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Originally Posted by Sylvanfan
Except that the current roster strategy really hasn't been that bad the past two years. I'm fine if they still try to target power guys who'll hit home runs and come with a few strike outs. So long as those guys still produce runs much like EE and JB have.
The thing is that we've seen both extremes in the past two years where the Jays still hit for a reasonable average one year, than couldn't hit for any kind of average last year. Both years still produced a playoff team.
Replacing Edwin or Joey Bats with an Ichiro type bat isn't what they need to do. They need to try and replace that power. It's not like Cleveland added Mike Napoli because they liked his contact numbers. Chicago might still try and squeeze bunt, but the likes of Baez, Bryant, Rizzo, and Schwarber still go up there trying to punish the ball.
The Jays need to get depth guys who are more consistent and productive than Justin Smoak. What really hurt was that the bottom of the order on many nights could go an entire game and hit two foul balls while striking out 8 times. Pillar, Smoak, Upton, Saunders....those are the types of guys they need to upgrade.
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I would say they lost out on the world series simply because their power bats were unable/unwilling to adjust. It's really easy to beat up on #4/#5 starters all year. When the only pitchers you're facing in the post season are #1 and #2 guys, you can't have an ego that prevents you from taking a different approach.
Had they been more prone to look for base hits and take what they were given the team might have moved on. Bautista, Martin and to an extent Edwn were constantly striking out or not putting the ball in play enough. That's what hurts you the most in tight series.
Priority number 1 should be to bring in guys that have shown they are able and willing to adjust to these types of situations. I could care less if they are power bats or not. What we all know is the same kind of approach will result in the same end to the season next year.