2023 Toronto Blue Jays Season Thread

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by Underdog

I find the whole "not very likeable" narrative is kinda weird. These guys all seem to be good people that like each other and don't rock the boat and I'm ok with that. Much more likeable than jerks like Donaldson, or showboats like Bautista or lazy players like Teo in my eyes.

It's not "weird". The team doesn't have much of an identity from not putting together a set of streaks this year, or overcoming some huge adversity. They're just humming through. Manoah was frustrating and was being an entitled little boy. Until the past day where the narrative came about Vlad's mom being sick, there was no context to why he was so non-chalant. That's your franchise identity and while it makes sense now, nobody knew it and it's been felt as the face of the franchise. Kirk's been bad most of the year as has Chapman aside from the hot hot start. Varsho just hasn't put it together on offense.


Aside from Manoah, none of these guys are hateable (and I wouldn't call Manoah that either). But if the team has had a mediocre identity for not overcoming obstacles, like large injuries, or have not put together large stretches of wins, what exactly makes this team (and I say team as a whole), loveable? There was nothing wrong with Bautista. The other two I could see the dislike for. There just hasn't been much of a rallying cry this year from a fan perspective to get out of your seat. 89 wins shows that too.

[browna]

^
Understood, but the playoffs, now that they've stumbled across the line to make them, will give the media another opportunity to generate and or showcase some storylines and from that, said identity and likeability....certainly if they get past Round 1.

Related, with more casual fans jumping on a bandwagon, that too will get the team more attention, again, especially if they get through Round 1 and make a series of R2. And, the US networks always seem to be better at crafting those stories then SNet or any regional broadcasters.

Will miss Shulman calling the Jays though.

[ben voyonsdonc]

Originally Posted by browna

^
Understood, but the playoffs, now that they've stumbled across the line to make them, will give the media another opportunity to generate and or showcase some storylines and from that, said identity and likeability....certainly if they get past Round 1.

Related, with more casual fans jumping on a bandwagon, that too will get the team more attention, again, especially if they get through Round 1 and make a series of R2. And, the US networks always seem to be better at crafting those stories then SNet or any regional broadcasters.

Will miss Shulman calling the Jays though.

I believe Sportsnet has the rights to the games so Shulman will be calling all of the Jays games.

[Enoch Root]

Some talk in here that the Jays shouldn't have celebrated making the playoffs. Because they didn't perform as well as you think they should have? How entitled can you be?

They play the regular season to make the playoffs. They did. Time to celebrate. Full stop. Some of these guys have never made the playoffs before. Some will never make it again.

But they shouldn't celebrate, because they didn't meet YOUR expectations this year. LOL.

[flamingred89]

Well. Already told work I'm flexing my days Tues-Thurs. Going to pick up a flat of Establishment beer and have myself a time. So stoked!

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Kidder

The recent Belt comments about noise. Vladdy being subdued.

What was Belt's comments about noise?

[Kidder]

Originally Posted by jayswin

What was Belt's comments about noise?

https://www.thestar.com/sports/blue-...66d2c.amp.html

[jayswin]

Oh my god, what a non story, lol. Brutal. It's a player asking for fans to be loud and some lame die hards taking exception. This is such a new age, social media story. Find a smattering of people that don't like something and blow it up into a major story. I hate that stuff so much. We need to be better than this as social media takes over proper discourse and reporting.

Lazy.

First baseman Brandon Belt urged fans to make noise at Rogers Centre, with the team on the brink of clinching a playoff berth in the last week of the season.

“We need the fans to be loud. These are important games for us,” Belt said before Wednesday’s game, Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae reported.


Belt’s request was reminiscent of 1992 when Dave Winfield urged the home crowd to make some noise, to “push the team forward instead of waiting for the action and then responding.” It worked, the dome was rocking every night and the Jays ended up winning the World Series.

This time, the plea didn’t go over well with parts of the fan base.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Oh my god, what a non story, lol. Brutal. It's a player asking for fans to be loud and some lame die hards taking exception. This is such a new age, social media story. Find a smattering of people that don't like something and blow it up into a major story. I hate that stuff so much. We need to be better than this as social media takes over proper discourse and reporting.

Lazy.

100% This is exactly what it has come to. And it is so lame.