Toronto Blue Jays 2017 regular season thread

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

Bunting is terrible? That's a pretty bad take. Bunting and other similar plays are what wins tight games. You don't have to be great at it, but you have to at least have the ability to pull it out when needed. If you are down by a run or tied, a bunt with two on and no out should move the runners over to second and third. This moves the team out of a double plays scenario, a sacrifice fly scores a run, and a hit of any sort likely plates two. How many times last year did the Jays have 2 on and no out and hit into a double play and leave inning with nothing? This absolutely killed the Jays offence last year. They routinely did this. Christ, if the Jays had bunted in 2015, they would have probably forced a game against the Royals and who knows what would have happened from there.

We aren't talking Bryce Harper at the plate here. We are talking Devon Travis. Bunting was absolutely the right decision. What the issue is, is that the Jays can't bunt worth crap. This has been a real problem for a couple years now. Goins, Travis, Smoak, Martin, Pillar, none of these guys are capable of laying a bunt down. Cabrerra is the only one whose had limited success with it and even he's below average. You have to have some bunting ability in the bottom part of your order. Not sure why the Jays are so terrible at it.

You have a strange obsession with small ball. Teams can score runs with runners on 1st and 2nd without bunting. Run potential in any situation is extremely dependent on the batter at the plate and hitter sequence following.

Devon Travis (on this roster of bench players) might as well be Bryce Harper right now. With Barney and Goins coming up, he's more like Mickey Mantle.

[mrkajz44]

We already had the bunting argument in the 2016 version of the thread, so I'm not having it again. The simple fact is that giving away an out ALWAYS reduces your expected number of runs scored, regardless of number of runners, the runners locations, outs, etc.

I can't think of any team that would willing say "we should do this action that, if successful, will reduce our run scoring ability" yet here we are continuing to argue about bunting.

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

We already had the bunting argument in the 2016 version of the thread, so I'm not having it again. The simple fact is that giving away an out ALWAYS reduces your expected number of runs scored, regardless of number of runners, the runners locations, outs, etc.

I can't think of any team that would willing say "we should do this action that, if successful, will reduce our run scoring ability" yet here we are continuing to argue about bunting.

So do you think team's just aren't aware of this simple fact? What other reason would there be for why bunting is still a thing then?

[TheAlpineOracle]

Not sure how any Blue Jays fan could watch last season where they continually hit into double plays with 1 or 2 guys and coming away without a single solitary run, can actually say that bunting is a terrible decision at any point of the game.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

This could get extremely ugly extremely early. Biagini with the bases loaded, none out, and just walked in the first run to make it 1-0.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

You have a strange obsession with small ball. Teams can score runs with runners on 1st and 2nd without bunting. Run potential in any situation is extremely dependent on the batter at the plate and hitter sequence following.

Devon Travis (on this roster of bench players) might as well be Bryce Harper right now. With Barney and Goins coming up, he's more like Mickey Mantle.

One of Barney or Goins is going to at least put the ball in play, so if Travis can at least get one guy to third with 1 (possible 0 outs) the Jays are essentially going to score one run.

Watch last year's ALCS against Cleveland again, and tell me why being able to play small shouldn't be a big concern of a team wanting to win. I don't think it's the be all, end all, but if you want to win, you need to at least be able to dabble in it.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

This could get extremely ugly extremely early. Biagini with the bases loaded, none out, and just walked in the first run to make it 1-0.

Why do we always get pounded by terrible teams?

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Zeke? Looked really uncomfortable on that fly to left, misses it, 2 runs score. Still none out.

[GirlySports]

The new coors field

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Home run. 6-0. Still none out, bottom of 1.

Glad I'm leaving the house soon.

[nixon45]

And just like that my night frees up

[Joborule]

Getting ####ed.

[Inferno]

And all because he couldn't throw a ball to second base properly.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

An out! Hooray!

[GirlySports]

Woo a bunt!

[troutman]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

Why do we always get pounded by terrible teams?

???

These teams will have almost indentical records after tonight.

[ClubFlames]

Smoak 2-run HR!

[TheAlpineOracle]

So what was the call on Carrera there rounding third? I was on the treadmill and did t have sound to hear what the announcers were saying. G

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by troutman

???

These teams will have almost indentical records after tonight.

He means the Jays were hot heading into this series and beating some good teams in the process, then they lay an egg against a crap team.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

He means the Jays were hot heading into this series and beating some good teams in the process, then they lay an egg against a crap team.

The Jays seem to do this every year. You could have likely Predicted them to go flat against Atlanta. Though the starting rotation seems to finally be catching up to them.