jaysblue

I wouldn't take the Panthers lightly. Leafs yes are a much better team, but the Panthers just came back from beating the best team in the NHL down 3 games to 1. My prediction: Leafs in 6.

I had no problem with the Belt signing at the time as a part-time 1B/DH. So far it hasn't worked out, but let's just hope that $9M is available if need be at the trade deadline if the Jays need to make an acquisition. You weren't going to sign Bellinger or Gallo like Laika said unless they were guaranteed playing time as a full-time player. Also, means Varsho trade or Kiermier signing doesn't happen. Plus, Bellinger was going to cost almost double and probably came with more risk based on how bad he was the previous couple of seasons. The going rate for veteran platoon 1B/DH type bats last offseason does show the Blue Jays paid fair value for Belt. Maybe an extra $1-2 million more to lure him to sign with Toronto, which is what sometimes needs to happen. So someone like Bellinger might have cost $20M instead of $17.5M. I still give Belt some leash but not much more. Jays can't afford to waste a lot of ABs on him if he shows no signs of turning it around. Hopefully the FO does try to resolve the issue sooner than later because in the past I found they went with guys for too long.

Yankees have an awful bullpen haha.

Chris Sale looks like he has turned it around his last couple of starts. But yeah, their starting rotation isn't anything to get excited about.

Yeah the Blue Jays have no control obviously of what Tampa and Baltimore do. Sunday and Monday were winnable games for sure, so that's why I suppose it's frustrating. Lets hope it doesn't turn into a losing streak or something. They can't afford losing 4 or 5 in a row or going 4-6 or 3-7 over 10 games, especially with what Tampa and Baltimore are doing. These games in April/May are important. Better to bank wins earlier so you're not playing catch-up in the standings when the schedule is winding down. Overall though, I have been impressed with the Jays this season in terms of the close games they've been able to win. Last years team seemed to miss a lot of those opportunities in the early going.

Ah 4 game series haha. Of course, try to take the 4 remaining games!

Bassitt settled down after the first. Walked a bunch of guys and gave up a Grand Slam. Shame he couldn't pitch deeper into the game, especially when some arms in the Jays bullpen weren't available. He was at 96 pitches with the lead 8-4. He's your No. 3 starter who you're paying big money for and a veteran. Shocked they couldn't squeeze an extra inning out of him given the circumstances. I know some posters on here were going crazy about how good the BP has been, but Sunday was an example where they had to be called upon early and close up the game over 4 innings. A lot of guys used were middle relievers in critical spots, not Swanson or Romano.

You can't win every game. Yes Sunday and even last night's game were winnable. Unfortunately, in the AL East with Tampa and Baltimore playing so well, you need to win as many games as you can. The Jays won some games that could have went the other way as well. So far this season, more games like Sunday/Monday have gone their way. If the Jays win the next two games in Boston, many posters will forget about Game 1.

I saw the outfield scoreboard from my seats. Also, outfield seats are confusing now. They have 139A (Row 1-4 etc.) and 139B (Row 1-4 etc.). I saw a lot of people in the wrong seats and having to move after during the game. Like even when I went down to the seats on Sunday, thought I was 4th row so went all the way down, but that was 139A. So could be confusing even for myself the first time.

I don't mind live music, but way too loud and couldn't even hear my cousin speak next to me as we were walking through. Felt more like a club than anything. A lot of hot chicks though haha. Park Social was a better spot IMO.

One of my friends predicted Boston would finish with more wins than the Yankees this season and I kind of shrugged it off and laughed. He might be right.

First Blue Jays game at the Rogers Centre for me yesterday. A couple of observations in regards to the ballpark and new renovations: Corona Rooftop Patio: extremely overrated IMO. It's cool that they have high tables, couches and big screen TVs all around, but the live music is way too loud and awful. Can't hear anything about the game or let alone hear anyone speak. Not worth going up the ramp to the 500 Level. TD Park Social: looked like a cool area but a lot of families and kids. IMO overrated but liked it better than the Corona Rooftop Patio. Overall, both are a just a 500 level version of the WestJet Flight Deck. The Catch Bar: cool area and closer being on the 100 level so better than Corona Rooftop Patio IMO, though would be nice if they had some high top tables around etc. Mostly just standing room. The Porch and Rogers Landing: looked like cool spots. The Bullpens: loved the new bullpens and how they're close to the stands and fans. Could see everything even from the seats. Far better than the old BPs. Overall, renovations definitely are nice and better than what was there before, but found a lot of the spaces overrated IMO. More for casuals obviously. I still think the TD Zone in the 200 Level are the best seats and area in the Rogers Centre.

Doesn't matter whether the Rangers make it or not. The NHL won't want two Canadian teams in the Stanley Cup Finals. Pretty much eliminating the entire American market if that happens. Look at 1993 how the NHL didn't want a Toronto/Montreal final. There is your proof!

NHL will never allow that to happen.

Jays Run Line tonight (-1.5) at 2 to 1 odds. Thinking of putting some money down.

I bet $3 on the Kraken to win the Stanley Cup yesterday before the Avs game. Paid 28 to 1 lmao.

Yeah Leafs are favourites now in Vegas at 4 to 1. Actually love their chances now. A team like Boston, which is big and physical, would have given them a tough time in R2. Panthers are fast kind of like the Leafs, so should be a good matchup, but Leafs should win the series. Rangers/Devils/Hurricanes in R3 doesn't scare me at all.

Yeah Boston needed to win at home in Game 5. They lost in OT and since that game, Florida had the momentum. I wouldn't have put money on Boston winning the Cup, despite their record season.

Vladdy - 1 Point - Bichette - 1 Point Chapman - 1 Point Varsho - 2 Points - Springer - 2 Points - Danny *f***in* Jansen - 3 Points - Spanky, JaysBlue Belt - 4 Points - JaysAllMighty Kiermaier - 4 Points - Merrifield - 5 Points - Off the bench: 10 Points

Berrios is 8th in the AL with a 1.0 WAR. He has a higher WAR than arms like Ohtani, McClanahan, Framber, Bieber, & Javier thus far. Kikuchi has been rock solid as a No. 5 starter. Bassitt it seems has righted the ship. He'll settle into a solid mid-rotation guy. Manoah has a some ugly numbers - 28K/20BB in 31.1 innings and a 5.65 xFIP. He's not a true front of the rotation starter. Looks like Berrios is the real No. 2 behind Gausman.

Leafs vs. Oilers in the Stanley Cup! NHL would never allow that haha.

I'll go with Vladdy today!

Yeah to use my favourite phrase, "it's still early." We'll have a better idea in July how good this bullpen really is. Factor in this week the Jays had matchup against the White Sox and Mariners. Starters went deep into games, bullpen arms weren't utilized that heavy.

The rotation pitching deeper into games plays a huge role. When you were having starters only pitching 3-4 innings in the early going, it had a negative domino effect on the bullpen. When you have your starters pitching 6-7 innings on a consistent basis like they have, it's having a positive effect on the bullpen. Some tinkering and changes to some pitch arsenals like Laika mentioned with some arms, and adding Swanson have paid early dividends. Also, the Jays just finished a series with the White Sox who are awful and a Mariners team which has greatly underachieved thus far. It's great they're beating up on these teams and banking these early wins!

Bruins or Panthers would be a tough opponent in R2, though I would still take the Panthers. Will be cheering for Florida tomorrow!