Jays sign IKF.... 2/15 LOL... F U Wacko!

[max silver]

Exactly

 

As currently constructed we have too many lightweight bats in the every day lineup

 

I fully expect the team to add a competent DH so once that happens the lineup will look quite a bit better. There are still definitely going to be some days where the lineup could look positively awful though as there is the possibility of all of Espinal, IKF and Biggio being in the starting lineup on the same day. If Kiermaier hits down to his projections and Varsho doesn't rebound the offense could be in trouble.

[Stangstag]

I fully expect the team to add a competent DH so once that happens the lineup will look quite a bit better. There are still definitely going to be some days where the lineup could look positively awful though as there is the possibility of all of Espinal, IKF and Biggio being in the starting lineup on the same day. If Kiermaier hits down to his projections and Varsho doesn't rebound the offense could be in trouble.

 

It’s pretty much a situation where if guys like Springer, Vlad, Varsho, Kirk don’t bounce back then we’re f***ed anyways

[BCZ]

https://www.youtubetrimmer.com/view/?v=wYmtRhKvmVE&start=65&end=66&loop=0

[BigCecil]

Chris Black is fine, but he was touting last year that Manoah had found it and would be back to '22 or close to it. Grain of salt. Sean Casey has been singing IKF's praises too.

 

Nice highlight reel @ 3B If he plays very good to elite D and is a 90 ish bat, heads won't explode. If our other mainstays rebound and we get another bat or two.

[Jonn]

It’s pretty much a situation where if guys like Springer, Vlad, Varsho, Kirk don’t bounce back then we’re f***ed anyways

 

Pretty much. Atkins is banking on bounce back Seasons.

[Jays24]

Pretty much. Atkins is banking on bounce back Seasons.

 

Not sure how much of a track record Kirk/Varsho have to be expecting anything from them at the major league level. Springer is a year older so not sure how much of an improvement we can expect here.

 

Now Vlad is the only one who should have expectations to turn it around where itll be impactful enough to worth talking about.

[max silver]

Not sure how much of a track record Kirk/Varsho have to be expecting anything from them at the major league level. Springer is a year older so not sure how much of an improvement we can expect here.

 

Now Vlad is the only one who should have expectations to turn it around where itll be impactful enough to worth talking about.

 

Varsho produced above average offensive seasons in his first 1.5 seasons as a regular so at this point 2023 is a bit of an outlier. His 2023 season's overall numbers were essentially ruined by a 6 week slump so he will need to avoid this type of thing for his numbers to improve.

 

Kirk mashed all through the minors where he produced an average 157 wRC+. 2023 is literally the first poor offensive season of his professional career. His xwOBA values for his MLB career are as follows:

 

2020 .344

2021 .373

2022 .351

2023 .317

 

So obviously here you are acting like the guy has never been a well above average offensive performer and thus he has no track record of success.

 

I think Springer is a pretty decent bet to experience some level of bounceback but the amount remains to be determined. He dropped 32 points of overall wOBA despite only dropping 10 points by xwOBA. The numbers have been steadily declining in a Blue Jays uniform year over year but it feels really premature to be worrying about him being completely finished as an effective offensive performer.

[Eat My Shatkins]

I worry about Kirk because he sucked in the second half of 2022 with the bat, and then all of 2023 he was bad too. So that's a season half straight of poor offense. Hopefully he can adjust because his bat was great all the way up the minors and when he first got to MLB

[max silver]

I worry about Kirk because he sucked in the second half of 2022 with the bat, and then all of 2023 he was bad too. So that's a season half straight of poor offense. Hopefully he can adjust because his bat was great all the way up the minors and when he first got to MLB

 

Kirk produced a 118 wRC+ in the second half of 2023 so he showed signs of emerging from his offensive slumber after a year or so of depressed results at the plate.

[Eat My Shatkins]

Kirk produced a 118 wRC+ in the second half of 2023 so he showed signs of emerging from his offensive slumber after a year or so of depressed results at the plate.

 

Good stuff. Obviously the FO is aware of that and maybe even has a good idea why and whether it's a sustainable fix. Their patience this off season tells me they are somewhat confident in some offensive bounce backs occurring, and hopefully Vladdy/Kirk are two that do bounce back.

[max silver]

Good stuff. Obviously the FO is aware of that and maybe even has a good idea why and whether it's a sustainable fix. Their patience this off season tells me they are somewhat confident in some offensive bounce backs occurring, and hopefully Vladdy/Kirk are two that do bounce back.

 

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Kirk finally got so big around the middle that it started affecting his ability to swing the bat effectively. His biggest issue is that he stopped squaring up the baseball with any type of regularity but he did show signs second half that he was starting to produce more solid contact.

[Brownie19]

Pretty much. Atkins is banking on bounce back Seasons.

 

I mean - does he have a choice? I agree that hedging your bets a bit is always a good idea, but you can't hedge all 4 of those players....there's no way to cover them all in the event they suck like they did in 2023.

[JaysAllMighty]

I mean - does he have a choice? I agree that hedging your bets a bit is always a good idea, but you can't hedge all 4 of those players....there's no way to cover them all in the event they suck like they did in 2023.

 

 

They can only improve with RISP, can they get any worse?

[Spanky99]

They can only improve with RISP, can they get any worse?

 

They did get better in the 2nd half last season, it's one of the reasons they made the PS last year.

[Carlos Danger]

Shots fired....... From Yanksgoyard.com

 

When Isiah Kiner-Falefa departed the New York Yankees last week for the Toronto Blue Jays, he was bid a proper farewell accompanied by a sigh of relief. Did IKF deserve better in the Bronx? Absolutely. Did he need to overstay his welcome beyond 2023? Absolutely not.

 

Yankees fans feared Brian Cashman and the front office would bring him back, keep him in the same role where he was largely uncomfortable, and not make the necessary changes to elevate a middling roster.

 

Thankfully, Toronto paid $15 million for IKF in hopes of using him in a utility role to ostensibly replace free agent Whit Merrifield. If they deploy him correctly, it could be a useful addition. But even then ... IKF is decidedly below average, for as much as we appreciate his effort and dedication. That's just what the stats say.

 

It was obvious why IKF left. Though he always dreamed of being a Yankee, the fit wasn't right, and he was never going to get paid that kind of money to stay with the team. The 28-year-old needs to maximize his paydays, because he hasn't exactly flaunted his maximum value the last few years.

 

But we can confidently say he didn't leave the Yankees to join a "winning" environment in Toronto because ... the Blue Jays never win? What was IKF trying to say here?

 

Isiah Kiner-Falefa wasn't sure what to expect in free agency but was pleasantly surprised. "I wasn't really expecting as many teams to call. I was kind of overwhelmed, it made me feel really good," he said.

 

Opted for Blue Jays because they're "a team I knew was ready to win."

 

— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) January 3, 2024

 

Did Isiah Kiner-Falefa just take a shot at Yankees with Blue Jays comments?

 

The Blue Jays couldn't have been more ready to win these last two years, and all they have to show for it are ... zero playoff wins. They're 0-6 in the postseason dating back to 2017. We understand there's that introductory PR every player attempts to conduct when joining a new team ... but this just isn't it.

 

Because, in a way, though he didn't say it explicitly, it feels like IKF is taking a mini shot at the Yankees, who missed the playoffs this past season and got steamrolled by the Astros in the 2022 ALCS. And for as bad as the Yankees have been, they singlehandedly eliminated Toronto from the playoffs in 2021 and then won the AL East on their home turf and booted the Jays farther down the Wild Card ladder in 2022.

 

The Blue Jays, in fact, might be the least accomplished AL East team in the modern era. And that's saying a lot when you consider how bad the Yankees have been. Toronto's made the playoffs just five times since 1994. They've made it past the Wild Card Round/ALDS twice. They have zero pennants and zero World Series.

 

More from IKF on coming to Toronto: "At the end of the day, it's all about winning for me. I really want to win. I have the most fun when I'm winning. I feel like guys bond more. And I just wanted to be a part of something special."

 

— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) January 3, 2024

 

Really, it's between them and the Orioles for overall ineptitude The Red Sox, Rays and Yankees lap both of those franchises, and it's not even close.

[Spanky99]

lol... that site does that all the time, they dunk on every team in the East.

[Laika]

I don't know why people hate this

 

All metrics say he is a plus defensive 3B

 

This is like Whit Merrifield with more defensive utility

 

Team can still upgrade and IKF can be a bench player

 

2/$15 is nothing. He's young.

 

Also maybe frees up Espinal for a trade?

 

So smrt wow

[connorp]

You guys taking the time out to try to pimp IKF for what he’s been so far is just the indictment of what a disaster 2024 has been.

[Masterbather]

You guys taking the time out to try to pimp IKF for what he’s been so far is just the indictment of what a disaster 2024 has been.

Lol. So true.

 

Just realized I never officially chimed in on this thread.

 

Hmmm, I'll give it a couple of months and then give my "from day 1" opinion on the signing.

[Laika]

Only you two f***nuggets would spin freaking Izzy Kinder Falaffle actually being a good signing into something negative

[BatFlip]

You guys taking the time out to try to pimp IKF for what he’s been so far is just the indictment of what a disaster 2024 has been.

 

Serious question - can you frown since getting your botox?

[connorp]

Serious question - can you frown since getting your botox?

 

It’s just your forehead for dudes. Mostly for guys it’s your frown line between your brows that makes the huge difference. Chicks do the crows feet’s next to to eyes, some guys. Anything below that is basically versions of plastic surgery. Fillers and such fall into that category. I don’t get into any of that

 

But yes, you can. It just doesn’t naturally sit like that is all.

 

My frown line is definitely why I do it.

[Spanky99]

Serious question - can you frown since getting your botox?

 

lol

[jaysblue]

As a bench option and depth for 3B, I don't mind it. Wish he came on a 1-year deal instead but oh well. IKF isn't going to block anyone at 3B. Jays could still bring in another 3B option via trade like Polanco or Adames or Moncada.

 

Espinal is likely gone now I suppose. No need for him.

 

Let's hope the next couple of moves the Jays make are for a big bat at DH like Hoskins or JDM.

 

IKF has been a solid signing by Atkins thus far. Has even held his own as a starter at 3B. Needed another big bat however in one of the corner OF spots or at DH, if they were planning at having IKF starting at 3B.

[jaysblue]

IKF is pretty much a super utility guy who could play at any position. Heck he even caught in 2018 and 2019. As a versatile bench option, don't mind at all. As long as he isn't a full time starter. I still expect him to get around 250-300 PA most likely around the diamond all over though.

 

Looks like he's going to get 400-500 AB's. Let's see how he holds up over a full season. Offensively a regression likely is coming.

[jaysblue]

Why do fans have such a hard time chilling out until the end of the off-season? Outrage on Dec 27th before you have any idea what other moves will be made or what role IKF will play on this team is pretty stupid.

 

This aged well lol.

[jaysblue]

Jays still need to add a big bat like Hoskins or JDM. Offensive struggles were a major issue last season and you can't head into 2024 without addressing that.

 

I don't have an issue with the KK and IKF signings (would have preferred 1 year with IKF but oh well). Jays still have time to add another power bat or two. If they fail to address the offensive issues from last season, then I'll be concerned.

 

Some receipts showing I wasn't against the KK and IKF signings.

[connorp]

The summary is that IKF is everything anyone reasonable thought he was, except instead of a .650 OPs, he has a .700 OPS.

I mean if one wants to take the victory lap of that .650 to .700 OPS upside, have your day I guess. Be Vlad with the finger to the lips on the 8th inning HR down 6-1

[Omar]

Some receipts showing I wasn't against the KK and IKF signings.

 

Bruh, being for the KK signing is nothing to brag about. Your bjmb stock just dropped.

[connorp]

Maybe Spanky will come here calling me a fool. Then in two days I’ll see him mocking the Jays for going all in for run prevention over anything else. Pick a side you yellow bellied coward