BigCecil

Lukes having a good AB regardless of outcome

Fair points. From a business perspective only the route the FO has gone, aside from the payroll cost increase of free agents and Arb years, may have been better for owners and fans. We put "competitive" product on the field making the short season post season during covid, missed playoffs by a game, made playoffs and lost wildcard last year. That keeps bums in seats and eyeballs even if it can feel like a sugar high after. Will it be sustainable? That remains to be seen. Deeper runs in the playoffs definitely give an impression of more success and affect perceptions. Jose's bat flip, Edwins wild card walk off and Donaldson's dash slide at home on the wild throw to beat TEX (again) are burned into Jay's lore. Also Navarro and Revere getting f***ed by Nelson in '15. Allowed us to blame the ump & not the players. If we don't blow game 2 and come back to beat SEA in '22 for a real run, we are probably taking about Teo's 2 home runs as the turning point for a long time. Some have the view once you get in its all luck. Its plays a big role but its not just luck IMO.

Until fans were reinvigorated nationally in 15 & 16 we hadn't been in the post season since 1993 and the franchise put up with a lot of lean years in the wilderness. Some pretty bad teams. Agreed that it would take a ton of intestinal fortitude and a real plan from owners/FO, but it could have been a realistic option if you had a clear idea what it would ultimately result in, and communicated that well to fans. We kinda went with a half pregnant approach. Its a tough one for sure. Hard to believe we faced off in WC 2016 and here we are in '23 where it all ended up. Who is in a better spot going forward?

LGJ signed in late '16 too. Spent time as IF on our ML AA & AAA over 3 seasons 17-19 coming from Cuba. But ya this assessment is kind of hard to argue with.

I think his conditioning every off season has gone out the window. If he doesn't lay off the churros and go like Vlad has he wont sustain the career he has the potential to have. Which is unfortunate because he is a great story coming out of Tijuana as a nobody making the bigs.

Speaking of catchers with noodle bats Kirk has an AVG EV - 4th percentile. 18th percentile hard hit rate. His BB rate and K rate are elite. Unfortunately when he does make contact with runners on its often a rollover GIDP. Anyone concerned about him?

Yep. Bauer clearly has modelled his career after the Kamikaze pilots of WW2.

The FO already hired and fired Buntoyo. Hired and extended Schneider. Hard to see Atkins use another lifeline and fire another Manager that he hired. I don’t think he is anything special but I don’t think John is a material issue for the team. Players have to perform, and overall they are not consistently enough. Incredibly we are still on an 88 win pace.

No worries. All good.

Honestly Kirk caught him all last season and nobody complained. I thinks its much about nothing. Jano cant make his SL break more or tick up that FB V. But when struggling sometimes you just need to shake things up and try another route so I'm good with it.

Im gonna take that bet Spank if I can get in on it. Not because I don't like Varsho or his glove and not because LGJ is a WAR machine in the past - but he is in his walk year and I expected his power to return in '23. Under rated bat to ball skills and his pitch selection has improved. His D sucks but think he is going to have his best offensive year by a lot. (I'll also be happy to be wrong and pay up if I lose)

Time to lock this thread and time for our Jays to get some Ws. New day tomorrow.

Apple TV trying to troll us showing Teo getting big hit lol

Infamous last words when watching the silver fox. Just ask Jonn

Well done Bo

Have you seen Arod’s alternative commentary show during Sunday night baseball? Insufferable. Unwatchable.

Yep. 4 too many

Rizzo just hit one. Bomb Envy continues. Let’s go Jays. 3-1 is nothing.

Starting to miss our alleged “one dimensional” home run based offence. Lol.

Obviously my point was he was developed as an OF by HOU and in the Majors at that position. The running into Altuve was just something that was a big deal when he was playing in the OF in the majors for another organization. Teo was already a developed OF. Thus, its a stretch to say the Jays developed him as an OF. Yes, he became a star with the Jays. Who we traded for him, heist that it was, is not relevant to this discussion. Ironically Teo got traded for a RP on the way in and on the way out of TOR. Bautista was largely an IF for PITT. He became an OF and star once he got to the Jays. Did the Jays develop him as an OF? LGJ was an IF in his Jays ML development phase 2017-19. I believe mostly at 2B. Not talking about Cuba. He got moved to the OF in the Majors because they wanted his bat in the line up. I guess you could say we developed him as a OF. Aside from the fact he pretty much sucked in the position. The issue of who becomes a much better producing player after we put them in our OF is potentially "developing them as an OF" but I'm thinking of a prospect who comes up through our ML system in the OF and then progresses at the ML level in that position. I don't want to argue about it. I take your point. I just see it a bit differently.

LGJ was an IF through development. Got the Yips at 2B so they plopped him in LF in the Majors. At least thats what I remember. Saying we developed Teo as an OF would be a stretch I think. He almost killed Altuve running into him, from the OF, with HOU.

Nice to see Nate airing it out. But not much ride on the FB even at 98+. Going to need to get command on his breaking ball.

Love to see Pearson challenge!!!

HOU is rolling now too.

Stay calm Vlad. Such a gamer.