General Blue Jays Discussion Thread (2024)

[Eat My Shatkins]

 

He's back

 

Vlad and Bo will quickly follow suit

 

 

 

Sure nice that at least one of our formerly great hitters is showing signs of life.

[Laika]

The timing here definitely makes it seem like Kirk was just overworked

 

Makes perfect sense that a guy with his... body... would not be a functional 550+ PA catcher

 

Probably at most he is a guy who can play 2/3 of the time

[Orgfiller]

The timing here definitely makes it seem like Kirk was just overworked

 

Makes perfect sense that a guy with his... body... would not be a functional 550+ PA catcher

 

Probably at most he is a guy who can play 2/3 of the time

 

Obviously his body type isn't helping, but even for a more athletic catcher he got ridden pretty hard to start the season with Serven looking horrendous as the alternative.

 

To start the year he played in 12 out of 14 possible days, so 6/7 days a week. Add in the effort he's already putting in as one of baseball's best defensive catchers, and his legs/knees must have been toast. Easy to see how his power would have suffered greatly when he isn't able to put his lower half into swings, and for someone with his stature especially, he's definitely the kind of hitter that's using all of his body to drive the ball.

[glory]

The timing here definitely makes it seem like Kirk was just overworked

 

Makes perfect sense that a guy with his... body... would not be a functional 550+ PA catcher

 

Probably at most he is a guy who can play 2/3 of the time

 

If there were 7 games in a week, Kirk was playing at least 6 of them when Jansen was on the IL. It was ridiculous. Serven isn't even a minor league quality catcher, much less a big league one, but maybe get a better 3rd string catcher if the alternative is using your one healthy one (who is also grossly out of shape) every single game. Hopefully Jansen gets the bulk of the playing time now, maybe 4 of every 7 games or something like that, and Kirk's performance over the season trends up.

[Carlos Danger]

The timing here definitely makes it seem like Kirk was just overworked

 

Makes perfect sense that a guy with his... body... would not be a functional 550+ PA catcher

 

Probably at most he is a guy who can play 2/3 of the time

 

This. I noted this over the weekend. Dude is just not sustainable as a full time catcher, nor do I believe long term. i.e, no 10 yr contracts.

[Orgfiller]

This. I noted this over the weekend. Dude is just not sustainable as a full time catcher, nor do I believe long term. i.e, no 10 yr contracts.

 

First of all, nobody is offering Kirk a 10-year contract any time soon, lol. I don't think it's fair to expect him or any catcher for that matter to be able to sustain the workload that he was given to begin the season. Most teams will start their main catcher something like 2/3 games, maybe 3/4 or slightly higher for those rare ones that have proven they can handle the extra workload (JT Realmuto, Yadier Molina, Salvador Perez). Kirk likely falls somewhere below the min. threshold, where he's probably a max 90-100 games catcher, but if his offense rebounds, you can still rest his legs while using him by utilizing the DH spot, as they did in his breakout 2022 where he still appeared in 140 games. Most teams don't have a secondary catcher as good as Danny Jansen, but a lot do have one much better than Brian Serven, who allows you to rest your top catcher while at least getting some value from offense or defense.

[BatFlip]

This. I noted this over the weekend. Dude is just not sustainable as a full time catcher, nor do I believe long term. i.e, no 10 yr contracts.

 

10 yr contract?! lol

[M.E.]

I'd love for the Jays to find a way to not let Sal Perez beat us this series.

[G-Snarls]

The timing here definitely makes it seem like Kirk was just overworked

 

Makes perfect sense that a guy with his... body... would not be a functional 550+ PA catcher

 

Probably at most he is a guy who can play 2/3 of the time

 

Jansen's fault

[G-Snarls]

This. I noted this over the weekend. Dude is just not sustainable as a full time catcher, nor do I believe long term. i.e, no 10 yr contracts.

 

No catcher has ever gotten a 10 year contract. OK well Buster Posey got 9 years. No one else even close.

[Omar]

We've played 29 games and Kirk has been in 20, not all at catcher. What a wuss if he's already exhausted.

[Stangstag]

Oh we've all moved on from that I think

 

Nobody is expecting anything close to 2021 again

 

The question now is just... is he even 2022 Vlad? 3 WAR would be splendid. But can he even be a 130 wRC+ hitter anymore?

 

I would love .311/.401/.601 but for f***s sake at least give me .275/.350/.475 or something like that

 

Just absurd that he cannot run a .200+ ISO even when he sucks

 

And stay glued to the bases you idiiiiottttttttttt

 

We're settling for a 3 WAR first baseman now? A guy that was supposed to be a generational talent, ranked ahead of guys like Acuna and Tatis?

 

Does anyone know how many calories are in a shotgun shell? Asking for a friend

[Stangstag]

The timing here definitely makes it seem like Kirk was just overworked

 

Makes perfect sense that a guy with his... body... would not be a functional 550+ PA catcher

 

Probably at most he is a guy who can play 2/3 of the time

 

Hmmm there might be something to that. His best season was in 2022 where he caught 78 games and DH'd for 52 games.

 

The next year his number took a drastic dip, but he caught 99 games and DH'd only 17 times.

[Stangstag]

If there were 7 games in a week, Kirk was playing at least 6 of them when Jansen was on the IL. It was ridiculous. Serven isn't even a minor league quality catcher, much less a big league one, but maybe get a better 3rd string catcher if the alternative is using your one healthy one (who is also grossly out of shape) every single game. Hopefully Jansen gets the bulk of the playing time now, maybe 4 of every 7 games or something like that, and Kirk's performance over the season trends up.

 

If only there was another guy on the roster that could catch like once a week when Jansen is injured... hmmm....

[Stangstag]

We've played 29 games and Kirk has been in 20, not all at catcher. What a wuss if he's already exhausted.

 

Actually yes, they have all been as a C. He hasn't had a single start at DH this season

[Terminator]

We've played 29 games and Kirk has been in 20, not all at catcher. What a wuss if he's already exhausted.

 

Well that's kind of the point of the discussion. He sucked when he caught 13/14 or whatever it was and now that's back on a more normal schedule he's hitting again.

[Omar]

Actually yes, they have all been as a C. He hasn't had a single start at DH this season

 

Well that's kind of the point of the discussion. He sucked when he caught 13/14 or whatever it was and now that's back on a more normal schedule he's hitting again.

 

Wuss status confirmed.

[Omar]

Actually yes, they have all been as a C. He hasn't had a single start at DH this season

 

No but one game he played two innings and another he played five.

[Eat My Shatkins]

Kirk isn't going to get any DH games in with a .500 OPS lol

 

Especially with Turner swinging the bat well.

 

If Kirk heats continues to stay hot he may get some starts there soon though.

[hanton]

Kirk isn't going to get any DH games in with a .500 OPS lol

 

Especially with Turner swinging the bat well.

 

If Kirk heats continues to stay hot he may get some starts there soon though.

 

I want that bat in the lineup but yea it's going to be difficult getting dh time...

[Spanky99]

Anyone heard any updates on Green IL stint? Big RP FO investment this off season, and a key arm for this pen.

 

A few days back...

 

Apr 26, 2024 4:34 PM EDT

Green (shoulder) hopes to begin throwing in three to seven days, Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic reports.

Analysis

Green is nearly a week removed from landing on the 15-day injured list with a teres major strain in his right shoulder. He will rehab for a few more days before hopefully starting a throwing program. Green still looks to be multiple weeks away from rejoining the Blue Jays.

[Spanky99]

It has been mentioned multiple times by Shulman/Buck how Vladdy is out taking extra time with Mattingly prior to games and on off days. Siddall made reference to it as well. It's not like the guy isn't trying.

 

Also right out of Shapiro and Schneider's mouths in interviews.

[Terminator]

 

He's back

 

Vlad and Bo will quickly follow suit

 

Vlad pulled two line drives with EVs of 112 and 114 mph after my post today. Just saying.

[Laika]

Vlad pulled two line drives with EVs of 112 and 114 mph after my post today. Just saying.

 

While Turner homers twice with like 92 mph chip shots

[Ray]

It's a legit good lineup if everyone plays up to expectations. Even with Springer at this point being a slap-hitting 100 wRC+ corner OF. There should be enough juice between Vlad, Bo, Jansen, Kirk, Varsho, and Turner to score consistently. Hell, even Schneider has heated up the last couple weeks.

[Masterbather]

It's a legit good lineup if everyone plays up to expectations. Even with Springer at this point being a slap-hitting 100 wRC+ corner OF. There should be enough juice between Vlad, Bo, Jansen, Kirk, Varsho, and Turner to score consistently. Hell, even Schneider has heated up the last couple weeks.

 

They won't though, unless you have lousy expectations, in which case they might.

[Spanky99]

Ragans and Berrios, should be a tight one tomorrow. Bring it on!

[Spanky99]

Fair. Likely correct.

 

I hate the toe tap he has. Its more pronounced than 2021. He is in between or late on heat way too often.

 

Chipper Jones is the only hitter I can think of who could master it at an elite level for a sustained period, and he did it as a SH.

 

Yeah, you guys are correct, he needs to load like he did in '21, like why the f*** would they change from that? That kind of really grinds my gears, not sure when he changed but it was stupid as his advanced numbers were still good last year and parts of this early season. Mind boggling, and the talent is massive.

 

Bo I think is just in a funk/slump, no way he's a 2% barrel rate guy. He has the bat speed to get back to 10%, I think.

[BigCecil]

Yeah, you guys are correct, he needs to load like he did in '21, like why the f*** would they change from that? That kind of really grinds my gears, not sure when he changed but it was stupid as his advanced numbers were still good last year and parts of this early season. Mind boggling, and the talent is massive.

 

Bo I think is just in a funk/slump, no way he's a 2% barrel rate guy. He has the bat speed to get back to 10%, I think.

 

Vlad. yep.

 

Bo. Ya I agree. He got moved down in the order in mid '22 when struggling (not this badly) and it really pissed him off. No idea if it helped go on the heater he did the last 1/4 of 2022, but he finished with 130 wRC+. I think he will get going.

 

Long term not interested in a big long term deal for his D @ SS or his high chase, low BB approach. They don't tend to end well.

[MikeM3]

I think our hitting will end up better than our pitching. Schneider will end up playing everyday. Jansen is a big boost. Orelvis call up. And then inevitable regression from Bo Vlad George