glory

It's not going to make baseball as popular nationally as it used to be, but it's still a necessary move, IMO. I've been a baseball fan for 30 years, and grew up with the game, so I can sit through a 4 hour TTO fest and still be entertained by it, but if MLB wants to attract new fans, casual fans, and younger fans, then they need to evolve. Yes, they will also need to market their stars better too, but marketing the stars better without making the games easier to sit through for the average fan won't solve the issue. They need to do both. As far as the rule changes, I like all of them. Baseball fans are usually the fans who hate change the most, but I think the pitch clock is going to end up being universally loved soon enough. The players are probably going to hate it until they get used to it, but it should help the entertainment value of the game.

Yes, I’ll agree aggressive on the bases (whether that’s good or not is another question) and more open to switch the lineup around are two differences. I like the latter. But in totality I just don’t see a big difference, which is partly on the players and partly on the org itself, so not putting all the blame on the managers.

Schneider is basically Montoyo. Virtually no difference in terms of in game decision making. Only difference appears to be in the clubhouse, which I guess is most important anyway, but anyone who manages the Jays under this regime seems to have no real purpose other than to do what the org wants (even if it means 400-500 plate appearances for Raimel).

If it means Biggio starts in LF/2B, then I agree. If it means more Tapia/Merrifield/JBJ (and it likely will), then I think we will miss Gurriel.

Tapia starting in RF and JBJ in CF today. Biggio should have been in RF, but not like it's an important game or anything, so the below replacement level option makes more sense.

White has been bad in terms of ERA, but has a 3.82 FIP since joining the Jays (8.17 ERA). I'd probably bet on him being a more serviceable #5 starter down the stretch than Kikuchi who has been absolute s*** all season.

Honestly, if you gave me the choice of WC1 while hosting the Rays or WC3 while facing the AL Central winner on the road, I'd probably pick the latter. Easier opponent, plus DS matchup if they advanced would be the freefalling Yankees instead of the Astros. I mean, I'm not going to complain with WC1 and homefield, but if it's the Rays, then I want no part of it. Home, road, it doesn't matter.

Either WC1 or WC3. No thanks on WC2.

There’s been way too many times where Biggio has sat in favor of Tapia. It boggles my mind why the Jays can’t see that Tapia stinks and that Biggio’s versatility and LHB should be in the lineup as much as possible against RHP. Hopefully that changes in September.

Haven't seen the weather forecast in Baltimore, but only reason I could see them trying to get through this game is the weather is not going to let up any time soon. Otherwise delaying the game at the minimum would be the logical move. Obviously just calling it would make sense too at this point, but I guess since this is a big game for both teams, they want to try to get through it.

Bichette with FYSMC energy today.

Jays actually putting out a good lineup in Game 1. I'm sure that's just in preparation for Tapia and Merrifield in Game 2, but still.

Agreed that the NL side of the playoffs should be really good, especially if the top 4 all end up in the DS (Dodgers, Mets, Braves, Cardinals). If Tatis wasn't suspended, then the Padres would have been fun to watch as well, but them and the Phillies seem too flawed to compete with the top 4, although anything can happen in a 3 game series. The AL side seems a lot less exciting, especially with the Central winner getting to host a WC series despite being s***. Hopefully the 4 teams that make up the AL side in the DS are Houston, New York, Toronto, and Seattle. F the Rays and AL Central.

The way Schneider handles the pen is basically Charlie’s pen usage on steroids. I’m actually surprised he didn’t use 9 relievers tonight.

Agreed. When you add s***** players to the roster, it's not going to help. Whether it hurts or not is semantics. It doesn't help. Even if you use Zimmer as strictly a pinch runner/defensive replacement, they already have JBJ on the roster. They don't need two of the same thing. But this is a team that voluntarily will give Tapia 400 PA in a season they want to contend, so I'm not sure they even realize that the guys they called up stink.

If you used Pop as an opener for 2 innings, that's probably how long Lawrence is going to last in a spot start.

I was talking about the 2021 rotation that got most of the starts (Ray, Manoah, Matz, Ryu, Berrios, Stripling). Of those listed, only Stripling wasn’t a 2 WAR or better SP (Berrios was 1.7 in 12 starts). This season the Jays have 3 dependable SPs. Berrios has been bad, Ryu got hurt, and Kikuchi has been worse than bad. The depth was better last season, especially down the stretch. On paper, the 2022 rotation should have been better. Hasn’t worked out that way.

I'm curious to see what happens to the Yankees. If they lose Judge, then that team looks old and average in a hurry. Even Judge isn't that young, but at least he's an elite player. They really can't afford to lose him.

The Jays were 30-20 in their first 50 games with a +9 run differential (so overachieving based on RD). They are 40-39 since then with a +40 RD, but take out the one game against the Red Sox which had a football score, and that drops to +17 over that span with a 39-39 record. In other words, I think there is enough sample size here to show that you would have to squint pretty damn hard to see anything other than an 85-89 win team at best this season. Nothing there to indicate that a leap in performance is coming other than hoping that the results start matching the talent. The 2021 team had a better all around roster with better performance from individual talent (Vlad, Semien, Ray, etc). Rotation was deep and reliable. This season has legitimate holes in the rotation and while the offense has been good it's been streaky. Bullpen has improved at least. I think the Jays still make it in, but last season I thought they'd have a legit shot at a WS if they got in. This year I think I'd be happy if they reached the ALDS. They need to start showing signs of life, and soon.

The O's are actually calling up legit talent now so I'm not going to take them lightly. I still expect the Jays to hold on to a playoff spot, but I don't think the O's are all smoke and mirrors. Ultimately I think they end up with around 82-85 wins, while the Jays are in the high 80's. Although with the way the Jays are playing, I don't even want to assume high 80s is a certainty.

I think CF should be a focus with Springer moving to a RF/DH hybrid role to take some potential wear and tear off of him. If the front office has one more big(ish) FA deal in them, then I think Nimmo would make the most sense for this team given their needs. That would allow them to trade at least one of Hernandez/Gurriel, and adds a much needed LH bat to the lineup. I think you can live with Espinal/Biggio/Merrifield at 2B for one more season and get positive value out of it. But ultimately yes, the team is going to need at least one SP, if not 2. Ryu being hurt and Kikuchi being s*** really hurts. I think ideally you have a rotation 1-5 without Kikuchi or White on it next season, and use the latter two more as depth pieces, though I expect Kikuchi to start the season in the rotation regardless.

I'm not saying the Cubs would do it, just that it's the only realistic contract swap I could see the Jays doing. Unless they soured on Berrios and don't want him for 6 more years, in which case it would make sense to lessen the contract length and get a similar SP, but I think the Jays (at least the current FO) are still high on Berrios. If Atkins is fired and someone else comes in, then maybe that changes things.

Kikuchi for Stroman is the only one I can think of based on the roster. Berrios may end up being a bad contract, but track record suggests we should expect better things. I like Stro's chances of being a league average innings eater more than Kikuchi turning into whatever the hell it is that compelled Atkins to give him 3 guaranteed years. Just a matter of how much payroll you'd be comfortable adding as the difference between 2 years of Kooch and 2 years of Stroman is going to be anywhere from $26-28m over those 2 years.

Yeah it’s only a matter of time before they move to Vegas, IMO. The stadium is a dump and everyone knows it. If they can’t get a new one then no point staying there.

Given the hype around this team before the season? I would agree that it would be a disappointment. But after watching this team play all season? Wouldn't surprise me in the least if they are bounced in the WC round. At this point I'm hoping Seattle gets the 1st WC (I never want the Rays to host a playoff series in that dump) while the Jays get the 3rd WC. I'll take my chances facing the Guardians in the WC round as they are just as inexperienced, if not more so, than the Jays are, and less talented than Seattle/Tampa. If the Jays can't win that series, then they clearly were never good enough. At this rate, even though the playoffs are a crapshoot, I'd still bet money on the M's and Rays beating the Jays in the WC round even if the games were at RC.