2014 Blue Jays Regular Season Thread

[JayP]

Originally Posted by Stanathan

In addition to that, Gibby's philosophy is in direct conflict with small ball and fundamental baseball. Its nice to swat homers but running the bases aggressively, moving runners over, bunting, hit and runs, and using the entire field to hit is an important part of winning games.

Gibby seems to get the pass from media and many fans when he asks his players to do this stuff once in a blue moon and they can't execute. I think it's mostly on Gibby. You can't have your players playing dumb-hack swing-for-the-fences baseball 99% of the time then expect them to be any good at the fundamentals when your game-plan is to never play fundamental baseball.

The Jays are just not hard to play against, either their bats are on and they win with homers or they are off and they lose. They don't grind out games and they don't manufacture runs and that is on Gibby.

No, they really aren't - this isn't the 80's anymore. The Jays are losing right now because they aren't getting enough men on base. "Fundamental baseball" is irrelevant when you get 6 men on base like they did last night. Small ball can only squeeze you an extra run here or there - it's clearly not the issue when you've scored only 6 runs in a 5 game losing streak.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by JayP

No, they really aren't - this isn't the 80's anymore. The Jays are losing right now because they aren't getting enough men on base. "Fundamental baseball" is irrelevant when you get 6 men on base like they did last night. Small ball can only squeeze you an extra run here or there - it's clearly not the issue when you've scored only 6 runs in a 5 game losing streak.

Not to mention Bautista is clearly hurt, which is preventing him from running the bases aggressively same thing with Lind.

Jays biggest problem is the lack of depth, when injuries happen... this absolutely de-rails the team.

Jays have to push through this crappy segment and hope they are not to far out it until they are healthy.

[GirlySports]

I think the defense is worse than the offense. Bad positioning (playing the outfield deep), missing cutoff men etc...

Did you see Rasmus' throw last night? What's he doing out there?

[Read Only]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

Please oh please fire Gibbons.

I think Gibbons was at best an odd hiring and most likely a bad hiring but I am not sure how this is his fault as a lot of this stupid baseball was present when Cito was the manager.

It seems this team has a lot of guys (Lawrie, Rasmus, at times Bautista, in the past JPA) who make stupid plays. Plays that major league players shouldn't make and that the manager shouldn;t have to tell them not to do.

[Read Only]

Originally Posted by JayP

No, they really aren't - this isn't the 80's anymore. The Jays are losing right now because they aren't getting enough men on base. "Fundamental baseball" is irrelevant when you get 6 men on base like they did last night. Small ball can only squeeze you an extra run here or there - it's clearly not the issue when you've scored only 6 runs in a 5 game losing streak.

The Cardinals have had a ton of success in the past 10 years playing "small ball." (27th in HR, 3rd in runs last year).

I don't think it is as improtant in the AL to bunt, steal, sacrifce etc. but the Jays seemingly inability to cash in runs outside of the HR is definitely an issue. having guys on 1st and 2nd with no outs and getting no runs because the next 3 guys all swung for HR's is not good baseball at all.

I don't think they should change to a small ball team but completely disregarding it like the Jays seem to have is not a good approach either.

[bomber317]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I think the defense is worse than the offense. Bad positioning (playing the outfield deep), missing cutoff men etc...

Did you see Rasmus' throw last night? What's he doing out there?

The broadcast was talking about that, the Jays giving up Doubles and Singles because of how deep they are playing.

[JayP]

Originally Posted by Read Only

The Cardinals have had a ton of success in the past 10 years playing "small ball." (27th in HR, 3rd in runs last year).

They also had a top 3 OBP too (like they do every year)- which is far more important than how well/much they bunt and hit-and-run.

I don't think it is as improtant in the AL to bunt, steal, sacrifce etc. but the Jays seemingly inability to cash in runs outside of the HR is definitely an issue. having guys on 1st and 2nd with no outs and getting no runs because the next 3 guys all swung for HR's is not good baseball at all.

It does lead to streaky baseball, I agree. The only solace is that when the Jays start smacking HRs again they can make up ground quickly. Let's just hope they stop the bleeding soon while they are still in striking distance.

I don't think they should change to a small ball team but completely disregarding it like the Jays seem to have is not a good approach either.

4th most runs in the MLB. That seems like a good enough approach for me. It's not as consistent as you might like, but it's hard to argue with results.

[troutman]

You can't rely on HRs on cool September/October evenings. Have to get better at "small ball".

[Read Only]

Originally Posted by JayP

They also had a top 3 OBP too (like they do every year)- which is far more important than how well/much they bunt and hit-and-run.

It certainly is and that is an area that the Jays seem to lack with so many guys more worried about hitting a HR than just getting on base, but i haven't looked at the numbers so perhaps it just looks that way and the Jays actually do get on base.

4th most runs in the MLB. That seems like a good enough approach for me. It's not as consistent as you might like, but it's hard to argue with results.

If those runs come in big blowouts with multi-HR games while the team is losing close one run games because they are unable to get a guy home after a lead off single I am not sure that it is good enough. Out of a play-off spot right now and top 10 in RS last year and a 5th place finish would say that it is easy to argue with.

[JayP]

Originally Posted by Read Only

It certainly is and that is an area that the Jays seem to lack with so many guys more worried about hitting a HR than just getting on base, but i haven't looked at the numbers so perhaps it just looks that way and the Jays actually do get on base.

7th in the MLB so they're doing pretty good. The issue is that number is driven up by our most dangerous guys (Bautista's .414 OBP in particular) so usually the guys that do the most damage have less runners on. It's like that on every team, but with a few injuries our lack of depth is starting to stand out.

If those runs come in big blowouts with multi-HR games while the team is losing close one run games because they are unable to get a guy home after a lead off single I am not sure that it is good enough. Out of a play-off spot right now and top 10 in RS last year and a 5th place finish would say that it is easy to argue with.

Total anecdotal evidence there. I could make the exact same, thin arguments against small ball teams - they can win games when their pitcher gives them a quality start, but, if not, they can't do enough to win those 6-5 games.

Your model small ball team, the Cardinals, have scored 79 less runs than the Blue Jays. I'd love to see their record if them and the Jays traded starting rotations.

We are right in the mix for a playoff spot and everyone would've been happy with that 3 months ago. And I think being 4th last in runs against last year is the more relevant statistic here. Bad teams can still have good offenses - you can't overcome awful pitching and defense with clutch hitting and small ball like you seem to be suggesting.

[Read Only]

I don't think the Jays should go 100% small ball (and am not really a fan of that phrase being used as I am not sure situational hitting is small ball) but passing it off as though bunting, base running and smart hitting is 1980's is silly. There should be a mix of both and there is no reason why teams and players can't be able to play both styles when the situation calls for it.

Not being able to effectively bunt is pathetic. Not being willing to move a runner because you are swinging all out everytime is pathetic. Being able to be fooled for easy strikeouts because of said swinging for all or nothing is bad baseball.

[Machiavelli]

Ugh.....running into outs.

[GirlySports]

Fire Gibbons

[The Big Chill]

More wasted opportunities.

[bomber317]

such a high risk/low reward double steal.

[ben voyonsdonc]

Reyes is just so boneheaded sometimes.

[Machiavelli]

Dumb play by Reyes? Say it ain't so!!

[GirlySports]

Usain Bolt couldn't get to 2nd.

Fire Gibbons.

[Machiavelli]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Usain Bolt couldn't get to 2nd.

Fire Gibbons.

Not a fan of Gibbons, but you think that was on him?

[The Big Chill]

This is comical.