glory

Like I said in the other thread, probably the 14 team format that was rumored before.

I actually like the White Sox a lot, but they would be the much more favorable opponent for the Jays than the Rays. Edit: Indians and White Sox about to be tied in the standings. I want no part of the Indians rotation in a playoff series.

Yamaguchi paying tribute to his good friend Font with this performance.

If they do what Manfred apparently suggested months ago (7 teams in each league, 1st seed gets a bye, seeds 2-7 play wild card rounds, division winners get top 3 seeds), then this is how the 2019 standings would have been: 1. Astros (auto bye into ALDS) --- 2. Yankees: 103-59 3. Twins: 101-61 4. A's: 97-65 5. Rays: 96-66 6. Indians: 93-69 7. Red Sox: 84-78 1. Dodgers: 106-56 (auto bye in NLDS) --- 2. Braves: 97-65 3. Cardinals: 91-71 4. Nationals: 93-69 5. Brewers: 89-73 6. Mets: 86-76 7. Diamondbacks: 85-77 So, the worst teams would have won 84 and 85 games in each league. If you do that same format in 2018, the Mariners get the last seed in the AL with 89 wins, and the Pirates get the last seed in the NL with 82 wins (there was a few teams with 82 wins so probably some type of tiebreaker would have been needed). So yes, probably looking at 82-85 wins being a playoff team most years, but if they use this model, then getting the 1st seed would mean a bye into the DS (avoid the randomness of a WC round), and they can do the choose your opponent gimmick for the first two seeds in the WC round to give the other division winners an incentive to finish first. Not perfect, but probably doable. I would agree the 16 team format in 162 games would be overkill, unless they add two expansion teams to make it 32 teams total, and then maybe it would be more acceptable, but I'm fine with expanded playoffs in general. Just have to fine tune it for next season and beyond.

I think the biggest thing to keep in mind is that leagues that don't have any issues rarely make changes. The reason MLB is making so many changes is fairly simple; it needs to attract more/younger fans. The 2020 playoff structure is clearly a revenue grab to compensate for Covid related losses, but in the long run, they need more national TV exposure. They need more fanbases to be engaged during a longer season. They (badly) need attendance to rebound after fans are allowed back in. Expanded playoffs is going to help with some, if not all, of that. It's not about the "purity of the game" anymore. It's about adapting to the current climate. Right now, had the league not implemented the expanded playoffs, the following teams would be out of playoff spots in the AL: Yankees, Jays, Astros. You have the biggest franchise in the entire sport, the biggest villain in the sport, and the Jays (ok, this just benefits us fans, but still). Who the hell wants to see the playoffs with the Rays, 3 Central teams, and the A's battling it out? In hindsight, expanded playoffs saved the AL playoffs this season, assuming the standings remain as they are. We'll all get used to this eventually. Just like we did the initial Wild Card implementation, then the 2nd WC implementation.

Jose got a pretty good send off. The 4/80 offer to Edwin might have been a PR offer that they knew he would decline, and they could move on without looking bad to the public, but it ended up being $20m more than he actually got from Cleveland. Donaldson's beef seemed to be with the Jays medical staff, not the front office, but I'm not 100% on that.

You're going to hate baseball from this point on because expanded playoffs isn't going anywhere. I like the original idea floated around a few months ago better (14 teams make it, #1 seed in each league get a bye, 3 Wild Card rounds in each league), and maybe they go with that next year, but whatever they end up doing, it's going to lead to more playoff teams every year. Might as well enjoy this one. The 2012-19 version of the playoffs won't be coming back, for many reason$. Or maybe just one.

Jays/Rays will definitely be getting the earliest start times every game they play.

Is Merryweather healthy? Having him and Pearson out of the pen would be great in a short series. If only Giles and Romano were healthy.

Kirk needs to be the DH in every playoff game that Jansen starts behind the plate.

I wouldn't be against taking him out. He could go another inning, but the Jays need him as fresh as possible for Tuesday.

Agree with this. Jays don't need depth as much as they need high impact talent. They should be in on Springer, Bauer, etc. The depth pieces are probably going to be cheaper this off season than ever before given the economic environment, so stop with the Roark types and aim (way) higher. With that said, if Ray is willing to sign a cheap one year deal, then go for it.

He has a 0.9 WAR in his last 844 plate appearances (2019-20). He has a 0.4 WAR now, which fluctuates a lot due to small sample, but defensive metrics on FG do not like him in CF, he's been a negative base runner since joining the Jays, and whatever adjustment he made in 2019 to lower his strike outs has lessened his biggest strength (power/exit velo/hard hit%). Since 2016, which 2226 plate appearances, he has a .290 OBP and 100 wRC+. Not sure what type of performance you'd be expecting out of him if 2020 were 162 games, but he looks every bit the sub 1 WAR player he was last season, and that's with most of this season happening in August which is like the only month (along with July) that he usually does anything every year. I was cautiously optimistic that the lower K% might lead to something, but he's the same guy. He's a good 4th OF given a starting OF's contract and responsibility. Replacement level or slightly above is semantics. It's not good either way.

Nice work from Cole.

Jansen feeling the heat from Kirk's arrival.

Probably, but other than 3B, the biggest upgrade the team can probably make right now is CF. Grichuk has been a replacement level player now for two seasons (small sample in 2020 but still). Nothing seems to be trending up for him. I'm not sure the Jays can keep sticking him in a starting role and hoping for better results. He'd actually a really good 4th OF, though. Streaky enough to start whenever he's hot (July/August every single year), and can cover multiple OF positions. But yeah, he'll likely complain if he were moved to the bench. If George Springer is possible, then Grichuk can either enjoy the bench or pack his bags.

If the Jays are willing to use Grichuk as a 4th OF, then JBJ would be a great target. LH, an actual CF, and can be platooned if necessary. If Grichuk would cry about being a bench player, then try to trade him (for nothing because he has no value), and use Davis as the 4th OF in that scenario. I just don't see Grich as a starting CF on a good team, and he doesn't hit enough for RF. Ideal 4th outfielder if both team and player are ok with it, but my hatred of Grich in general makes me prefer Davis as the 4th OF.

Roark acting like he's part of the playoff team.

Roark ERA up to 7.01. Nice.

Not watching the game, but I can't imagine Roark ever inducing weak contact, so I'd be doubtful.

The Jays were unlikely to score much on Cole anyway, so might as well have the human dumpster fire start tonight, and better pitchers start in the next two. And yes, I never want to see Roark start a game for the Jays in 2021. It better not happen. Depth my ass. He sucks. Move on.

Rest of the regular season apparently looks like this: Tonight: Roark Wednesday: Ray Thursday: Ryu Friday: Walker Saturday: Shoemaker Sunday: Roark/whoever WC1: Ryu WC2: Walker WC3: Shoemaker

The 2018 version of Grichuk was fine. Flawed, but fine. The 2019-20 version is trash. I hoped the decrease in K's was a meaningful change, but seems to have sacrificed his power in doing so, which was his biggest strength. Maybe they think someday he'll combine his 2018 power with his 2020 BB:K, but in the mean time aside from his July/August hot streaks he's as frustrating as ever.

Man, Font really sucks. Can't even mop up.