bluejaysinternNo5

Wtf he gained like 80 lbs. The blue jays are the most body positive team in the league and I kind of hate it. Manoah Vlad and Kirk should all go to fat camp this winter.

Honestly his Savant page looks pretty similar in 2023 compared to 2022. Actually 2023, 2022, and 2021 all look fairly similar but his chase rate was better in 2021. I don’t know what to think.

Manoah has been optioned to the Florida complex league.

I know it would never happen but I was kind of hoping for Vlad for Corbin over the winter.

It's frustrating because he has all the tools and talent in, but he just hasn't put it together (aside from 2021). He's looking like worst out of the bunch of young superstars in the league right now (Tatis, Acuna, Soto, Bichette, Alvarez, etc). Which kinda sucks when he was the best prospect out of all of them.

I was hoping this would be the big "Aha!" moment but it must be something else. But I definitely still think it's mental. Can't be a coincidence that as soon as the ink is dry on his contract and people have expectations for him that he turns into a pumpkin. Maybe he's feeling the same kind of pressure he did in his rookie year when he posted an 8.02 ERA?

Looks like Berrios hit two players during spring training 2022: Didi Gregorius and Kyle Schwarber. Doesn't look like either of them were major but Didi did have an elbow injury bothering him in 2021 and he sucked in 2022 but I don't think that would cause Berrios to become scared to nibble corners. He did also hit Kole Calhoun in his dreadful home opening performance last year.

Great Yankees are mashing out of the gate

Biggio that bat spin was SMOOTH you can stay on the roster just for that

Chapman the only player who came out of spring prepared.

I took 2015 for granted.

The thing is the FO must REALLY love Walker if he didn't get booted after his DUI so he might be here forever he might as well have tenure.

How can he look so good in one inning and then so bad the next.

Excellent bounce back from Berrios.

I know he gave up 3 runs but he honestly didn't look awful.

I think Berrios looks better than last season buuuuuut

If all 3 of those guys suck then you have to get rid of Pete Walker and hope for the best. If only one of them sucked you could plug someone in at the deadline and play the IL game with the under performer but that's pretty hard if all 3 of them are bad.

Why would the Braves want to trade Acuna? It makes me wonder if AA thinks Acuna will never get back to where he was pre injury.

Maybe this is just hindsight speaking, but I don't think I would be as upset if Gausman gave up the home run. He was at what, 94 pitches? He had just gotten two big outs and was amped up. He's your 110 million dollar off-season acquisition and an argument can be made that he is the best overall pitcher on the team. If he gives up the home run, so be it - then they beat your best shot. Instead they beat a pretty mediocre pen arm thrown into a bad situation.

1. Use Vlad's down year as an opportunity to sign him to a team friendly deal. Channel your inner Alex Anthopoulos and get him under contract. Promise Vlad many winning seasons and championships with him at the helm of the Jays for years to come. Tell him how he'll become a legend in Toronto. 2. As soon as the ink is dry on his team friendly contract, ship Vlad and the homerun jacket to Arizona for Corbin Carrol and Zac Gallen. 3. Win the next 5 world series.

They are vetted on their make up but how much can you really tell about a person before they are thrown into the fire and tested in the most competitive environment on the planet? I don't have questions about Bo, especially after working through such a disappointing start to the season and finishing with a blistering September, but it's hard not to wonder sometimes. Maybe it is nothing. I don't know.

Soft skill flaws? Like worth ethic, or something else?

The good thing about having a middle of the pack pen is that only takes one or two additions to really take it the next level. Sign some minor league flyers and send them to the pitching lab over the winter and see what you have in the spring. Indulge yourself in a solid free agent relief arm and accept that risk that comes with that. Maybe make a trade for a young guy with electric stuff that's on the 40 man crunch for some team. Add those guys to this years pen and I would feel pretty good until the deadline. Side note: would anyone here give Edwin Diaz the Aroldis Chapman contract? I don't think the Jays are in a position to sign Diaz specifically since he might command 100M but I could see Atkins opening the books for a reliever worth 10 or 12 million a year for a year or two.

Most valuable player: Alek Manoah. Providing 196.2 innings of 2.24 ERA / 3.31 FIP ball in his first full season. Absolute workhorse. Most improved player: Ross Stripling. Provided stability in the rotation where Berrios and Kikuchi couldn't. Biggest disappointment: Vlad. He had a good year with a 132 wRC+ but only 2.8 fWAR. After his 2021 campaign it's hard not to be let down. Front Office: Shapiro gets an A. Hard not to love what he's doing as president. Atkins can get a C+. Overall a good GM but there are areas to improve upon and I would like to see some more aggressive moves. Coaching Staff: Schneider was just what we needed in the second half but I'd like to see an experienced manager from Day 1 next season. Walker can go. Martinez can stay for 1 more year. Gaps: We're missing a pitching pipeline of random guys that can be effective in the pen. Probably not an easy fix if we don't have it already. Outfield defence could be much improved by acquiring a glove first guy in center such as Trent Grisham or Alek Thomas and moving the aging Springer to a corner, which also comes with the benefits of keeping Springer more healthy. Team Culture: I think it needs a shift. It's good to have fun. But winning is the most fun at all. To me it's Vlad who sets the tone and I don't think anything changes without him also changing.

Honestly I think Bichette's gaffe Saturday and his poor defence at shortstop have made him underrated. Yes, he struggled most of the year. But he worked through it and figured it out. He led the AL in hits for two years in a row. He was our most valuable player by fWAR this year. With a move to second base and a whole off season to reflect on this year's post season failure and I think he will continue to be valuable for us. But I'll admit I have soured on Vlad.