2022 Blue Jays Off-Season Thread

[browna]

Yes Rogers Centre has certainly aged better then Olympic Stadium (not a surpised given the larger picture criminal mismanagment of Montreal 1976 funds) in its first 30 years.
Sounds like a new clubhouse and internals and my guess is seating changes to make it more premium in some 100 level.
Given location in Toronto and everything else, makes sense, and it's now basically a baseball only stadium.

Assuming it's some close variation of the field turf I'm used to, yes, it's about a 1.5" thick rubbery surface, and I assume MLB parks probably have even better stuff if it exists. Gone are the days of a 3cm layer of green carpet on cement that were in 1/4 of MLB parks 25 years ago.

[bluejays]

While COVID won’t go on forever I do wonder about the lasting effects of it from a concert perspective where there’s now some comfort expectation of not being shoulder to shoulder anymore. If Rogers is factoring that in to their decision making, they may be figuring the Dome becomes a good venue again for mega concerts as it does allow the artist larger audiences than the ACC, while also allowing for some spreading. Just a thought.

What’s also interesting is Shapiro’s comments about how the new stadium will probably be in Rogers Centre’s existing space. How logistically that looks in ten years when this conversation arises again, who knows? Would the Jays allow the team to play in Montreal for a couple seasons while Rogers Centre is demolished and the new one is built?

[Roof-Daddy]

Pete walker apparently arrested on a DUI charge

How does this still happen in this day and age? How ####ing hard is it to not drink and ####ing drive?!?!?!

####ing moron (if true)

[Roof-Daddy]

Not only DUI but going 130km/hr in a 70km/hr zone

What an idiot

[bluejays]

It’s not an excuse but more an explanation. Pro athletes go out and drink and party way more than the average person. It’s wrong to do what he did but they definitely live a faster life. How many players have accidents in their native countries each year? They totally should know to take a cab but when they’re overconfident in their abilities I guess this sort of thing will continue to happen no matter what.

[Strange Brew]

I find it incredibly disappointing that type of transgression gets completely forgotten and unpunished by pro sports league as it compares to other types of misbehavior. Tony Larissa come on down.

F*** people that get behind the wheel drunk.

This guy will be able to perform his job with no other punishment than what is handed out by the justice system. Meanwhile the angry mob makes damn sure a kid who exhibited some admittedly horrific bullying behavior when he was about 14 is blackballled for life from the NHL.

[Da_Chief]

La Russa and Walker both should be given their pink slips. No excuses.

Which 14 year old are you referring to? the one Coyotes drafted, Mitchell Miller? That pos never apologized to his victim, Meyer-Crothers, but made sure he sent apology letters to NHL teams so he can get drafted. Nope he needs to stay cancelled but of course he's playing in USHL.

[TheoFleury]

Drinking and driving is such bull####. First offense should be 90 days in jail minimum and a $10,000 fine, and scale up from there. #### those losers

[calculoso]

Originally Posted by TheoFleury

Drinking and driving is such bull####. First offense should be 90 days in jail minimum and a $10,000 fine, and scale up from there. #### those losers

This is so over the top ridiculous. The punishment has to fit the crime. Lose driver’s license for 90 days? That could be reasonable. 90 days in jail? Give me a break.

Certainly not condoning drinking and driving… far from it. Let’s be realistic though.

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by calculoso

This is so over the top ridiculous. The punishment has to fit the crime. Lose driver’s license for 90 days? That could be reasonable. 90 days in jail? Give me a break.

Certainly not condoning drinking and driving… far from it. Let’s be realistic though.

Disagree. When do you get punished? When you hurt or kill someone?

I can guarantee you this wasn't the first time Walker was drinking and driving, this was the first time he got caught. If it's just a slap on the wrist the pattern will definitely continue. Get these idiots off the road.

[Julio]

Originally Posted by fleury

Surprised nobody is talking about the Rogers Centre being the home for at least the next 10-15 years.

As much as I'd like to have another place, to build another one so quickly is just wasteful, so from an environmental perspective, I'm on board.

I think what we're going to see given today's talk about renovations will be several things - some previously discussed by Shapiro and some new. Complete guesses for some but here goes:

• Reorientation of the field - home plate where third is now to make the field non-symmetrical
• New seating for the full 100-levels facing the action, more comfortable, more spacing
• Box seating in the 100-levels
• Fanzone of some sort in the 100-levels

Wouldn't surprise me at all if they end up squeezing 20 years out of it. Should be really really interesting.

I'd be very surprised a a field reorientation, given the money they are spending on a new video board that would at the very least have to be relocated if they did that.
I do believe they will totally revamp the 100 level seating, including more 'premium spaces'. All the seats in the 1st 20 rows between 3rd and 1st will probably be some sort of club seating/box seating.
Outside of the work on the 100 level, and expanding the clubhouses/training facilities (maybe using all the space the Argos used to use?), I can see them having a bit more of the 'gathering spaces' that are popular right now, and which they have done with the Westjet Flight Deck. They have shut down the restaurant above the Flight Deck, so something will probably happen there.
Natural grass wont be happening. The Jays have already said that between the cost, the advances in artificial turf, and that more teams (such as the Diamondbacks) are actually moving from natural grass, it's not in their plans. They just installed a new turf field last year:
https://sportsfieldmanagementonline....f-field/12869/

[TheoFleury]

Originally Posted by calculoso

This is so over the top ridiculous. The punishment has to fit the crime. Lose driver’s license for 90 days? That could be reasonable. 90 days in jail? Give me a break.

Certainly not condoning drinking and driving… far from it. Let’s be realistic though.

#### 'em. They are selfish ass holes at best and sociopaths at worst. Lock em up and freeze their assets too. Three strikes and you're out. 2nd time should be 6 months in jail and $25000 fine. 3rd time exile or death

[BlackRedGold25]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

La Russa and Walker both should be given their pink slips. No excuses.

Which 14 year old are you referring to? the one Coyotes drafted, Mitchell Miller? That pos never apologized to his victim, Meyer-Crothers, but made sure he sent apology letters to NHL teams so he can get drafted. Nope he needs to stay cancelled but of course he's playing in USHL.

That's a lie. He was mandated by the court to do it. If he hadn't done it, he would have been punished further.

The victim's mother is a crazy Karen who has a history of vendettas against people she's doesn't like.

[Samonadreau]

I would assume it's either extensive rehab or walking the plank for Pete Walker.

[Cheese]

Blue Jays assign 15 players to Minor League Spring Training


C/RP Hagen Danner
P Bowden Francis
RP Thomas Hatch
INF Leonardo Jimenez
P Anthony Kay
INF Otto Lopez
C Gabriel Moreno
OF Josh Palacios
Reassigned:
C/OF Chris Bec
P Max Castillo
RP Adrian Hernandez
P Casey Lawrence
SS Orelvis Martinez
RP Fitz Stadler
OF Chavez Young

[flames_fan_down_under]

Palacios had a great spring but that Jays OF is basically set with Gurriel, Tapia, Springer and Hernandez. Hope he can keep improving his game in AAA.

Orelvis definitely had a good spring, and validated a lot of the early hype about him. Pretty exciting.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Not sure if anyone has posted this yet but it's MLB.com's updated top 30 prospect list for the Blue Jays. Definitely a lot of new names on there that I have never heard of. Names that stood out:

#6: 19 year old Ricky Tiedemann. A 6' 5" lefty who hit the Jays development complex and got his fastball touching 96 MPH.

After not having much of a detailed strength or throwing program prior to the Draft, Tiedemann took off once the Blue Jays got him into their new player development complex. The lefty added more muscle to his 6-foot-4 frame and his velocity ticked up from the 93-94 range pre-draft, now sitting at 95-96 mph and reaching higher.

#9: 17 year old SS Manuel Beltre.

Many within the organization view Beltre as a potential “culture driver” given his natural leadership abilities and charismatic personality at such a young age. He pairs this with advanced fundamentals across the board.

#10: 19 year old Irv Carter. 6' 4" right handed pitcher who also hit the Jays complex and started adding velocity and hit 96 MPH with his fastball.

Carter is the exact type of pitcher that player development staffs love to work with, both because of his physical build and his eagerness to improve. His next steps will be managing a full season’s workload, both physically and mentally, but Carter represents one of the higher-upside arms in the system long-term.

#15: Bowden Francis. A pitcher that came from Milwaukee in the Tellez deal along with Trevor Richards. A 25 year old who will probably see some time on the major league roster this year. Not really electric stuff but a name to keep an eye on as he will be a depth arm.

https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/bl...2022-preseason

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Dexter Fowler?

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/...er-fowler.html

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Dexter Fowler?

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/...er-fowler.html

Pretty risk adverse signing and with the history of the existing OF's and injuries, pretty decent fill in if he can get his timing back.

Depth....gonna need it.

[bluejays]

Haven’t heard of him for awhile but he was really good for that short period. No complaints from me that’s for sure.