In the unlikely event that the entire pitching staff remains healthy, I think Richards will be dealt to open up a spot for an option-able reliever. And I still think it's fairly likely that the 26th man is a righty-batting outfielder who isn't yet in the organization. These two ideas could be connected - Richards (or Cimber or Bass) may be the price of acquiring the 26th man.

A couple of tidbits I saw on Blue Jays Aggregator:

1) It seems like it wasn't just the front office that thought the Jays might have been too loose in the dugout the last few years. Bo Bichette is quoted," I think that everybody can look back at last year and realize that we probably needed a bit more professionalism and a little bit more maturity.'

2) Jon Heyman reports that the Jays made a " contract suggestion " to Alek Manoah this winter and the two sides were "not close".

I can understand wanting starters to go 6-8 innings. I expect a few 1 inning relievers but how many I don't know. I always expect a few long men in the pen. Last year Hatch and Lawrence were terrible. They are emergency starters that required long men.

These are pitching roles. Cash in TB is an expert in this area and has done this for a few years. Our cheapest SP is Kikuchi. Actually it is Manoah.

The reason the world loves the Irish is that all of the oppression/ problems has led to a dry wit and sense of community.

I dont see the Jays going outside for the 26th man. They have Lopez, who seems ready to fill in a bunch of spots, and Lukes had reverse splits last year - .327/412/460 vs LHP last year (although in 2021 he did not).

The stats up to this point in spring don't mean much....too many minor league pitchers in the second half of games. With 11 days of games left most starters will have two starts to build up their arms. They should throw between five and seven innings each. The bullpen and bullpen candidates will get to fill in the rest of the innings. Hitters from here on will get to see major league pitchers.

It is not the regular season but it is get ready time.

are we talking NGO or state here?

State terrorism - that's about as old as statehood itself, I would think. I'm thinking specifically of the campaign led by Michael Collins and the IRA - they liked to call themselves a state, but they didn't hold state power at that point - immediately after the first World War. For centuries the Irish had bravely challenged and stood up against the armies of the empire, and for centuries they'd been slaughtered where they stood. They sang pretty songs about the brave martyrs. The IRA's terror campaign was a smashing success and brought the UK to the negotiating table in just four years. A model for all subsequent campaigns ever since. (But you absolutely need to be fighting against someone who can say "to hell with this, we're going home.")

OK, it led immediately to civil war and more than half a century of The Troubles.

Now you're talking, Magpie. The dark humour providing contrast to the bleakness of humanity. Add in a few thousand of your words on the Irish in baseball, and everyone will be happy.

Here's to you!

You can probably find religious fanatacism everywhere that you find religion, but the Irish brand plays its part in the Family Legend. My paternal grandfather, the first generation born in this Brave New World, went and did an awful thing. He married a Protestant girl. Naturally his loving family banished him from their sight and never spoke to him again. But he died quite young, and his mother - my own sweet great-grandmother - moved heaven and earth attempting to have his three young boys taken away from their mother and placed in the tender care of a Catholic orphanage. My father shudders to this day at how near he came to that grisly fate, as you can imagine. It's rather impressive how - more than eighty years later - the mere mention of the woman's name instantly makes him curse.

Anyway Eephus, this is why you have no known relatives from one of the four family strands that lead to you. They're probably out there somewhere, but they cast us aside long ago.

It reminded me of the Old Testament.

And the Iliad, and the Odyssey as well. There's a lot going on there!

These are strange times. I have recently had two new medications added to my daily regimen, as medical science does its best to extend my life well past its reasonable expiry date. And the strangest side effect seems to have developed. Mustard now tastes quite wrong somehow, with a faint whiff of soapy onion. Very weird, and the prospect of no longer being able to enjoy My Favourite Condiment is quite unsettling.

Just to interrupt for some baseball! I just watched Adrian Hernandez pitch against the Phillies. His fastball was 89-91 and he did not have excellent command of it. He was hit around a bit, including a home run from Kody Clemens.

It looked to me that some of the Philly hitters were just waiting for a fastball. It wasn't a promising showing.

I didn't see Kikuchi pitch but he was wild, he walked three.

How am I supposed to enjoy a ballpark dog without mustard? Please!

Baseball? Oh right.

Well, what is to be done about Trevor Richards? Can he - wait for it - cut the mustard? He has tempting abilities - tough on LH batters, strikes out hitters more frequently than anyone else on the roster, a trait universally sought after these days.

It's just all those times when he doesn't strike the guy out.

It's nice to strike batters out.  But, I'd rather have the other two of the three true outcomes working in my favour.  That's Zach Pop. 

Nate Pearson threw two innings. FB was 98 on average but his breaking pitches were very inconsistent. He needs to get more command over them...It could be a one day thing though.

I do my grocery shopping at St. Lawrence market every Saturday (well worth the 20+ minute subway ride each way, especially for the meat vendors in the farmer's market). I've become quite fond of the Kozlik's mustard booth in the main building, their sweet & smoky is great on just about anything that calls for mustard, and their balsamic figs & dates mustand is probably terrific for canapes, however I use it as an emulsifier in my salad dressing.

To get back to baseball, I am reminded of SNL's Harry Caray parody, where Will Ferrell said something along the lines of, "If I was a hot dog, I'd cover myself in mustard and take a bite. I'd be delicious!"

I've never considered Adrian Hernandez much of a prospect - one-inning guy with one pitch that's above average, below-average velo and inconsistent command. He's and up-and-down arm who might fool you eventually with a strong season here or there. If a big league hitter guesses right about that FB then it's 450+ feet.

Happy St Patrick's day. Very nice to hear about the Irish.

Regarding baseball: It is time for getting ready.

Magpie

Since you brought it up... I have a little Irish story... I was born into an English (British) first generation, Catholic, Canadian, right handed family (not sure about the importance of the right handed bit..) For my sins, I was an altar boy.

My "bestest ever" friend was Irish Protestant (I did not know that and he did not know that I was Catholic). One day he asked me if I wanted to enter a parade. Not just see a parade but actually go in one. I thought I had died and gone to Heaven! To top off the greatness of it - The parade was going to be led by a horse ridden by King Billy. Cool - like super cool!

Over dinner I mentioned it to mom and dad. They looked at each other - glances were exchanged - my father said that parade is for protestants and they don't like Catholics.

I told my friend that my dad said the guy on the horse didn't like Catholics. He said "really? "My dad says the Catholics have guns in the church basement."

Now that was interesting! Being an altar boy and having been in the basement while getting on my garb - I had never seen guns. I told my friend. We mulled it over. We decided to go into my churches basement and see if we could find the guns. Cool! We looked, like everywhere, and like, heck no guns...

A week of so later we were at his place for lunch (generally we ate lunch at my house or his house depending which we were closer to when hunger pains overwhelmed us). His father came in and my friend said: "Hi dad, by the way you were wrong about the Catholic church having guns in the basement. Roger's an altar boy and so we got a really good look around."

My bestest friends mother gave my bestest friends father a glance. The father gave his wife a glance.

No words were said. However, millions of nuances had been unleashed and were now permeating into the universe. Butterflies in the Amazon all swarmed into the sky. It has been recorded that two new wars broke out in Guinea-Bissau.

My bestest friend and I finished our jam and peanut butter sandwiches and went out into the world to play. Oblivious (at least on that day) of the ideas of race, religion, ignorance, hatred, bigotry not to mention gays and lesbians.

Ignorance can be bliss... Unfortunately not being ignorant rarely is... sigh...

Great story Mylegacy.

For those interested in a wee bit of Irish fun you could check out Holding. It’s on Acorn through Prime. A four part serious comedy (Is there any other kind?).

Great story Mylegacy.

Indeed. I like that story much, much better than mine.

BTW if you haven't used ChatGPT (version 4) for complex data searches, give it a try. It's quite stunning..quick and free.

Sorry Magpie; you are being replaced by a Chat Bot. We're all next.

Random example:
"Which Toronto Blue Jays outfielders had at least 35 home runs and an OPS over .900 for four seasons"

Answer:

"There have been no Toronto Blue Jays outfielders who have had at least 35 home runs and an OPS over .900 for four seasons. In fact, there have only been two Blue Jays outfielders who have achieved this feat for even one season:

Jose Bautista: Bautista hit 54 home runs and had an OPS of 1.056 in 2010, 43 home runs and an OPS of .995 in 2011, and 36 home runs and an OPS of .928 in 2014. Bautista primarily played right field for the Blue Jays during his time with the team.

George Bell: Bell hit 35 home runs and had an OPS of .957 in 1986 while primarily playing left field for the Blue Jays.

It's worth noting that there have been several other Blue Jays players who have had individual seasons with at least 35 home runs and an OPS over .900, but they were not outfielders. For example, Edwin Encarnacion had three such seasons as a designated hitter and first baseman for the Blue Jays, and Carlos Delgado had four such seasons as a first baseman."

In 1986, George Bell is said to have hit 31 home runs with an OPS of .881 and in 1987 Bell hit 47 home runs with an OPS of .957 but hey I may be wrong and the ChatGPT (version 4) right - you never know, there are now alternate facts!

I suppose Jesse Barfield's 1986 season (40 HR, .927) took place in some alternate universe as well.

Now that’s funny. I guess the Bots aren’t replacing us…yet.

Thanks grjas for the chatGPT info.

Please think carefully before he/she/it becomes a member of da Box. I hear that they have the ability to learn. Whenever we have a poll she/he/it can vote. With a 40 game sample it can offer an opinion on the strengths and weaknesses of the jays and maybe all the teams. Also make a top 30 prospect list.

Yeah, Barfield came to mind immediately. Shawn Green 1999 42 HR 972 OPS as well. Checking others - Canseco didn't quite get to 900 for OPS, Bautista 2011 43 HR 1.056 OPS (2010 was 54 HR 995 OPS).

From 2010-2013 Bautista hit 152 HR (38 per year) with a 960 OPS but sadly 2 of those years his HR totals were 27-28 and OPS 886-856. I suspect he is the only Jay to do that for 2 years in a row while playing the OF.

Jays have 30 seasons of players with 35+ HR. 32 seasons of a 900 OPS. Edwin Encarnación had a 5 year stretch where he hit 34-42 HR here (his last 5 years) with a 900+ OPS in all but the last year (886). Delgado had a 4 year stretch of 35+ HR per and a 900+ OPS each year - 1998 to 2001, plus did it in 2003 here, but just 1 of those seasons after he left (38 HR 909 OPS in 2006 with the Mets).

Probably others too but I gotta run.

fyi, the best article I've read on why ChatGPT makes so many factual errors is at https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/chatgpt-is-a-blurry-jpeg-of-the-web .

e.g., it compares it to the 2013 Xerox photocopier bug in which tiny room labels of "14.13, 21.11, and 17.42" all came back as "14.13" in the copy (because by then Xerox was using digital scanning with lossy compression, then re-generating).

It also mentions that when asked to sum two numbers that ChatGPT is normally wrong "when the numbers have five digits" seemingly because it "doesn't carry the "1"".

The irony is that if ChatGPT just gave (accurate) direct quotes from the web, instead of (inaccurate) rephrasing in its own words, we would "be less impressed by it". :-)

I guess the bots aren't replacing us...yet

That's what they want you to believe. They've got a long con going. After watching the animated film I Lost My Body, the "algorithm" at Netflix recommended a bunch of Barbie cartoons. I can see you, AI. You're not fooling anyone playing dumb like that.

Day late on the Irish thing. Ireland is definitely a high alcohol consumption country. Though no country comes close to Belarus, except maybe Lithuania who is a distant 2nd.

https://alcohol.org/guides/global-drinking-demographics/

At the supermarket check-out, I was delighted to see Alek Manoah on the cover of Toronto Life magazine.

Damned mustard snobs. The sriracha / honey mustard blend is the best condiment since Burger Sauce.

I think honey mustard is an abomination. Grainy and Dijon are both great, but I would take French’s over any honey mustard.

I saw the French's Mustard Man at the old Yankee Stadium.

Mayonnaise on a hot dog, in the tradition of John Kruk.

The Oscar Mayer Weinermobile was a fixture next door to my high school.

I never got a Weenie Whistle.

To complete the circle of the Dog Days of Spring Training Madness - Irish and Mustard...

I call you with Filligans Rosemary & Balsamic Mustard and for the win, the game, the set and the match I raise you all: Lakeshore Mustard with Irish Stout.

I have it on good authority that each bottle of the latter is hand sealed by a Leprechaun...

Does Jay Jackson have a shot for the bullpen?

Question - when was the last time that a player made the Jays' opening day roster by virtue of spring performance? Aren't the days of "spring training battles" passe? I can think of a few players recently who would have made the roster out of spring if you were basing it on spring training performance and didn't, but not the reverse.

A player, or a prospect? Because a guy like Gosuke Katoh basically earned his spot in spring last year.

A. J. Cole was another a couple of years ago as was Panik I believe.

Gift Ngoepe made the team out of camp in 2018. Arnold Leon did the same in 2016. Seems to happen every other year or so...

Thanks all, I was thinking more about prospects but those are all good and mostly forgotten (on my part) examples. Age and memory capacity don't mix.

I don't think Jay Jackson has a shot for opening day - but he has certainly impressed enough to earn consideration if needs arise (likely) during the season and he keeps pitching well in AAA.

Gabriel Moreno has had a nice spring with Arizona - hopefully he breaks camp with the team.

Last big prospect making it out of spring I recall was in 2015 with 2 guys who were 20 making it. Roberto Osuna and Miguel Castro. Can't recall if Kevin Pillar and Dalton Pompey were big surprises that spring too - both had a bit of time in the majors in 2014, but they took over LF and CF respectively to start the season, then Pillar took over CF full time fairly quickly while Pompey was either demoted or injured (memory fuzzy on that). It was kind of funny how Pompey was expected to take over CF but Pillar did in the end, and Castro was given first shot at closing but Osuna took that over. It was an odd time, but tons of fun.

Don't see any rookies making this team to start 2023, but Barger and Orelvis Martinez both have a good chance to move up if an injury happens, with Lopez having a real shot at opening eyes should he keep hot like he has been at the WBC and in September/October last year. Everyone is expecting Tiedemann to jump in and take over if/when a starter gets hurt but I suspect his time in 2024 or 2025 (after Kikuchi's contract runs out).

Back from an extended period of non-posting and non-Jays viewing (too much basketball on this winter).

Last season really stung on a lot of fronts. I was hoping for the big payroll splash in the off-season (especially in the rotation) to get us ahead of the Yankees and near the Astros, talent wise.

But I have to admit the way they spread the money around through free agency, made a gutsy-but-probably-necessary trade to improve the outfield defense and team speed, and added a left-handed power bat...it's hard not be optimistic if this team stays as healthy as it is now.

Gabe Gross made the team with a big spring training. Ricky Romero?

At the WBC, very nice to see old Loupy on the hill.

Pretty good game going on in Miami.

Pompey/Pillar in 2015:

My non-guaranteed memory is that they were expected to contend for or maybe platoon at CF, and free agent Michael Saunders would be in left - until he ripped his knee in spring training, so Pompey started in centre, and Pillar got left.

What changed things as I remember were: a) Pillar's play (including one "Holy Shit" catch), and b) Pompey's play. I remember he was too tentative, at least in Gibbons' view, and he ended up in Buffalo.

That game really made the WBC look like a fantastic idea. Having Trout vs Ohtani to end it was perfect. 1 run game, so Trout could've had his moment there but it was Ohtani's moment instead. What a fun thing to watch. Same with the Japan/Mexico game yesterday. No wonder over 90% of TV households were watching these games.

One thing I can saw in addition to how great this game was, is that I LOVE the pitch clock. They didn't use it for the tournament and it shows. I left home for my daughter's hockey game as the 5th inning was about to start. She played an entire game (50 minutes), got changed into and out of hockey equipment, we drove home, stopped at Walmart to get some treats, and still were home for the 8th inning. While it worked out OK as I got to watch that ending live, it is nuts that they played so little over so long.

Othani VS Trout cannot get any better for excitement and drama.

Regarding 2015: The Jays were not big spenders so AA had to win/acquire talent in other ways. Pillar, Pompey, Osuna and Castro got their opportunities due to injury and need. Pompey was the only one who could not cut it. The other 3 started good careers.

Due to the financial success in 2015 ownership was convinced that high payroll could produce high revenue if it contributed to winning. There is some kind of formula with payroll, talent, luck (good and bad), and adjustments in talent that have to be made in season. Lately it has been the addition of multiple relievers that have pushed the Jays into the low 90s level of winning.

A rookie has a much lower chance of making the team now. But that is a maybe. Pearson had been given a job that is his to lose since 2020. The performance of Jansen/McGuire allowed Kirk an opportunity. C seems the only spot that a hot rookie will be "given a job to lose" on a regular basis IMO. SS with Bichette is another opportunity IF Bichette gets injured. When Bichette returned the rookie may have outplayed other players which would allow him to slide over rather than be put on the bench or optioned so that he can play everyday. Same with Chapman.

Houston and LAD are probably the teams that I should analyze due to their track record. Not SD.

The Jays are doing well so far in Fangraphs' Positional Power Rankings, though none of these is a huge surprise. 2B is in the bottom third, but they acknowledge the uncertainty - health from the starting outfielders and a rebound at the plate from Merrifield would help a ton here. Guererro's ranking of 3rd (top in the AL) might be a little optimistic. I was a little surprised to see just how elite Matt Chapman's (7th-ranked at 3B) patience is - he saw the 5th-most pitches per PA in the Majors last year. Not shocking, exactly, but I had no idea he was ranked that high.

I am torn about the pitch clock. Love the idea to hurry it up it just seems too rushed sometimes. I would bump it up a few seconds maybe and possibly get rid of it or lengthen it more later in the game. Baseball should be faster but there is also beauty in the pauses.

There wasn't a single moment in last night's fantastic ballgame where I thought "damn, I wish this game was moving quicker". I guess I just like watching baseball.

For a game like last nights it can work, but 162 where the stakes in all are nowhere near as high? Heck no. For it to take around 2 hours to do 3 innings is nuts. Was I on the edge of my seat? Yup. But did I need to see guys adjust their gloves, do 3 or 4 pickoff moves, etc? No. That doesn't enhance the game one iota. Hopefully next time they limit the pickoffs at least. Plus by then all the major leaguers will be used to moving quickly and be expecting it as part of their new routine vs the old ones of lets step out and adjust my gloves half a dozen times.

I guess I just like watching baseball.

Me too. That's why I like the pitch clock so much - I get to spend more of my time watching baseball and less time enduring seeing the players screwing around avoiding playing it.

I guess I just like watching baseball.

Me too. I'm not so keen on watching the lollygagging, but there's even a time and a place for that. Honest there is. But not on every damn pitch.

I offer a wishy-washy compromise! Perhaps a hitter and a pitcher could be allowed one clock violation per at bat. Or - more fun still - each team could be allowed one per half inning. See the hitters fighting with each other over who gets to use it...

Rookies making the team when it is a solid contender is a good question. 1985 the Jays were favorites heading in but made room for 2 rule 5 picks (Manuel Lee & Lou Thornton), and had a guy in the rotation who hadn't started in the majors yet (Jimmy Key, used as a reliever in '84), and a guy who lost his rookie status as a bench guy in '84 (Tony Fernandez) starting everyday while a young platoon OF was given the RF everyday job (Jesse Barfield). Obviously almost all of those worked out beautifully (Thornton never did anything but Lee was the starting SS in '92, Barfield, Key, Fernandez are all remembered as among the best the Jays ever developed).

1986 saw Kelly Gruber early on (game 9 was his first of the year), Cecil Fielder (lost rookie status in '85) play opening day, reliever Mark Eichhorn come on and wow everyone in the pen as a rookie (gave up an earned run opening day, then no more until May, 0.48 ERA in April). Don Gordon also made the pen as a rookie but nowhere near as successful (21 2/3 IP in '86 61 ERA+)

Lets jump ahead a bit, in 1992 Jeff Kent played in the 6th game for the team and had a 110 OPS+ for a WS winner before being traded for David Cone. Derek Bell made the opening day roster as a super-hyped top prospect and iirc got hurt fast (2 games in) and would only have a 30 OPS+ that year, 79 OPS+ total with the Jays (when I went to Stats Inc for a job interview they asked about my thoughts on him and I said Cito wouldn't play him everyday unless he got off to a great start and was proven right but I think it killed my credibility with them as they were hyped about Bell). Pat Hentgen was in the pen to start the season but just had a 76 ERA+.

1993 saw near rookie Ed Sprague take over 3B (233 PA before that), and I think that was as close to winning a job in spring as I can find for that team.

2015 we covered earlier (a couple of 20 year olds out of nowhere plus young OF'ers), 2016 Joe Biagini was the surprise in spring (rule 5 pick).

Getting called by my 8 year old so I'll wrap up here. Clearly even on WS teams kids do make the team but it is a lot harder than in years like 2019 when the team is out of contention and expected to be all year. Funny that 2 strong contenders had rule 5 picks on them though (1985 and 2016).