jaysblue

If he wants to play closer to New Jersey and have a real shot at postseason baseball, some of those East Coast teams could make a very strong case. I get that some players love the idea of staying with one organization for their entire career, but it’s not like Trout won a World Series in Anaheim. At some point, the chance to play meaningful October baseball has to matter. And let’s be honest, the Angels haven’t exactly been the model organization during his time there either.

Trout and Vladdy would be a pretty nice middle-of-the-order combo. I actually think Trout would be a great fit here. He lengthens the lineup, gives the Jays another big bat, brings legitimate star power, and if healthy, he’s still potentially a 4–5 WAR player. You’re also adding a guy who is probably starving to finally play meaningful October baseball and chase a World Series. The biggest deciding factor is whether he’d actually want Toronto, or if he’d prefer to stay with a U.S.-based contender.

Yeah, I’d definitely be willing to roll the dice on him as a back-end rotation guy who can give you innings. At this point, you’re not asking him to be anything more than a stabilizer. If he can eat innings, keep you in games, and take pressure off the bullpen, there’s value in that.

Yeah, I actually think there’s a real chance Trout gets traded this season. Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if MLB itself would love to see him on a contending team and finally playing meaningful baseball in October. Trout is an East Coast guy, so I could definitely see him waiving his NTC for a team like the Yankees, Blue Jays, Phillies, or Braves. Jim Bowden seems to think the Braves have a legitimate shot at trading for him. How much weight you want to put into that rumour is another story, considering it’s coming from Jim Bowden lol. https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/mlb-insider-says-braves-legitimate-194935124.html

Yeah, Trout pretty much decides where he wants to go at this point. This is probably the best time for the Angels to trade him if they ever seriously considered moving him. If he keeps up this pace, he’s likely on track for a 5-ish WAR season, and $35.4M per year really isn’t that outrageous for a player of his stature. You’d be on the hook for four more years after this season, but he’s still a star player and a massive name. He can still handle centre field in a pinch too, so putting him in a corner wouldn’t be a huge issue. Plus, with Springer becoming a free agent after this season, you could rotate Trout between the outfield and DH. And if Varsho also leaves, at least you’d have a legitimate centre field option for next season.

None of those contracts are really all that appealing. Maybe Adames or Chapman, if they get back to being 4-WAR players, but even then, the back end of those deals could get pretty ugly. You’re probably paying for the decline years later. The Angels could very well end up being early sellers. Mike Trout would be the dream target, but I still have a hard time seeing them ever actually trading him. As sweet as that would be, it feels more like fantasy than something the Angels would realistically do.

There hasn't been much to celebrate early on this season haha. Have to take small steps. Taking 2 of 3 each series at least is a step in the right direction and hope there is a streak in there where the Jays could win 6 or 7 in a row. The Jays can't afford to lose 5 in a row or get swept by teams like the Rockies, White Sox or Twins like earlier in the season.

Soriano was on the mound today for the Angels, so you figure if they were to win a game, this would be the one. Plus, the Jays had Lauer going in after Miles. This weekend was still encouraging. Taking 2 of 3 to start the home stand is a positive start. Bats came alive on Saturday and they won a close game on Friday. Dylan Cease had his best start of the season. I'll take it! Hopefully we can take 2 of 3 against the Rays.

Barger offensively kind of reminds me of Kerry Carpenter, and honestly, I’d take that outcome. Or, if we want to get a little more optimistic, maybe there’s a version of this where Barger turns into the next Shawn Green 😅 That’s probably the dream scenario, but the raw power and upside are definitely interesting.

Depends. I think the Jays could manage both Kirk and Valenzuela on the MLB roster and still find enough playing time and ABs for both. They had success doing that before with the Kirk/Jansen setup. Heiny’s season last year feels more like a mirage than something you can count on repeating. We’re probably not seeing that level of offensive production and defensive value from him again, especially at 35. I think his time in Toronto is likely coming to a close.

Yeah Bellinger looking really good right now. Don't blame Atkins at all - they tried signing someone like Tucker. Not sure about Belly. You need both parties to agree anyways when it comes to free agency.

Impressed with the power Okamoto has provided so far. He’s definitely a nice middle-of-the-order power bat to have in the lineup. That said, I don’t think it’s as simple as saying Okamoto replaces Bo and problem solved. When healthy, Bo brought a lot to the table offensively, and the Jays are still missing that type of impact bat. Atkins clearly knew that too, which is why they went hard after Kyle Tucker in the offseason.

We know Lukes can get hot in short stretches, but expecting that level of production over a full 162-game season feels like wishful thinking. At the end of the day, he’s a platoon bat/4th outfielder, and that’s probably where his value is best suited. The Jays clearly seemed to view it the same way, given that they pursued Kyle Tucker and later traded for Jesus Sanchez.

Hey bud, just because you’re upset doesn’t mean you kick me out of a hockey league. That’s petty and childish. You can be mad, you can disagree, but using commissioner power because your feelings got hurt is ridiculous. Grow up and handle it like an adult.

Definitely Cease's best start! AL Cy Young!

Picking up Corbin was a great move. During the grind of a 162 game season, the type of arm we need. Provides bulk innings and gives us a chance every 5 days. Not a bad No. 5 starter at all.

Detmers has been pretty good this season. Hope we can take 2 of 3 against the Angels. And screw Joseph Gordan Levitt this series haha

Well we at least now know that RA Whiffleball isn't Grant77 😂

It’s still a long season, boys. There’s plenty of time left. The Jays just need to survive this rough stretch and stay as close to .500 as possible. Once this team starts getting healthy and finds a rhythm, they’re capable of going on a run where they win 7 or 8 out of 10. Luckily, most of the AL has been pretty mediocre so far, so nobody is really running away with the Wild Card outside of Tampa. And honestly, the Jays likely have an advantage in a Wild Card round in comparison to other AL teams. Ideally, you avoid that route altogether since its a short series and anything can happen, but rolling out Gausman, Cease, and Yesavage over three games gives you a real shot.

The AL East is definitely an uphill climb right now, with the Yankees out in front and the Jays sitting under .500, but there’s still a lot of season left. I get the frustration after April, but I don’t think it’s all doom and gloom either. The Jays obviously didn’t get off to the start anyone wanted, and the division looks like it’s going to be tough - especially with the Yankees playing well and 9 games ahead. But baseball seasons are long, and things can change pretty quickly. Teams go through hot stretches and cold stretches all the time. A bad April doesn’t automatically define the rest of the year. There’s still enough talent here for this team to go on a run if the lineup starts clicking, the rotation settles in, and the bullpen avoids extended rough patches. We’ve seen plenty of teams look mediocre early and then completely change the narrative by June or July. Winning the division might be difficult, but it’s not impossible. And even if the Yankees remain tough to catch, the Jays don’t need to be perfect right now. They need to stabilize, get back over .500, and give themselves a chance to build momentum. It’s fair to criticize the team after a disappointing month, but some posters acting like the season is already over feels way too premature. There’s still time for this to turn around.

As much as I like Brownie19 and Max - and I’ll admit I’ve gotten along with them much better over the last year or so - they can still come across as arrogant and like they always have the final word on everything. The bigger issue is that whenever someone criticizes the organization, Atkins, or even just questions a certain player or roster decision, they seem to go straight into attack mode. It often feels less like actual debate and more like certain posters sticking within their own clique and piling on anyone who doesn’t share the approved opinion. I was basically public enemy No. 1 on here a couple of years ago, and honestly, I’d consider myself one of the more rational posters on this board. Could I be wrong sometimes? Of course. Everyone is. But that’s the whole point of discussion. You debate, you disagree, and you make your case. With them, though, it often turns into personal shots, condescension, and arrogance instead of an actual exchange of ideas. That kind of tone does turn people away from the board, because not everyone wants every disagreement to become some hostile back-and-forth.

Ah yes, nothing says “rational baseball discussion” quite like telling people to GTFO because they don’t express optimism in the exact approved format. Also, the “uncle” comment is pretty inappropriate and unnecessary. You can disagree with someone’s baseball opinion without turning it into weird personal stuff. If the whole argument is that people are being unreasonable or incapable of discussion, maybe don’t immediately follow that up with insults and personal shots. Nobody said Barger can’t help the offence. Nobody said he lacks upside. Nobody said the organization isn’t in great shape either. That’s the strawman here. The Jays can be in one of the best positions they’ve been in for decades, and people can still have concerns about individual players, roster construction, or how much immediate impact a young hitter is going to have. Being “inches away” from a championship doesn’t mean every player projection suddenly has to be sunshine and rainbows. If anything, when you’re that close, the details matter even more. But sure, let’s pretend the only two choices are blind optimism or negative drivel. Very nuanced stuff.