jaysblue

LA needs their starters to pitch at least 7 + innings in order to turn things over to Sasaki for the final 6 or so outs. Get to their starters early like how the Jays got to Snell in Game 1, there will be an opportunity to have a big inning as we saw against their pen. Their

When I went to the game back in August, took me and my friend 2+ hours from the airport hotel to Dodgers Stadium. I was worried about missing out on the Kobe Bryant bobblehead haha.

I'm hoping he could go all Kyle Schwarber with the bat power wise at some point.

He missed a lot of the season (most of April and two whole months in June and July). Blue Jays from June onwards were one of the hottest teams in baseball, so they were able to cover up his injury over the course of a 162 game season. Over a full season, I would expect some regression offensively with him given the low .OBP and over the course of 500 AB's, there is more of a chance to be in a prolonged slump than over 250. Also, last time he put up a 4+ WAR season was back in 2022. Will acknowledge that if Varsho is healthy and clicking on all cylinders, he can definitely get back to being a 4+ WAR player and can be a "main piece" on both sides of the ball. More upside than Gimenez IMO. As for Gimenez, like you said earlier, I think he's the Jays starting SS next season and moving forward. That was likely the plan from day one when the Jays acquired him. Atkins and the FO like to cover potential holes on the roster earlier rather than later, evident by a lot of their previous moves in the past.

Anyone heading down to Los Angeles for the games?

I had no issue using Varland in that spot. You're only down 3-1 and you hope he can put out the fire. Still a winnable ball game at that point. Jays came back down 3-1 against Seattle in Game 7. On the fence about using Hoffman, but tomorrow is an off-day and you need to keep him fresh. Just sucks some of the Dodgers bats got a look at him. Yamamoto was just dealing all night. Tip your cap to him.

That likely would be a tough challenge for Little. Asking him to intentionally throw a ball at a player, he likely starts throwing strikes.

Also, looking forward to Olivia Chow's next drop on Tik Tok!

Outside of Kirk, who was awesome all year long and bounced back in a big way offensively, which I said in one of my posts would be nice if he returned to his 2022 form, Varsho and Gimenez were "players in the mix" as you just said. Gimenez only posted 1 WAR with a 70 wRC+ in 101 games this season. Varsho posted a 2.2 WAR and 123 wRC+ in 71 games. Yes both were injured and missed time. Would have been interesting to see what Varsho would have done over a full season, though maintaining a .284 OBP isn't that encouraging. So pretty much the team performed fine without Gimenez and Varsho for extended periods, thanks to other core players/arms like Vladdy, Bo, Springer, Kirk, and Gausman and some other "players in the mix." Nothing against Gimenez and Varsho. I'm a big fan of both and they're easy plays to root for. As well, they're having a great Postseason contributing with gold glove defense and providing some surprising pop in big spots throughout their first 13 games of the Postseason. Over a full 162 game season however, you need other big contributors rather than just relying on guys like Gimenez and Varsho as your main pieces.

You would have thought Pujols once or twice, but not once. I'll take 8-9 WAR seasons from Vladdy still, not a problem :)

Hopefully we see this kind of Vladdy as well during the regular season. Imagine getting 10+ WAR seasons from him. Pretty much would be a Top 3 player in all of baseball!

I said this back in August after I was at Dodgers Stadium, how sweet it would be if the Jays met the Dodgers in the World Series and beat Ohtani after he shafted us two years ago! So poetic if it happens! Even that Friday night game I went to where it was Scherzer vs. Kershaw, felt like an October game.

Would have been nice if the Jays saved some of those 11 runs for today haha

I don't expect these resale prices currently to hold up. Even people who purchased these seats at face value, thinking they're going to sell them for a major profit are going to start panicking since face value these tickets are still quite expensive. A pair of 100 level seats easily will run $2K and some people can't afford to eat those tickets and attend the game. Hopefully prices lower on game day and a couple of hours before the games. As well, I hate to say it but if the Jays lose Game One, you'll likely find tickets for Saturday cheaper than Friday. Hoping we all could at least catch one game in the World Series. All of us who are true fans deserve it.

Yeah the one annoying thing about this Postseason run is all the people all of sudden who have hopped on the bandwagon and who are wanting to attend a Jays game, when they're the same people probably over the last couple of years who would have laughed at attending or watching a Jays game. If the Jays start losing next season or the year after, they're gone and forget about baseball. Sad but true.

Yeah same here. Couldn't care about Game 1 or 2 anyways, but if the Jays released some seats before the game on their site would pickup a ticket. Would rather save and spend the money on a Game 6 or 7. Likely going to cost around $1K but it's a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the Jays in the World Series, so will just suck it up. Will wait for a single seat on gameday a couple of hours before. But yeah prices now are ridiculous and should drop closer to game time. Nobody in their right mind should pay these resale prices.

I experienced this as a Raptors season ticket holder since 2013. Started off paying $4500 for my two season seats in the 300 level. Prices before they won were increasing but at a very modest rate. Believe I was paying around $5800 by time 2019 rolled around. Since they won in 2019, prices kept going up like almost 15-20% each season. After COVID and some losing seasons, prices kept increasing and started to get ridiculous. For this season, a pair in the 300 level was going to cost me close to $10K. I decided to cancel my membership after all those years. What started off as something affordable became an expensive hobby and also a financial loss. Wasn't even able to sell seats last year at face value and had to eat some tickets as well. Screw MLSE. I'll buy Raps seats an hour or two before the game cheaper than what I was paying for season tickets.

Yeah I was only 5-years-old back in 1993 haha.

Yeah I could see it, especially if the can't sign two arms this offseason. There have been a lot of success stories of relievers transitioning to the rotation and Varland does have 5 pitches and was a starter in the minors. Maybe Pete Walker can unlock something with him in the rotation. Gausman Yesavage Berrios Varland/Lauer Add another top starter to that mix whether its Bieber, Cease, Woodruff, Valdez and that doesn't look bad. Would keep Lauer in the pen if Varland impresses during ST. Can use Lauer as an extra lefty/multiple inning reliever and as a SP when needed. As for Francis, wouldn't guarantee him a spot. Though could be solid AAA depth. Has one remaining option I believe. Unfortunately, Berrios making $18M will be guaranteed a spot if healthy. Let's hope he can bounce back and give the Jays a 2-3 WAR season.

Yeah I was saying to myself in that situation when Springer came up, shocked the Mariners didn't go with Munoz there with the game on the line. He likely could have pitched in the 8th inning as well afterwards against the middle-of-the-order. Mariners could have worried about the 9th afterwards and the bottom of the ninth would have been against the bottom of the Jays order anyways. They used Munoz in the 8th inning anyways, but that was a waste being down 4-3. I'm sure he was good for 5 outs that night. Instead of saving him for the 9th, Mariners should have used him in the bottom of the 7th there against Springer.

I can't talk about the offseason right now. Only focused on one thing haha.

I was in attendance for 3 of the 4 haha.

Not everyone has the $$$ for season tickets and WS tickets going to be expensive. I'm guessing close to $1K face value each seat for 100 and 200 level non-premium club seats. Hoping I could at least grab one single for either Game 6 or 7 this morning.

Hope they use Bassitt more often in that kind of role out of the pen in the World Series. He looked good out of the pen for that one inning.