Laika

it keeps me up at night

Well he already lost the job I have no real problem with how he was used on Saturday. They gave the middle of the order to Varland.

people will say things like "he hangs too many breaking balls" or "he is a mental midget with 9th inning PTSD" and those things may be somewhat true but none of that would explain more than perhaps a .340 BABIP

Okay now here is the non-alarmist stuff on Vlad. YES April and May were two of the worst HR months of his career. May being the single worst since the September of his rookie season. HOWEVER he tends to have cold HR months every year (except 2021) and there is still lots of season left. His career mean for June to Sept homers is 22.6. He is only two homers off his 2024 pace, and in that year he hit 8 and 8 in June and July. It is time to be worried and mad but limit your anger, don't let it ruin your day. If he hits 2 homers in June, you can cry. 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Mar/Apr 0* ** 7 6 5 3 3 2 May 6 ** 9 3 3 2 5 1 June 2 ** 10 9 4 8 4 July 3 1* 7 3 5 8 3 Aug 4 4 6 6 3 6 6 Sep/Oct 0 4 9 5 6 3 2 * less than 30 PA ** COVID no games 2021 to 2025 June to Sept Average 22.6

He uses a two strike approach on every single pitch. Just goes up there and battles, trying to get something in play. It's absurd and stupid. Popkins should be slapping him, daily. SWING FOR THE FENCES UNTIL YOU HAVE TWO STRIKES.

It's time for one of the "good" reporters to do some kind of expose on what Vlad does and how the team handles him. Risk some social capital to explore the biggest ongoing issue with the team. It feels like they just let him do whatever he wants and trust that his natural feel for the game and hitting will work out in the end. And it feels like so much potential production is being left on the table because of that. Like, a few weeks ago when asked about his struggled Vlad did not point to anything mechanical or mention any kinds of work or drills he is doing, he just said something like "I just need to hit one ball hard."

Vlad is putting together his saddest season ever. Sigh.

Ball don't lie

Nah it was a terrible day

Vlad

Horrendous game Geoff Hoffman has ninth inning PTSD and is also the world greatest ever meatball artist Win today and at least we can be happy with 3/4 against the turd birds

Hoffman and Yariel Rodriguez are the same dude and should be equal on the depth chart

Sanchez

As good as we could have hoped for

Well. There's a chance!

Voth's pitching line is extremely funny

Got lucky

The Jays have a CATASTROPHIC game plan against Rogers They are mailing this game in and just want to go to bed

Voth is revolting

Fangraphs probable pitchers says Macko is opening for Voth But there was the weird Chad Dallas nameplate thing yesterday There is also Seabold in the pen now, and I guess Yariel could throw two innings and may need to even if the score is close (gross). Will be a tough one to win. Hoffman will be a no-go, Varland should be a no-go, Rogers should be a no-go. Miles can't be used. So it's not even a normal bullpen game. It's a bullpen game, constituted almost entirely of AAA fringe MLB guys, and the backend of the pen is almost entirely unavailable.

What else can be said about Corbin? A gift from God.

Can't wait to see what Orioles Hangout says about that one

Brandon Valenzuela you beautiful beautiful man 💕 ❤️

Ernie should have gone to second

These are godawful plate appearances All season long it has been like this Fire shopkins