Toronto Blue Jays 2017 regular season thread - Page 18 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Knut · 04-13-2017, 11:08 AM

Quick check in on the MLB standings to see how the Jays are doing

WTF? Looks like I don't have to pay attention to one sport this year

flambers · 04-13-2017, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zukes

They play 162 games! I know it is not the exact same, but the percentages and what each game means to your chances of making the playoffs is the same.

If this happened in July, while people would notice, it would not be the news that it is and would be easily forgotten. The Jays will still be in the playoffs this year, period. Relax.

True, they are most definitely lucky its really early.

Not sure, if they are good enough to make the playoffs. Best case a wild card team in my opinion.

If the Jays lose a couple players to injury they are in serious trouble (i.e. Bautista and Donaldson)

Cappy · 04-13-2017, 11:46 AM

Tough hole to be in this early.

Thankfully the Rangers and Mariners (two WC favourites) are in a similar boat.

Offence needs to pick it up, and quick.

Galakanokis · 04-13-2017, 12:00 PM

It is not just the fact that they are losing but how they are losing the games. As mentioned previously this is the way the team has been trending for awhile now and I do not really see am internal correction coming. A number of hitters would have to play way above their averages in order to climb back into things if the hitting doesn't improve quickly.

The amount of strike outs is brutal, too a man we cannot seem to hit the curveball right now and letting way too many border line pitches get called for strike three. Choke up and protect the plate damn it.

Sylvanfan · 04-13-2017, 12:09 PM

It's still really early. But the offence is looking pretty dry right now, and that's a trend that goes back to the second half of last season. The only time they seem to not strike out is when they can ground into double plays.

TheAlpineOracle · 04-13-2017, 12:10 PM

All these issues the team is facing right now is exactly what they said they were going to address in the offseason. They did absolutely nothing and it shows. They replaced Edwin with an inferior version, and brought in a lifetime .250 hitter to platoon with Smoak. Both old, both slow. They still have no speed, they still have terrible defence in the outfield corners, they still have no one who can get on base, and they still have no one who can hit for contact.

The only thing that saved the Jays last year was phenomenal pitching. Doesn't look so far that would even be enough this year. Stroman had a masterful performance last night and they couldn't even get a run.

BOSSY · 04-13-2017, 12:22 PM

This will all be forgotten and they will be .500 in a couple of weeks...

TheAlpineOracle · 04-13-2017, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BOSSY

This will all be forgotten and they will be .500 in a couple of weeks...

Hopefully. I'd like the series in Seattle i'm going to in June to be meaningful baseball.

cross16 · 04-13-2017, 01:25 PM

Sucks to watch but I dont't believe for 1 second this is anything more than a slump. This is too good of a group of hitters to be in the bottom of basically all offensive categories.

they'll get it together and compete for the playoffs. No doubt in my mind. Teams isn't going to collectively hit less than .200 all season. Just poor timing that everyone is off to a slow start.

Senator Clay Davis · 04-13-2017, 01:30 PM

Is it a slump though? As has been mentioned, the offensive struggles go back to the last two months of last year, so it's not like it's like they were an offensive powerhouse to end last year and have simply struggled to start this year, they struggled at the end of last year too. Now there's no way they are this bad offensively, but they might still be a bottom half offense in the league.

Roof-Daddy · 04-13-2017, 01:41 PM

I haven't watched all the games or innings, but I have noticed what seems like a lot of hard hit balls right at guys. Like Morales game ending double play last night for instance. He drilled that pitch right up the middle and Feliz "ole'd" it. That gets by his glove and the tying run is on base. Or last night when Bautista crushed one to straight away center field only to have CF run it down on the track. If that's in the gap they have a big inning probably. Just a couple examples, but I seem to recall thinking "that was pretty unlucky" quite a few times.

Is there a stat that tracks this? I imagine there is.

Jason14h · 04-13-2017, 02:10 PM

BABIP - batting average on balls in play is ok
Also there is a hit hard % stat. Using the 2 give a good idea of lucky vs unlucky

Jason14h · 04-13-2017, 02:11 PM

BABIP - batting average on balls in play is ok
Also there is a hit hard % stat. Using the 2 give a good idea of lucky vs unlucky

KootenayFlamesFan · 04-13-2017, 02:14 PM

Lineup is changed around, Zeke leads off, JD is DH and hits 3rd, Travis. 9th.

Cappy · 04-13-2017, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

All these issues the team is facing right now is exactly what they said they were going to address in the offseason. They did absolutely nothing and it shows. They replaced Edwin with an inferior version, and brought in a lifetime .250 hitter to platoon with Smoak. Both old, both slow. They still have no speed, they still have terrible defence in the outfield corners, they still have no one who can get on base, and they still have no one who can hit for contact.

The only thing that saved the Jays last year was phenomenal pitching. Doesn't look so far that would even be enough this year. Stroman had a masterful performance last night and they couldn't even get a run.

PLAYER A - The superior
.172 .273 .310 .583

PLAYER B - The inferior
.250 .314 .406 .721

I know it fits your narrative but if you are going to rely on the numbers from the Jays offence over 10 games to draw conclusions...

TheAlpineOracle · 04-13-2017, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cappy

PLAYER A - The superior
.172 .273 .310 .583

PLAYER B - The inferior
.250 .314 .406 .721

I know it fits your narrative but if you are going to rely on the numbers from the Jays offence over 10 games to draw conclusions...

I'm not looking at ten games, and I don't care what the stats are this year to date, anyone who can sit their and say Morales isn't a downgrade on Edwin is out to lunch. I've heard many interviews since the start of the season with former major league players that come right out and say, a guy like Edwin is not replaceable.

So the Jays were a crap offence most of last year, and they addressed that by downgrading their biggest offensive piece and siging a 34 year old to platoon with Smoak. Not sure what there is to argue with that comment. There's no counter-argument unless you don't have a shred of objectivity.

They were supposed to address speed, age, outfield D, and putting the ball in play in the off season. They didn't do any of that. Those areas of need were directly from the GM's mouth, not mine.

Can they turn this season around? Yeah, we are only 8 games in. Is this team going to be as good as last year's team? Not in my opinion. They downgraded offence and need another career year from all their starters to be able to match last year's pitching results.

KootenayFlamesFan · 04-13-2017, 05:50 PM

Lead off double by Pillar and nothing. Was I the only one there that was thinking Barney should have bunted to move him over to 3rd with one out? I just don't want to see them shut out 2 games in a row.

nixon45 · 04-13-2017, 06:18 PM

Ugh

flames_fan_down_under · 04-13-2017, 06:27 PM

Martin just staring at three meatballs straight down the middle of the plate.

Skaloper · 04-13-2017, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Lead off double by Pillar and nothing. Was I the only one there that was thinking Barney should have bunted to move him over to 3rd with one out? I just don't want to see them shut out 2 games in a row.

This is something that the Jays need to work on. You can't just hope to hit HR's every game and win.