2019 Blue Jays Season Thread

[flamingred89]

Originally Posted by Parallex

I just want them to sign some shorter term guys now so we can have some more competitive baseball in the interim.

These are my sentiments exactly. The core is there. The prospects are there. Spend a little money for now and see what happens. I believe this team is a couple pieces away from being 80-85 wins. And who knows, maybe that gets them into position to challenge for a wildcard game. Appease the fans, and players, and hopefully get them in position to contend in a few years.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

Realistically they need to finish bottom 3 for another 2 years.

If the Jays finish bottom three for the next two years that means that Vlad, Bo, Jansen, Biggio, and the rest of the young position players all fell on their face for two straight seasons...

A: I don't think that's going to happen
B: Nobody should want that to happen
C: It'd mean that in three years we'd be less likely to need an Ace (and would have an even harder time convincing one to sign).

YMMV but I'd rather see some a competitive window open up sooner then 2025 at the earliest. I want the 1st round pick this year to be the last pick in the single digits the Jays make for quite some time.

[Roof-Daddy]

Yeah, was going to say that the Jays better not be bad enough to finish that low for two more years. If they are it means the young core is not nearly good enough and the rebuild is already screwed.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Parallex

If the Jays finish bottom three for the next two years that means that Vlad, Bo, Jansen, Biggio, and the rest of the young position players all fell on their face for two straight seasons...

A: I don't think that's going to happen
B: Nobody should want that to happen
C: It'd mean that in three years we'd be less likely to need an Ace (and would have an even harder time convincing one to sign).

YMMV but I'd rather see some a competitive window open up sooner then 2025 at the earliest. I want the 1st round pick this year to be the last pick in the single digits the Jays make for quite some time.

How does anyone think this isn’t a bottom 5 team ? We have the worst OF and the worst SP in the league (OF ranked 28th last year)

The core isn’t there . We have 4 maybe 5 players who are above average on the team

Save the money (or eat bad contracts and get prospects) and keep acquiring talent

We are not remotely close

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Yeah, was going to say that the Jays better not be bad enough to finish that low for two more years. If they are it means the young core is not nearly good enough and the rebuild is already screwed.

The young core is 4-5 guys For next year ...

What teams do you think the Jays will be better then next year ?

Det , KC and Balt in AL. Miami in NL ...

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

The young core is 4-5 guys For next year ...

What teams do you think the Jays will be better then next year ?

Det , KC and Balt in AL. Miami in NL ...

The Jays offense was top half of the league from July on last year IIRC, and the young position players should get better collectively.

The group of pitchers is very young and unpredictable with lots of upside. They might flop totally and end up in the basement, but even still you said they are 3 years from needing an ace and should be bottom 3 for two more years.

That's too long, they should be better than that or they're in trouble.

[Jason14h]

No they are in trouble if they are better. Worst thing is to finish about 12-15 the next 2 years!

Finish bottom 5 and build the talent

[flames_fan_down_under]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Well... Strasberg & Cole were never gonna sign with Toronto (I'd have liked Wheeler thou). But I think the most appropriate time to spend a big stack on a free agent pitcher is (hopefully) after Pearson arrives so not next season but the season after. I think you get a home grown #1 and then blow a stack signing a 2nd #1 level pitcher. In the meantime I think the Jays should make a pitch to Vlad Jr. on a extension. Lock him up for the rest of his pre-arb/arbitration eligible years and a few free agent years thereafter (and hopefully do the same for Bo next offseason). It's a bit of a risk but if they do that now they can have some extra payroll and hopefully extend the next window for a few years longer.

I just want them to sign some shorter term guys now so we can have some more competitive baseball in the interim.

I was never expecting either of those players to sign with the Jays. I am right in line with you thinking a Ryu or Keuchel would supplement the pitching roster well. I agree that a team that is winning 80 or so games is a lot more fun to watch, so I hope Atkins actually signs some players that are worth watching.

To comment on what Jason14th is saying I don't necessarily disagree with him that as it stands this team is not good. It's actually very bad. Biggio Vlad and Bo are great young players that the management needs to supplement with free agent talent or trade for better players. But because so many teams are being bad on purpose then its probably a good time to be good on purpose. So sign some good players!

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

The group of pitchers is very young and unpredictable with lots of upside.

Well...

Anderson (not young, no upside...is what he is)

Shoemaker (not young, no upside...is what he is)

All potential UFA adds (not young no upside...are what they are)

Zeuch/Waguespack/Borucki... yes they are young, I wouldn't say they have a lot of upside back of the rotation/6th man/Long-relief types are how I see them. Teams need those guys but still.

Kay... finally an MLB ready guy that's young and has mid-rotation upside IMO.


The young guys that have meaningful upside are still in the minors. Pearson (obviously... guy has Ace level stuff) is the closest, but after him we'll have to travel all the way down to Dunedin (where I think we'll see Manoah/Simeon Richardson/Pardinho who are likely at least two full years away to see some other guys with big upside (and consequently a lot of risk).

Agree with you on the rest of the post. The position players should collectively all get better with experience. The infield is set (minus 1st Base which is the easiest position to fill externally). Gurriel had his breakout so that covers LF, Grichuk is what he is and that's ok (so long as he plays CF... a guy who can adequately patrol Center, which he can, and has 30 HR power is welcome on my team). So sort out your remaining OF spot and that's it... everyday position players are set.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Well...

Anderson (not young, no upside...is what he is)

Shoemaker (not young, no upside...is what he is)

All potential UFA adds (not young no upside...are what they are)

Zeuch/Waguespack/Borucki... yes they are young, I wouldn't say they have a lot of upside back of the rotation/6th man/Long-relief types are how I see them. Teams need those guys but still.

Kay... finally an MLB ready guy that's young and has mid-rotation upside IMO.


The young guys that have meaningful upside are still in the minors. Pearson (obviously... guy has Ace level stuff) is the closest, but after him we'll have to travel all the way down to Dunedin (where I think we'll see Manoah/Simeon Richardson/Pardinho who are likely at least two full years away to see some other guys with big upside (and consequently a lot of risk).

Agree with you on the rest of the post. The position players should collectively all get better with experience. The infield is set (minus 1st Base which is the easiest position to fill externally). Gurriel had his breakout so that covers LF, Grichuk is what he is and that's ok (so long as he plays CF... a guy who can adequately patrol Center, which he can, and has 30 HR power is welcome on my team). So sort out your remaining OF spot and that's it... everyday position players are set.

Yeah, fair enough on the pitching, I got ahead of myself there thinking of Pearson, Kay, Borucki who are close, and then SWR, Manoah, Pardinho, Kloffenstien, Williams. There are also some under rated guys too like Murphy, Hatch, Murray and Winckowski.

Still, I don't expect this team to be a bottom feeder for 2-3 more years, that would be a disaster.

[flamingred89]

Reports of the Jays signing Tanner Roark. Not a bad pickup if true. Mid rotation starter capable of putting up 200 innings. It’s a start!

Edit.

Term just released. 2yrs 24million. Not bad dollars and term.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Originally Posted by flamingred89

Reports of the Jays signing Tanner Roark. Not a bad pickup if true. Mid rotation starter capable of putting up 200 innings. It’s a start!

Edit.

Term just released. 2yrs 24million. Not bad dollars and term.

Not a bad pick up at a very reasonable salary.

[Roof-Daddy]

Not an ace (no aces are signing here now), but a decent mid rotation innings eater.

Solid pick up IMO.

[Jiggy_12]

Had a WHIP of 1.40 last year, which isn’t great. But a badly needed warm arm for the rotation. Necessary, but unexciting signing.

[Roof-Daddy]

Apparently the Jays made a strong pitch to Lindblom, but he chose the Brewers.

Still "looking for one more starter at least"

Hopefully if they sign one more starter he is instantly the best starter they have haha

[Parallex]

Yay! A warm body who doesn't stink! I'm cool with it... now please go get Ryu/Kerchel.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Hopefully if they sign one more starter he is instantly the best starter they have haha

Which would make Tanner Roarks tenure as the best starter they have mercifully short.

[Roof-Daddy]

So right now the Jays have:

Roark
Shoemaker
Anderson

As the proven veteran starters, and a bunch of young and/or unproven guys battling it out for the last couple spots.

Thornton
Kay
Borucki
Waguespack
Merryweather
Pearson
Zeuch

Seeing as injuries always happen, one more proven MLB starter would be a great addition for sure, and like Parallex says, hopefully he's a top end rotation guy.

[bluejays]

Undoubtedly they have the worst OF in the league. To me though, that's definitely easy to address in free agency when the time is right. In the meantime until they're ready to compete I don't mind the playing of random guys there to see if it works out for one of them. Next season they're going nowhere. Beyond next season that's where they have to be careful not to lose the confidence of the young developing guys. I really hope they can make a good SP signing or two. That is very badly needed for the team to compete with confidence and could hurt the team's development if they don't accomplish that this offseason.

[flamingred89]

In regards to the OF, I hear Jose Bautista is still available and wanting to play next year...

With the signing of Roark today I just wanted to lay out what the Roster is shaping up to look like next year. I put the players rumoured in red to see how that plays out.

C: Jansen
1B: ??? (Tsutsugo)
2B: Biggio
SS: Bichette
3B: Guerrero
LF: Gurriel
C: Grichuk
RF: ??? (Calhoun?)
DH: ??? (Smoak or EE?)

Bench: Drury, Hernandez, Mcgwire, ???

Starters
1: ??? (Keuchel)
2: Roark
3: Shoemaker
4: Kay
5: Thornton

Closer: Giles.

Relief: No point trying to figure this out at the moment. But Bass, Font, and Tepera? will be there.

All things considered, and if the Core takes a step forward, thats not an altogether bad roster. They'd have a ceiling of a wild card but cant see them being a 67 win team again.