The Blue Jays Thread: 2008 Season

[ShaolinFlame]

Also
The Blue Jays took David Cooper -- a 6-foot-1, left-handed-hitting first baseman from UC Berkeley...

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news...=.jsp&c_id=tor

The Brewers took Brett Lawrie (the Canadian kid from Langley) at pick no 16, one before the Blue Jays. That must have been crushing for JP (so was Giambi)

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

Okay so i grew up watching the expos and NL ball, again Rolen on third base...nobody out, i get it go for the sac fly, i'm not sure if overbay was trying and just sucked. But then, why isn't barajas bunting down the third base line on the squeeze. I get it, AL is all about the long ball, but man you gotta manufacture runs. Someone please explain

I don't think they squeeze in the NL now either. It's a dead art.
Managers now manage not to lose instead of to win so they don't take ANY risks.

[zukes]

Everyone needs to settle down. Ryan was pitching effectively, then made one bad pitch and it was crushed. Thems the breaks. That stuff happens, it's just happened twice in a row.

To whoever it was that said Ryan's velocity is down, it's not. he never threw abouve 91-92MPH, occassionally 93MPH, which is what he has done this year. Not sure if his slider velocity is down and if that is what you are talking about. If it is and you were, I apologize.

Two series ending heart break losses. Usually these things will even themselves out, sooner rather than later hopefully.

[zukes]

Also, let's see how the Jays respond after a disappointing but almost acceptable 4-5 road trip. They have 6 at home against Baltimore and Seattle. 5 or 6 wins here should be expected.

[ShaolinFlame]

Originally Posted by zukes

Everyone needs to settle down. Ryan was pitching effectively, then made one bad pitch and it was crushed. Thems the breaks. That stuff happens, it's just happened twice in a row.

To whoever it was that said Ryan's velocity is down, it's not. he never threw abouve 91-92MPH, occassionally 93MPH, which is what he has done this year. Not sure if his slider velocity is down and if that is what you are talking about. If it is and you were, I apologize.

Two series ending heart break losses. Usually these things will even themselves out, sooner rather than later hopefully.

I remember him pitching his fastball at 93-95 before his surgery, and although you are right he is getting some fastballs up there, I have noticed him get away with 5 or so every close that are in the 86-89 range. Maybe my memory of BJ is a little inflated?

[ricoFlame]

WOW, tough stretch for the bullpen. 4-0 to 4-4 pretty quickly after the jays go to the pen in the top of the 8th vs. the O's

[ricoFlame]

now 6-4 o's...good god.

[Machiavelli]

When the pitching is lights-out, the players can't hit for shart

When the hitting picks up offensively, the pitching goes down the tubes.

So freaking typical.....not sure how much more I can take of this.

[ooogabooga]

I have had enough, Gibbons needs to go. Marcum was only at 97 pitches, and cruising. He had 2 sub 10 pitch innings before the 8th, and he pulls him in a second of panic and puts in Tallet instead of downs, or carlson, and then puts in freakin Benatiz instead of 2 more effective relievers.
Unbelieveable

[JayP]

I'm quickly getting to the point where I agree Gibbons needs to go.

As was already mentioned, why do you bring up a washed up bum like Benetiz in a high pressure situation instead of the better pitcher in Carlson (who didn't pitch yesterday). Downs probably should've been brought in too, but he pitched yesterday so that could've been an issue.

My biggest beef is pinch hitting Stairs for Eckstein and not Stewart. First of all, why the hell is Shannon Stewart even in the majors, let alone leading off? Eckstein has better numbers in every hitting catagory, both traditional and sabermetric. In spite of that, look at how the game progressed. Stewart was his typical pathetic self with an 0-4 night up to that point. Eckstein was 1-2 (2B) with a walk, sac fly, and his only counted out was about 3 feet short of a homer. Eckstein's been hot lately and Stewart is 1 for his last 25. So, the summarize: you pinch hit for the better overall, hotter, and the hitter having the best night to let Stewart and his .631 OPS (from a freakin' corner outfield position) ground-out to pitcher. I guarantee if Eckstein is at the dish he at the very least grounds out to short and brings him the tying run.

It's time to hit the waiver wire again because Stewart's career is over.

[Saint Troy]

The Jays don't have a prayer with John Gibbons at the helm, he is a buddy of the GM and is simply not the guy for this team. With the Jays starting pitching they should be leading the division, but Gibbons sticks with a lineup completely on gut rather than logic. Gibbons struggles with strategy, and his management of the pitching staff is weak and would be much more exposed if he didn't have Roy Halladay saving the bullpen for him on a weekly basis.

[ricoFlame]

i've never been a gibbons guy, but in this specific case, he made a pretty standard move, not a huge deal. that said, gibbons has to go!

[KTown]

Until gibbons goes, and takes JP with him, this team will always be around a .500 ball club.

[Machiavelli]

Originally Posted by KTown

Until gibbons goes, and takes JP with him, this team will always be around a .500 ball club.

JP isn't even the problem, and I hate the guy.

He's actually made some decent moves this season, picking up Wilkerson and Mench, the former being quite good for the Jays and Mench being decent, depending on how you look at it.

He's assembled a great starting rotation, and has pretty good closers as well.

It's not his fault that Gibbons can't manage for poo.

[KTown]

Originally Posted by Machiavelli

JP isn't even the problem, and I hate the guy.

He's actually made some decent moves this season, picking up Wilkerson and Mench, the former being quite good for the Jays and Mench being decent, depending on how you look at it.

He's assembled a great starting rotation, and has pretty good closers as well.

It's not his fault that Gibbons can't manage for poo.

How about 12 million or so in dead money to Frank Thomas? JP has made some bonehead moves.

Rollen was his best offseason move, the others I would say not. Mench is batting .216 how is that a good move. Also Wilkerson is batting what .241

Thats a whole lot of offence.

He got lucky with Barajas cause no one expected him to play he did.

[ricoFlame]

Originally Posted by KTown

Mench is batting .216 how is that a good move. Also Wilkerson is batting what .241

Thats a whole lot of offence.

Yeah, that makes getting rid of johnson even tougher. but really he needed guys to plug into spots until wells gets back. you can't just go out mid season and sign a random .285 hitting solid outfielder, they're pretty much spoken for. shoulda kept johnson.

[JayP]

Originally Posted by ricoFlame

Yeah, that makes getting rid of johnson even tougher. but really he needed guys to plug into spots until wells gets back. you can't just go out mid season and sign a random .285 hitting solid outfielder, they're pretty much spoken for. shoulda kept johnson.

Reed Johnson isn't doing much better. He's got a .713 OPS from a corner outfield position at a lot more money than any of his replacements.

It's really hard to blame Riccardi for his team's troubles right now. If Rios actually hit the ball the Jays probably have 3-4 more wins already. Wells is also on the DL which really saps a lot of power from our offense.

Gibbons is a complete moron though. It's actually laughable who he has had leading off since May 9th (when we made those roster moves) - Brad Wilkerson and Shannon Stewart. Proud owners of the two lowest OBPs on the team. Both are battling Mench for the basement of team OPS too so it's not as if they have power. I don't know how a major league manager justifies putting guys who are hitting below what a replacement player would bring (VORP) in the leadoff spot.

One massive complaint I have with Ricarddi -ADAM LIND! Look at his line in AAA: .331 .391 .536 .927The Jays call him up and give him 19 ABs to show his stuff. Meanwhile Stewart is put in the leadoff spot daily with a .631 OPS. What a freaking joke. Stewart, Wilkerson, and Mench have proven they aren't good enough anymore. If you're going to get zero production from the corner OF it mind as well be with one of your best prospects and not waiver wire fodder.

Wells (thank heaven), McDonald, and Wolfe all were activated today. Benetiz was designated for assignment. The Jays needed these moves in a bad way.

[Machiavelli]

AJ Burnett sucks. A loser and a sore one.

[ricoFlame]

8-1 in the 5th...GOOD GOD. it's official, i'm watching soccer.

[Machiavelli]

Originally Posted by ricoFlame

8-1 in the 5th...GOOD GOD. it's official, i'm watching soccer.

Are you watching? Well, not anymore, I'm guessing, lol.

Did anyone else see AJ tip his hat sarcastically to the Jays' crowd?