The Blue Jays: 2009 Season Thread

[Gozer]

"How valuable is Halladay, not just on-field but to the business of the Jays? Consider that for his five home starts this season, the Jays have averaged 34,002 fans. For the other 16 home games, they’ve averaged just 18,301. No other pitcher – not Clemens, David Wells, Dave Stieb or Pat Hentgen – has meant that much in terms of attendance.”
-Wilner's blog

[Ziggy Lidstrom]

Originally Posted by Gozer

"How valuable is Halladay, not just on-field but to the business of the Jays? Consider that for his five home starts this season, the Jays have averaged 34,002 fans. For the other 16 home games, they’ve averaged just 18,301. No other pitcher – not Clemens, David Wells, Dave Stieb or Pat Hentgen – has meant that much in terms of attendance.”
-Wilner's blog

Wow, not only is Halladay a horse but he's a cash cow too.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Gozer

"How valuable is Halladay, not just on-field but to the business of the Jays? Consider that for his five home starts this season, the Jays have averaged 34,002 fans. For the other 16 home games, they’ve averaged just 18,301. No other pitcher – not Clemens, David Wells, Dave Stieb or Pat Hentgen – has meant that much in terms of attendance.”
-Wilner's blog

Not to dismiss that Doc draws a few people in, but keep in mind that two of those starts are opening day which is usually a capacity crowd. Plus the other one was A.J. Burnett and the Yankees which arguably contributed to the draw as much as anything. So if you take out those two starts I think the average is still around 29,000 when he's on the hill which is a big increase. No doubt in terms of a starting pitcher, he's fantastic bang for the buck for what he gives on and off the field.

There isn't a player in Baseball who hasn't played a playoff game who's more deserving than Halladay. Although I imagine Moon will debate that.

[Ziggy Lidstrom]

Let moon bring it. Who better to see October ball than Doc? The only one I can think of is Suzuki. Has he ever been to the post-season? I doubt it. I think he made it his inaugural season, but since then nothing...

And yes the yanks always draw a bigger crowd.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

There isn't a player in Baseball who hasn't played a playoff game who's more deserving than Halladay. Although I imagine Moon will debate that.

Nah if Blue Jays fans want to give Doc that title it doesn't bother me.

[Machiavelli]

Wells, you can start producing.....any day now.

[flames_1987]

This has been one of the jays worst games of the year so far. Just a ton of innocent infield pop ups, one after another. Really wasting a gutsy performance by Tallet tonight

[Machiavelli]

Wells is so frustrating. Arrrrrrrrrrgggghhhh!!!

[Saint Troy]

Originally Posted by Machiavelli

Wells is so frustrating. Arrrrrrrrrrgggghhhh!!!

but he's a slow starter.........

Cripes Rios is ten times as clutch as Wells, but it's not his fault he's hitting fourth, it's been obvious for three years he shouldn't be hitting there. Luckily for him the Jays great start has overshadowed his struggles. Great job by Tallet saving the pen, he sure looked like he was on the ropes in the second. Oh well, go win the next two.

[phiten]

Tough loss, Wells needs to clutch up

[Machiavelli]

Originally Posted by Saint Troy

Cripes Rios is ten times as clutch as Wells, but it's not his fault he's hitting fourth, it's been obvious for three years he shouldn't be hitting there. Luckily for him the Jays great start has overshadowed his struggles. Great job by Tallet saving the pen, he sure looked like he was on the ropes in the second. Oh well, go win the next two.

Maybe that's part of the problem (which I guess isn't really a problem for the team if they're winning); not enough pressure on Wells.

Someone has to make this guy accountable to the public. He's getting paid a king's ransom and he's not contributing. The scrubs, for lack of a better word, rookies, and Lind have been carrying the team either offensively or on the pitching side of things.

Hardcore fans know that he's been worse than mediocre, but he better hope the Jays keep winning, because if they get in a rut, the media and the casual fans will start to get on his back.

[GirlySports]

Stoopid knuckleballs...

[Sylvanfan]

Well I think CaramonLS was right when he assessed the extension to Wells. Poor on base %, nothing outstanding for power and his defence is going downhill. 5 more years of this...fun.

[Ziggy Lidstrom]

Yeah, Cara seems like his cynicism was well founded, but he's bright so it doesn't supprise me. What does however, is that I had blue coloured tints on my lens through which I judged Wells. He is proving the naysayers right.

But allow me to offer this argument: With the heirarchy that was in the league at the time of the deal, it was plain to see the jays were at the bottom of it. The team and Riccardi were in danger of losing any home grown talent. They were running the risk of being unable to attract big ticket free agents. So, with these mitigating factors in play, Riccardi was forced to overpay for wells who was going to leave for Texas immediately following the conclusion of his deal. Wells was signed to that ridiculous contract to keep the team respectable from a league perspective. It allowed them to sign Ryan :-(, Burnett :-(, but also Doc to that extension.

That is my idea, but it doens't make Wells a better player, sigh. He is hopefully a slow starter, but I still trust him in Centre. I still believe he could steal 20 or more bases and that his obp can climb towards 380. Please, VW. Now we just need you to put us over the top.

[Gozer]

Wells' contract, at the time, was fair market value. The market has gone in the tank, c'est la vie. I'm happy with the combined productivity and salary from our 5 OFs.

[EN FUEGO]

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, Wells generally heats up in the summer........here are his career batting averages by month:

April: .262
May: .284
June: .300
July: .305
August: .281
Sept./Oct.: .270

The one exception was after the WBC in 2006, where he batted .396 in April. The theory was that he was "in the groove" from getting to play in the WBC. He also switched to a new type of contact lens. I'm more concerned with him getting that September/October average up this year....primarily the October one.

An interesting note (all-time):
In Jays wins: .324
In Jays losses: .237

[Gozer]

Those still aren't $25M numbers.

[Sylvanfan]

I've been swayed to think more along the lines of On Base and Slugging % verses a players batting average. Marco Scutaro hitting .275 with a .470 slugging percentage and .400 on base is doing the Jays more use than a guy who hits 300 with a 350 on base and 390 slugging would.

Rios and Wells both need to get their on base and slugging numbers up. At least a guy like Overbay is posting a .350 on base and close to .500 slugging. I can tolerate him batting 247 or whatever if those other numbers are there. But Wells .320 on base and like .430 slugging...no good.

[Gozer]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

I've been swayed to think more along the lines of On Base and Slugging % verses a players batting average. Marco Scutaro hitting .275 with a .470 slugging percentage and .400 on base is doing the Jays more use than a guy who hits 300 with a 350 on base and 390 slugging would.

Rios and Wells both need to get their on base and slugging numbers up. At least a guy like Overbay is posting a .350 on base and close to .500 slugging. I can tolerate him batting 247 or whatever if those other numbers are there. But Wells .320 on base and like .430 slugging...no good.

That's a slippery slope, soon you'll be touting VORP and other such foolishness!

[Gozer]

Clear sailing through one for Cecil, lets go Blue Jays!