General Blue Jays Discussion Thread (2025)

[Barrelsandbombs]

20 hours ago, glory said:

Sounds like he would need to be an injury replacement in order to qualify for that, and BNS was pretty confident that it would get approved by MLB. So maybe a phantom IL stint coming up for someone?

Yeah they still have a couple other guys they can toss on the 60-day IL and get injury exemptions for the guys who take their 40-man spots. Even after placing Robinson Pina on the 60-day for Borucki, they still have Jake Bloss and probably Leo Jimenez too (been on the minor league IL with an undisclosed injury since early August like Pina).

[Laika]

Preseason wish list:

• Bo needs a big bounce back season - CHECK✔️
• Springer needs to be useful -  CHECK✔️  AND THEN SOME
• Kirk needs a bounce back season  - CHECK✔️
• Vlad needs to be good  - CHECK✔️
• Someone needs to emerge and be the 3B  - CHECK✔️ Ernieeee
• One of the young players needs to breakout and be a regular  - CHECK✔️ Barggger
• The SP need to stay healthy  - CHECK✔️
• Someone needs to emerge as a viable SP5  - CHECK✔️ Laueeeeer
• The pen needs to be completely fixed   - CHECK✔️ well, until August 
• The team needs to find frontline pitching - Bieber? We will see in October.

[Brownie19]

I was just thinking today - how fun would it be if George Springer aged like Beltre, Cruz, Ortiz?  If he stuck around with the Jays and mashed until he was 39/40 on a bunch of short term deals.  Obviously it's super unlikely, but it really couldn't happy to a better guy.

Speaking of Big Papi, it is crazy to see Ortiz retired at 40 after a .315/.401/.620, 163 wRC+ 38 HR 127 RBI, 4.6 WAR season...

[Grant77]

35 minutes ago, Brownie19 said:

I was just thinking today - how fun would it be if George Springer aged like Beltre, Cruz, Ortiz?  If he stuck around with the Jays and mashed until he was 39/40 on a bunch of short term deals.  Obviously it's super unlikely, but it really couldn't happy to a better guy.

Speaking of Big Papi, it is crazy to see Ortiz retired at 40 after a .315/.401/.620, 163 wRC+ 38 HR 127 RBI, 4.6 WAR season...

Steroids will do that for you

[Laika]

His 164 wRC+ is 45th all time out of 1232 qualified MLB hitter seasons for guys aged 35+, all time. 

If you shrink the search to 2004 to present to just look at the "post-steroid" era a 164 wRC+ would be #7 out of 235 qualifying age 35+ seasons. And then if you want to get a bit more clear of the steroid era and do 2010 to present, you get this:

 

[Big_Walleye]

13 minutes ago, Laika said:

His 164 wRC+ is 45th all time out of 1232 qualified MLB hitter seasons for guys aged 35+, all time. 

If you shrink the search to 2004 to present to just look at the "post-steroid" era a 164 wRC+ would be #7 out of 235 qualifying age 35+ seasons. And then if you want to get a bit more clear of the steroid era and do 2010 to present, you get this:

 

Nelson Cruz was busted for PED'S so you can remove him from the list.

[Stangstag]

3 hours ago, Grant77 said:

Steroids will do that for you

Nope David Ortiz never took steroids because he said so. 

[Omar]

Probably get tarred and feathered for this but George Springer is more deserving of AL MVP than Cal Raleigh based on his overall impact on the team combined with team success.

 

[Terminator]

1 hour ago, Omar said:

Probably get tarred and feathered for this but George Springer is more deserving of AL MVP than Cal Raleigh based on his overall impact on the team combined with team success.

 

Springer plays for the AL Leading Blue Jays, meanwhile Judge plays for a team tied for 3rd in their division and Raleigh is playing for a team that is going to miss the playoffs altogether

My vote goes to Springer and it isn't even close

[Masterbather]

1 hour ago, Omar said:

Probably get tarred and feathered for this but George Springer is more deserving of AL MVP than Cal Raleigh based on his overall impact on the team combined with team success.

 

Where are the goal posts? 

Is it best player? Is it most impactful player? Is it most impactful or best player for a top team? 

Generally it's given to the best player in the league, because they are the most impactful player in the league even if it's not for a great team and I agree.

Even if team success is brought into the equation, being a playoff team is generally  more than enough (granted this is not locked in for Cal yet).

Keep in mind, at least in Cal's case, he's a tremendous defensive player as well. George is a liability defensively and mostly a DH.

I love George and his comeback season has been amazing and getting more ridiculous by the game. But the MVP is two man race.

[Omar]

2 hours ago, Masterbather said:

Where are the goal posts? 

Is it best player? Is it most impactful player? Is it most impactful or best player for a top team? 

Generally it's given to the best player in the league, because they are the most impactful player in the league even if it's not for a great team and I agree.

Even if team success is brought into the equation, being a playoff team is generally  more than enough (granted this is not locked in for Cal yet).

Keep in mind, at least in Cal's case, he's a tremendous defensive player as well. George is a liability defensively and mostly a DH.

I love George and his comeback season has been amazing and getting more ridiculous by the game. But the MVP is two man race.

My goalposts were as stated. Overall impact and team success. George checks both boxes admirably. 

[Masterbather]

1 hour ago, Omar said:

My goalposts were as stated. Overall impact and team success. George checks not boxes admirably. 

Pretty much nobody here or around the league would even consider him the best player on this team, most would say Vlad. So it's hard to be the MVP when you're not considered the best player on the team. 

Also are you somebody that is against having pitchers as MVP candidates? Because Skubal would also be a candidate, his team is right there with the Blue Jays.

 

[Laika]

George gets 3 WAR for intangibles. His leadership probably has lifted up other players. 

[Omar]

1 hour ago, Masterbather said:

Pretty much nobody here or around the league would even consider him the best player on this team, most would say Vlad. So it's hard to be the MVP when you're not considered the best player on the team. 

Also are you somebody that is against having pitchers as MVP candidates? Because Skubal would also be a candidate, his team is right there with the Blue Jays.

 

This season George Springer is the best player on this team. "Nobody here" considers him the best player on this team? Who else has been more valuable?  Bo? Maybe. Vladdy? No.

[Jonn]

9 hours ago, Brownie19 said:

I was just thinking today - how fun would it be if George Springer aged like Beltre, Cruz, Ortiz?  If he stuck around with the Jays and mashed until he was 39/40 on a bunch of short term deals.  Obviously it's super unlikely, but it really couldn't happy to a better guy.

Speaking of Big Papi, it is crazy to see Ortiz retired at 40 after a .315/.401/.620, 163 wRC+ 38 HR 127 RBI, 4.6 WAR season...

What about Pujols? He had his best Season in a literal decade the year he retired. He hadn’t posted an OPS higher then .800 since 2012. And in 2022 put up an .895.

It was insane and doesn’t get talked about enough.

[Omar]

1 hour ago, Masterbather said:

 

Also are you somebody that is against having pitchers as MVP candidates? Because Skubal would also be a candidate, his team is right there with the Blue Jays.

 

I don't think a player who only plays once a week should be in the MVP conversation.  Playoffs are a different conversation because everything is so compressed. I know Verlander won MVP years back. Eckersly won it as a reliever the same year the Jays won their first Championship. That was deserved I think. Can't recall any other pitchers winning it.

 

Edit: just checked, forgot about Kershaw and Clemens. 

[Terminator]

Tyler Heineman is 4th on my MVP list

Most people won't include a backup Catcher on their list and that's understandable but this might be the greatest backup Catcher season of all time.

Slashing .313/.388/.461 with 2.2 WAR from the backup Catcher position. Just insane numbers and he plays for the best team in the AL.

Yankees STARTING Catcher only has 2.7 WAR if you want to compare.

[Masterbather]

34 minutes ago, Omar said:

This season George Springer is the best player on this team. "Nobody here" considers him the best player on this team? Who else has been more valuable?  Bo? Maybe. Vladdy? No.

I have Springer and Bo ahead of Vlad, until recently I think a lot of people would have still had Vlad, that may have changed in the last couple of weeks. 

At the end of the day Judge and Cal are so far ahead of everyone else in the AL in value, except for Witt, they are going to run away with it. If George stays hot he might get some serious consideration for a top five spot but he won't be close to those two unless he goes absolutely unconscious.

[Omar]

11 minutes ago, Masterbather said:

I have Springer and Bo ahead of Vlad, until recently I think a lot of people would have still had Vlad, that may have changed in the last couple of weeks. 

At the end of the day Judge and Cal are so far ahead of everyone else in the AL in value, except for Witt, they aregoing to run away with it. If George stays hot he might get some serious consideration for a top five spot but he won't be close to those two unless he goes absolutely unconscious.

Contrary to your earlier point I don't believe a single regular poster on this message board would put Vlad ahead of Springer this season.

Also I didn't say George would win the AL mvp.  I said that in my opinion he is a  better candidate than Cal Raleigh for mvp.  As far as those who vote for Cal over George, well they can be wrong if they want.  I know better.  

[bronson44]

Fisher available to be called up now. They could use the help.

[Brownie19]

1 hour ago, bronson44 said:

Fisher available to be called up now. They could use the help.

You have to imagine that move is imminent.

[Masterbather]

1 hour ago, bronson44 said:

Fisher available to be called up now. They could use the help.

Or....

+

[dineke]

3 hours ago, Jonn said:

What about Pujols? He had his best Season in a literal decade the year he retired. He hadn’t posted an OPS higher then .800 since 2012. And in 2022 put up an .895.

It was insane and doesn’t get talked about enough.

Greateast 50 year old season in history.

[Brownie19]

3 hours ago, Jonn said:

What about Pujols? He had his best Season in a literal decade the year he retired. He hadn’t posted an OPS higher then .800 since 2012. And in 2022 put up an .895.

It was insane and doesn’t get talked about enough.

That was an incredible season.  I absolutely LOVED watching him light it up one last season and get to 700 HRs.  

But - that's not what I'm looking for.  I want to see Springer continue to be a legit DH for another 4 years.  Like a 125 wRC+ or better bat.  Someone who can hit in the middle of the Jays lineup.  Pujols was brutal for a lonnng time before that last deadcat bounce season we all loved.

[mphenhef]

15 hours ago, Masterbather said:

 

Keep in mind, at least in Cal's case, he's a tremendous defensive player as well. George is a liability defensively and mostly a DH.

 

This is the narrative, but it simply isn't true in 2025.  He's still receiving shine from his 2024 platinum glove.  In 2025, he is 9th percentile in blocks above average and 85th in framing.  He has negative DRS this year.  Defensive numbers are hard to go by so they could be telling a false story but they tell a story of some regression in his defense this year.

[Omar]

1 hour ago, mphenhef said:

This is the narrative, but it simply isn't true in 2025.  He's still receiving shine from his 2024 platinum glove.  In 2025, he is 9th percentile in blocks above average and 85th in framing.  He has negative DRS this year.  Defensive numbers are hard to go by so they could be telling a false story but they tell a story of some regression in his defense this year.

He does play a key position so there is that.  Also baseball never inclines to a DH only player getting MVP consideration unless you're talking about the Unicorn. 

[Stangstag]

18 hours ago, Omar said:

Probably get tarred and feathered for this but George Springer is more deserving of AL MVP than Cal Raleigh based on his overall impact on the team combined with team success.

 

nah wild take

[John_Havok]

• 09/03/25: Buffalo Bisons released 1B Rainer Nunez.

Damn. Elite exit velos but just cannot lift the ball at all. Wonder where he'll catch on next...

[max silver]

16 hours ago, Masterbather said:

Pretty much nobody here or around the league would even consider him the best player on this team, most would say Vlad. So it's hard to be the MVP when you're not considered the best player on the team. 

Also are you somebody that is against having pitchers as MVP candidates? Because Skubal would also be a candidate, his team is right there with the Blue Jays.

 

I think you'd be hard pressed to find more than a handful of people in the entire Blue Jays online sphere that believes Vlad has been the best player on the Blue Jays this season. I don't think he's even been the team's second best player as I would give those honors to Kirk at this juncture. 

[John_Havok]

3 minutes ago, max silver said:

I think you'd be hard pressed to find more than a handful of people in the entire Blue Jays online sphere that believes Vlad has been the best player on the Blue Jays this season. I don't think he's even been the team's second best player as I would give those honors to Kirk at this juncture. 

I unequivocally believe Vlad is the most valuable member of the Jays - when all on-field and off-field things are considered, but... yeah as far as on-field only, Springer has kinda separated himself from the pack, especially over the past month. 

The top 4 are Kirk, Springer, Vlad and Bo... Kirk and Springer already above 4 fWAR and have an outside chance at 5, Vlad and Bo could both end up above 4.