Toronto Blue Jays

[Godin]

After a quality start? I mean c'mon, he gave up two earned runs, and had a WHIP of 1.0 today. While I agree he's going downhill, he's still a major league starter. Move him down to the 4 spot, avoid pitching him under a closed dome, and for the love of God, get someone other than Thole behind the plate. 6 passed balls in 9 starts is absolutely horrendous.

I'm not as in depth with the stats as you are and I know there's more to a pitcher than wins, losses and ERA but, at the end of the day, that's what counts for the team. He is 1-4 with a 5.18 ERA. Yes, that was a quality start yesterday but, they still lost and he doesn't produce many quality starts. I used to make excuses for him to because he seems like a good guy but, he's been hurting this team since he got here. Then again, he has only had one good year in his career so why should we expect anything else?

[Ingolo]

I'm not as in depth with the stats as you are and I know there's more to a pitcher than wins, losses and ERA but, at the end of the day, that's what counts for the team. He is 1-4 with a 5.18 ERA. Yes, that was a quality start yesterday but, they still lost and he doesn't produce many quality starts. I used to make excuses for him to because he seems like a good guy but, he's been hurting this team since he got here. Then again, he has only had one good year in his career so why should we expect anything else?

Totally agree that he's on the downslope, I just don't think the best approach is to throw away an asset who can still perform. That's why I think he should work in the number 4 slot. Gives them the flexibility to move his starts around a little and avoid pitching him in the SkyDome. His numbers there are just considerably worse than they are on the road. There's not enough air movement with the dome closed to make the knuckleball as effective as it should be. I truly do believe that with a better catcher he'd have better numbers. A knuckleballer is generally only as good as his defence, and Thole is a liability. He's definitely not anywhere close to the ace they thought they were signing, but he's got what it takes to chew up innings and keep the Jays competitive, just in a diminished role.

[blayze]

The bullpen blows it yet again... huge shocker.

How is Storen so terrible? ...and Thole... not even gonna go there.

[hockeyrobot]

It just frustrates me that every year they try to piece together a f*cking garbage bullpen...

I know that Cecil and Storen have been beyond terrible....but when they've been bad...no one has come in to pick them up.

[Ingolo]

Cecil's a little rougher than he has been, and it always drives me crazy that he takes until the all-star break every year to really heat up. Mainly because after the break, he's been lights out for years. Over the last three seasons his ERA has essentially halved each year after the break. Consistency would be so beneficial here, for everyone really. Oh how I miss the days of being able to leave the starter in for 7, getting an inning of Ward, and finish it out with Henke, and that working damn near every single night.

The Jays' biggest weakness is not having someone in the pen to consistently give them a solid 7th and 8th inning any more.

[hockeyrobot]

How amazing would Andrew Miller be right now. Totally worth the money in my opinion

[Ingolo]

How amazing would Andrew Miller be right now. Totally worth the money in my opinion

Agreed. The guy is one of the most consistent relief pitchers around right now. Pretty much sub 2.0 ERA regardless of how you look at his splits over the last three years (except against the Jays, oddly enough we hit him the hardest in the league, not counting his one appearance against the Nats). Should have grabbed him before the Yanks signed him. 9 mil for a relief pitcher isn't outrageous, especially if they could help carry the team back to the playoffs.

Edit - Also, what kind of deal with the devil did it take to get that hockey roster????

[hockeyrobot]

Agreed. The guy is one of the most consistent relief pitchers around right now. Pretty much sub 2.0 ERA regardless of how you look at his splits over the last three years (except against the Jays, oddly enough we hit him the hardest in the league, not counting his one appearance against the Nats). Should have grabbed him before the Yanks signed him. 9 mil for a relief pitcher isn't outrageous, especially if they could help carry the team back to the playoffs.

Edit - Also, what kind of deal with the devil did it take to get that hockey roster????

That's the market for a reliever and they refused to pay it. I mean Im sure if you asked him today he'd rather be a Jay than a Yankee. Disappointing.

[Ingolo]

The Jays are stuck in that weird middle ground when it comes to spending. Top half of the league in total payroll, but most of it is tied up in their big sluggers. I can only hope they pony up when Stroman and Osuna's current league minimum contracts are up. I mean, seriously, those two barely cost the Jays a million bucks.

[hockeyrobot]

Agreed in the concept....but they had the best offense in baseball last year by 100 runs. We all know they gave away some major SP talent over the past few years....but my issue is why not spend money on some RP to WIN NOW before Jose and Edwin leave instead of letting them walk and having no prospects in the system.

Doesn't make sense to me.

[Ingolo]

Exactly. To try to replace EE and Bautista through free agency isn't going to work out. Maybe they can swing a trade to flesh out the relief corps sometime this summer and make another playoff run, but the cupboard is bare in the minors, I don't see what assets they have right now to do anything substantial. Just don't see them having a deep enough pen to go any deeper than last year.

[2014olympicgold]

If the Yankees continue to suck, Chapman and Miller will be on the block. Both are FA’s this yr, and Betances can carry a BP in the future. However, Jays will likely not be involved and I hear the Nationals would be interested in one of them.

If Toronto is out at the deadline, EE/JB should be traded obviously because the haul would be great. But remember if the Jays make the playoffs, and don’t sign either, the Jays get a 1^st round pick from whoever does sign them. It’s not like they walk for free. They’d get 3 1^st round picks next draft (2017), and it would be a solid way to revamp their system even by doing that.

I’m saving my Toronto judgement for when the they come back from their west coast trip. A lot of warm, outdoor games, then they come back to face TBR with the Dome likely open (rain dependant). This team is much better in the outdoors.

[TheWhale]

Dickey with another stellar start! He is looking like the usual 2nd half version of himself already.

[Zorro]

Does anybody else think Gibbons needs to go??

Why Why Why >> You have a completely fresh bullpen, you are in the 10th inning, and you bring out Gavin Floyd for a second inning in a tie ball game..

It just seems like I could make smarter decisions sometimes, I'm so frustrated..

[GinFizz]

Bautista got his bell rung by Odor after a late hard slide.. Bautista is so cheap.

bat flip that...