo is still employed. Can't blame him if the diva's aren't willing to accept help.

 

That is also fair, maybe the guys (Springer/Vlad/Kirk/etc) are stubborn dumbos. Its just with guys like Varsho for example I fully believe they led him astray.

[Brownie19]

That is also fair, maybe the guys (Springer/Vlad/Kirk/etc) are stubborn dumbos. Its just with guys like Varsho for example I fully believe they led him astray.

 

Perhaps? We'll never really know. Not sure why Varsho wouldn't be lumped in with the stubborn guys - or how we'd have any idea who's opening to learning and who isn't (outside of hearing the Jays are bringing in multiple guys to work with Vlad - clear evidence he won't work with team coaches). The only thing I ever really heard about Varsho was talks of him increasing his power. If you recall, he ripped a few balls very early in the year and there were comments about how those were some of the highest exit velo's he's ever produced. His max exit velo is up this year (81st percentile v. 66th last year), but his barrel % is way down. Are they telling him they want him to sell out and swing harder more often? Or did pitchers just make an adjustment on him (high fastball) that he hasn't adjusted to yet? Who knows.

 

His xwOBA is almost identical to 2022 (0.298 v. 0.295), but his wOBA has dropped way off (.323 v. .276). The dude was a great hitter in the minors, so the pedigree is there. Hopefully he can get squared away and be a Harrison Bader / Trent Grisham type of CF for us over the next 3-4 years.

 

I'm also not sure how the change in the shifts would impact any type of "philosophy". That would seem to let them go back to the "pull da ball" theories with more success. Can't image larger bases impact anything from a hitting perspective - except that if you're fast - getting base more will allow you to steal more (and getting on base more is a super standard philosophy for every team).

[Daniel Labude]

Rabies shots? When did the bat bite you?

 

I've had bats get into the house a few times. f***ing terrifying. We had to call my FIL over the first time. He came in with the tennis racket and f***ing smacked that **** - sending him flying....right behind our massive wood entertainment unit. Had to move that heavy SOB to get the dead bat out. Not fun.

 

If you wake up with one in your room, the assumption is it has bitten or scratched you. Then I had "contact" with it. So it was more out of precaution. Most times the bites and scratches won't be noticeable as well. The bat actually caught itself, so we had it tested, but by the time the results came back(it was negative) I had the initial 4 shots a 2nd shot, and was headed for the 6th

[Brownie19]

If you wake up with one in your room, the assumption is it has bitten or scratched you. Then I had "contact" with it. So it was more out of precaution. Most times the bites and scratches won't be noticeable as well. The bat actually caught itself, so we had it tested, but by the time the results came back(it was negative) I had the initial 4 shots a 2nd shot, and was headed for the 6th

 

Interesting - I never knew that. Hope you're feeling better.

[The Cats Ass]

Why are you so scared over a bat? They're just flying hamsters.

[Stangstag]

Why are you so scared over a bat? They're just flying hamsters.

 

Have you seen the film Contagion

[Captain_Obvious]

If you wake up with one in your room, the assumption is it has bitten or scratched you. Then I had "contact" with it. So it was more out of precaution. Most times the bites and scratches won't be noticeable as well. The bat actually caught itself, so we had it tested, but by the time the results came back(it was negative) I had the initial 4 shots a 2nd shot, and was headed for the 6th

 

Glad to read that you knew protocol in this situation. You take every single precaution when it comes to Rabies. Not only is it fatal pretty much 100% of the time, it is up there in the list of worst ways to die.

[Signal]

I am at place right now where I hope the Jays trade Vladdy in the offseason. There may be an organization out there that still believe he is special and the Jays may win big in the trade.

[DonJays]

Very sorry to hear about your ordeal friend. That sounds legitimately terrifyingly awful and extremely painful. The thumb especially is the worst finger to injure. I hope you can find yourself back to a good mental place and quality of life.

It’s a bat? Punch it in the face and go back to bed.

[DonJays]

That is also fair, maybe the guys (Springer/Vlad/Kirk/etc) are stubborn dumbos. Illjust with guys like Varsho for example I fully believe they led him astray.

 

Varsho simply can’t hit a high fastball and seemingly can’t tell what’s in the zone and what isn’t. Did the coach slow his reflexes down and f*** with the prescription on his contacts?

[Omar]

Bad news....

 

[Masterbather]

Bad news....

 

 

With Chad Green around the corner, we are so close to assembling Ultrazord in the bullpen, but pieces keep falling off.

[Stangstag]

Varsho simply can’t hit a high fastball and seemingly can’t tell what’s in the zone and what isn’t. Did the coach slow his reflexes down and f*** with the prescription on his contacts?

 

What changed from last season this year?? He managed to put up a solid year with the same holes in his swing no?

[Olerud363]

Have you seen the film Contagion

 

Contagion? That was bird flu I believe I do not think there was a bat in that movie but ... was there?