2023/24 Blue Jays Off Season Thread

[bluejays]

I’ve heard in hockey when a team is borderline and you’re really not sure which direction to go in there’s a “show me” year. If the big bats bounce back they get a big contract and the team adds. If they don’t, rebuild/retool. This could be that year. I have little problem with that.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Originally Posted by Inferno

https://twitter.com/user/status/1739709068246421774

Gotta cash in on those sweet Jays fan base clicks before Bellinger inevitably signs somewhere else.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

The Jays tried to land a difference maker and he chose to go elsewhere.

The rest of what's left at the top of the FA pool want way more money than they are worth it seems.

Starting to look like this team is going to have to improve from within.

Let's not forget that the Jays won 89 games last season despite huge underperformances from Vladdy, Manoah and Kirk. Springer and Varsho left a lot on the table with the bats too.

But hey, still lots of off season left to improve the roster. I'm still baffled as to what they will do for 3B though.

If that's the path they take, Jays are in a world of trouble

They don't have the players to backfill at 3rd etc,

Jays last season had great pitching and poor offense

Will it be same, or will the pitching regress and the hitting improve

That would be my guess

Jays absolutely need to make a couple moves (i.e. likely trades), they have to add power

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by flambers

If that's the path they take, Jays are in a world of trouble

They don't have the players to backfill at 3rd etc,

Jays last season had great pitching and poor offense

Will it be same, or will the pitching regress and the hitting improve

That would be my guess

Jays absolutely need to make a couple moves (i.e. likely trades), they have to add power

I dont disagree, but truthfully, they were a pretty good team last year with certain guys not hitting for power like they could.

With KK back in the fold, the team is very likely gonna rely on P and team defense once more. If that brings success then who cares?

Honestly it looks to me like the team will ride or die with Vlad and Bo......which was always what was expected before last year.

Its a risk for sure but I also get it

[Roof-Daddy]

I'm still hoping they trade for a decent 3B with control that has some pop.

They really.need to sign a decent DH power bat though

[bluejays]

Vlad's average hasn't been as good to the start of his career, for a few seasons, and I'm sure much of that can be attributed to pitchers adjusting and exploiting. So even though I like others have criticized him, it's probably a little exaggerated with his terrible swings every now and then. His average is still up there though, comparative to others so that should be him going forward. He is what he is though and I don't think he's the HOF player we thought we were getting. Arguably he have a potential star with an upside. With so many empty spots to fill I don't know how they don't end up dealing him eventually. It may not be this year if they decide to fill in the roster with bounce back candidates, but even then it postpones the problem to next year. Batting depth and quality are the problem and you just won't get it on the FA market. They also can't afford to deal their best prospects so I really can't see how Vlad or Bo aren't dealt to recoup assets.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by flames_fan_down_under

Gotta cash in on those sweet Jays fan base clicks before Bellinger inevitably signs somewhere else.

I tried signing him on Out of the Park Baseball 24 and of course the Dodgers kept upping their offer until I didn't think it was worth it anymore.

[Caged Great]

I like this signing in that it will help the pitching staff continue to be good.

Fewer runs against usually means more wins.

Now the next two things that need to happen are

1) 2nd and 3rd baseman with power or average needs to be acquired. The jays need someone better than Chapman at 3B but he would do if they get a really good 2B.

2) need a good DH. As much as I like Janssen, they need more pop from the DH position overall.

If they get those three things in some decent combination, that will make them a contending team again.

If we see Schneider/Biggio/Espinal at 2B that won't do.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

I like this signing in that it will help the pitching staff continue to be good.

Fewer runs against usually means more wins.

Now the next two things that need to happen are

1) 2nd and 3rd baseman with power or average needs to be acquired. The jays need someone better than Chapman at 3B but he would do if they get a really good 2B.

2) need a good DH. As much as I like Janssen, they need more pop from the DH position overall.

If they get those three things in some decent combination, that will make them a contending team again.

If we see Schneider/Biggio/Espinal at 2B that won't do.

2b and catcher tend to be the most mediocre positions in baseball where a lot of teams settle for meh or call-up tryouts, where okay ends up being good enough. That said if you have a good player at any of those positions you seem to be in a good position to do well. I thought Espinal had the opportunity to be that guy but he dropped the ball last season. I thought the opposite of Biggio and he impressed bigtime toward the end of the year, probably more than any batter. All said, I’d like to give Biggio a legit look. He deserved it last year. Schneider and Espinal I’d put in a package for a 3rd baseman.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by transplant99

I dont disagree, but truthfully, they were a pretty good team last year with certain guys not hitting for power like they could.

With KK back in the fold, the team is very likely gonna rely on P and team defense once more. If that brings success then who cares?

Honestly it looks to me like the team will ride or die with Vlad and Bo......which was always what was expected before last year.

Its a risk for sure but I also get it

Its a risk for sure, Jays simply won't be a factor with this roster. Not in their division.

Jays GM, has really struggled to address the offense..

Not to mention from last season, gone are 3rd (Chapman), 2nd (Merrifield) and DH (Belt). None of these have been addressed.

[Hockey]

Now we sign Isiah Kiner- Felifa. Who is another player that brings no offense, but is solid in the field and can play anywhere

[bluejays]

Isiah Kiner-Falefa is apparently an infield piece. I'm a little puzzled, unless he's one of their bench pieces. I'd much rather a legit bounceback candidate like Tim Anderson. The Jays have enough mediocre fluff - would have been nice to have some guys with a level of upside. Falefa isn't too young, and his past batting numbers are meh.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Isiah Kiner-Falefa is apparently an infield piece. I'm a little puzzled, unless he's one of their bench pieces. I'd much rather a legit bounceback candidate like Tim Anderson. The Jays have enough mediocre fluff - would have been nice to have some guys with a level of upside. Falefa isn't too young, and his past batting numbers are meh.

Guessing a bench player, who can back up multiple positions.

[Roof-Daddy]

Heh.

This and the KK signing is the Jays telling Bellinger ad Chapman that they are asking for way too much money and term.

They have now solidified the defense once again, which should help prevent the pitching from regressing too much from what they were last season.

They still need to sign a big DH power bat, and will clearly need Vlad, Kirk, Springer, Varsho to be much better hitting this season than last.

[Roof-Daddy]

There is also still room to upgrade 3B via trade, and then IKF becomes a super utility, defense first bench player.

The other positive is that IKF won't block anyone, so if they don't upgrade at 3B and a young player comes into camp and forces his way into the line up they can still move IKF to the bench without any issue.

[Parallex]

... what does IKF do that Schneider, Biggio, Espinal don't already do?

Seems like a waste to me.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Parallex

... what does IKF do that Schneider, Biggio, Espinal don't already do?

Seems like a waste to me.

His defensive metrics at 3B are elite, so that's one thing he does that they don't.

My bet is Espinal is as good as gone now. Packaged up in a trade.

[Jiggy_12]

underwhelming in isolation. But this likely means Espinal is dealt which I would consider an upgrade if thats the case.

His defense is great. his bat is not good. He was precisely a 0.0 WAR player last year, so exactly replacement level. However he did have back to back 3 WAR seasons before that.

Late inning defensive replacement and some flexibility I guess?

If he's going to be our everyday 3B which could happen...we are in for some very boring, low scoring games like last year. this would help our pitching staff but leave a glaring hole in the lineup

[GreenLantern2814]

Remind me again why they fired Anthopolous…

[KelVarnsen]

Jays are betting big that Vladdy and Kirk are gonna be better next year.

If not, they’ll be losing a lot of games 3-0.