Toronto Blue Jays 2017 regular season thread

[Cappy]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Bob Nightengale‏Verified account @BNightengale 6h6 hours ago

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The #STLCards, who badly need a slugger in the middle of their lineup next year, are expected to strongly pursue #BlueJays 3B Josh Donaldson

Alex Reyes + Luke Weaver please!

[Jiggy_12]

Stroman finishes strong it what was a really quietly under rated year for him. Only the 4th bluejay in the past 20 years to throw 200+ IP with a sub 3.10 ERA (Clemens, Halladay, Romero).

[mrkajz44]

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

Second half of the season kicks-off tonight in Detroit. Starts a 10 game road trip for the Jays.

Anyone with some second half predictions? Here are mine:

1) Smoak doesn't fall off a cliff like Saunders did last year and ends up with 40+ HR and 90+ RBI
2) No big name player will be traded at the deadline
3) Jays will finish the season with 85 wins but end up fourth in the division, missing the post-season

Thought it might be fun to revisit my 2nd half predictions.

1) Smoak ended with 38 HR and 90 RBI, so while I didn't quite predict it perfectly, I'd say I was pretty darn close
2) Correct prediction
3) Way off on the win total (only got 76 wins), but I did get 4th in the division right...barely

I'm giving myself a 4/5 on these. A job well done - unlike the Jays season this year.

[Roof-Daddy]

No surprise but the Jays make it official that they won't pick up Bautistas option.

[Karl]

End of an era.

[Karl]

Maybe shouldn't be back, but good on ya Zeke.

http://toronto.locals.baseballprospe...era-excelling/

[Jason14h]

Since we are bringing up predictions, I want to bring up something I posted in the offseason (While being called a troll!)

Last year we needed to win a wildcard game with the following happening:

1. Sanchez going 15-2, Now I think he's terrific. But its almost impossible to improve on.
2. Happ going 20-4. Almost impossible to improve on.
3. All 5 starters staying healthy.
4. Finding Benoit who has a 0.38 ERA and Grilli at 3.64 (And a most were his 3 bad outings)
5. Finding a rule 5 reliever who could contribute lots of quality innings.
6. Brett Cecil, who although I think is def overpaid, has a team think he is valuable enough to pay 7.5 Mil a year, being our top lefty

So it's impossible in my mind the argue the existing pitchers we have on this roster can outproduce the pitchers last season (Maybe Liriano over Dickey picks up a few wins)

With baseball it's about playing the odds over the full season. What's most likely to happen next season:

1. Our top two pitchers have a 35-6 record (85 winning %) OR that they regress
2. Estrada continues to dominate and even improve on his changeup OR his back injury and age catch up to him
3. All 5 starters stay healthy or 1-2 get injured for extended periods of time.
4. We find 2 free bullpen guys who put up insane #'s for the rest of the season completely turning their seasons around OR we pick up castoffs who continue to be castoffs
5. Biagini takes the next step forward OR returns to being a rule 5 guy/regresses a bit
6. We replace Cecil with a cheaper option who put up the same numbers as Cecil OR we have an issue filling the spot.

Of course anything CAN happen. However, it is going to take a lot of luck and good things for this team to make the playoffs.

1. Nailed it. Sanchez had injuries and won one game.
2. Nailed it. Back injury caught up to Estrada and he was terrible for parts of the season.
3. Nailed it. Injures decimated our starting rotation
4. Wrongish : Grilli was terrible, but Tepera and Barnes were great.
5. Nailed it. 3-13 5.34 ERA. Probably wasn't used properly but results are results.
6. Nailed it - Sorta. Joe Smith was traded mid season and J.P Howell was cut. Cecil wasn't great either though for St.L

Ugh, Wish I had been wrong about more

[Cheese]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

Since we are bringing up predictions, I want to bring up something I posted in the offseason (While being called a troll!)



1. Nailed it. Sanchez had injuries and won one game.
2. Nailed it. Back injury caught up to Estrada and he was terrible for parts of the season.
3. Nailed it. Injures decimated our starting rotation
4. Wrongish : Grilli was terrible, but Tepera and Barnes were great.
5. Nailed it. 3-13 5.34 ERA. Probably wasn't used properly but results are results.
6. Nailed it - Sorta. Joe Smith was traded mid season and J.P Howell was cut. Cecil wasn't great either though for St.L

Ugh, Wish I had been wrong about more

tough to be wrong when you call both heads and tails on a coin flip.

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by Cheese

tough to be wrong when you call both heads and tails on a coin flip.

No kidding. Thats like patting yourself on the back after saying "Blue jays will win if they play well, and lose if they don't" then saying see I nailed it.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

No kidding. Thats like patting yourself on the back after saying "Blue jays will win if they play well, and lose if they don't" then saying see I nailed it.

Clearly you didn't read the whole post: It's pretty obvious which I am predicting. The below 2 parts of the post make you think I am not predicting the negative outcome/warning about it being the more likely outcome.?

So it's impossible in my mind the argue the existing pitchers we have on this roster can outproduce the pitchers last season (Maybe Liriano over Dickey picks up a few wins)

Of course anything CAN happen. However, it is going to take a lot of luck and good things for this team to make the playoffs.

[Parallex]

Not strictly Blue Jays news... but former manager John Farrell was fired from his "dream job" by the Red Sox today. To which I say "good, John Farrell can suck it"

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Stro with a couple of not-so-subtle jabs at the SN crew on twitter tonight.

Marcus Stroman‏@MStrooo6
Yo, @jparencibia9! You get offered a job by sports media in Toronto yet!? I'm waiting and praying my man. Jobs to be replaced! #weneedit

Marcus Stroman‏@MStrooo6
Replying to @jparencibia9
That should change. We know the entire population of Canada wants it. Can't wait to have a home broadcast that defends its home players!

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Stro with a couple of not-so-subtle jabs at the SN crew on twitter tonight.

Marcus Stroman‏@MStrooo6
Yo, @jparencibia9! You get offered a job by sports media in Toronto yet!? I'm waiting and praying my man. Jobs to be replaced! #weneedit

Marcus Stroman‏@MStrooo6
Replying to @jparencibia9
That should change. We know the entire population of Canada wants it. Can't wait to have a home broadcast that defends its home players!

Pretty sure that's a jab at Buck and Pat when their mic was left on during Stro's white sox incident.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

Pretty sure that's a jab at Buck and Pat when their mic was left on during Stro's white sox incident.

Could also be at Zaun. He's never been a Stroman fan and will speak his mind.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

Pretty sure that's a jab at Buck and Pat when their mic was left on during Stro's white sox incident.

I never heard about this. What happened?

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Not strictly Blue Jays news... but former manager John Farrell was fired from his "dream job" by the Red Sox today. To which I say "good, John Farrell can suck it"

Sometimes it's the small victories.

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by Wild GM

I never heard about this. What happened?

http://awfulannouncing.com/local-net...n-hot-mic.html

[bluejays]

It's good to have personalities on teams, but I wish Stroman and guys like him would just sometimes STFU. While Pat and Buck aren't the best, or Zaun who tries to be controversial, having the home broadcast crew appear to be impartial is one of the best things about the Jays organization. Despite some annoying aspects to the later two, you can't say they aren't professional. Nothing is worse then hearing a homer like Joe Bowen butcher the Leafs broadcasts.

[Hockey Fan #751]

According to this site, the Blue Jays payroll was over $199 million this past season for fourth in the league. Is that true? That is way higher than I thought.

http://www.spotrac.com/mlb/payroll/

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Hockey Fan #751

According to this site, the Blue Jays payroll was over $199 million this past season for fourth in the league. Is that true? That is way higher than I thought.

http://www.spotrac.com/mlb/payroll/

Pretty sure the Jays werent on the hook for much of the $16+ million for Upton.

That lowers it down to below $185 million or so.