Olerud363.354

It is literally the most important game in franchise history if you consider the meaningful games gained. Win game 7 of World Series - 0 meaningful games gained Win game 7 of ALCS - potentially 7 meaningful games gained. Win game to clinch playoffs - potentially 20 or so meaningful games gained. Win game 141 to get within 0.5 of 3rd wild card - potentially 43 meaningful games gained. In terms of quality of life, you are looking at the difference between 43 late summer and fall days spent bullshitting on this message board then turning on Sportsnet for an exciting meaningful game, vs early darkness and despair on the road to 4:45 sunsets.

Given the importance the following must be implemented for the next 20 games 1. All decisions made by AI. Schneider looks at ipad, ipad gives him lineup, pitching changes, pitch sequences, defensive positions, etc. Schneider relays it, no decisions made by him though. 2. All means of sign stealing activated -- banging on garbage cans, signs coming in from coaches, man in white allowed to all games, hacking pitch-com OK. 3. Amphetamines and horse steroids put in candy tray before games - it's one test a year right? And everyone probably has gotten their test by now. 99.99% of the time I would not advocate any shady behavior in any situation, except this one, given the importance.

Not just for us. For all baseball fans every where. Shapiro and Rogers are powerful and if Jays play say 30-40 more, meaningful, high TV ratings, games in 2026 they will not want to lose revenue in 2027 and they will be powerful brokers to get season going on time in 2027. If Jays lose tonight, Vlad is owed 500 million for .250 5 45 a year with 60% ground ball rate and TV rating tank for meaningless last 20 games, Shapiro and Rogers will look at the books, and see a long strike might help them. For fans everywhere of every team today is everything.

Should have started that Tuesday. But going forward they can keep Varland closing only every 2nd game or so. But in between he needs to open or be the multi-inning middle reliever.

World Series game 7 - either way there was no more games to played. The revenue was pocketed, the season was over either way and they were just playing for some gay parade (not to be confused with the gay parade and June). Game 141 2026 - they could be playing for 2 months of meaningful baseball. Lose no meaningful baseball until 2028. Win and could be meaningful baseball to late October again + Shapiro and Rogers will be so stoked they'll personally negotiate a deal with players union to make sure we get going on time next year.

Biggest game in generations tomorrow. If Soriano puts up a bad performance and Vlad goes 0-4 all ground outs Soriano cements himself as worse than Jose Berrios, and Vlad the next Jason Heyward except can't play gold glove outfield. If Soriano puts up a good performance and Vlad hits another homer he they cement themselves as the next Pedro Martinez and David Ortiz. Tomorrow is everything.

As far as I understand that is the rule. However it didn't seem to be closed last night when it should have been and that is a shame. Think of how much joy it would have been as the last out was recovered in an 11-0 dominant win to sit at our computers and watching... waiting... and then see the thread opened and post thoughts that had been stewing for 24 hours. What the mods apparently aren't understanding is that by leaving the thread open, they are robbing us of the joy of seeing it re-opened. They also are rewarding the Jays for bad behavior.

Life is short and brutal who knows what can happen. Seems pretty simple More than 2 games back (including 2.5) - the thread is locked 2 games exactly - your discretion Less than 2 games back - the thread is open They lose tomorrow it is closed. They win tomorrow it is open unless they fall below 2 games back again.

Kind of crazy. As much as I hate Cito the good thing he did was play Lind every day second half 2008 and all of 2009 and got great production from him. It's like if Cito walked in he might tell Springer to play left and Keys to be Lind and hit Vlad 4th or 5th, and tell Giminez to hit lead off improve his on base from horrible (.280) to horrible for leadoff (.320) (like Devon White did).

It was a 1-0 game and he'd already been gifted 2 good innings from Spaghetti guy who threw great for 2 innings because the announcer say he probably was told to throw hard for as long as he could. And as long as he could was 2 innings as his pitches looked sloppy his 3rd inning with velocity down 2 mph. Irony is Schneider did a great job with these games until last night. It's like he saw Woods-Richardson get through 3 or 4 innings so tried it with Spaghetti, when any normal human would take the 2 innings and go to Fischer.

I very earnestly admit that this may be over-reactionary. On the other hand now that I think of it, the other manager I wanted fired was Cito Gaston. Many times between 94 and 97 and 2009-2010. Main reason was league low team on base percentage, players having horrible years (Wells, Joe Carter, Sprague) yet getting 700 PAs at the top of the order. Cito, as a former hitting coach, was much more involved with hitting philosophy and ran his mouth about 'pull dat ball' and 'clogging the bases' (or at the very least agreed with his coaches). So if I wanted Cito fired for running a team with a .310 on base percentage, having middle of the order bats put up a 90 wRC+ and scoring 700 runs, shouldn't I want Schneider to be fired for leading a team with a .300 on base percentage, 600 runs and middle of the order bats running a 90 wRC?

I say a lot of crazy s*** but not sure I've ever called for a manager's head. Could be wrong, but I don't remember doing that despite all my other sins. Schneider should be fired September 23rd and not even come back for Cincinatti series... OK. That may be harsh but that is what often happens. Fire him Tuesday the 29th if they don't have the guts to do it the 23rd. 1. Springer not playing the outfield - don't know what is happening here, and maybe there is something I don't know, but he seems to be running fine, and basically Springer not in the outfield is 100 extra at bats for Straw instead of Keys. 2. Vlad sucking - not entirely the managers fault obviously, but left him 2 or 3 all year, and could never fix it, could never get the right message through to light a fire. 3. Bullpen - completely went wild with the leverage relievers with like several on track for 80 appearances, yet with a 1-0 lead in the most important game in the year didn't even try to manage his way through it? 4. Bieber pushed too hard - 100+ pitches with a 5-1 lead. 7 innings for a guy made of glass. Maybe it is harsh to blame Schneider for that as not an unreasonable ask.. but on the other hand 6 innings for a starter is great, and maybe a better manager wouldn't have pushed Bieber there. 5. Bunting too much - it's completely useless either way but could lead to hand injuries and frustration. 6. 600 runs scored with a 320 million dollar payroll. - hitting coach fired for this first, but manager helps choose the hitting coach and get the messages across to the players. What else? Should he be fired? This is my first fire the manager thread. Maybe unfair and over-reactionary. I do tend to over-react. But maybe fair and others feel the same way.

Rarely call for the manager's head but maybe it would be deserved. Hitting coach's and others on the coaching staff have to be fired anyway so would not be upset if Schneider is fired. First time he's really pissed me off. I don't get it at all. If you want to go longer with Arrighetti and use sucky relievers start him, then them, and if they somehow get through it then go with leverage. However if they are starting by burning two leverage, then go in all game. Schneider should be fired. Haven't been on that bandwagon before at all, but am now. Mis-managing the bullpen, not moving Vlad down the lineup. Playing Straw too much. Not pushing Springer to play the outfield. (And I don't care what they claim is wrong with Springer. He can run the bases fine, so should have been pushed to run for a flyball 3 times a game).

Normally don't complain about the Managers but why leave Arrighetti in in the fifth. 9 guys in the bullpen. Had the lead. He'd already given them 2 1/3 and looked like he was tiring. If you are using Miles anyway and playing Straw, then you are already trying to win the 1-0 game, so why not do everything possible to win the 1-0 game? Oh well... used Miles in a 6-1 loss and the Guardians don't even have to use their closer.

Fair is fair. You guys had your fun but now 2.5 back and need our Tank thread for the 18th pick back and this has to be closed. Life is short, life is brutal, life is awful and the 2026 Toronto Blue Jays were given expectations the most disappointing team in franchise history, making an embarassment of the 50th anniversary, losing a generation of fans, having their 500 million man dollar whittle to nothing, hand-cuffing the franchise for the next 14 years, all the while getting the 18th draft pick. While the Tigers, Twins, Guardians and others will get good draft picks, from 4th to 9th and have nice payroll space and the Orioles and certified genius Mike Elias 13 playoff wins, the Blue Jays will, in addition to losing a generation of fans get the 18th overall pick, choosing the next Chad Jenkins and losing all hope forever. Tanking for the 18th pick is the final insult in this awful season, and the thread is a tribute to the misery that is life. So when this game ends, open it should be.

Just saw the catch. Colton Cowser. Chosen by Mike Elias 'certified genius' in round 1 pick 5 2021. While the Blue Jays chose Austin Martin with their 5th pick the year before and then exchanging him for the frustrating and now injured Jose Berrios, Elias used his 185 IQ to pick Cowser knowing he'd get a 5 tool center fielder. The pick has paid off as Cowser won a game last night leaping high into the night, robbing a homerun, and bringing yelps of joy to Orioles Hangout. Very hard to believe that there is anything that can stop the Orioles now, coming off of such an inspirational victory. I bet Orioles hangout doesn't even care if we win tonight. Their destiny is inevitable and they are fine waiting another few days to take over WC3.

I honestly won't be getting a Dodgers hat, nor routing for any team other than my beloved Jays. Every loss results in deepest of deepest depression and reminds me I have had no employment since just before Marcus Stroman's debut. Every win brings me on cloud 9 and I go upstairs and high five my 85 year old parents and just hope they paid off enough of the house that I can stay here in the basement for the next 30 years. The Orioles thing I have clear documentation of my retrospective opinion. Between 2022 and 2024 I repeatedly declared Mike Elias a certified genius and predicted the Orioles were at the start of a golden age that would last generations. If they win the World Series this year I will find those predictions and use it to get cred on this board and in society in general. Don't get me wrong, I don't like the Orioles, it is just business. If you notice the savy posters like Laika do the same, make many predictions, sometimes contradictory, then go with whatever ones end up being true.

Are Mike Elias (Certified Genius) and Orioles Hangout routing for us tonight so they can take the wild card lead ?

If Jays get behind 2+ again (could happen tonight) this closed and tank thread for 18th pick re-opened. If Orioles take wild card lead mods need to start a 'Mike Elias certified genius' thread If Jays keep within 2 this thread fine to remain open. Mods need to react to the situation and open/close the appropriate threads.

Predictions Orioles win wild card spot - Orioles hangout joy level - caffeinated 80 grams of sugar bottle of Coke Orioles over Astros 2-1 0- Orioles hangout joy level - 5 bud lights after mowing lawn Orioles over White Sox 3-1 - Orioles hangout joy level - Marijuana Orioles over Yankees 4-2 - Orioles hangout joy level - Vodka mixed with 90s style Codeine laced cough syrup Orioles over Dodgers 4-3 - Orioles hangout joy level - the purest of pure fentanyl.

Looks like the Orioles, led by certified genius Mike Elias are the team of destiny. In the 2020s Jays lead them in playoff wins 10-0 as of Today September 1st. As of November 1st the Orioles will be leading 13-10 and pure joy, purer then a shot of the purest fentanyl will hit Orioles Hangout. On a semi-serious note just glancing at their stats I can't see that much of anything has worked out for them. Shane Baz is 4-15 or something, Holliday, Henderson and Basallo are all hitting .230. Nevertheless they (to be fair Jays do to) have a chance to flip their narrative. Honestly all the teams in this wild card chase do. Texas, Orioles, Jays, Twins, Guardians. They get in they play the Astros and the Whitesox then have a good 12 days.... the 2020s will be completely awesome for one of those teams. If it is the Jays I will be genuinely happy. If it is the Orioles I will bump all my "Mike Elias certified genius" posts and gain some board cred for my deep understanding of front office quality. If it is Guardians or Rangers I won't care too much either way.

Could be true but totally opposite to my experience in Boston. I have done 10 Boston Marathons, 15 or so red sox games, and visited MIT/Havard as a distinquished scholar 5 times. The latter is actually more like a jr. pharmaceutical rep before I became permanently unemployed in 2014. Anyway point is always seemed to me to be like a woke liberal place where they would bend over backwards to create a welcoming environment for people of color, the latinx, the bigenders. Not that you learn anything from visiting a place while travelling the elite circles of the place. Probably if I did they same activities in Oklahoma city I'd come away thinking that place was woke.

Jays style is to trade for a controllable player in their mid to late 20s. Think Varsho, Soriano. So maybe a package around Keys and one of Perry/King for a really good outfielder? Who would that be? I mean obviously you are not trading both Keys and Perry/King unless getting something really good in return. Maybe just Keys for who? (I am happy keeping Keys, and rotating Vlad/Oak/Keys 1b/3b/dh. Just based on how Jays operate they might use him to fill a need, like they did with Moreno). (And then when Keys is next Ben Rice, and Vlad is permanently an 8 homer guy, we all have lots to complain about unless the left fielder we get for Keys is awesome).

Batemen, Chandler Simpson, Myles Straw and Giminez all have similar expected numbers. But Batemen (very low sample size) and Simpson have batting averages like 60 or 70 points higher then expected Straw a bit lower then expected. Fluke? Or is there a reason? Batemen and Simpson are running about 20% ld, 60% gb, and 20% fb, while Straw and Giminez are more like 20, 40 40. Batemen and Simpson are also like 20% pull rate. I wonder what their ground ball spray chart looks like. Hitter's usually pull more grounders so it might be 33, 33, 33. Blazing Fast guys, no fly balls, evenly spraying ground balls so the shift doesn't work. 20% drives. .300 hitter for real with this profile? Will the expected numbers even work for this type? Take home point: Batemen and Simpson both are hitting way less fly balls then Straw and Giminez. (I know Sliderguy has a list of minor league players with high ground ball and walk rates that are useless, but still have to wonder what Tampa Bay and Toronto are seeing to commit so much playing time to this profile and have it thus far work (could be fluke)).

How do you watch the Jays on the Friday nights they are on Apple TV ? I guess you are sophisticated enough to know secret links to watch for free. I am not sophisticated, I earn 15k a year and have a $7000 dollar streaming bill each year + 20k in other expenses so am going 14k a year in credit card debt with 33% interest. It adds up to be honest, but thus far they aren't stopping me.