Brownie19

Fair enough - Vladdy was always destine to play 1st. I can buy that. I don't think he gave himself the best chance to compete and play 3rd, but what's done is done. I don't get why the Biggio example is dumb. If Biggio adds 25 lbs this offseason and can no longer handle 2nd base or the OF and loses all his base running ability - nobody should be OK with that. At what point isn't it OK for Vladdy to continue adding weight? When he becomes too fat to play 1st base and has to DH? He seems to get a pass because he's 'big boned' and the prodigy child here. I also disagree that Bo would be just as valuable at 3rd (or 2nd) as he is at SS. SS is a premium position and the Jays literally don't even have another option. Bo being able to play a solid SS is huge both for the short and the long term success of this team. I'm happy he's put the work in to transform his body and to make the improvements to stick there.

Perhaps I chose my words poorly. I should have said "it wouldn't surprise me one bit if they are all telling the truth". I really have no idea if Grichuk is racist (and neither do you!). While it's easy to rip Stro for playing the race card - what we can't forget is these guys played a couple of seasons together. He knows a hell of a lot more about Grichuk than us. It was also somewhat of a joke you uptight f***s. We're all arguing over who said the more outrageous thing and whatnot when there's a possibility that everything said true.

Disagree. He's beyond s*** in all situations. He couldn't call a T-Ball game.

For some reason, I fully expect they are all telling the truth. Stro kicked people out of the gym Grichuk is racist Grichuk is overrated Fans would rather have Stro than Grichuk on the team (ignoring cost, control, etc.) Grichuk comes off like he's incredible dumb. Stro is just super arrogant and talks too much.

And Vlad being in shape and optimizing his abilities increases the chances to win the WS. How f***ing difficult is this?

Miggy was 33% better than Fielder in their first 6 full respective seasons. Yes there's no guarantee he'll be a Jay beyond that - but there's a chance he is. I'd like to think we'll be in a position where we're winning and retaining our top talent.

Yeah but he does 'gain value' if he works his ass off and becomes a league average 3rd baseman. Didn't most peg Bo to move off SS when he was drafted? Didn't he work his tail off to get into better shape and improve his defense to the point that he's expected to stick at SS for the foreseeable future? If Bo didn't work hard, he might already be at 2nd base, which would hurt the Blue Jays right now. Being in shape theoretically also increases his base running abilities and decreases the chance of injury. Christ - being in good shape probably improves his defense at 1st base too...wouldn't that be a good thing? Wouldn't it be nice to have early career Pujols defense instead of straight to the Prince Fielder defense? If Biggio let himself go, got fat, which eliminated his above average speed and made his defense below average at 2nd to the point he had to move to 1st....would everyone be OK with that? or would you criticize him? Personally, I would criticize him as it because it would hurt his career and hurt the team.

Ah - nevermind - I'm dumn. I guess top prospects do play against competition that's older than them, but it seems like in other sports, top prospects are trust into much higher competition way sooner than at the MLB level. Football and basketball players obviously jump right to the pros (+ the very best NHL draft picks). I guess baseball is just 'different', but I don't necessarily disagree with MLB's notion to reduce the # of minor league teams, weed out the career minor league players. I'd love to see a way to condition and advance the kids to the majors faster.

I think this really provides an incredible opportunity for our young prospects. Instead of riding s***** buses in A ball, they'll be working out and practicing with the big club all year. I wonder if this allows baseball to re-think how prospects develop. Would being around the team more instead of being on minor league teams with tons of watered down talent and such actually be better?

Boxy - there's the Jays alternative in a low profile for you. https://www.baseballtown.ca/us/mlb-toronto-blue-jays-low-profile-alt-4-cap.html

something else - I'm not sure I've ever see a legit SS make the throw in the hole using that technique.

His BB/K ratio in the minors has historically been pretty good (BB% of 10 and K% < 20 +/-). If he can get to that point at the ML level and can sustain the ISO he's had to date (which oddly enough exceeds the highest single season ISO he ever posted in the minors) than he's got a chance to be a 115-120 wRC+ hitter...which would make him a ML player. I'm rooting for the kid. He went through a lot of s*** for a couple of years there.

that was a super awkward throw - but he made it.

you're dumb https://www.mlbshop.ca/toronto-blue-jays/toronto-blue-jays-new-era-game-authentic-collection-on-field-59fifty-fitted-hat-royal/t-25670135+p-1426760289570+z-9-783690300?_ref=p-DLP:m-GRID:i-r1c0:po-3

MikeM for President! Thank you my friend.

player search only for about the past year now.

If I may, I'll start by saying I remain really excited to see what Vladdy can do and remain confident he'll be an anchor in the Blue Jays future for the foreseeable future. That said, I think I am disappointed in his inability to get into top physical shape because I think it reduces his ability to be the best player he could be. Perhaps this is misguided and he'll be just as good while overweight as he'd be if he were in good shape, but I suspect it's a low probability that's the case. He would have been more valuable if he could have stuck at 3rd base and one has to believe being in better shape would reduce the chance of injury, while improving his base running ability. Maybe it's "impossible" to get in better shape and he truly is doing everything he can, but I can't help but look at the changes that Schwarber made - even Bo...even what Rowdy's done this spring and question that. I don't accept the old adage that he's 'big boned' and will always be that size. Even Prince Fielder dropped like 30-40 lbs one year. I hate this stuff, but I must say I'm stuck with the impression that none of this matters a ton to him because he already comes from a very rich family. He seems perfectly fine becoming Prince Fielder instead of the next Miggy. The difference between a 75 WAR HOF career and a 30 WAR career likely has very little impact on his life....so why not have seconds of grandma's cooking? YOLO! Are fans allowed to be disappointed about that? I think so. Just my take...

we have him under control for next year...

This allows us to get more value out of Shaw, who's above average defensively. I'm really hopeful he can return back to his 2017-2018 form and bridge the gap until Groshans/Martin are ready.

His inability to get in shape irks me (more than it probably should); however, I can't help but remember how Edwin took off as a hitter almost immediately after moving off 3rd base. Who knows how much the stress of trying to 'handle' a position that you're below average at effects a player, but it can't hurt.

Alford is finally going to get his shot in the outfield! Last man standing.

Isn't it also true that they had pressure from Ownership to try and keep the window open longer than they wanted to?

It's weird you can't seem to get the blue/powder blue alternate in New Era's new low profile series. I just checked Lids and MLB shop and neither have it. The new low profile series is a massive home run for New Era. I love them. Looking at Jays hats reminds me of how much I love the current logo.

I don't know man. I have to think most umpire in baseball realize that Joe West is a dinosaur who's awful at his job. I surely hope he doesn't influence their own decisions. I have to hope that Joe is more of the laughing stock of the profession and not a respected leader that young umpires look up to.

So the complete opposite of your original thoughts on the deal Org?