Sept. 15-17: Blue Jays vs. Braves Series Thread

[The Big Chill]

Reporter - "Kind of like Mark Buerhle, Estrada doesn't shake off many pitches, does he?
Dionner - "They know better".

[JiriHrdina]

Can't imagine not having Estrada in the rotation.
So what are we looking at in terms of the 25 man roster?

Revere
Pillar
Buatista
Colabello
Smoak
Goins
Tulo (if healthy) - I guess Kawasaki if he isn't
Pennington
Navarro
Martin
Donaldson
EE

Price
Dickey
Estrada
Stroman
Buerhle
Hutch
Osuna
Hawkins
Hendriks
Sanchez
Lowe
Cecil
Loup

Notable guys left off:
Thole (can't have 3 catchers)
Carrera
Scultz

Does that seem right?

Do you put Carrera on and leave Loup off?

[whosurnabby]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Can't imagine not having Estrada in the rotation.
So what are we looking at in terms of the 25 man roster?

Revere
Pillar
Buatista
Colabello
Smoak
Goins
Tulo (if healthy) - I guess Kawasaki if he isn't
Pennington
Navarro
Martin
Donaldson
EE

Price
Dickey
Estrada
Stroman
Buerhle
Hutch
Osuna
Hawkins
Hendriks
Sanchez
Lowe
Cecil
Loup

Notable guys left off:
Thole (can't have 3 catchers)
Carrera
Scultz

Does that seem right?

Do you put Carrera on and leave Loup off?

Personally everything on your list I agree upon, the only thing that I'd really want to see is for Gibby to stop putting Carrera out there right now and see what Pompey has. He's raw, but he's shown before (2014 callup) that he can play in the big leagues. I do understand that the confidence issues that Dalton had earlier in the year probably still lingers on Gibby and AA's mind, but the kid has potential to be better than Pillar at CF once he starts believing in himself and his skills. He didn't whine about being sent all the way back to class AA this year and managed to fix his game in the minors. Just give the kid a shot because he's certainly a better ball player than Carrera.

Other than that, yeah, I'd like to see Gibby and AA take Loup off the playoff roster and just have Papa Buehrle take that second lefty/loogy role for the postseason run. Mark Buehrle is the glue that holds that pitching staff together and he deserves another shot at glory in 2015.

[JiriHrdina]

Yeah I don't think you can do that. The kid kinda crumbled under the pressure - what is he going to do under the bright lights of the playoffs. I'm not worried what he does at the dish - it was his defensive gaffes that have me concerned.

[The Big Chill]

I think Loup will stay. Need the extra lefty arm in the pen.

I'm not really confident at all that Tulo makes it back for playoffs. That's nothing more then a hunch though.

[whosurnabby]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Yeah I don't think you can do that. The kid kinda crumbled under the pressure - what is he going to do under the bright lights of the playoffs. I'm not worried what he does at the dish - it was his defensive gaffes that have me concerned.

I just honestly think that he's a better base runner, defender, pinch runner, and bat than Carrera. He's, if there's no confidence issues, the perfect fourth OF for this team. It's just sad that he's not clearly going to get a shot at proving management that he can play in the Bigs. But yes, this is the BIGS, where the #1 question that determines whether you stay or not is "what have you done for the ballclub lately?" I just thought that it would be really cool to have a hometown kid play for the Jays in the postseason. Maybe next year eh?

[JiriHrdina]

He will eventually, but he did get that shot earlier - and failed.
That's sports.
If you get your shot. Take it.
He'll get another. But the time for that isn't the post-season.

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by whosurnabby

I just honestly think that he's a better base runner, defender, pinch runner, and bat than Carrera. He's, if there's no confidence issues, the perfect fourth OF for this team. It's just sad that he's not clearly going to get a shot at proving management that he can play in the Bigs. But yes, this is the BIGS, where the #1 question that determines whether you stay or not is "what have you done for the ballclub lately?"

We need guys that can be an immediate impact right now. Pompey will get a full chance to make this team in spring training.

[Sylvanfan]

Come post season though a guy who can come off the bench to steal a base can be pretty valuable.

[JiriHrdina]

Sportsnet playing Game 6 of the 1992 WS right now.
Manny Lee could play some slick short. Smooooth.

[JiriHrdina]

Boy one forgets how close Maldanado came to giving Game 6 away by himself in the 9th. Starting in on a fly ball and then leaping to snag it over his head - otherwise that goes to the wall and 2 runs score to win it. Then on the tying hit from Nixon he air mails it over home and to the backstop. Just bounced the right way for Toronto.

[Jiggy_12]

I don't think Thole will be off the playoff roster as long as the Jays plan on using Dickey. His numbers with Thole at Catcher vs any other guy this season are substantially better.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

I actually quite like Carrera as an extra outfielder. He's better than average defensively, quick enough on the bases (though obviously not as fast as Pompey, but who is?), and he handles the bat well enough to be effective offensively. I think he's done a pretty good job this year but for whatever reason doesn't get a lot of praise from the fans.

Pompey will likely be the long term option in the outfield, but for now Carrera is the far more reliable option in the outfield.

[Jason14h]

Do we really need Hutch on the Roster....

I could see him left off

[Pagal4321]

Guys we are talking about playoff rosters....this is ####ing awesome.

[SuperMatt18]

The one thing about Pompey is his speed on the basepaths, that could be invaluable come playoff time.

I think back to this game http://news.nationalpost.com/sports/...t-in-september

He is a guy that can generate a run out of nothing late in the game come playoff time by stealing bases.

Something that KC did to great success last year.