2023 Toronto Blue Jays Season Thread

[jayswin]

Yeah, the revisionist history on AA is a little harsh. Most criticism omits that he was operating under Rogers when they were SUPER tight with the purse strings. They were an $8bil company treating the Jays like they were a small to medium market team, and AA was operating under that premise and still managed to finagle the team into something real.

He saw an opportunity to possibly sacrifice himself but push the team into contention and successfully did it. I really wish this team would have KEPT pushing after that playoff season. Instead we tried to go half in in 2016, it was so frustrating.

[jayswin]

Fans mock AA and that time period as if he lucked into things and was a bumbling idiot that didn't know how to properly manage, but ultimately he had a plan and pushed us into a crazy competitive window that had us as a contender, which 80% of teams never get to even experience. It was excellent work and a knowledge of when to push the chips in and how to sell it to a stupid shareholder company.

He did it excellently one year and then didn't get to push the chips further the next season, as Rogers took the success and millions of gate and tried to maximize revenue without going all in the next year. Unbelievable, but I guess not when you're owned by a publicly traded cable company.

[Roof-Daddy]

Next 7 games against the O's and Red Sox

Jays are 1-12 vs the O's and Red Sox with a -35 run differential

I am scared lol

[Jason14h]

AA has more World Series championships since leaving the Jays then the Jays have playoff wins

[flames_fan_down_under]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Yeah, the revisionist history on AA is a little harsh. Most criticism omits that he was operating under Rogers when they were SUPER tight with the purse strings. They were an $8bil company treating the Jays like they were a small to medium market team, and AA was operating under that premise and still managed to finagle the team into something real.

He saw an opportunity to possibly sacrifice himself but push the team into contention and successfully did it. I really wish this team would have KEPT pushing after that playoff season. Instead we tried to go half in in 2016, it was so frustrating.

I liked AA, loved a lot of his moves, but I think the money thing was largely driven by a very dated business strategy from Paul Beeston. Beeston was, from all accounts, a great guy and a guy who was loved within the baseball community and also, from all accounts, someone still living as if it was 1989 from a business perspective and this frustrated Rogers which is why they were trying to get rid of him in 2015. With Beeston at the helm from 2008 to 2014, the Jays valuation went from 353 million to 610 million, then we get to 2015 and we hear stories of Rogers trying to find a replacement for Beeston. Beeston was at the very least smart enough to see how talented AA was and put him in a position to succeed. Anyways in August of 2015, as we all know, Shapiro is brought in to replace Paul and since then Rogers is finally seeing their investment increase in valuation, from 870 million in 2015 to 2.1 billion in 2023. Accordingly the Jays budget has increased as well.

AA put together the best Jays team we have seen in a long time, that 2015 team in my mind should have won the WS. KC had luck on their side, Alcides Escobar turned into Ted Williams for a few games and a couple more breaks go their way, including neck beard guy in the bleachers turning a Moustakas double into a home run. Not sure I will ever get over that.

Shapiro and Atkins have put together a more consistent winner, however not a team that has reached the level of that 2015 team which was probably the most fun Jays team I have seen.

[Jiggy_12]

OK what's the next trade for the Jays?

I'm hoping its a swing for the fences move for a big hitter

[Jiggy]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

OK what's the next trade for the Jays?

I'm hoping its a swing for the fences move for a big hitter

Bring Teo back home!

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

OK what's the next trade for the Jays?

I'm hoping its a swing for the fences move for a big hitter

Goldschmidt? Since the Cardinals are selling

More realistically, how about Ha Seong Kim if the Padres are selling? One year left on his contract, can play 2B so that Whit can play LF and we can staple Varsho's ass the bench.

[KelVarnsen]

Biggio for Ohtani. Lets make it happen.

[ben voyonsdonc]

AA’s time with the Blue Jays has some similarities to Tre’s time with the Flames. They were both YOLO type GMs who were ambitious and willing to take a lot of risks. Neither of them could quite get the team over the hump but it wasn’t for a lack of trying.

Trading prospects in baseball is probably slightly less risky than draft picks in hockey because in baseball, you have some time to get to know the player and decide what their ceiling looks like while a draft pick has an unlimited ceiling.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Originally Posted by Jiggy

Bring Teo back home!

Agreed! Vladdy needs uncle Teo back, just for the vibes alone!

[howard_the_duck]

I'd like to see a better LH bat that can play up in the lineup.

If Alex Verdugo is on the market, as unlikely as it would be to see an inner-division trade, a player I'd love to see w/ the Jays.

Would they consider a cost-controlled but inferior player in Daulton Varsho as a piece in return?

[flames_fan_down_under]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

I'd like to see a better LH bat that can play up in the lineup.

If Alex Verdugo is on the market, as unlikely as it would be to see an inner-division trade, a player I'd love to see w/ the Jays.

Would they consider a cost-controlled but inferior player in Daulton Varsho as a piece in return?

Hahah, real Ryan Goins energy from Varsho.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by Jiggy

Bring Teo back home!

Forget that. He’s streaky. Even bringing him as a bench player wouldn’t work.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Yeah, the bullpens across the league aren't as good in recent years so this is a nice sudden luxury. Love that Hicks could set up Romano, which is what the plan should've been in the off-season (to get someone like that as a setup man). I don't have a complaint of the prospects given up in this case as it does seem to be par for the course for a guy like Hicks but holy hell, Atkins and Shapiro shouldn't ever have chastised Antholopolis about giving up prospects. These did exactly the same when push came to shove, only Alex got further.

I feel like when the rosters expand on September 1 to 28 players, the Jays will have a huge advantage given their six-man rotation (assuming Ryu's fine) and bullpen depth. This could hopefully get them through that really tough stretch at the end which I had always figured would cost them a playoff spot (final 18 games of the season are 4 vs. Texas then 14 against the AL East).

[Jiggy_12]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Goldschmidt? Since the Cardinals are selling

More realistically, how about Ha Seong Kim if the Padres are selling? One year left on his contract, can play 2B so that Whit can play LF and we can staple Varsho's ass the bench.

He'd be incredible.

also, Tim Anderson fits what this team needs.

[Roof-Daddy]

I could see the Jays trading for Pham

128 wRC+ right hand hitting outfielder

It's so crazy to me that not only did Varsho flop as a hitter with the Jays, but Springer also saw a solid drop off in production at the same time.

Jays need a 4th OFer that can hit, especially against lefties.

[KelVarnsen]

No Summer of George tonight

https://twitter.com/user/status/1686097091112697858

[868904]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Forget that. He’s streaky. Even bringing him as a bench player wouldn’t work.

He is streaky, but he also has a bit of a habit of coming up big in big situations. He was the Jays best hitter in the playoffs last year.

Of all the names being thrown out there as reasonable low cost acquisitions, Teo is the only one who could legitimately become an offensive threat in this lineup, because he still was just last year. All the other names just have platoon potential. Teo is the only name out there who could provide protection to Vladdy; I think it's more likely he comes back in and picks up where he left off last season. Plus, he might just spark Vladdy.

[Jiggy_12]

Teo wouldnt be in my top tier of choices, but from a fan fun standpoint, that would be a blast.

Also would have to think the M's price for Teo might be a little higher for the Jays than other teams considering how that trade worked out for them - and they are still chasing us in the Wildcard