jaysblue

At least explain why you provided a "no" response. Guys like BigC and Governator actually provided their reasoning without coming off as condescending. You need to explain yourself more Spanky instead of these one or two word answers.

Spanky likes to keep things simple.

Espinal was one of the Jays best bats down the stretch, was an All-Star and posted a 2.3 WAR in 2022!

I hope he could get back to being a 4+ WAR player for the Jays in 2024 and 2025. Makes the Jays a better team and as well increases his trade value in case you need to move him before he becomes a FA. I wouldn't sign Vlad to a long term deal, same with Bo right now. It's too late in the game and would let them both play out 2024 here. If things are the same again in 2024 where the Jays are a borderline WC team, I think serious conversations have to be had about moving one or both of them, instead of losing them for nothing.

Yeah this ALCS should be really exciting. The Battle of Texas! Actually better than seeing the Orioles or Rays playing the Astros, or the Twins playing the Rangers. Jays/Rangers ALCS would have been the best though if it happened haha.

Yeah keeping expectations realistic, something closer to 2022 should be attainable for Vlad. Hoping somewhere in between 2021 and 2022 would be ideal. If he be a 3-4 WAR player in 2024, that would go a long way in helping this lineup and team.

Yeah I'm sure the Jays are doing their due diligence on Ohtani. Think he would be a great fit here. But still would have the Dodgers and Yankees at the heavy favourites to land him IMO.

I think an important question we need to ask: does the layoff for the top seeded AL and NL teams play an effect? I know baseball is a game where consistency, routine and timing is important. Does that whole 5 day layoff from getting a bye in the WC round really hurt a team when they play in the DS? Also, factor in that those teams likely are even sitting their star players or pitchers the weekend prior if they've already clinched, so we're talking about likely even a longer layoff than the 5 days. I think that is an issue with the current WC format. If there is anyway where a long layoff like that can be prevented, I think it could help somewhat.

Houston Astros are still defending their title from last season. They have a rock solid team, probably best in the AL all around IMO entering the Postseason, even better than the Rays and Orioles. Texas Rangers were in first place for most of the season. They struggled at the end of August and beginning of September but came back strong over the last 2-3 weeks of the season. They have a really exciting lineup. Rotation isn't anything elite, but it's solid. If they get Mad Max back, even better! Bullpen has looked shaky at times but they have some high K guys back there. If they made the World Series, I wouldn't say it was pure randomness or a fluke. They had a really good team during the regular season, played a different Rays squad than from May/June and then played a young and inexperienced Orioles team with a long layoff and weak starting pitching. Phillies also were a strong WC team. They went to the WS last year, knocked out the Braves again two years in a row. They have some star power in Harper and Turner (who has been hitting better) along with some other solid contributors offensively. Rotation wise, they have Wheeler and Nola, along with a really good BP. D'Backs are pretty much the only team that has sneaked through this far that wasn't expected to. They did play the Brewers and Dodgers at the right time in a short series. I'm not sure how they do in a 7 game series however against the Phillies or how they would do in a 7 game series against the Astros/Rangers. They are the weakest team remaining obviously. Otherwise, I think both the Astros and Rangers deserve being in the World Series, and Philly as well. So 3 of the 4 remaining teams.

Enjoy your college football this weekend! Sucks there's no baseball till Sunday night but oh well. No hard feelings Matt! Cheers!

I can still support the Jays and also criticize them as well. What is your problem? Again, you always look to instigate arguments between other posters, sit on the sidelines, watch and then you're late to the party and offer no valuable input or discussion.

Yeah I should have been more specfic. I think Brownie knew what I meant obviously and so did you. It's kind of sad that Brownie has to resort to the 2016 Postseason as a victory to display the success Atkins has had in the Postseason when the teams he actual built since 2020 and that what were expected to contend for a World Series never won a Postseason game. But alright.

Spanky just likes to instigate arguments on here between posters and takes a back seat with the occasional one or two word comments. He stays on the sidelines and doesn't really offer much to the conversation.

Why did the Jays lose the Twins series? Their lineup struggled to put up any runs and base running blunders. What was the achilles' heel for the Blue Jays during the 162 game regular season? Offense and base running.

The difference is I never put words into your mouth and claiming you said things you didn't actually say. Term pretty much has tied me with ConnorP for some reason because I said some positive things about the D'Backs. Regardless, like I've told you before, we pretty much agree to disagree on a lot of topics on here and have had our spats, though nothing personally and not looking at getting into any arguments with you. You're a quality poster on here. Sometimes you can come off as condescending in discussions, but that's your nature.

Welcome to the party pal! Late as usual!

The 2016 roster was majority of leftovers from AA's tenure. I have stated numerous times on the board giving Atkins credit for some of the moves he made in the offseason (Happ) and deadline deals (Liriano, Grilli etc.) to help the Jays that season. Not denying that. Easier to add to a roster when you have All-Stars like Bautista, EE and others and a former AL MVP. After the 2016 season, Jays struggled and Atkins then was able to do a quick rebuild and reshape the roster with his touches. The teams/rosters Atkins built up on his own haven't won a Postseason game yet. Facts.

You shouldn't be calling anyone brainless when all you're offseason suggestions were way off. I said many times the Jays could go on a run in the Postseason with their pitching. Their hitting sucked pretty much all season and their bad hitting and bad base running cost them in the WC series against Minnesota. If you get so triggered for me saying that, you're the one who is brainless.

Please go and find my posts where I said randomness doesn't play a huge factor in the WC or DS!

I said that the Jays lineup played like s*** all season long and after 162 games + 2 WC games, nothing changed in the Postseason. This was days ago lol so I don't know why my name all of a sudden is being tossed into this. I've never said the Jays could never advance past the WC round. I was pretty optimistic that with their rotation and bullpen, they could do well in a short series. Go look at all my posts before the Postseason. All I said was that the lineup was the issue and it wasn't just because of randomness or bad luck for those two games in Minny, they were awful all year long. If the Jays bats slugged their way through the WC and DS, then we can say randomness and good luck definitely played a factor considering how bad their bats were overall this season!

FFS the last couple of pages have been ConnorP arguing with BTS and Laika, yet my name gets thrown into this lol. Crazy. Do better Term!

I never said randomness doesn't play a huge factor in the WC or DS. Stop putting words in my mouth or posting stuff that I never said. Please actually read my posts and stop associating me with ConnorP because I just stated the obvious about the D'Backs lol.

Again, what is wrong in saying they have an exciting young core lead by Corbin Carroll? Seriously? Carroll is NL ROY and was in the MVP discussion for the first half the season. He offers power and speed. He's one of the more exciting young players in the game. What is wrong in stating that?

Why are you pairing with me with Connorp? Geez all I said is that the D'Backs had a young exciting core lead by Corbin Carroll, an ace in Gallen and another good starter in Kelly, along with facing both a Brewers and Dodgers team at the right time when their rotations weren't 100% in a short series. I've always said a short series like the WC and DS are random and that the D'Backs are a team that could benefit from a short series, as any WC team that made it. Geez man, you can't say anything on this message board anymore. I haven't been arguing back and forth about the D'Backs with anyone on here lmao, where have you been?

I don't think anyone on here has argued that the MLB Postseason isn't extremely random especially the WC and DS. You're making it seem that way for some reason, so you can take the high road and look like a genius. I still would prefer being the team that wins their division, have a lineup of elite players and my aces pitching in a short series than being a team like the D'Backs or Marlins lets say. I even said before this Braves/Phillies series that Philly was going to be a difficult opponent for Atlanta. They aren't a pushover like you would think with other WC teams, especially given how they have Postseason experience from last season.