2015 Blue Jays Regular Season Thread

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Holy crap is he good.

[Tyler]

Great seeing someone who knows this team needs to continue to improve instead of being giddy about winning a game and still being last place in the AL East for a change

[Trojan97]

That trade looked like a steal the day it was made and it just continues to get better and better. AA gets alot of flack but he deserves a ton of credit for getting that deal done. Donaldson is a fantastic all-around ballplayer.

[puffnstuff]

Brett who?

[Lil Pedro]

Hopefully that walk off win was the kick start this team needs. Also, Dickey is awful, I have no idea how he was the Cy Young winner a few years ago; he looks like a glorified BP thrower

[nieuwy-89]

Was at the game tonight- my first Jays game in person. What a great win and exciting game. The pitching was suspect on both sides and I thought the Jays were sloppy defensively. But the big hitters showed up tonight when needed. I always liked Donaldson on the A's and was excited when the Jays got him. Tonight he showed that he is a clutch performer and the passionate kind of guy you need to have a winning team.

As a side note I thought Rogers Centre is still holding up well although the concourses are a bit dated. The crowd was sparse and very "hot and cold" - cheering for good plays but boo'd Dickey and every time the Jays made a mistake. Not the best atmosphere for building that important fan-player connection like the Flames had this year. And holy cow $11 for beer!

Another thing I noticed about Rogers Centre is the fans seem very far away from the action. The stands are set further back from the field than in other MLB stadiums I have been to. Combined with the "hugeness" of the facility it makes it feel like the fans are separated from the play. Anyone else notice this?

[habernac]

Originally Posted by Lil Pedro

Hopefully that walk off win was the kick start this team needs. Also, Dickey is awful, I have no idea how he was the Cy Young winner a few years ago; he looks like a glorified BP thrower

That's my nickname for him. Batting Practice Dickey. Just horrible.

I tune in to see Donaldson. Knew he was going to win it in the 9th last night, too.

[KelVarnsen]

Martin is playing 2B.

[KelVarnsen]

Yep still like Donaldson.

[MyFlamesFirst]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

Yep still like Donaldson.

Damn is this guy ever clutch!

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by nieuwy-89

Another thing I noticed about Rogers Centre is the fans seem very far away from the action. The stands are set further back from the field than in other MLB stadiums I have been to. Combined with the "hugeness" of the facility it makes it feel like the fans are separated from the play. Anyone else notice this?

The perils of a multi-use facility.

It isn't bad when the place is full. You are still far away but with a full stadium it doesn't feel as far away. Empty seats really seem to add to the cavernous feeling.

Oakland County Coliseum felt that way when I was there too. I also saw the Padres play in Jack Murphy Stadium (still home of the Chargers) and that one was better, but it may just have been that I was sitting in a section that made it feel better (or that I had seen a game in Oakland a week before, which felt further away).

I haven't seen a game in a "designed for baseball" MLB stadium.

[Jbo]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

The perils of a multi-use facility.

It isn't bad when the place is full. You are still far away but with a full stadium it doesn't feel as far away. Empty seats really seem to add to the cavernous feeling.

Oakland County Coliseum felt that way when I was there too. I also saw the Padres play in Jack Murphy Stadium (still home of the Chargers) and that one was better, but it may just have been that I was sitting in a section that made it feel better (or that I had seen a game in Oakland a week before, which felt further away).

I haven't seen a game in a "designed for baseball" MLB stadium.

I think every baseball fan owes it to themself to see a game at Yankee stadium

[Tyler]

Really liked PNC Park. Marlin's stadium was so kitzchy it was funny. Fenway was historic but really small and cramped. New Yankee Stadium had no feel to it and felt souless.

I had a great time at a sold out summer game with Rogers Centre roof open looking up at the CN Tower. I still think people like to crap on the RC just because of its name and that there's a lot of concrete. It's perfectly fine and the Jays have actually put a lot of money into it to make it decent.

Grass will be a game changer.

[zukes]

I feel for Osuna, guy comes in in extras and has to be on fumes by now. Hopefully we can get Donaldson up in the bottom of the 10th too.

[Caged Great]

The next 9 games are all again top end teams.

That'll be fun.

2-7?

[Pagal4321]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

The next 9 games are all again top end teams.

That'll be fun.

2-7?

If you've learned anything from being a Blue Jays fan they will probably go 7-2 in those games and then go 0-9 on their next set of games against bottom dwelling teams.

[SuperMatt18]

They need to make some shrewd moves but I think you can turn this around quicker than we think.

Can they build around Donalson, Martin, and the young arms and become a contender? I think so.

People to Keep (Position):
Donaldson
Martin
Travis
Pillar
Encarnacion

People to Keep (Pitchers):
Sanchez
Estrada
Norris
Hutchinson
Stroman

The question is now for Bautista, Dickey, Behurle, Reyes, and Navarro can you get prospects of value to help you in the next 2-3 years. Maybe Valencia and Colabello stay hot and the can fetch a return at the deadline.

[Harry Lime]

Matt, add to your list the prospects that I think should be a part of a rebuild (retool):

Jeff Hoffman
Dalton Pompey
Max Pentecost
Richard Urena
Anthony Alford

I might swap out Castro and/or Osuna in place of Estrada in your pitching catagory, and in my mind Bautista and EE are interchangeable as the one that will draw the biggest return. Otherwise, totally agree. This franchise can be turned around in a hurry if there is a will to do it. The upside of the young players is better than it has ever been in my time of watching the Jays.

Some contracts are immovable like Behurle and Reyes, but they aren't a crippling determent on the field either, so that's fine. A rebuilt Jays team could contend in a matter of a couple of years.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Matt, add to your list the prospects that I think should be a part of a rebuild (retool):

Jeff Hoffman
Dalton Pompey
Max Pentecost
Richard Urena
Anthony Alford

I might swap out Castro and/or Osuna in place of Estrada in your pitching catagory, and in my mind Bautista and EE are interchangeable as the one that will draw the biggest return. Otherwise, totally agree. This franchise can be turned around in a hurry if there is a will to do it. The upside of the young players is better than it has ever been in my time of watching the Jays.

Some contracts are immovable like Behurle and Reyes, but they aren't a crippling determent on the field either, so that's fine. A rebuilt Jays team could contend in a matter of a couple of years.

Yeah was staying away from any bullpen or prospects and trying to focus more on the bigger names or players that have pitched in the rotation this year.

They have some pieces, they have some prospects, they just need to work towards building better team balance.

Originally I had Bautista and Encarnacion as interchangeable, but I feel like if you really want to change the culture of this team and have Donaldson and Martin take over as the clubhouse leaders then Bautista needs to be the one to go.

[Tyler]

Bautista most assuredly needs to go. And I love Bautista.