Dave Popkins Appreciation Thread

[harvey16]

I think it needs to be said that Dave Popkins deserves a ton of credit for turning this team around this season. We essentially have the same players we had last season when we we had one of the worst offenses in the MLB to having arguably the best offense in the MLB this season. The turn around for guys like Springer, Kirk, and Bichette have been remarkable. Springer has literally turned back the clock 10 years and is having one of the best years of his career. Comparing numbers to last year we have raised our Bat average from .241 to .269, our OPS from .702 to. 771. We are top 5 in almost every offensive category, not to mention we lead the league is fewest number of strikeouts. The turn around has been truly incredible! Popkins for MVC (most valuable coach).

[Big_Walleye]

29 minutes ago, harvey16 said:

I think it needs to be said that Dave Popkins deserves a ton of credit for turning this team around this season. We essentially have the same players we had last season when we we had one of the worst offenses in the MLB to having arguably the best offense in the MLB this season. The turn around for guys like Springer, Kirk, and Bichette have been remarkable. Springer has literally turned back the clock 10 years and is having one of the best years of his career. Comparing numbers to last year we have raised our Bat average from .241 to .269, our OPS from .702 to. 771. We are top 5 in almost every offensive category, not to mention we lead the league is fewest number of strikeouts. The turn around has been truly incredible! Popkins for MVC (most valuable coach).

I'm right there with you.  The entire team underperformed at the plate for a full 2 years at minimum.  I was calling for Guillermo Martinez to be fired for most of that time.  I even started a thread on the subject.

What he's done with guys like Myles Straw and Tyler Heineman can't be overlooked either.  And then there's Varsho.

[Stangstag]

And yet, there were many people that were adamant a new hitting coach would do nothing.
 

“Why would veterans listen to the hitting coach anyway??”

Pepperidge farm remembers 

[hanton]

Thanks for posting this.  100%.  

and have to include ex Dodger Lou Iannotti as well, both are from the LA system.

Really like what Atkins did here.
 

[hanton]

[Brownie19]

52 minutes ago, Stangstag said:

And yet, there were many people that were adamant a new hitting coach would do nothing.
 

“Why would veterans listen to the hitting coach anyway??”

Pepperidge farm remembers 

I drove that bus.  It still doesn't make a lot of sense to me.  Martinez was the hitting coach when our offense was incredible in 2021 and Donnie Baseball is still here - he was primarily blamed as the reason the offense sucked.  Did Popkins just convince him that everything he believed was wrong?  Is Donnie banned from talking to players now?

I still suspect that a couple of years from now, people will be calling for Popkins to be fired because the offense sucks.

That said - something clicked and I'm willing to give Popkins some of that credit - more than I would have last year.    

[Omar]

45 minutes ago, Brownie19 said:

I drove that bus.  It still doesn't make a lot of sense to me.  Martinez was the hitting coach when our offense was incredible in 2021 and Donnie Baseball is still here - he was primarily blamed as the reason the offense sucked.  Did Popkins just convince him that everything he believed was wrong?  Is Donnie banned from talking to players now?

I still suspect that a couple of years from now, people will be calling for Popkins to be fired because the offense sucks.

That said - something clicked and I'm willing to give Popkins some of that credit - more than I would have last year.    

Good point. He parted ways with Minnie after three years. People can be fickle so a coach can go from hero to zero in a few short years.  So before we crown Popkins the Second Coming it is best to temper our expectations for the coming seasons. This season could be one of exceeding expectations which may not be repeated next. Who knows?

That said, one thing I picked up on during Bieber's interviews when he was traded here is that he claimed that in an early phone conversation immediately after the trade Ross told him about the teams resurgence this season and gave credit to the "new hitting coach".  So there is that. 

[hanton]

46 minutes ago, Brownie19 said:

I drove that bus.  It still doesn't make a lot of sense to me.  Martinez was the hitting coach when our offense was incredible in 2021 and Donnie Baseball is still here - he was primarily blamed as the reason the offense sucked.  Did Popkins just convince him that everything he believed was wrong?  Is Donnie banned from talking to players now?

I still suspect that a couple of years from now, people will be calling for Popkins to be fired because the offense sucks.

That said - something clicked and I'm willing to give Popkins some of that credit - more than I would have last year.    

it makes perfect sense

Atkins said fixing the offense was on him (2 years ago) - he went out and very quietly landed 2 hitting coaches (ex dodger coaches - you should do a deep dive on both coaches see what they're all about). and here we are today, team is #1 in numerous offense categories.

Don't worry about 2 years from now, every coach is hired will eventually be fired.  LA fans are currently calling for their hitting coach to be fired...

[Omar]

8 minutes ago, hanton said:

 

Don't worry about 2 years from now, every coach is hired will eventually be fired.  LA fans are currently calling for their hitting coach to be fired...

I don't know, Pete Walker may well still be here well into his 80's.😜

Then again, Al Widmar eventually gave up on being the Blue Jays pitching coach and that guy was like fvcking Yoda when he talked about pitching.

[Stangstag]

3 hours ago, Brownie19 said:

I drove that bus.  It still doesn't make a lot of sense to me.  Martinez was the hitting coach when our offense was incredible in 2021 and Donnie Baseball is still here - he was primarily blamed as the reason the offense sucked.  Did Popkins just convince him that everything he believed was wrong?  Is Donnie banned from talking to players now?

I still suspect that a couple of years from now, people will be calling for Popkins to be fired because the offense sucks.

That said - something clicked and I'm willing to give Popkins some of that credit - more than I would have last year.    

I honestly have no idea what happened but clearly something changed with the hitting philosophy. Last year everyone’s contact numbers were too high but damage was not being done in the way of XBH. Maybe this year the org decided having a lineup full of slap hitters isn’t ideal and hitting shouldn’t be a “one size fits all” approach.

Maybe its these new pitching sim machines, not sure if they had those last year. But I do know Popkins was pushing for those machines to be used more

[Spanky__99]

He's appreciated.

[mphenhef]

12 hours ago, harvey16 said:

I think it needs to be said that Dave Popkins deserves a ton of credit for turning this team around this season. We essentially have the same players we had last season when we we had one of the worst offenses in the MLB to having arguably the best offense in the MLB this season. The turn around for guys like Springer, Kirk, and Bichette have been remarkable. Springer has literally turned back the clock 10 years and is having one of the best years of his career. Comparing numbers to last year we have raised our Bat average from .241 to .269, our OPS from .702 to. 771. We are top 5 in almost every offensive category, not to mention we lead the league is fewest number of strikeouts. The turn around has been truly incredible! Popkins for MVC (most valuable coach).

The numbers of guys who have come out this year and said the key to their success this year has been some form being true to themselves and their swing has made me truly appreciate how he is playing to guys strengths rather than getting them to attempt to fit whatever terrible model Mattingly and Martinez were following. 

[max silver]

12 hours ago, Brownie19 said:

I drove that bus.  It still doesn't make a lot of sense to me.  Martinez was the hitting coach when our offense was incredible in 2021 and Donnie Baseball is still here - he was primarily blamed as the reason the offense sucked.  Did Popkins just convince him that everything he believed was wrong?  Is Donnie banned from talking to players now?

I still suspect that a couple of years from now, people will be calling for Popkins to be fired because the offense sucks.

That said - something clicked and I'm willing to give Popkins some of that credit - more than I would have last year.    

I don't necessarily blame the previous hitting coach for the team's offensive struggles the last few seasons given the previous success under his tutelage, but I do think that change was needed as Martinez wasn't able to provide solutions for the struggling hitters to improve their success at the plate. 

I believe that the new hitting coaches do deserve a ton of credit, as does the advance scouting group as well. I believe this notion that hitting coaches essentially do nothing and that the players alone drive the bus is foolish at best as pregame preparation is massive in terms of getting the players ready to face the starter on a given day. On top of that in game/pre-plate appearance preparation is also massive in order to allow the players to utilize the most effective game plan possible as well. I recall that Teoscar Hernandez mentioned that the Dodgers were next level in terms of pre game preparation and I think it's not a coincidence that coaches who spent time in the Dodgers organization have allowed the team to morph into a much more effective offense.

[Brownie19]

8 hours ago, Stangstag said:

I honestly have no idea what happened but clearly something changed with the hitting philosophy. Last year everyone’s contact numbers were too high but damage was not being done in the way of XBH. Maybe this year the org decided having a lineup full of slap hitters isn’t ideal and hitting shouldn’t be a “one size fits all” approach.

Maybe its these new pitching sim machines, not sure if they had those last year. But I do know Popkins was pushing for those machines to be used more

The reality is our philosophy hasn't actually changed that much.  We're still a team the values the ability to make contact and put the ball in play.  We're actually just better at it this year than we were in 2023/24 (reduced K%).

Our team ISO in 2025 is .164 and it was .161 in 2023 when everyone complained we'd sacrificed far too much power/offense for defense...

Obviously it feels like big changes were made with the resurgence of Springer, Kirk, Schneider, Varsho, etc. and the improved overall results - but it's not like Popkins came in and told everyone to start pulling the ball in the air more. We're still a small ball team built on putting the ball in play - which is what EVERYONE hated the past 2-3 seasons.

Maybe we're just using AI to steal signs better than most teams this year - who knows!

[Laika]

No doubt he has been a great addition, but probably not some godsend?

• Vlad - very close to career norms, no improvement 
• Kirk - is this just regression? 
• Bo - just healthy.
• Ernie - exactly who he has been with Toronto, the whole tenure
• Gimenez - flop.
• Barger - tale of two halves at this point. Maybe people were celebrating his breakout too soon.
• Heineman, Loperfido - BABIP says hi 

That leaves Springer, Varsho, Straw, Lukes, Schneider

I don't know how much credit you give him for each of these guys. Springer is a grizzled veteran. Varsho is 28/29 and at the peak of his physical prime.

Like, people are probably overrating Popkins right now because of the team results (over-attribution error) and there were probably making the same mistake in the other direction for Guillermo Martinez before. 

I am mostly pleased by the reports of the Trajekt and iPitch machines and Popkins wanting and implementing those. So not so much the results this year but just the information supporting the idea that the Jays are finally not behind the times on offensive game prep, which you can thank Popkins for at least in part. 

 

[Brownie19]

I tend to agree with that Laika.  Happy to see better preparation and the added technology being used.

[John_Havok]

Popkins: Hi George, good to meet you, looking forward to working with you. First, walk me through your approach at the plate and we'll go from there. 

Springer: Yeah for sure, great to meet you too. Want some Uncrustables? 

Popkins: I'm good for now.

Springer: Ok. Sure yeah about my plate approach, the last few years I've really been focusng on making more contact and slapping more singles. Basically just slowing my swing down and keeping it under control. 

Popkins: ......

Springer: I know the results haven't really been there yet but I really trust the process and truly believe any day now we're gonna see a turnaround.

Popkins: the f*** is wrong with you? You can hit 30+ HRs this year if you just lock in and look to do damage. Your goal should be at least 1 of your best swings in every PA. Slow down your swing? What asshat told you to do that? 

Springer: Geeeeyaremo. 

Popkins: Well he's fired. Forget that garbage and go put the ball over the wall. 

Springer: yes sir. 

[Brownie19]

What's amazing is the power has returned, but the K rate is still below his career average.  He's able to do both.  

[Laika]

it's the uncrustables 

[L54]

Organizational philosophy has shifted and become much more sophisticated than it was before. No longer are we putting everybody in the dip and lift bucket and we are utilizing players strengths. Straw, Schneider, Varsho, Barger all good examples so far. Probably Loperfido too 

[John_Havok]

11 hours ago, L54 said:

Organizational philosophy has shifted and become much more sophisticated than it was before. No longer are we putting everybody in the dip and lift bucket and we are utilizing players strengths. Straw, Schneider, Varsho, Barger all good examples so far. Probably Loperfido too 

and that's how it should be. LIke... Clement and Schneider are two very different hitters. Schneider is never gonna have Clement's contact and Clement is never gonna have Schneider's power. So, the advice and coaching process needs to be different, even if the end goal is the same which is to maximize run scoring based on their skillsets. 

[L54]

1 hour ago, John_Havok said:

and that's how it should be. LIke... Clement and Schneider are two very different hitters. Schneider is never gonna have Clement's contact and Clement is never gonna have Schneider's power. So, the advice and coaching process needs to be different, even if the end goal is the same which is to maximize run scoring based on their skillsets. 

Ya I think we were really outdated having Donnie Baseball and Martinez overseeing the offense which isnt a very controversial take. 

[Brownie19]

1 hour ago, L54 said:

Ya I think we were really outdated having Donnie Baseball and Martinez overseeing the offense which isnt a very controversial take. 

Anyone know what Donnie Baseball is doing for the Jays now?

 

[L54]

41 minutes ago, Brownie19 said:

Anyone know what Donnie Baseball is doing for the Jays now?

I also refuse to believe any MLB coach would push for all his players to do the same thing.

Bench coach is his official title 

I don’t think anybody believes they coached every single player to do the exact same thing 

Instead I’m saying a lot of the PD on the hitting side was outdated and is now much more analytically driven and not whatever was happening before 

[Stangstag]

On 9/9/2025 at 2:52 PM, Laika said:

it's the uncrustables 

J and PB babyyyy 

[John_Havok]

On 9/10/2025 at 12:15 PM, L54 said:

Bench coach is his official title 

I don’t think anybody believes they coached every single player to do the exact same thing 

Instead I’m saying a lot of the PD on the hitting side was outdated and is now much more analytically driven and not whatever was happening before 

Not only that, but players absorb information differently. Some like to think about it analytically, some like to grip it and rip it. Figuring out how to get the point across in a way each individual player understands in their own way is essential. Any type of manager, leader, coach, instructor etc in any walk of life should be capable of communicating information differently depending on who is listening.