General Blue Jays Discussion Thread (2024)

[burlingtonbandit]

He just LOOKS better even before the pitch is thrown. Seems to have a more powerful stance. More confident and intimidating.

 

Right is last year.

 

 

Using his lower half much better too. Last year it seemed fastballs up in the zone would result in a very armsy flail like swing. He still seems a little prone to the high heat but at least can do damage on mistake pitches.

[burlingtonbandit]

I wonder if Bo is playing through injury. He had those neck spasms at the beginning of the season and he certainly seems far less "explosive" at the plate and in the field.

[Brownie19]

oooooofff - Bowden Francis to the IL with "right forearm extensor tendinitis). Brendon Little is recalled.

[max silver]

oooooofff - Bowden Francis to the IL with "right forearm extensor tendinitis). Brendon Little is recalled.

 

Oh f***. It's crazy to think but the team might actually wish that they still had Mitch White available to them to soak up some innings given how incredibly thin the starting depth has become in recent weeks.

[RobinThicc]

I wonder if the league has sort of solved Bo.

 

He has not pulled a fastball down the line since 2022 (not kidding).

 

He is a predictable hitter. He sets the tempo of his swing in between heaters and breaking balls then tries to slash fastballs to RF (be a bit late) while pulling offspeed pitches (be a bit early).

 

Feels like if you can just pepper him inside with decent fastballs 60% of the time, he will almost never do damage on them. Worst case scenario he might poke it to RF for single. Unless you miss over the middle.

 

Fastballs in, breaking balls away. Cuts his nuts off. No nuts.

 

Last night:

 

- fastball inside, groundout to 1B

- sinker outside, then sinker up and in, groundout to 2B

- three fastballs inside from Zerpa, then a FB away and a groundout to 2B

- slider down, groundout to SS

 

Night before:

 

- 7/9 pitches in first PA were fastballs, many up and in. walked.

- single on a sinker that stayed away

- away with the offspeed, groundout to SS

- pitch inside, groundout to 1B

- slider away, groundout to 1B

 

I dunno bros. Just something to watch. If I am a P with a decent FB he just gets FBs inside all f***ing day until he proves he can do damage on them.

 

Shoulda traded his ass to the Cubs when we had a chance DAMN!

[MikeM3]

Mike Mayers #6 SP

[wilko]

Oh f***. It's crazy to think but the team might actually wish that they still had Mitch White available to them to soak up some innings given how incredibly thin the starting depth has become in recent weeks.

 

The Giants can have him.

[BigCecil]

I wonder if the league has sort of solved Bo.

 

He has not pulled a fastball down the line since 2022 (not kidding).

 

He is a predictable hitter. He sets the tempo of his swing in between heaters and breaking balls then tries to slash fastballs to RF (be a bit late) while pulling offspeed pitches (be a bit early).

 

Feels like if you can just pepper him inside with decent fastballs 60% of the time, he will almost never do damage on them. Worst case scenario he might poke it to RF for single. Unless you miss over the middle.

 

Fastballs in, breaking balls away. Cuts his nuts off. No nuts.

 

Last night:

 

- fastball inside, groundout to 1B

- sinker outside, then sinker up and in, groundout to 2B

- three fastballs inside from Zerpa, then a FB away and a groundout to 2B

- slider down, groundout to SS

 

Night before:

 

- 7/9 pitches in first PA were fastballs, many up and in. walked.

- single on a sinker that stayed away

- away with the offspeed, groundout to SS

- pitch inside, groundout to 1B

- slider away, groundout to 1B

 

I dunno bros. Just something to watch. If I am a P with a decent FB he just gets FBs inside all f***ing day until he proves he can do damage on them.

 

Bo knows. We don't. Good analysis. He is predictable.

 

If I hadn't watched Bo be a 90-100 bat for 5/8 of 2022 I'd be a lot more worried he could be solved. But he exploded at the end somehow to post his best ever 130 wRC+. Does he need to make some adjustments? Can he? He and Vlad are so late on heat so often.

[Laika]

Bo knows. We don't. Good analysis. He is predictable.

 

If I hadn't watched Bo be a 90-100 bat for 5/8 of 2022 I'd be a lot more worried he could be solved. But he exploded at the end somehow to post his best ever 130 wRC+. Does he need to make some adjustments? Can he? He and Vlad are so late on heat so often.

 

I think I am still on Team Not Panicking for Bo

and maybe still on TNP for Vlad. maybe.

 

I just like to write doomer fan fiction here

[max silver]

I wonder if the league has sort of solved Bo.

 

He has not pulled a fastball down the line since 2022 (not kidding).

 

He is a predictable hitter. He sets the tempo of his swing in between heaters and breaking balls then tries to slash fastballs to RF (be a bit late) while pulling offspeed pitches (be a bit early).

 

Feels like if you can just pepper him inside with decent fastballs 60% of the time, he will almost never do damage on them. Worst case scenario he might poke it to RF for single. Unless you miss over the middle.

 

Fastballs in, breaking balls away. Cuts his nuts off. No nuts.

 

Last night:

 

- fastball inside, groundout to 1B

- sinker outside, then sinker up and in, groundout to 2B

- three fastballs inside from Zerpa, then a FB away and a groundout to 2B

- slider down, groundout to SS

 

Night before:

 

- 7/9 pitches in first PA were fastballs, many up and in. walked.

- single on a sinker that stayed away

- away with the offspeed, groundout to SS

- pitch inside, groundout to 1B

- slider away, groundout to 1B

 

I dunno bros. Just something to watch. If I am a P with a decent FB he just gets FBs inside all f***ing day until he proves he can do damage on them.

 

Bo could probably stand to deprogram himself a bit from the Dante Bichette cult of letting the ball travel.

[Terminator]

Bo knows. We don't. Good analysis. He is predictable.

 

If I hadn't watched Bo be a 90-100 bat for 5/8 of 2022 I'd be a lot more worried he could be solved. But he exploded at the end somehow to post his best ever 130 wRC+. Does he need to make some adjustments? Can he? He and Vlad are so late on heat so often.

 

Yeah he should be fine. April is by far his worst month and he's traditionally a slow starter. Better 2nd half player.

[Laika]

Bo could probably stand to deprogram himself a bit from the Dante Bichette cult of letting the ball travel.

 

Just seems weird to ABSOLUTELY NEVER pull a fastball

 

His main plan can still be his main plan but every once in a while you have to just Jose Bautista a fastball

 

If you can't do that, you are not a complete hitter.

[Terminator]

Mike Mayers #6 SP

 

The SP depth went from looking okay to a steaming pile in 3 weeks. We need everyone to hold up until the ASB.

[Laika]

depth is something s***** rotations need

[Terminator]

 

Doesn't sound like he'll be out too long. In the meantime if someone gets hurt it will be Trevor Richards SZN.

[The_DH]

depth is something s***** rotations need

 

We got luck with health last year but generally used 6 starters (Manoah replaced). So NO to your post.

[Laika]

I would be really curious to find out the level of involvement that the team had in the offseason plans for:

 

Varsho

Kirk

Vlad

Yimi

Kikuchi

 

Did Varsho make these changes on his own or get told what to do by Toronto people? Private training or not?

I know from Instagram that Vlad basically did eyewash with some person trainer that a few of his friends use. Stood on medicine balls and curled 20 lb weights, s*** like that.

Seems like Kirk did absolutely nothing. Gained 10 more lbs, that's it.

[Brownie19]

Varsho update. Currently 8th in MLB in WAR (tied with Elly). 165 wRC+

[L54]

On this date in 2023 the WAR leader was…

 

Matt Chapman

[wilko]

I would be really curious to find out the level of involvement that the team had in the offseason plans for:

 

Varsho

Kirk

Vlad

Yimi

Kikuchi

 

Did Varsho make these changes on his own or get told what to do by Toronto people? Private training or not?

I know from Instagram that Vlad basically did eyewash with some person trainer that a few of his friends use. Stood on medicine balls and curled 20 lb weights, s*** like that.

Seems like Kirk did absolutely nothing. Gained 10 more lbs, that's it.

 

I would 100% be into locking Kikuchi to a new deal... I'm sure he loves the org for helping him/having faith.

Kirk ate whatever his kid didn't eat during snack/supper time, including his own meals.

Yimi may be using stem cell injections into his brain/arm.

Varsho playing CF maximizes his value!

[Eat My Shatkins]

Gotta love all these close losses with our "best" hitters at the top of line up rocking sub .700 OPS's

 

Wake up you effing losers.

[G-Snarls]

Jays batters ranked by wRC+ so far this year:

 

-

 

Edited April 26, 2024 by G-Snarls

[G-Snarls]

Bo, Vlad and Kirk seem the most egregious compared to expectations. Come on guys........

 

Springer not as bad as I thought he's just been on and off

 

I'll give props to IKF who I was expecting to be much worse than this - he has NOT been the problem at all

 

Kirk feels extra depressing because of how much time Jansen already missed and he just NEVER seems to pull a base hit out of his fat ass when it's needed the most

[Governator]

Jays batter ranked by wRC+ so far this year:

 

-

 

 

At least Springer provides plus defense but why he's leading off still I don't know...what a shame where our bats are at right now. Biggio is outplaying bichette & vlad after a month. Let that sink in lol.

[G-Snarls]

At least Springer provides plus defense but why he's leading off still I don't know...what a shame where our bats are at right now. Biggio is outplaying bichette & vlad after a month. Let that sink in lol.

 

Yeah Springer .315 OBP doesn't look great in the leadoff spot. I just don't know who else I would put there. I don't want to mess with Varsho right now and he's the only one who MIGHT be a fit.

[Orgfiller]

Yeah Springer .315 OBP doesn't look great in the leadoff spot. I just don't know who else I would put there. I don't want to mess with Varsho right now and he's the only one who MIGHT be a fit.

 

Varsho's profile is more of a slugger (not that I'm calling him a slugger) who doesn't walk a ton. Even if you wanted to move him up I don't know that leadoff would be the optimal spot for him. Probably more of a cleanup/5 hitter with the power and ability to not hit into many DPs.

[G-Snarls]

Varsho's profile is more of a slugger (not that I'm calling him a slugger) who doesn't walk a ton. Even if you wanted to move him up I don't know that leadoff would be the optimal spot for him. Probably more of a cleanup/5 hitter with the power and ability to not hit into many DPs.

 

Varsho has speed but doesn't walk a lot

Turner has OBP skills but old and slow

Bo sucks all around right now

 

No one else seems like a great leadoff hitter so Springer keeps the job

[Jays24]

Yeah Springer .315 OBP doesn't look great in the leadoff spot. I just don't know who else I would put there. I don't want to mess with Varsho right now and he's the only one who MIGHT be a fit.

 

One thing we should all agree on is that we have nothing to lose by trying new things. It would be different if our hitters were coming off some amazing seasons so you just keep being patient but for most of the guys, they have been performing well below expectations for 2+ seasons.

 

Our team should be rewarding whoever is performing the best at the time, no one other than Bo maybe deserves the benefit of the doubt right now. If Vladdy/Springer and whoever else start performing better then we move them back up the lineup. These guys need a wakeup call... we don't have the benefit to throw games away now.

[max silver]

Varsho has speed but doesn't walk a lot

Turner has OBP skills but old and slow

Bo sucks all around right now

 

No one else seems like a great leadoff hitter so Springer keeps the job

 

I think Vlad might actually be the best choice for leadoff right now as he's producing a decent OBP as he's walking a lot.

[Orgfiller]

Varsho has speed but doesn't walk a lot

Turner has OBP skills but old and slow

Bo sucks all around right now

 

No one else seems like a great leadoff hitter so Springer keeps the job

 

Springer's OBP is also poor right now but he's underperforming his xStats quite a bit. If he was closer to his xWOBA he'd probably have like a 120 wRC+ with an OBP more in the ~.340-.350 range. He's been walking a decent amount and not swinging and missing much, there's been encouraging signs from him as a leadoff hitter this season. His BABIP won't be .230 all year.