decosabute

True. But the point was more that it's valid to say (not hindsight) that we could've done with one more big bat, and that the Front Office seemed to at least partly feel that way too.

We definitely needed another bat this past offseason and it's not hindsight - Atkins and co. were signalling as much in the winter when they went big to try to get Kyle Tucker. They knew it already then, so it's fair to say that we probably went in a little short in that department. But at some point, no front office or manager can legislate for the kind of insane black hole so many of our players have gone into. It's fair to say that six of our most dangerous hitters have either been at their career worst, or injured, or in Kirk's case, both. To have that many heavy hitters (Springer, Vlad, Kirk, Varsho, Barger, Santander) simultaneously go into the toilet, and/or the IL, is absolutely INSANE. There is no planning for it and not a whole hell of a lot you can do with it. I think it's also a little bit disingenuous to say that our offense was only good for a half season out of the last four. In 2022 the offense was high up in runs scored in all of MLB. In 2023 it was more average, but not terrible. 2024 sucked, granted, but 2025 we won the division, and were 4th in runs scored in the regular season, followed by absolutely exploding when it really counted in October. So I'd say it's really only two of the last five seasons (if we then include this one) where the offense has truly been "abysmal". Also, I think that accusing Schneider of not moving Springer or Vlad is really picking at borderline irrelevant stuff. Those two have flat out sucked, but firstly, that's not the manager's fault. And secondly, almost everyone else has sucked too, so it's not like he was drowning in great options for leadoff or no. 3 hitters. Vlad and George were not suddenly going to have 1.000 OPSs just because you moved them down the order. I honestly don't think it would've made much or any difference.

Schneider hasn't really been able do much about our abysmal offence - a lot of this season is really on the players and not him, so I really try to be realistic about what he's to blame for and when to actually criticise him. However, his loyalty to absolutely godawful relievers is pretty indefensible at times. Unless we really are tanking the rest of the season, then there's no way he can justify Little pitching for us again.

Even more insane when you put it like that. And Varland stepped up a level to be an elite closer too. And we still went to sh**. I don't think we will ever again see a lineup so affected by underperformance and injuries. Just completely bizarre.

Even in this total, unmitigated disaster of a season, we at least got one truly special game. Hats off to Dylan Cease. An absolutely phenomenal performance again. Really in line now to be our best starter since Halladay. Looks like a gunslinger too, same as Roy did.

100%. Vlad is just being indulged at this point and not only is he not making big changes to address this extended awfulness, he's still f***ing around - not running properly to first, still clowning around with the jacket and Gatorade acting like this wretched season is all a big laugh. When other players see the face of the franchise suck that badly (by his standards) and still just get away with it and fool around, then you can bet they drop their focus a percentage point of two. While I don't think Kirk blanking him with the jacket was aimed at Vlad personally, I was glad to see it, because this team needs to stop the BS and get mad. And I hope that the message got through a bit to Vlad.

This is it. Even if they make it to a wild card place from here (which seems more and more unlikely), then they've just done so much damage to the public goodwill, which was at almost record high levels coming into the season. It's an incredible waste of all that feelgood factor and the sense that this was Canada's team. I'm actually amazed that the crowds are still turning up for these abysmal performances. They're starting to trail off a little, but the team is still routinely playing to 40,000+ at Rogers Center. That's loyalty and a level of support that they don't really deserve anymore.

I know it seems unthinkable, but genuinely, when does this club consider moving Guerrero way down in the lineup or inventing an injury to get him out of the firing line? He's not responding in any way when he's left to figure it out himself. It feels like something drastic needs to be done to shock him out of this, or force him to change things with his swing or approach. Maybe embarrassing him by making him bat 7th or 8th or benching him isn't going to work either, but we're at a point where all options need to at least be considered.

I know why you're trying to say this and fair enough. But honestly, we scored 3 f***ing runs in 24 innings against Rangers starting pitching. That is not bad luck. It's an absolute joke of a performance. And yes, I know pitching let us down the first three games of the series (not today), but hitting has let us down the entire season. I'm starting to dislike some people on this team on a personal level. It's the end of June, and Nathan Lukes might be the one and only position player on the team who can say he's had a season clearly above expectation. Insane.

No of course not, but that's mostly just a past week phenomenon. It's not the story of the season at all.

True that it's gone to sh** in recent games, but the only reason we were even near 500 was because of the pitching (Hoffman and Little aside of course). They were carrying the load all season and eventually they were going to break. Offense in the top half of the order has never been there and still nowhere to be found. The fact that Vlad and Springer have been pathetic and Kirk has been injured/bad also means the bullpen has been way overworked because there are zero blowout wins. All the other problems flow from that top half of the order not doing their job at any point. They deserve every bit of grief they're getting from the media and fans.

Vlad couldn't even dream of being peak Lyle Overbay this season.

Honestly, I thought more would be made of this. I'm surprised this hasn't happened more often in this pathetic season. People shouldn't be celebrating consolation homers when the games are already gone and we're on a 5 game losing streak and look like we won't make the playoffs. Especially when it's Vlad trying to justify his existence with the jacket. Kirk summed up how I think a lot of fans felt in that moment.

It is honestly a joke - we finally get a huge inning, and of course Guerrero and Springer are basically the only ones contributing nothing to it.

Wow did not see this coming. As usual, the unheralded parts of the lineup doing all the lifting.

All hope in this offence comes from two minor league call ups and Clement. Vlad and Springer should be absolutely ashamed of themselves watching kids do the job a hundred times better than them.

Some regression from him could probably have been expected after last year, but this is just ridiculous. "Painful" is exactly how he looks.

We've seen worse seasons, but this might be up there with the most disappointing seasons. Just no momentum whatsoever, no feeling of the pressure lifting, no offence in general. Gausman has had a shocking inning, but this isn't on him. As soon as he gave up one run, he probably thought, "well that's a loss". This team is a brutal watch.

You're right that Hoffman could've come in for the 7th and blown the game there and then, but for the management, at least they could then not be blamed for the decision. If Hoffman comes in instead of Rogers and f***s the game in the 7th then the blame is all on the pitcher, because as a decision in isolation, it's completely fine. Lower-leverage or not, holding him back to the 9th, invites the responsibility on to Schneider too. He's decided consciously that he wants to have Hoffman finish games and rehabilitate him, despite being bitten by the same dog over and over and over again. And then he compounds it by just sitting on his hands as it totally unravels. I'm still more annoyed at Hoffman than Schneider, but honestly, it's incredibly foolish management. This loyalty to absolute trash pitchers who constantly let him down may really cost Schneider his job. It has to stop right now. Only Rogers and Varland should be trusted with the 8th or 9th when they're available. You can maybe extend that to Fisher in a pinch or Garcia if he comes back in good shape. You can only have Hoffman there if the game is over already and he's eating innings. Really, he just needs to go for everyone's sake.

Simply never want to see him pitch for us again. You know what'll happen from here. Schneider will go easy on him, he'll keep getting chances and he'll look OK again for another couple of weeks in low leverage spots. And then people will start saying "you know Jeff Hoffman is starting to look pretty good again lately". And then he'll get a pressure situation and he'll do this. Again and again and again the cycle will continue. Even if he still has utility as a 6th or 7th inning guy, I simply can't stand watching him anymore. Whether it's harsh or not, I simply can't stand his vacant facial expressions, his hangdog demeanor, his absolute lack of fight when the going gets tough. We should do anything we can to trade him - this project is simply done.

Sanchez is abysmal

My God this is beyond pathetic. A junk pitcher who was getting into jams in every inning now looking like Greg Maddux. Can't remember the last time our offence was this anaemic.

My first post after being a long time lurker. Yes, the number of cheap outs is absolutely maddening.