2023 Toronto Blue Jays Season Thread

[Karl]

I have significant doubts that this Jays team makes the playoffs. They don't have enough truly talented hitters to generate enough with the bat. I mean, it's Vladdy & Bo & maybe Whit but after that no one else you can truly rely on to hit enough meaningful baseballs.

[KelVarnsen]

The Varsho trade should cost Atkins his job. He isn’t worth the price the Jays paid. Not having a system that can develop pitchers should cost Shipiro his job.

[mrkajz44]

So much negativity...Jays are fine. I can understand not liking the Yankees come in and win 3 of 4, but this team is fine. They continue to play in one of the toughest divisions in baseball, but the softer schedule overall from years past should realistically allow the Jays to cruise to a wild card spot at worst.

Over the last 2 weeks they have the best ERA in MLB and are still hitting at above league average (103 wRC+) despite all of our "hitting woes".

[Roof-Daddy]

The Jays lead the league in defensive runs saved. That's probably a part of why the pitching has improved overall, despite Manoah's career trajectory taking a header off a cliff. So mission accomplished with the Teo/Gurriel/Varsho/Kiermaier switcheroo.

But for the offense, who would have predicted Springer would be -0.4 fWAR and 63 wRC+ almost two months into the season?

Also, who would have predicted Jansen and Kirk would both be under water offensively this far into the season?

Kirk has 0.1 fWAR (3.8 last season) and 93 wRC+ (129 last season)
Jansen has 0.1 fWAR (2.6 last season and 69 wRC+ (140 last season)

If those three get the bats going the Jays will be fine, if they don't it's going to continue to be a tough season.

[KelVarnsen]

They are still a deeply flawed team. And the flaws have been on full display the last couple of weeks. It’s getting harder and harder to watch them.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

They are still a deeply flawed team. And the flaws have been on full display the last couple of weeks. It’s getting harder and harder to watch them.

Take a breath man.
They are a good team that will compete the entire year. What's hard to watch about that?

[flamingred89]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

The Jays lead the league in defensive runs saved. That's probably a part of why the pitching has improved overall, despite Manoah's career trajectory taking a header off a cliff. So mission accomplished with the Teo/Gurriel/Varsho/Kiermaier switcheroo.

But for the offense, who would have predicted Springer would be -0.4 fWAR and 63 wRC+ almost two months into the season?

Also, who would have predicted Jansen and Kirk would both be under water offensively this far into the season?

Kirk has 0.1 fWAR (3.8 last season) and 93 wRC+ (129 last season)
Jansen has 0.1 fWAR (2.6 last season and 69 wRC+ (140 last season)

If those three get the bats going the Jays will be fine, if they don't it's going to continue to be a tough season.

Maybe not this drastic of a drop. But not all that surprising. He's an oft injured, athletic center fielder who has played a lot of ball in his career. He's on the wrong side of 30. These things tend to happen. He'll got hot for a bit and the numbers will correct. But he's likely going to be a replacement level player with some pop going forward.

[mrkajz44]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

They are still a deeply flawed team. And the flaws have been on full display the last couple of weeks. It’s getting harder and harder to watch them.

Ah yes, the deeply flawed team that is 7-5 in their last two weeks with two of those series against top 5(maybe not quite?) teams.

[ben voyonsdonc]

The echo of the field mic is annoying. Poor audio on Apple TV.

[ben voyonsdonc]

Nice play by Chappy! Seems like they fixed the audio issue

[KelVarnsen]

Is Mitch White in the dugout?

[ben voyonsdonc]

White was also there yesterday if I remember.

[flamingred89]

Ha. Mountcastle. Checks out.

[Beninho]

Teams can pitch Vlad even harder than previous years because Varsho is so ass. Randal Grichuk the second

[flamingred89]

So, like, I knew Chapman wasn't going to hit .400 all season. But why does he have to free fall back to .230?

Chapman also got screwed on the strike 3 call. Should be 2 on nobody out.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Just tuned in. 3-1? Ugh.

[Jason14h]

Such a bad offence right now . So painful

[flamingred89]

This season is really trending in a bad direction. If they can't comeback tonight they'll be 5-10 against the division. Including 1-8 in their last 9. Their record may still be decent, and the season young, but in this division you need to do way better against your peers.

[Jason14h]

The Varsho trade is going to end up being an all timer at this rate

[jayswin]

These announcers on apple sound like an AI attempt at calling a ball game. So rigid and odd sounding, very plain Jane comments.