2024 Toronto Blue Jays Season Thread

[bluejays]

I theorized the Jays were only scoring 2 runs a game, and had nothing to do so just ran the stats for this season.
Runs
Average: 3.6
Median: 3
Stdev: 2.5

RBI
Average: 3.4
Median: 3
Stdev: 2.4

Walks
Average: 3.5
Median: 3
Stdev: 2.1

Strikeouts
Average: 7.3
Median: 7
Stdev: 2.5

At Bats
Average: 32.5
Median: 32.5
Stdev: 4.0


So it's ultimately not 2 runs a game. But there's so much wrong. There are 27 outs/game, and their average at bats are 32.5. You just don't get guys hitting or walking enough. So plate discipline appears to be an issue. Runs and RBIs are pretty pathetic too. To me I think it's on everyone - management, coaches, players, all.

[browna]

Echoing things here, they are really wasting a mostly excellent starting staff this season...middle relief was good today, I think the presence of Garcia gives the bullpen a boost in confidence overall, nevermind mkre options.

Romano will give up runs and today was unfortunate, but the Jays need more than 5 hits and 2 runs to win most games, nevermind those against above average teams.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by bluejays

I theorized the Jays were only scoring 2 runs a game, and had nothing to do so just ran the stats for this season.
Runs
Average: 3.6
Median: 3
Stdev: 2.5

RBI
Average: 3.4
Median: 3
Stdev: 2.4

Walks
Average: 3.5
Median: 3
Stdev: 2.1

Strikeouts
Average: 7.3
Median: 7
Stdev: 2.5

At Bats
Average: 32.5
Median: 32.5
Stdev: 4.0


So it's ultimately not 2 runs a game. But there's so much wrong. There are 27 outs/game, and their average at bats are 32.5. You just don't get guys hitting or walking enough. So plate discipline appears to be an issue. Runs and RBIs are pretty pathetic too. To me I think it's on everyone - management, coaches, players, all.

I think scoring runs is the problem. They are 29th in runs scored in a 30 team league. They move up to 28th in runs/game.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/.../runs/dir/desc

[Jason14h]

A (large?) part is their approach . The coaching staff has taught and preached using the whole field and not striking out over attacking the ball and being aggressive

They are 2nd last in strikeouts in MLB - but it doesn’t translate to good batting average ,OPS or slugging.

The fact their average bat speed is dead last in the majors while have one of the top 15 guys in speed shows this approach . Don’t swing hard because being aggressive leads to more strikeouts

So you have a bunch of guys playing tentative and chopping at the ball vs attacking

It makes zero sense and is another non-sensical Atkins / Shapiro example of thinking they are smarter then everyone else - just like the Berrios debacle last season

[SuperMatt18]

Their approach this year seems to be "safe swings" , which is going to get you nowhere.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

So, wouldn't these sort of results necessitate a coaching change? I know this isn't a lineup full of elite bats, but they've got to be better than this.

Do it already. At least replace the hitting coach.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

So, wouldn't these sort of results necessitate a coaching change? I know this isn't a lineup full of elite bats, but they've got to be better than this.

Do it already. At least replace the hitting coach.

I thought that was why they had Donnie Baseball around and elevated his title so that they could pivot to him at manager should they start slow like this.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

So, wouldn't these sort of results necessitate a coaching change? I know this isn't a lineup full of elite bats, but they've got to be better than this.

Do it already. At least replace the hitting coach.

The problem is I don’t think this is the hitting coaches decision

I think the hitting coach is executing on what the dopes above him believe will work

And they are too stubborn or stupid to admit they were wrong and attempt
To pivot

[KelVarnsen]

Jays run their team via an Excel spreadsheet

[SuperMatt18]

Thing is this isn't what excel spreadsheets say.

Excel spreadsheets say to swing hard, play for the longball, and don't worry about strikeouts.

So not sure what spreadsheet they'd be following that says the opposite of what most analytics say.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Thing is this isn't what excel spreadsheets say.

Excel spreadsheets say to swing hard, play for the longball, and don't worry about strikeouts.

So not sure what spreadsheet they'd be following that says the opposite of what most analytics say.

Teams run by analytics can do well at baseball.

The problem isn't using analytics, the problem is doing a bad job.

[KelVarnsen]

Maybe their spreadsheet is corrupted?

[bluejays]

It's generally baseball guys who run these organizations. Now each team has an analytics group in house (I think that can be said for any sport). The problem I believe is the sports guys forcing a viewpoint and the analytics guys, not having the power to push back, go along with it to prove an incorrect/uneducated viewpoint the baseball guy with power came up with or overheard from their counterparts. Just think of it. You'd never have a stats nerd run things in the corporate world. Those are the guys kept in the back while the schmoozers get the promotions face time with the higher ups. How can any of the stats guys push back on the guy with the power imbalance when he has ownerships ear, and he's also played the game. So you get a flawed hypothesis from the top (in this case defence wins, period), and the stats guys drum up the lists of best players with the best d stats. I bet the little guy putting the analysis knows it's flawed but just wants to keep his job and knows the five minutes of face time a year he gets with Atkins has to be meaningful. It's just how these things work. Pro sports is now no different than yours and my experience in the office.

[bluejays]

Pure speculation but I think it’s the one thing to look forward to this year.

https://www.instagram.com/reels/C66860hPtqg/

[browna]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Pure speculation but I think it’s the one thing to look forward to this year.

https://www.instagram.com/reels/C66860hPtqg/

Yeah, meshing and combining Canada red and Toronto blue = purple will be an easy "story" (as all the uniforms need the required story to go along with the unveiling) to tell as the reason for colouring. I am sure they will call it "country connect" in some fashion.

So many elements can make or break the uniform, and it's not just the jersey. Will there be a new secondary logo, striping, pants color etc etc. Even a cap color, choosing one over the other as a primary cap color can throw off the whole uniform.

It will definitely be a personal taste thing no matter what but hopefully it looks good.

There are a lot of cool City Connect concepts and then some very lame ones where they went too safe, or tried too hard.

I like Texas (reminds me wild west), Colorado (kitchy but mountain vibes), Arizona ( desert, sand, snakes, SW influence), Miami (south beach and Latin vibe), Angels (surf culture), White Sox (the hood) and even Tampa Bay (grunge skate culture) for capturing a city or regional feel. Still like the Padres SoCal vibe the best. Mint green and hot pink cap is outstanding and makes that uniform. If they used a yellow or some other color cap, maybe the whole thing doesn't work.

Some of them are ok; Boston and the Mets and Astros don't look great but have city tie in, but more seem just alternate uniforms, like Mariners, Giants, Braves, KC, Baltimore and Cubs who mostly have similar colors to their regular uniforms, and not much of a city tie in.

Really don't like the ones with the city name abbreviated in big letters, such as Washington, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, just looks tacky and that they didn't have a better idea or theme for a tie in to their city then putting 3 letters on the chest. Not sure about the Phillies, it seems to be trying too hard and randomly throwing different colors on there. Detroit with the tire marks as a nod to the auto industry has to be explained, and the StarTrek font on the hat just seems just off.

Hopefully the Jays can pull off all the elements of the uniform becuase purple would be a unique color look by itself in baseball (Rockies only others with purple), that they could make look really good in a jersey, cap and overall uniform.

[bluejays]

Yeah. Purple didn’t even cross my mind as a possibility but what you say makes total sense from a story perspective. Any team with a colour in its name that doesn’t go with that colour is making an awful stretch in terms of story and justification. Red would be too obvious so I hope they don’t go there. Given the neon colours put forth with the other uniforms I could see purple. Again, I think the CC uniforms MLB has put forth are the best uniforms in the world. Not even close. Everyone is being lazy with ####ty 80s nostalgia colour schemes and MLB is leaping ahead with vibrant colours and reimagining the next generation ahead. Its innovative. Even some of the uniforms I was meh about I’m warming up to.

[KelVarnsen]

These Armed Forces hats are stupid

[nixon45]

Not only are the Jays terrible but this has to be the most boring baseball I have ever watched.

[flamingred89]

Jays gonna be no hit by a guy with a 5.50 ERA coming into this game. Cool,cool,cool,cool.

[KelVarnsen]

I know this will shock people but the Jays have no hits.

I’ll give you time to process that.