2014 Blue Jays Regular Season Thread

[dino7c]

meaningful baseball? they are the worst team in the division this month and have a terrible record other than that may run. I would bet money they finish under .500

sad really when that is considered a good year

[Tyler]

Thanks all for being so pedantic over 16 years vs. 20 years. Jesus.

We are/were deep in the WildCard race in August. I'm sorry if you disagree, but that's meaningful baseball

[Senator Clay Davis]

But isn't being "deep in the wildcard" more of a byproduct of the extra wild card spot? Without it the Jays would be further out of the wild card behind Anaheim than they would be the division behind Baltimore. I mean Tampa Bay is still in the playoff hunt with a sub .500 record after trading their best pitcher. They are playing meaningful baseball basically by accident.

[Sylvanfan]

^^^
If it wasn't for the second wild card it would be shaping up to be a pretty lousy September in the American League as the only playoff spot in question could be the AL Central between Detroit and KC, and who would get the West or Wild Card with Oakland and Anaheim.

I don't know if I understand everyone crapping on Dickey either. Sure he hasn't been a Cy Young guy, but he's still throwing decent innings, and has a sub 4 ERA. His run support has been terrible, and his Manager is the one who always seems to leave him in two hitters too long. Buerhle has been awful since the start of July and I don't hear anyone getting on his case. Hutchinson has been terribly inconsistent with more bad than good lately. J.A. Haap is mediocre, and people have forgotten who Brandon Morrow is despite him collecting 8 million dollars. Had Dickey hit the market as a free agent he'd be getting paid what Buerhle is instead of his current 12 million.

Of all the Jays veteran pitchers, I'm sure Dickey would be an easy one to move.

[Tyler]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

But isn't being "deep in the wildcard" more of a byproduct of the extra wild card spot? Without it the Jays would be further out of the wild card behind Anaheim than they would be the division behind Baltimore. I mean Tampa Bay is still in the playoff hunt with a sub .500 record after trading their best pitcher. They are playing meaningful baseball basically by accident.

So are you saying that they're not in a wildcard race because you don't think it's as valid now because there's an extra spot available?

That's a bit silly.

If the NHL went from 16 to 18 teams making the playoffs and we finished a point out of the playoffs, would you not think that we were in a playoff race?

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by Tyler

So are you saying that they're not in a wildcard race because you don't think it's as valid now because there's an extra spot available?

That's a bit silly.

If the NHL went from 16 to 18 teams making the playoffs and we finished a point out of the playoffs, would you not think that we were in a playoff race?

The Flames, even with only 16 teams, technically played meaningful games deep into March as they were not eliminated from contention. Good luck convincing most Flames fans they were playing meaningful hockey at that point.

Basically I'm saying the Jays aren't very good, and well below Oakland, Anaheim and Baltimore (and with the Central winner, would be the 4 playoff teams in the past), but are technically playing meaningful baseball because of the second wildcard. The games are meaningful, but that has more to do with an extra spot being available than the Blue Jays being a good, playoff team. The Rays are still in it at 3 games below .500 and frankly I like their chances of getting the spot more than the Jays as they have pitching and are battle tested. But I doubt you'd find too many Rays fans excitied to still be "in it".

[KidCanada]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

The Flames, even with only 16 teams, technically played meaningful games deep into March as they were not eliminated from contention. Good luck convincing most Flames fans they were playing meaningful hockey at that point.

Basically I'm saying the Jays aren't very good, and well below Oakland, Anaheim and Baltimore (and with the Central winner, would be the 4 playoff teams in the past), but are technically playing meaningful baseball because of the second wildcard. The games are meaningful, but that has more to do with an extra spot being available than the Blue Jays being a good, playoff team. The Rays are still in it at 3 games below .500 and frankly I like their chances of getting the spot more than the Jays as they have pitching and are battle tested. But I doubt you'd find too many Rays fans excitied to still be "in it".

The Jays are the first spot out of the wildcard right now. I understand the pessimism, but they are playing much more meaningful games than the flames were late in the season. There is no one for them to leapfrog but the wildcard teams in front of them. Is it possible they get passed by TBay or NY? Absolutely, and it very well could happen. But for now they are still playing extremely important games, and are 1 or 2 series wins away from being right there.

[GirlySports]

games in 1998 were actually meaningful in late september. If a few games went in a different direction they would have snuck in and done some damage with that pitching staff.

It's August 13th and this team is dead. And even if they miraculously snuck in, do we have any confidence they'll make any noise?

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

It's August 13th and this team is dead. And even if they miraculously snuck in, do we have any confidence they'll make any noise?

If this team sneaks in, it'll be because they're hitting like they were in May. That team could make a lot of noise.

[Pagal4321]

My god this thread has turned into one of the more depressing threads on CP.

[Antithesis]

Seattle series certainly was disappointing. Jays have to play some really good baseball the rest of the way to get that second wild card, and if they do, anything can happen in just one game. At any rate, this season has been far more enjoyable than the "out by the end of April" that we got to 'enjoy' last year.

[Tyler]

Hear hear! Change of attitude ladies and gents - Edwin is back today. Let's hope for some more of this!

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

^^^
If it wasn't for the second wild card it would be shaping up to be a pretty lousy September in the American League as the only playoff spot in question could be the AL Central between Detroit and KC, and who would get the West or Wild Card with Oakland and Anaheim.

I don't know if I understand everyone crapping on Dickey either. Sure he hasn't been a Cy Young guy, but he's still throwing decent innings, and has a sub 4 ERA. His run support has been terrible, and his Manager is the one who always seems to leave him in two hitters too long. Buerhle has been awful since the start of July and I don't hear anyone getting on his case. Hutchinson has been terribly inconsistent with more bad than good lately. J.A. Haap is mediocre, and people have forgotten who Brandon Morrow is despite him collecting 8 million dollars. Had Dickey hit the market as a free agent he'd be getting paid what Buerhle is instead of his current 12 million.

Of all the Jays veteran pitchers, I'm sure Dickey would be an easy one to move.

The AL West race is pretty close too. Seattle is 6 games behind Oakland I believe. But you are right, without the 2nd wild card spot, the rest of the year would be pretty boring. Best thing the MLB has done.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

If this team sneaks in, it'll be because they're hitting like they were in May. That team could make a lot of noise.

Yeah, that's pretty much it. To make the playoffs at this point the Jays basically have to do what they did in May. There's no margin for error.

What a waste of a great start.

[KelVarnsen]

EE is back and Gose sent down to make room on the roster.

Why wasn't it Francisco?

[troutman]

Need to go 26-14 to have better than a 50/50 chance of making playoffs.

http://www.sportsclubstats.com/MLB/A.../BlueJays.html

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

EE is back and Gose sent down to make room on the roster.

Why wasn't it Francisco?

Gose has options and Francisco doesn't.

[KelVarnsen]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Gose has options and Francisco doesn't.

I get that but Francisco is terrible and I want him gone.

[KelVarnsen]

Sigh.

[Skaloper]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

Sigh.

Game is long from over.

2 innings and 9 runs