John_Havok

Just as a counter point. A stretching games with a +42 run diff you also wouldn't expect a team to be 10 games over 500 during that stretch, more like anywhere from 3-5 would be the bulk of the bell curve. Im not trying to be a Debbie downer but Im sure I could go back and find tons of posts about teams way overperforming their run diff and largely due to it being 1 run games they are winning (the Jays being quite good this year in 1 run games) and many posters (myself included) would be finding ways to explain why that record shouldn't hold up amd why that team shouldn't be buying at the deadline. Its just harder to do that when its our own team thats benefitting from those types of unpredictable swings in winning 1 run games. Just food for thought really. Im happy as hell the Jays are where they are and that the plan seems to be working out thus far, but I thinknits fair to say the Jays are walking a very thin line that appears to be leaning in the direction of fortunate overperformance.

I am cautiously optimistic about the team but we still have to acknowledge the overall run differential is still a problem. If we were looking at the wildcard standings and seeing WC1 with a +4 run differential and that team wasn't the Jays, and WC 2 and 3 both had better run diffs, we'd likely conclude that WC1 team is due for regression and isnt as good as their record indicates. At the same time, Ws on the board already cant be taken away so ...what can we expect going forward? There's still glaring needs on this team to solidify it for the upcoming second half. Needs: top 1 or 2 SP solidify the pen (every potential playoff team needs this tbh) 1 basher, preferably 2 - Santander can hopefully be one when he comes back but...even with Springer turning back the clock, and if we assume Vlad goes on a heater, we're still looking at a lineup woth only 3 legit 25+ HR threats in Vlad, Santander and Springer. Im not quite ready to slap Barger in that category yet as historically guys like him will.go through a period of needing to find that adjustment where the power dips. I think he will weather it better than most...but still... I'd really like 5 guys in the lineup as legit 25+ HR threats. We aren't sure what Varsho is going to give when he comes back but he's another possibility. So right now its Springer ... maybe Vlad, maybe Santander, maybe Barger and maybe Varsho. I'd like a little more certainty in the power dept.

How about...Tim Lincecum? He was pretty over the top and whippy in his arm action.

World Series match up. Book it

You need Jesus

Isn't Turnbull starting with Lauer following?

He would need to be added to the 40 man roster, though there are open spots. Maybe he's just coming up to the taxi squad which doesn't require him to be put on the 26 man roster?

Its interesting they havent announced Stephen as going up to AA along with Yesavage given they've both dominated at Vancouver. Yesavage's walk and K rate's took a pretty big jump at A+ though it's a SSS, Stephen's stayed relatively stable compared to his A ball stats. Would seem both deserve to move up and get tested Ditto Stanifer, he's even a year younger than both Yesavage and Stephen and still dominating with results, albeit with a pretty high walk rate.

Maroudis going back up to A ball

Its not everyday you give up 5 runs over the 8th and 9th innings and win...gotta take that W with a huge sigh of relief

His wicked over the top delivery must be really hard to differentiate pitches. I can't imagine how it looks from the hitters perspective as to how his stuff tunnels.

Whether two limp dick hitters like Lukes or Gimenez are 7 and 5 or 5 and 7 really doesn't matter. Realistically nobody in the lineup today is a #5 hitter. but... if you look at recency bias... Gimenez is 112 wRC+ in June, Lukes is 48. Season as a whole favours Lukes.

Pillar's in LF at the dome was better, but yeah that was was pretty ridiculous

Kind of head scratchers for sure, Clase isn't hitting RHP any better than Straw ... and Straw is better defensively. Unless they have some sort of advanced wizardy stats that shows Schneider can nuke this type of pitcher... i don't really get it, unless Lukes is nursing something from the headshot he took in the last game

"That’s too bad, because Clement is arguably the most deserving All-Star Toronto has." I mean... ya kinda did.

Both are just as bad, in different ways.

Using Espinal as a "deserving all star" comparable is kinda ludicrous. He didnt deserve it either but fans get to vote and make dumb decisions at least once every year. Springer probably is the most deserving aat this point in time and I agree that Little could make it as a reliever. While Vlad isnt deserving, he will probably still garner a ton of support because of his name power.

I mainly hate the Cardinals fans and their "he's a true Cardinal" line of ******** they spew at every opportunity. I hate the team by proxy

I love Clement, but an All-Star, he is not.

Im in agreement here, I usually don't know where the solution is. Macko might get a chance sooner rather than later and we'll see what he brings i guess... Lucas might get another shot, Turnbull is probably lined up to get at least 1 start but im not exactly trembling in anticipation of that. Feels like the only real options are trade... or keep cobbling s*** together until Scherzer gets healthy. I really don't like option 2 since there's no guarantee he doesnt go right back on the shelf after 1 start, and then you're back to patchwork again. The pen can only hold out so long before it just crumbles, regardless of how good they are. Option 1 seems to be the play, might have to trade from all that MIF depth for a somewhat warm body

Cant defend HRs...

Agreed. Just doing a sort from 2019 - 2024 .. Vlad is dead last in OAA among all qualified 1b at -32 His main culprit is balls hit to his right (-14) and balls he has to charge in on (-9), but he was still negative value in basically all directions... in, out, left or right. So far in 2025, he only negative on balls he has to charge (-2), is positive on balls to his left (2), right (1) and neutral on balls behind him (0). Objectively, Vlad is actually having a very good defensive year (for him) given his previous track record. To put it in perspective... over the same 2019-2024 time frame, Christian Walker is far and away the best defensive 1B and it's not even particularly close. +57 OAA, and 43 runs prevented. 2nd place is Carlos Santana at +23 OAA and 17 runs prevented.

We've had discussions about this before and confirmed with Tom Tango, the difference between the best and worst "pickers" at 1b isn't large. Vlad being among the best at picking is nowhere near as positively impactful as his issues with range are negatively impactful. He has shown improvements in that aspect though so far this season compared to his previous year's where he's been objectively the worst defender at 1b since he came into the league.

Mountcastle out 8-12 weeks due to a grade 2 hamstring strain.

Come on man, you know better than to invoke the 1st amendment on an internet message board. At least.... i hope so. I've defended you for many things but this is indefensible.