The Blue Jays Thread: 2008 Season

[JayP]

Originally Posted by Gozer

Pretty sure that's JP's call, not Gibby's.


And in his defense, would Lind have been better off playing a platoon for us with Stewart/Stairs/Wilkerson/Mench/Scutaro/Inglett and whomever else has played OF for us this year.

It clearly wasn't JP's call. The day after Gatson was hired, Lind was promoted from AAA and named the starting LFer. That's hardly a coincidence.

It's pretty clear to me that Gibbons had some sort of issue with Lind this year and basically told JP that if he was promoted he would sit on the bench. How else do you explain giving a guy 19 ABs at the start of the season before demoting him? Or leaving Lind and his awesome AAA stats in the minors while the Jays get barely .600 OPS production from Stewart, Wilkerson, and Mench?

[Sylvanfan]

Well the problem was that they didn't have room for Lind at the start of the season....Than when they got rid of Thomas they did...but he'd been out for like a week with an injury and came straight up to the majors and struggled. They put him back in AAA to regain his timing/confidence...but than went out and got Wilkerson/Mench and had no room for him again. Now they have room for him, he got his stroke back in AAA and he's hitting MLB pitching. The way the Jays handled this was about as bad as they could early on. But right now it's over and done with and he's hitting the ball extremely well.

AJ Burnett is making a case for a team to trade for him here lately. He's had three pretty good outings in a row. I doubt the Jays do anything, but I would guess he's maybe helped out his stock a bit. When he's on, he does have that great stuff. But he's been teasing for years, and eventually you realize he is what he is, and medicore guy who can be great, or terrible on any given day with a bit more good.

[Gozer]

Originally Posted by JayP

It clearly wasn't JP's call. The day after Gatson was hired, Lind was promoted from AAA and named the starting LFer. That's hardly a coincidence.

Which, to me, says that Gaston had the juice to override JP (who seems to be a dead-duck GM).

Or, Gaston said he'd play him everyday - whereas Gibby said he'd play whoever gave him the best shot of winning that day. Maybe it was nobodies "fault", just a shift in managerial philosophy. If so, I suppose you're right.

I don't think Gibby said "I refuse to play Lind" as you implied.

[Gozer]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

AJ Burnett is making a case for a team to trade for him here lately. He's had three pretty good outings in a row. I doubt the Jays do anything, but I would guess he's maybe helped out his stock a bit. When he's on, he does have that great stuff. But he's been teasing for years, and eventually you realize he is what he is, and medicore guy who can be great, or terrible on any given day with a bit more good.

I want to keep AJ, I like him.

[JayP]

Originally Posted by Gozer

Which, to me, says that Gaston had the juice to override JP (who seems to be a dead-duck GM).

Or, Gaston said he'd play him everyday - whereas Gibby said he'd play whoever gave him the best shot of winning that day. Maybe it was nobodies "fault", just a shift in managerial philosophy. If so, I suppose you're right.

I don't think Gibby said "I refuse to play Lind" as you implied.

I don't understand that though.

How would Gatson somehow have the ability to override JP (when Gibbons apparently couldn't) when he's been on the job for 1 day?

It's pretty clear to me that all signs point to Gibbons not wanting Lind on the team, not JP.

[Saint Troy]

Originally Posted by JayP

I don't understand that though.

How would Gatson somehow have the ability to override JP (when Gibbons apparently couldn't) when he's been on the job for 1 day?

It's pretty clear to me that all signs point to Gibbons not wanting Lind on the team, not JP.

It was 100% J.P's call, he wanted contract control for an extra period of time by leaving Lind on the farm. With the Gibbons firing, it seemed pretty obvious that J.P. is a lame duck, as Lind was recalled at Gaston's behest, and Eckstein was sent to the bench. I think J.P. has made some decent player moves, but the guys he's hired to lead and coach have been pretty abysmal.

[Gozer]

Originally Posted by JayP

How would Gatson somehow have the ability to override JP (when Gibbons apparently couldn't) when he's been on the job for 1 day?

Paul Godfrey to JP: Your manager is an idiot and you've been loyal to him for too long. We're hiring my old buddy and you are to follow his lead.

The fact that it happened on day 1 suggests exactly that.

Originally Posted by JayP

It's pretty clear to me that all signs point to Gibbons not wanting Lind on the team, not JP.

I don't have any inside info, I just looked at the facts and drew the conclusion that the opposite is true.

Doesn't matter anyway.

[flamesaresmokin]

Originally Posted by Gozer

And in his defense, would Lind have been better off playing a platoon for us with Stewart/Stairs/Wilkerson/Mench/Scutaro/Inglett and whomever else has played OF for us this year.

JP wouldn't have had to go get wilkerson/mench if Lind had been given a decent opportunity to produce. Who knows, maybe the team would have a couple more wins with his RISP averages so far. Infact they undoubtedly would have.

[Sylvanfan]

So far through 110 games, Alex Rios is on pace to drive in about 70 runs....that would lead the team if you factor in the injuries to Vernon Wells. Stairs and Wells are both more or less on pace for 14 home runs each and given the number of games played, Lind has 5 in 30 games so if he plays the final 60, he projects to lead the team with 15 home runs, and he's on pace for 66 RBI. Wouldn't it be sad if a guy like him in 90 games played....leads the team in both categories? Not a knock on him so much as the rest of this lineup who get to play like every day...how guys like Rios or Overbay have such bad power numbers in those positions isn't good. That lineup now at least has a bit more right/left balance, but there is nothing for power save Lind right now.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Classic example of what bugs me most when watching the Jays:

Bottom of the 9th, tie game, 2 out, 2 men on, winning run on 2nd, 2-and-2 count.

And Overbay watches strike three go straight down the middle without getting his bat off his shoulder??

Arrrrrggggghhh.................

[KootenayFlamesFan]

And they somehow pull it off.......Ichiro bobbles a shot to right with the bases loaded and two out to give the Jays a fairly impressive win...........especially considering they were only 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

[ricoFlame]

hey hey, above .500, nice.

[Machiavelli]

The Jays are hitting Dickey almost every possible way today. 6-1 lead now top of the 6th; Rios has homered (both solos) twice.

[calculoso]

McGowan out for season...

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Baseball/M...274121-ap.html

Notes: Toronto RHP Dustin McGowan will have season-ending surgery next Thursday to repair fraying of the labrum in his shoulder. The Blue Jays hope McGowan, who has not pitched since July 8, will be healthy in time for spring training.

[malcolmk14]

Jays are pretty much done for this year I think. I know, crazier things have happened, like Philly catching the Mets last year for the division in the final few weeks.

However, the Jays aren't chasing the Mets, they're chasing the Red Sox, Yankees, and Rays... so I don't like their chances.

[zukes]

If they sweep the Rays this becomes a 4 team race all of a sudden. Somethign like 27 of their remaining games are against either Boston, New York or Tampa. The Jays actually control their own destiny somehow.

[Gozer]

And the mystical 95 win point that pundits are happy to point out as the benchmark for the playoffs doesn't fit this year.

Teams could rack up the wins against a Tampa club that would lose 100 games a year, now that it's a four horse race (crosses fingers) everyone will get less wins and it will take less to take the division.

[Gozer]

I'm happy AJ is staying - http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...ry/GlobeSports

I like AJ.

[Sylvanfan]

Burnett has been pretty solid here lately as he turned in another good outing last night. Unfortunately after him and Halladay the rest of the rotation has pretty much fallen apart. Scott Downs is having an absolutely stellar year as well, he's been fantastic as a set up type guy all year. I guess Burnette isn't used to pitching in May and June as he's usually on the DL. It's not even August, he's not had a great year as his ERA is 4.50 and he's already tied his career high for wins.

[Machiavelli]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Burnett has been pretty solid here lately as he turned in another good outing last night. Unfortunately after him and Halladay the rest of the rotation has pretty much fallen apart. Scott Downs is having an absolutely stellar year as well, he's been fantastic as a set up type guy all year. I guess Burnette isn't used to pitching in May and June as he's usually on the DL. It's not even August, he's not had a great year as his ERA is 4.50 and he's already tied his career high for wins.

Let's spell it out....

McGowan with season-ending surgery
Marcum with an injury and returns to genuine suckitude
Litsch starts the season saddles blazin' but big league hitters finally figure his crappy stuff out

Now they've got Parrish in the bull-pen after a spot start, and I think they've now included Purcey in the regular rotation. This dude Scott Richmond has been called up now for Wednesday's game so I'm not exactly sure what the Jays are going to do about their rotation. Ideally Litsch being kept in would have helped the situation a lot but there was just no way that they could have left him to implode. Hmm....