2013 Toronto Blue Jays thread

[moon]

The Jays have had fielding and "intelligence" issues since Cito was the manager. It seems unfair to put the problems of this team on Gibbons when the issues were here long before he was and are the type of things that guys should just do on their own without the manager telling you.

Same thing with Pete Walker, not sure what else he can do with the pitchers that he has.

I understand the desire for a scapegoat and AA can't deal all the guys on the team but Gibbons and Walker seem like small parts of the problem and the players and their attitudes are the big issues.

It doesn't help when team leader and supposed star Bautista is one of the worse offenders in terms of stupid decisions/low baseball IQ.

[The Big Chill]

Gibbons and Walker certainly aren't the entire problem, but they haven't shown themselves to be part of the solution either. Part of Gibbons job is to have guys focused in the field and at the plate and that just hasn't been the case this year.

[CaramonLS]

The Jays weren't this sloppy at fielding when Brian Butterfield was still here. Sad he left.

[moon]

They were pretty sloppy last year with him there.

Also not sure what a coach does to change things. Butterfield likely doesn't teach much to JPA. Guys shouldn't need a coach to tell them not to throw it halfway up the 3rd baseline, try to throw out guys at home on a single to the OF, to ignore/miss the cut-off man etc.

Lawrie is always going to be way too jacked up and make poor throws, Bautista always thinks he can throw anyone out without caring about where his throw goes, JPA is a poor defensive catcher, Bonafacio should not be playing 2nd base at all. That is players issues not coaching.

[KelVarnsen]

That turned out to be a good game. Pitches duel for most of it, but the Jays came out with a win. Lawrie is looking great at the plate right now.

JPA however, sucks.

[Sylvanfan]

Thanks to DeRosa the Jays might have to wait an extra pick to draft a pitcher who won't sign with them anyways.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Awesome game! Safeco is such a beautiful field. Dickey pitched well and Lawrie is a psycho. Too much fun in Seattle!

[dustyanddaflames]

Some schmuck took a 5 dollar bet - I had a JPA strikeout, I gave him anything but... Classic JPA, really starting to see some use for him.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by dustyanddaflames

Some schmuck took a 5 dollar bet - I had a JPA strikeout, I gave him anything but... Classic JPA, really starting to see some use for him.

3 pitch strikeout too...swung at two awful pitches outside of the zone, then stared at a pitch belt high on the outside part of the plate. All on a pinch hit too. The guy has no game plan whatsoever at the plate.

[seattleflamer]

Originally Posted by flames_fan_down_under

Awesome game! Safeco is such a beautiful field. Dickey pitched well and Lawrie is a psycho. Too much fun in Seattle!

Yes, it had a playoff/electric atmosphere for 2 teams that won't come close. It reminds me of when the Yankees played at old Shea. Annoying as hell for the "home" team's fans but it gets the usually passive Mariners fans involved at least.

The FO must be estatic with over 30K for a Monday night! Timing the series for BC Day and all that advertising on Team 1040 prove to me how well oiled a money making machine the Mariners are.

Kuma (and Dickey) pitched very well and a couple of "obvious" no calls on Bautista and Reyes. We'll all enjoy Felix tonight and if the BJs don't get to him early, he'll even the series.

[KelVarnsen]

Beauty of a catch by Rasmus!

[habernac]

nice to see errors on the other side of the field for once. Get poor Johnson a win, guys!

[Vulcan]

Looking at the Edmonton fans in their Oilers sweaters. What an embarrassment.

[KelVarnsen]

Josh Johnson wins, King Felix takes the loss?

[flames_fan_down_under]

That would have been a better game to be at than yesterdays game, oh well. Good to see the Jays win some games.

That Rasmus catch was awesome and Bautista getting on base 5 times was cool to see.

Sounds like some rowdy Jays fans were in attendance, Buck said 6 fans had been kicked out.

[dustyanddaflames]

JJ > Felix

[Rapidfire999]

Wow lawrie on fire this month

[Rapidfire999]

JPA is the suck but Thole is worse.. Thole in 3 games in a row wow

edit: after I type this he gets a double haha

edit 2: LOL emilio bunts with 2 out and gets a hit and an RBI

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Josh Johnson saved his career last night. Still only pitched 5 innings and less than 100 pitches. I wonder if he's still not feeling great. Definitely earned a win over the best in the business. Still gonna have to follow that up with a few decent starts if he's going to find work next season.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Rapidfire999

JPA is the suck but Thole is worse.. Thole in 3 games in a row wow

edit: after I type this he gets a double haha

edit 2: LOL emilio bunts with 2 out and gets a hit and an RBI

Well they are winning with Thole in the lineup calling games and playing defense with little to no offense, so I'm fine with it. IMO we should have never gotten rid of Mathis. J.P. is also slumping terribly right now and when he does get an at bat he looks like he has no game plan other than swinging wildly at pitches out of the strike zone. At least Thole can bunt or hit and run to make a productive out.

If J.P. doesn't progress next year they need to find a different catcher. I don't care how many home runs he hits, the catcher needs to be a leader on the field and he doesn't show any signs of that.