Toronto Blue Jays

[Axeman33]

It was fun watching the two on-the-field reporters from Sportsnet talk about the Jays and how they are finally coming together. I am not sure they are really coming together as much as it is the competition they are playing against. It was just last week the Jays were struggling because they were facing tougher competition. The bullpen has been saving the starters asse$ lately.

[LawMan]

Baseball Reference has this as the probabilities:
Yankees:
99.8-62.2 record
104-58 best case
95-67 worst case
99.6% to win division

Toronto:
89.2-72.8 record
94-68 best case
84-78 worst case
86.9% to make playoffs

Seattle:
88.7-73.3 record
94-68 best case
84-78 worst case
86.1% to make playoffs

Tampa Bay Rays:
88.0-74.0 record
93-69 best case
83-79 worst case
80.9% to make playoffs

Orioles:
84.4-77.6 record
90-72 best case
80-82 worst case
31.4% to make playoffs

So you're telling me there's a chance!

I am loving this new 3 wild card setup. Lots of teams and a great year as teams are razor close!
The ending in the 9th and 10th yesterday was epic! Romano with a great 6-out performance.
Bases loaded nobody out and not allowing a Run is lights out.
Scoring a run in the 10th without a base hit is big as well, Biggio on the bases was a plus, he does every little tiny thing right....

Final thought, How hard is it to get Vlad Jr. a helmet that fits his head so he can just run the base paths??

[2014olympicgold]

When it comes to the "coming together" thing....I think it's a thing that happens especially with guys like Gausman and Chapman. New guys would def feel like outsiders of the core Jays especially if you don't speak any spanish. Nothing wrong with it, but you can tell who are the tighter guys out there. Springer fit like a glove because of his personality, but Chapman and Gausman seem much more reserved. However, I do think its "close to playoffs" talk. I don't think it's much. Chapman might feel at ease a bit more now that he's had HIGHLIGHT defensive plays recently. Like he's been great all yr, but the last couple of weeks...man. But that I don't think has anything to do with 'tightness'. It might just make Chapman feel better though...if that makes sense.

I really like Biggio. I think he deserves to be an MLB starter somewhere. He is a very good, boring player.

Getting a helmet that fits Vlad and his hair is prolly just as hard as getting a helmet that fits Vogelbach (I can't stop laughing at him in the hitters box haha)

[Feenom]

A great road trip ruined by getting swept by… yes the Angels. I don’t know what was up with Teo but if he’s injured you don’t play him. So I’m going to assume he was healthy and played like crap. Was at the game Saturday and any team willing to roster Ohtani better be ready to ante up, this guy is a monster. He should get north of $50M per year and that might be a bit low.

[Godin]

A great road trip ruined by getting swept by… yes the Angels. I don’t know what was up with Teo but if he’s injured you don’t play him. So I’m going to assume he was healthy and played like crap. Was at the game Saturday and any team willing to roster Ohtani better be ready to ante up, this guy is a monster. He should get north of $50M per year and that might be a bit low.

It's been a roller coaster season. Very frustrating most of the time.

[2014olympicgold]

Teo is 29yrs old, and 2023 is his final arbitration yr and is a UFA in 2024. He's had an injury plagued yr. He's def pushing himself to play through an injury for the team and himself.

The teams hitting is directionless it seems. I think I've said it hear before, but for years the Jays offense can't do anything against pitchers they haven't seen often. Their scouting, or interpretation of scouting reports is awful. The opponents essentially get a free 3rd time around the order because the first time through the Jays do nothing and look confused. This is dating back to even the Bautista/EE/Donaldson days. But they were sometimes able to quickly learn what was happening as vet hitters. These guys...you just pitch them low outside and they'll swing at junk.

Vlad and Bo are victims of their hype I think. Vlad isn't crushing it like his MVP yr and I do think it weighs on him. Bo is struggling and he could be fatigue. He's played 124 of the 126 games this yr, and 283 of the 288 games in the last 2 yrs. Maybe they both had career yrs and their actual levels are somewhere between last yr and this yr. Bo shouldn't be hitting 260, and Vlad shouldn't be pacing for 32HR.

Vlad though...there's no real protection around him. He's not walking nearly the same because pitchers were scared of him last yr, which helps your avg and so on and so on (we know the waterfall that happens).

Oh well, just got to sweep the next 2 series now.

[Axeman33]

A great road trip ruined by getting swept by… yes the Angels. I don’t know what was up with Teo but if he’s injured you don’t play him. So I’m going to assume he was healthy and played like crap. Was at the game Saturday and any team willing to roster Ohtani better be ready to ante up, this guy is a monster. He should get north of $50M per year and that might be a bit low.

I think that foul ball off his foot is worse than they're letting on.

[2014olympicgold]

I think that foul ball off his foot is worse than they're letting on.

I think he's trying to play through a broken foot to help out the Springer injuries.

[LawMan]

Yesterday, big win, what a game!
Great D in the top of 10. Brutal base running in bottom of 10 (I suppose it is hard to pinch run for a DH but the slide was terrible)
Then some more great D to get the batter in 11th and a nice piece of hitting and running in bottom of 11.

Also, Danny Jansen, wants a lineup spot in the Playoffs!!!!!!

This 3-team wildcard stretch run is going to be fun!! (and stressful)

[2014olympicgold]

I think I've said in here, but Danny Jansen deserves to be in the lineup more than Kirk. In a perfect world though, DH is open to have Kirk DH and Jansen catch. But Springer DHing, Kirk should be on the bench if Manoah isn't pitching. Jansen is a way better all around player. He calls such a better game, and frames way better than Kirk.

Now I really hope they use this as a start of a good stretch, but I can't get my hopes up. Manoah vs Stroman tonight, so Jansen is likely on the bench after such a clutch game.

[Axeman33]

I dont think Jansen is consistent enough of a hitter to trust him in the lineup every day. In 866 MLB at-bats, he's a career 0.214 hitter and an OBP of 0.294. Far from stellar numbers. Now I do agree that he's a better catcher than Kirk but no where near as good of a hitter and right now, the Jays need offense desperately. Games like what we saw from Jansen last night are so damn spotty it's hard to trust him to do that with any consistency.

I'd rather have Kirk's bat in the lineup than Jansen's glove at this point in the season.

[2014olympicgold]

Another win! also for the Yankees...

Teams that Matter Recap:
JAYS WON!
Yankees won
CWS Lost
Red Sox Lost
Mariners Won
Rays Won
Orioles Lost

[Axeman33]

Clinging to that 3rd WC spot.

[2014olympicgold]

Clinging to that 3rd WC spot.

I know you shouldn't choose your opponent, but I rather finish WC3 to face Cleveland than finish WC2 and play tampa/Seattle.

[hockeyrobot]

I know you shouldn't choose your opponent, but I rather finish WC3 to face Cleveland than finish WC2 and play tampa/Seattle.

Realllllllllllly? Cleveland has the best rotation out of that group. And now McClanahan has a shoulder issue.