glory

I miss 2025 when JS would make these boneheaded decisions and they would almost always work out. Like if this was 2025, that Clement bunt would have found a hole and 2 runs would have scored somehow. The magic is gone.

The Brewers are such a well run organization. One of these years they will get the playoff crapshoot luck in their favor.

I'm sure Heineman will find his way back to the Jays org before the end of the season (hopefully if it happens it is as a minor leaguer).

I wasn't trying to rehash Game 7, just taking a shot at Hoffman because it will forever be justified to do so, but scapegoating the hitters for not being able to score more against a parade of aces (granted one on 0 days rest) when the closer gave up a game tying HR to a #9 hitter who had 7 home runs in three years against RHP seems a bit unfair. Game of inches bad luck vs serving up a meatball to a #9 hitter. Not exactly apples to apples. But whatever, don't want to beat this dead horse any more than it already has been. My potshots at Hoffman will surface every now and then, though.

Jeff Hoffman is the reason Max went from "retiring with a World Series ring after a great Game 7 start" to being forced out of the game for hanging on too long. Sad. Curious to see how long it takes the Jays to pull the plug with him. It probably won't be immediate. Max may have to mutually agree that he's washed.

This thread will be bumped in 2032 when Vlad will still have 7 years left on his contract.

Giving Garcia a 2 year guaranteed deal at age 34 coming off an injured 2024 post trade seemed really risky for no real reason at the time (can't imagine he was getting many/any offers beyond 1 year), but not surprised at all if his arm is toast at this point. Good reliever when healthy but the moment you saw his velo suddenly chasing 100 mph, that's when you knew the arm was probably a ticking time bomb. Relievers in general are risky bets.

Horwitz has a 140 wRC+ after tonight and is apparently pimping home runs now.

I guess SWR can't pitch again so soon, but burning good relievers on this game sucks.

If Vlad wants to be Vladimir Arraez Jr, then batting him lead off is fine.

He's not a starting caliber player even with the defense. Projected for a 2.5 WAR by the end of the season but they are expecting a 90+ wRC+ from him during that span, and I think that's a big reach at this point. The sample size for him being a bad hitter is far greater now, and he's not stealing bases like he did previously (maybe due to injuries) so he's not even adding that much value there. I know JS values vetrin presents more than skill sometimes, but at the very least he has to accept that Gimenez is a platoon bat and stick someone else at 2B/SS against LHP. He has a 52 wRC+ against LHP since 2024. Atkins absorbing over $100M in guaranteed money for Gimenez and Straw has to be investigated. No other GM on the planet, regardless of available payroll, would have done that, much less given up an asset (Horwitz) in the process. At least Straw had a good 2025, and Gimenez had some big hits in the playoffs last year.

The Phillies have bounced back nicely from their rough start, but their lineup is ass. They need like 2-3 bats at the deadline.

Yeah Yariel is sunk cost and nothing more. If he's DFA'd and he goes elsewhere, or he's DFA'd and he's on the AAA team for the rest of his contract, neither scenario helps the Jays because he's such a fungible talent that hoping he "figures something out" is pointless. The roster spot he occupies means more than whatever he has left on his contract.

The sad thing is, the Jays are waiting on Barger to come back, but he'd just replace Pinango on the roster, who has hit tremendously well for a rookie depth player, and it would also mean benching one of Lukes (who to my surprise has been great post vertigo) and Sanchez (130 wRC+ against RHP). I'm not sure a savior is coming. Kirk instead of Heineman (assuming that's the direction they go rather than demoting BV) would be the clear upgrade.

I’m still pissed at the Orioles for not signing Hoffman last year when they had an agreement with him. Now their fans are injuring Jays players on the field.