General Blue Jays Discussion Thread (2023)

[Spanky99]

Soler suxxxxxxx

[Frenchsoup]

BNS saying the Jays are in on Jorge Polanco. Would be a nice bat and pretty solid 2nd baseman for us. Could slide Biggio to OF/1b. Platoon Davis Schneider with Jorge.

[Brownie19]

If a guy can reasonably be penciled in to provide well above average offense I can live with a few innings in the field here and there. I just think that Soler's offensive output has been so variable year over year it's hard to know what to expect from him moving forward. Only 2 of his last 5 seasons are actually good offensively so he carries a lot of risk. His expected stats typically look very solid but more often than not this hasn't led to good results on the field. If he takes a 3 year deal then I'd far prefer the team move onto other options.

 

I agree - he's been volatile, so unless there's something to prove he figured something out last year, it's a bit scary locking in a DH for more than 1 or 2 years - even if you think he can stand out there in LF a bit like Schwarber. Joc has been a bit similar...he went through a funk for like 3 years, then lit it up in 2022 and fell back to earth a bit last year (although the peripheral numbers were still pretty good). I honestly think you wait this s*** out and sign whomever is left out of JDM, Joc, Soler, Hoskins. Not sure you want to commit more than 1 year for any of them. If I have to go 2 years with any of them, it's probably Soler

[jaysblue]

I don't mind Soler, but he does comes with some more risk especially if you sign him to a 3 or 4 year deal.

 

Would prefer either JDM, Hoskins or Pederson on a one-year deal.

[glory]

Soler's statcast/expected numbers from 2023 were all really good, but kinda hard to ignore 2021-22 when he was basically replacement level with a league average bat. If you believe his 2023 numbers are sustainable then he'd be fine as a DH option, but there's massive risk there because the floor probably isn't very high. My guess is the Jays end up with Joc as he has the same statcast redness without the long term investment, although he'll have to be platooned.

[jaysblue]

BNS saying the Jays are in on Jorge Polanco. Would be a nice bat and pretty solid 2nd baseman for us. Could slide Biggio to OF/1b. Platoon Davis Schneider with Jorge.

 

I think Jorge Polanco becomes a Blue Jay this month. He would be a great fit here. Could play him between 2B and 3B. Nice switch hitter as well to have in the lineup. Twins don't have a spot for him in the lineup, so they for sure move him.

[Frenchsoup]

Can we give Barria and Pearson and Espy for him?

[Laika]

I think Jorge Polanco becomes a Blue Jay this month. He would be a great fit here. Could play him between 2B and 3B. Nice switch hitter as well to have in the lineup. Twins don't have a spot for him in the lineup, so they for sure move him.

 

Well, they're not gonna give him away. He's worth an Addison Barger type prospect

 

Might see them move Kyle Farmer for peanuts instead

[Frenchsoup]

Farmers not bad, what's he making like 6 mill? I mean... I'd rather just sign Josh and bring a spark to Toronto.

[G-Snarls]

I want better than Soler

 

We need another banger

[Frenchsoup]

Lots of Bangers out there, a guy I really like is Travis Jankowski. Should be a nice bat against righties good outfield D, and baserunning.Can prob get for a mill or 2. There's so many ways to add to this team. But getting a lefthanded bat like Votto in the middle of the lineup would be so huge for this team. Not to mention the D and Quantum intangibles

[xposbrad]

I want better than Soler

 

We need another banger

 

Agreed, if Atkins is done and just adds Soler then it's going to be tough to make the playoffs. I guess they'll have pieces to trade at the deadline, but I hope they are prepared for an underwhelming season and to possibly rebuild.

[The Cats Ass]

I want better than Soler

 

We need another banger

 

Soler was a top 20 bat last year…

 

If looking at OPS, wOBA, xwOBA.

 

If you want a pure banger I’m not sure what else more you could want.

[Eat My Shatkins]

What a frustrating FA crop.

 

Every piece you can even think about signing comes with question marks.

 

Soler from last year? Yes plz

Soler from 21-22? f*** no

 

Sure would be nice to have Ohtani slotted in at DH lol

[Grant77]

I think Jorge Polanco becomes a Blue Jay this month. He would be a great fit here. Could play him between 2B and 3B. Nice switch hitter as well to have in the lineup. Twins don't have a spot for him in the lineup, so they for sure move him.

 

If we're punting defense at 3B then just play Biggio there. Polanco is a butcher at 3B.

[jaysblue]

If we're punting defense at 3B then just play Biggio there. Polanco is a butcher at 3B.

 

With IKF being in the fold, Jays could roster Polanco and play him at 3B and 2B occasionally. He doesn't have to start 140 or 150 games at 3B with IKF here. Likely could get him in for 60-80 games at 3B, and use IKF as a defensive replacement later in games.

[Grant77]

With IKF being in the fold, Jays could roster Polanco and play him at 3B and 2B occasionally. He doesn't have to start 140 or 150 games at 3B with IKF here. Likely could get him in for 60-80 games at 3B, and use IKF as a defensive replacement later in games.

 

I don't think we want him at 3B at all. He's Encarnacion bad there from what I have seen.

[Pendleton]

Soler was a top 20 bat last year…

 

If looking at OPS, wOBA, xwOBA.

 

If you want a pure banger I’m not sure what else more you could want.

 

He also curb stomped LHP, which is a weakness for the current group.

[TheHurl]

Fans views of what the Jays offense is so skewed from reality.

[Spanky99]

Fans views of what the Jays offense is so skewed from reality.

 

How so?

[Jonn]

Fans views of what the Jays offense is so skewed from reality.

 

Based on what under performance? Because they appear to be banking a lot on rebound Seasons. So skepticism is fair in that circumstance.

[TheHurl]

How so?

 

Just from reading the reactions you would assume they were a bottom 10 team. This wasn't the A's out there. I believe the Jays were somewhere right in around 10th in wRC+ 12 in runs scored and 14th in HR's. While repeating those numbers would certainly not be the goal it's also easiest to see what changed most for the Jays....The Rogers Centre

 

They were 5th in wRC+ on the road. 7th in runs scored. 10th in HR's.

 

Generally a team's road numbers are a truer showing of their true selves

 

specifically you can look at 2 players, Vladdy and Varsho who were themselves on the road and just awful in the RC. If my memory serves me correctly VGJ was 130 wRC+ on the road with 15 HRs. Varsho was over 100 wRC+ and something like 60 in the RC.

 

My biggest criticism of this FO has been the abandoning of the Mental Skills team and programs after Mugford left. Looks like the Jays are bringing John Lannon with the team this year instead of leaving him in Florida. If this is a mental issue at the RC. It's fixable. If it is something environmental in the RC, it's fixable. If it doesn't get fixed this year that's on the F.O. and out they go.

[wamco]

Should have taken a full 2 years straight to renovate the dome and played more full seasons in Buffalo.

[Pendleton]

Soler was a top 20 bat last year…

 

If looking at OPS, wOBA, xwOBA.

 

If you want a pure banger I’m not sure what else more you could want.

 

[Olerud363]

If this is a mental issue at the RC.

 

Vlad's stats in the minors as a teenager and playing in minor league ball parks in the majors are mind-blowing.

 

This is not explained by park factors or dimensions or anything. Minor league parks are not smaller than major league parks. Could be some mental thing when he gets in the stadiums with an upper deck and 30,000+ fans.

 

Anyway Hurl brings up a great point. Whatever is going on with VGJ may be mostly mental and some issue with anxiety, living up to the family name... I don't know exactly.

 

One outcome a lot of people are pretty much resigned to is Vlad winning the triple crown with the Red Sox or Braves or somebody in 2026.

[jaysblue]

Just from reading the reactions you would assume they were a bottom 10 team. This wasn't the A's out there. I believe the Jays were somewhere right in around 10th in wRC+ 12 in runs scored and 14th in HR's. While repeating those numbers would certainly not be the goal it's also easiest to see what changed most for the Jays....The Rogers Centre

 

They were 5th in wRC+ on the road. 7th in runs scored. 10th in HR's.

 

Generally a team's road numbers are a truer showing of their true selves

 

specifically you can look at 2 players, Vladdy and Varsho who were themselves on the road and just awful in the RC. If my memory serves me correctly VGJ was 130 wRC+ on the road with 15 HRs. Varsho was over 100 wRC+ and something like 60 in the RC.

 

My biggest criticism of this FO has been the abandoning of the Mental Skills team and programs after Mugford left. Looks like the Jays are bringing John Lannon with the team this year instead of leaving him in Florida. If this is a mental issue at the RC. It's fixable. If it is something environmental in the RC, it's fixable. If it doesn't get fixed this year that's on the F.O. and out they go.

 

Yeah the offense isn't Oakland A's bad obviously and if some of the key bats bounce back, this lineup takes a big step forward. But we can't just leave that to chance, when there are bats out there on the FA market who could still help like JDM, Hoskins, Pederson, Turner, Teo, Soler, Duvall, etc. Even if the key guys bounce back, with one or two of those FA bats, that's even better. Need to improve the lineup anyway possible within reason and it shouldn't be ignored heading into next season especially after what they saw in 2023.

 

In terms of the Rogers Centre, if it's environmental due to the new renovations, wouldn't that blame be put on Shapiro? This FO is filled with geeks, so you think they would have been able to adjust to those environmental conditions understanding the impacts of the new dimensions. I guess that takes a year or two of data still. But regardless, if they knew the new renovations were going to have a negative impact on the offensive environment at the Rogers Centre, why even make the renovations when this team is in their prime window years of contention? Like why mess that up? To appease the casual fans so they could sit up at the Corona Rooftop?

 

As for the teams mental health and skills department, 100% agreed. Baseball is a very psychological and mental game. Maybe hitting at the Rogers Centre, living up to his fathers name, and pressure of winning maybe is impacting Vlad's performance when he plays at home.

 

I used to be a big John Lannon fan when he was with the Nats. He could fix anything.

[Laika]

Before the season people thought the outfield changes might increase offense because fences were coming in

 

Shapiro was on record saying they weren't sure how it would play since fences were going up, down, in, out, all over.

 

Keep in mind that the infield changes this off-season will significantly decrease the space in foul territory. That might increase offense significantly

[Frenchsoup]

We need good players Atkins get some for cheap if you have no money...there's also such a thing as Trades. Pretty damn lame offseason for them.

[Spanky99]

We need good players Atkins get some for cheap if you have no money...there's also such a thing as Trades. Pretty damn lame offseason for them.

 

[Jays24]

[bowden] Toronto continues to pursue free agents Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman with Chapman the more likely acquisition of the two.

 

Would really prefer Bellinger if we had to overpay one of the two. Being left handed, younger with more potential and ability to play multiple positions seems like the much better choice.