2021 Blue Jays Season Thread

[Strange Brew]

"clutch" is an overrated thing in baseball IMO. For sure some players can rise to the occasion but runs are scored throughout the game too.

The Jays bullpen is awful and the offense, while good, isn't good enough to fully compensate. Bad bullpens aren't that unusual. Astros are in a similar boat, difference is their offense is elite and they can keep on scoring to make up for it.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Jays have lost the second most man games to injury in the MLB.
They have had the hardest schedule in the majors.
Their entire bullpen is or has been injured. Yates, Phelps, Romano, Borucki, Cole, Dolis, Bergen, Millone, everyone. It was a suspect pen to begin with, now they are filling roles with waiver wire cast offs. Anthony Castro is asked to face the heart of the Yankees order in a 1 run game, the guy had only pitched 1 single MLB inning before they picked him up off waivers.

Zeuch, Payamps, Saucedo, Castro, Mayza, Chatwood and Beasley were the 7 pitchers in last nights game.

Before this season Payamps, Saucedo, Castro and Beasley had a combined 8.1 MLB innings pitched. I get that at this time our options are limited but this cannot be the plan going forward if the team wants to be at all serious about contending for a playoff spot.

I don't really understand why the front office hasn't done more to address the bullpen issue. I get that we have no leverage as other teams know our need, but this can't be a wasted season.

[Kasi]

I’m not putting blame on Vlad. He’s been great in all situations. Clutch like I said (and the fangraphs site echoes as well) is a descriptive stat. It just means what we’ve done. Just because Boston has been great til now and we haven’t been doesn’t mean that will hold going forward. It does explain why we are not very good at come from behind wins despite having a good offense. I don’t see how people other than me and Karl don’t see this when the Jays in late and close games especially at home flail away constantly and seem to just go for home runs most of the time. Cal it unclutch or bad luck or sample size variation or whatever you want but the facts clearly show that for the first sixty plus games of this season when the Jays batters are in higher leverage situations they perform worse than when they are in lower leverage situations.

Now ofc I think the bullpen is the biggest issue, but I don’t think it’s the only issue with this team. Managing decisions have missed the mark a few times, hitting has been subpar at times and ofc injuries have been the biggest plague to this team.

[carmenshoes]

The team needs to go on a tear at some point, and this is the easiest part of our schedule to do it. But, if we split these 12 games, or something it won't be ideal.

It's time to play the LOLtimore Orioles.

[Roof-Daddy]

Haha

Baltimore OriLOLes

Hopefully the Jays don't pull a Flames and get Ottawa Senatored

[KelVarnsen]

This is why I hate bullpen games. Jays are going to be in their bullpen in the 3rd or 4th inning tonight. That’s a lot of innings to cover after pitching 6 innings last night.

[Enoch Root]

Only 1-0 to this point, so not disaster yet. But 50 pitches already for Ray after 2 innings, and cold bats so far with a depleted lineup.

They finally get to play the Orioles, but limp in to Baltimore.

[Karl]

You go Gurriel! 1-1.

[Roof-Daddy]

Another close game heading to the later innings. Yikes.

This does not bode well for us lol

[Roof-Daddy]

I really ####ing hate watching this team right now.

No matter what it always turns to #### lately.

[Enoch Root]

unbelievable - Robby Ray against an emergency callup for the worst team in baseball and we are going to lose, possibly badly

[nixon45]

This team is completely unwatchable now.

I need to take a week off caring about this team.

[Kasi]

Jays have never done wel against soft tossers I feel. Even back in the EE/Bautista/Donaldson days. Jays hitters should be able to get to this Baltimore pitching staff but they’re coming up zeros.

[flamingred89]

Getting 3 hit by a team that's pretty much trying to lose games might be rock bottom. I guess they can really only go up from here?

[Roof-Daddy]

lol my sports teams hate me and want me to be miserable

[Hockey]

Draftkings I stacked Jays 1-5 hitters cuz they were pretty much touted as best stack on the slate and looking at ownership % lots of other people did too. I ended up with 2 points between the 5 batters. Like seriously LOL

[flamingred89]

7 games back of Houston and 8.5 back of the RedSox for the wildcards. I don't even know how they fight their way back into this. They have 20 games to go until the all-star break. They'll need to go at least 14-6 and then they can decide if they'll be buyers or sellers at the deadline.

I really wish Atkins would address the media now. Try to explain what they're thinking or what the process is going to be going forward.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by flamingred89

7 games back of Houston and 8.5 back of the RedSox for the wildcards. I don't even know how they fight their way back into this. They have 20 games to go until the all-star break. They'll need to go at least 14-6 and then they can decide if they'll be buyers or sellers at the deadline.

I really wish Atkins would address the media now. Try to explain what they're thinking or what the process is going to be going forward.

As much as I'd like that, he can't give away his bargaining position or promise something he can't deliver. It's as obvious to him as it is to us what needs to be done. He's working it I'm sure.

[Dan02]

The As have a +30 run differential and are 17 games above .500
The Jays have a +37 run differential and are 2 games below .500.

Just one of those years so far.

[flames_fan_down_under]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1406319227603140609

At least it’s an arm for essentially someone who is very very low in our prospect depth chart.