The 2016 Toronto Blue Jays Thread

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by flames_fan_down_under

Ya Bautista was chapped two years ago when the Jays did nothing at the trade deadline. If anything this is telling the team that management is still looking for ways to improve the roster.

If I'm Bautista, this tells me they have no intention of bringing me back and now want me to sacrifice my own personal stats in a contract year for a team that has no long term plans for me. This is a guy who likely has one of the biggest ego's in baseball.

I really think there's a decent chance he gets moved before the deadline.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Padres ownership must have been thrilled to sign off on a deal where they're eating around $20 million for a player to go away. They seem to be one of the worst run teams in the league.

[Jiggy_12]

I'm honestly asking because I don't remember, has Upton had attitude or ego issues in the past?

He's always struck me as a pretty competitive guy but that's about all I've gathered.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

I'm honestly asking because I don't remember, has Upton had attitude or ego issues in the past?

He's always struck me as a pretty competitive guy but that's about all I've gathered.

Never followed his career, so I don't know. He's not going to be happy to a be bench player though as he's started his whole career and is a having a bit of a comeback season. I'm less worried about Upton though, than I am the effect him shaking things up will have on the existing Jays.


Maybe I should be more worried about Upton though. Here's what Evan Longoria had to say about him

"They were really the only ones that were left in here that were here before the Rays were in 2008 when we started to be the team that we are now. I think some of those things kind of stuck around, and as much as you try to instill the new way, some of those things, it was tough to get some of those thoughts out of their head. And so, I think, obviously they were great players, but as far as an overarching belief in what we try to do here, I think with the new people that we have now, it’s a completely new belief in what we’re trying to do here."

[Jiggy_12]

Tweet from Upton: Im excited to join my new @BlueJays teammates today and can't wait to help continue the winning tradition that's been built here. #letsgo

Hopefully if he did have any attitude issues they were a product of age, I forget how long he's been around. He broke in to the league very young.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

Tweet from Upton: Im excited to join my new @BlueJays teammates today and can't wait to help continue the winning tradition that's been built here. #letsgo

Hopefully if he did have any attitude issues they were a product of age, I forget how long he's been around. He broke in to the league very young.

He actually broke in at SS and was supposed to be the next Jeter. Scouts even said he was a better version of Jeter who was more developped for his age than Jeter was.

[Pagal4321]

How anyone could not like this deal is beyond me. Now they just need to focus on acquiring at least one pitcher, whether it be a starter or reliever is the next question.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Pagal4321

How anyone could not like this deal is beyond me. Now they just need to focus on acquiring at least one pitcher, whether it be a starter or reliever is the next question.

Depends... if they move Sanchez to the bullpen for the remainder of the reg. season then they'll need a starter. Regardless of what they do there they'll need a southpaw since Cecil has apparently forgotten how to pitch.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Depends... if they move Sanchez to the bullpen for the remainder of the reg. season then they'll need a starter. Regardless of what they do there they'll need a southpaw since Cecil has apparently forgotten how to pitch.

I'm not a big believer in the innings limit stuff. For every study that says it's beneficial, there' s a contradictory one that says it isn't. I think the Jays should be eye balling Sanchez like Zaun and couple of other experts have suggested. As long as he's showing no signs of fatigue, I keep throwing him out there.

Jays are in a pretty bad position. You know they want to keep him pitching, but on the chance he did get hurt next year (even if it is related or not), you know they are going to take a public flogging from the media, agents, MLBPA. I'm not sure they can risk that even if they don't believe in the innings limits themselves.

Pitching is at a premium this year because of a terrible FA class next year. I'm not sure the Jays can land another starter. I have faith they can fix the pen, but I think we are rolling with what we got for starters and may have to substitute Hutchinson for Sanchez at some point.

[Jiggy_12]

Well, this I quite like.

Defensive Runs Saved This Season
Melvin Upton Jr. 8
Blue Jays LF -3
Blue Jays RF -2

[corporatejay]

Off-field issues aside, I think what the Cubs gave up for Chapman was insane, although they are going "all-in" and he literally could be the difference between getting a ring and coming up short.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

Off-field issues aside, I think what the Cubs gave up for Chapman was insane, although they are going "all-in" and he literally could be the difference between getting a ring and coming up short.

Yup, having to give that up for a reliever was ridiculous. Really sets the market for pitching this year.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

Really sets the market for pitching this year.

Well... it sets the market for southpaws that can throw the baseball 105mph (and sit 100-101). Chapman is a freak.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

Never been to Milwaukee but it's on my list. Was trying to convince the Wife to go last year when we were in Chicago to watch the Jays but she wasn't having it. I'm trying to get to all the stadiums. Got 19 checked off to date.

San Francisco was definitely the nicest to date from both and asthetics and atmosphere point of view. New Miami one was pretty cool, but competely devoid of any at amosphere. Boston is also high up on the list despite you outright hatred of the team.

I'm at 13... Seattle, Tampa, Chicago (NL), Chicago (AL), Milwaukee, Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Diego, New York (AL), New York (NL), Toronto. Also, Montreal for a Jays exhibition.

Milwaukee was just a tag on because I had an open night while in Chicago, and did a last minute check to see if there was a game. It's easily the best retractable roof stadium I've been in, and the entire seating bowl is right on top of the field. It honestly felt a little claustrophobic.

Worst stadiums, imo: Tampa and Yankee Stadium. It is unbelievable to me how Steinbrenner turned $1.5 billion into something so utterly bland.

[Jiggy_12]

Jason Grilli tweet:

Trust me, you're going to love it here. #BlueJays @MelvinUptonJr

[Jiggy_12]

New acquisition Melvin Upton Jr. is now the #BlueJays leader in stolen bases (20) and outfield assists (8).

[KelVarnsen]

It's a good move, and I don't think it means Jose or Saunders is gone. The Jays aren't paying a ton of money to Upton(thanks Padres) so they still have money.

It makes the Smoak signing look even worse in my opinion.

[Sylvanfan]

The way Pillar plays, he also needs to have some regular off days. I'd also fear that Pillar is one hard run into the wall away from a season ending injury. I love Pillar, but lets fact it, if he was to go down....someone's crying that they never upgraded the outfield in anticipation of this.

BJ the BJ isn't what he used to be in Tampa. But as a rotation starter/depth guy, nice to have.

[whosurnabby]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

If I'm Bautista, this tells me they have no intention of bringing me back and now want me to sacrifice my own personal stats in a contract year for a team that has no long term plans for me. This is a guy who likely has one of the biggest ego's in baseball.

I really think there's a decent chance he gets moved before the deadline.

Not to rag on your opinion, but I know that you're opinion about JoeyBats having THE BIGGEST ego in baseball stemmed from that one ugly encounter of him outside of the field.

Personally, I think Bats is an outstanding leader to his ballclub, heck even his own teammates attested to this OVER and OVER and OVER again. I couldn't give a rats ass if he treats fans poorly. Or maybe you just caught him on a bad day.

But this is a guy that was one of the biggest supporters of deffering contract for the Jays to land Ervin Santana a couple of years ago, a guy who has recently paid off both teams' meals (home&away) when he was on Class A and Buffalo for rehab assignment, a guy who -despite being verbal about being a true RF- never complained in public once about playing other positions (and oh i watch a lot of Jays games, he has played 3B and 1B previously), and a guy who was one of the key players in turning around this season when he came up to Gibby and suggested that he will help this 2016 team by batting leadoff in a contract year.

You keep on stating, like it's a fact, that Jose has a huge ego...but the truth of the matter is, on that one day you had that specific interaction with Mr. Bautista, the only ego that got bruised is yours buddy. I tend to think, as do most BJ's fan that Jose is an outstanding ballplayer and teammate. If he is a ###### outside of the field, the only person that seems to care constantly is you TAO. I'm not trolling my friend, just please stop with the whole Jose Bautista = "biggest ego in all of baseball" propaganda man.

I'd love to see this amazing baseball player retire in a Jays uni and play out the rest of his career in white&blue, but for the right term and price. It sucks that he developed late in his career, but if we are talking about Bats as a baseball player and what he can do in the game, I'm sorry but he is a premium position player that deserves to get paid. That's a fact that you can hopefully sink your teeth on.

BTW, I don't think we'll hear anything from Bautista splitting time with BJ Upton in RF. He needs constant off days to gauge that broken toe and we all know how meticulous Bats is in keeping his body in prime working condition.

[Resolute 14]

Jose Bautista has such a giant ego that he willingly sacrificed his personal stats to move into the leadoff spot because it made the team better.