2012 Toronto Blue Jays Season Thread

[Sylvanfan]

The thing is that Gose would be pretty mis-used in LF for the reasons noted above. The Jays are going to have to part with something they like to get a starter or two for the top of their rotation. So as much as you'd rather not trade Gose or Rasmus to do it...I think you have to consider it. You won't pry a starter for junk prospects, you have to offer something worthwhile to the other team.

I think the team needs a lefthanded power bat to put in the lineup. Funnily enough..a guy like Adrian Gonzalez, would have been ideal, although I suspect he never would have agreed to go to Toronto. If they could set the lineup so you had Bautista hitting 3rd, Left handed power guy 4th, EE 5th, and Rasmus 6th, than You have some clout in the middle of that lineup that mixes up well.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by Gozer

Gose isn't an option in LF (imo of course), not enough bat meanwhile defense (range + arm) are least relevant in LF.

I see Gose spending the year in AAA and as an injury replacement for Rasmus/Joey Bats.

LF should come in from outside the organization - Thames and Snider leaving suggests that Ant plans on adding a relatively cheap free agent. (Swisher?)
I don't think Sierra has earned the job without battling a veteran free agent.

Swisher won't be a cheap free agent - rumours are he's looking for a Jayson Werth type of deal if he hits the market.

I'm in the outside of the organization camp for LF as well. Gose is not ready yet, and your wasting his elite fielding talent in LF.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Swisher won't be a cheap free agent - rumours are he's looking for a Jayson Werth type of deal if he hits the market.

I'm in the outside of the organization camp for LF as well. Gose is not ready yet, and your wasting his elite fielding talent in LF.

I doubt the Jays will have the budget to spend big bucks on a LF...

Most likely the extra salary will be spent on a Starter.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Swisher won't be a cheap free agent - rumours are he's looking for a Jayson Werth type of deal if he hits the market.

He'll wait forever if he expects something like that. Werth was at least thought to have plus power 30 home runs, and speed, with a strong throwing arm. Swisher would have to be considered more of a 20 HR guy with average defence, and nothing special in terms of an arm.

You'd have to think teams would have learned something from Vernon Wells and Carl Crawford.

Of course your point that Swisher will look for a huge offer, and likely get overpaid does still stand.

[VERVE]

I hope the story about Escobar displaying a homophobic slur written in his eye-black is not true:

"The Toronto Blue Jays say they're looking into reports that shortstop Yunel Escobar played Saturday's game against Boston with a homophobic slur written in Spanish under his eyes.

Several pictures posted online show Escobar with the message written in his eye-black, a type of sticker players wear under their eyes to reduce the sun's glare.

The words under the 29-year-old Cuban's eyes were "TU ERE MARICON" which can be translated as "You are a f----t."...

If it is true then obviously he will face some sort of fine and suspension. His action may make it easier for AA to decide on next year's short stop position (if there was a decision needed at all); however, Adeiny Hechavarria may not be ready next year as a regular-only time will tell.


http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/ml...r.html?cmp=rss

[YYC in LAX]

Maybe he was just calling someone a pile of sticks. No big deal.

[nik-]

If he actually did that, then that's gay.

[alan21]

In the words of Louis CK... Escobar is acting like a F----T.

[Reanimate]

I am not sure how it is in Cuba, but my Mexican buddies say its barely an insult anymore. Different cultures. Not that it makes it ok in the general publics eyes.

[Sylvanfan]

It's beyond dumb to take the field with something like that so visible. These days everyone has a camera, and no matter what the tone is, displaying a message like that only puts you in a position where you are going to have to defend your actions. He's pretty much cast himself in a negative light that will be hard to get out of.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Reanimate

I am not sure how it is in Cuba, but my Mexican buddies say its barely an insult anymore. Different cultures. Not that it makes it ok in the general publics eyes.

The thing is though...within our own culture, how much of an "insult" is it when another dude tells you the same thing in English. You could argue that it's barely an insult depending on the crowd involved. Most of the time it get's brushed off. I used to have a guy at work who was always making homophobic jokes, no one really paid much attention to it. I'm sure if we had a homosexual employee...than it would have been a big issue.

Either way any public figure should not be displaying anything like that.

[The Big Chill]

DJF had a pretty smart possible explanation. It could have been that somebody in the clubhouse wrote it on Yunel's eyeblack thinking it would be funny when he found them, and Yunel was being sporting about it and wore them anyway. It doesn't make it OK, but it seems like a sensible explanation.

We will find out pretty soon though.

[Cheese]

^^^no way that happened. Yunel apparently is very immature and his antics caused his push out of Atlanta. He knew what he was doing and will be suspended for the rest of the year.
This may be the last we see of him in a Jays Uni...

[KootenayFlamesFan]

If he was the one to do I just don't understand what he stood to gain from it? A couple laughs? Very stupid thing to do. He deserves whatever he gets.

[united]

Press conference going live right now
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?to...nt_id=24863357

Gregor Chisholm ‏@gregorMLB
Escobar has been suspended three games. #blueJays

Gregor Chisholm ‏@gregorMLB
Salary lost during Escobar's absence will be donated to the You Can Play and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) #BlueJays

Dan Shulman ‏@DShulman_ESPN
Escobar thru translator: "i'm sorry for what happened. It will never happen again. It was meant as a joke. I have friends who are gay."

Dan Shulman ‏@DShulman_ESPN
Escobar again: "It's just something said amongst Latino players, it's not meant to be offensive."

Dan Shulman ‏@DShulman_ESPN
And one more from Escobar: "it was a joke. It was my idea. It wasn't meant towards anyone in particular."

[Cheese]

amazing that is all he got. I hope the Jays organization just sends him home for the rest of the year.
Greg Zahn had a good discussion on how immature he is in the clubhouse on Fan 590. Zahn says there is no way that he didnt know what he was doing and why.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

3 games. I love the Jays, but that's a pretty pathetic suspension. Had to chance to really make an example of him and they gave him a slap on the wrist. Sad.

[Da_Chief]

So it said "you're a homo" and he got suspended for that? What a joke. My fav baseball player now.

[dustyanddaflames]

Was it the Jays that suspended him, or MLB?

[Cheese]

Mlb