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Game Threads Toronto at Houston, April 1-3
This one worries me. The Blue Jays can expect to meet some people in a very bad mood.


After all, the Astros won 90 games last season and took the eventual champs to seven games before falling short in their quest to become the first repeat WS winners since Joe Torre's Yankees made it three in a row back in 2000. They certainly didn't expect to begin their first season with Joe Espada by getting swept in a four game series in their own park. That's got to hurt.

Yes, Joe Espada is the one who manages this crew. Dusty Baker has put away his toothpick and waits for the inevitable call from Cooperstown. He stands seventh on the all-time list for managerial wins - Bruce Bochy might catch him this year - and he was a pretty good player as well.

I may be wrong - it's been known to happen, and I really don't pay much attention to baseball from the time the World Series ends until Opening Day - but I formed the clear impression that the Astros were worried about their pitching heading into the season. I assume this was because Old Justin Verlander wouldn't be ready to start the season. This puzzled me - they didn't have Verlander at all for most of last season, they still won 90 games, and the four men who made the most starts for them last year were the same four they sent out to face the Yankees. They got two good starts, two non-disastrous starts, and some very questionable relief work. But the obvious problem so far has been the bats. Scoring 11 runs in four games just isn't enough, and while Jose Abreu has probably reached his Best-By date, one assumes that Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez are going to start punishing some baseballs. Soon. That worries me.

But they don't need to start hitting tonight, do they?

Matchups!

Mon 1 April - Francis (---,-.--) vs Blanco (---,-.--)
Tue 2 April - Berrios (1-0, 3.00) vs Valdez (0-1, 5.79)
Wed 3 April - Bassitt (0-1, 7.20) vs Javier (0-0, 0.00)
Posted by Magpie on Monday, April 01 2024 @ 06:55 PM EDT.
Toronto at Houston, April 1-3 | 160 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Gerry - Monday, April 01 2024 @ 08:29 PM EDT (#443825) #
My suggestion for Bowden Francis is to keep the ball down.
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Magpie - Monday, April 01 2024 @ 08:39 PM EDT (#443826) #
Louder. He didn't hear you.
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greenfrog - Monday, April 01 2024 @ 09:00 PM EDT (#443828) #
Varsho looks overmatched at the plate right now.
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soupman - Monday, April 01 2024 @ 09:11 PM EDT (#443829) #
if it wasn't for his little drag bunts he would have hit below 200 last year iirc. i don't think he ever really has looked good in the box since coming here, and i don't think he's going to figure it out in the bigs. he has 2 options left.
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Gerry - Monday, April 01 2024 @ 09:20 PM EDT (#443830) #
Even though Francis has given up five runs in five innings, he has been decent tonight, just some loose pitches.
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Gerry - Monday, April 01 2024 @ 09:32 PM EDT (#443831) #
Jinxed him.
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Leaside Cowboy - Monday, April 01 2024 @ 09:48 PM EDT (#443832) #
Somebody hexed Toronto tonight.
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uglyone - Monday, April 01 2024 @ 09:49 PM EDT (#443833) #
I humbly suggest that using Francis instead of Tiedemann is dumb.
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Magpie - Monday, April 01 2024 @ 09:53 PM EDT (#443834) #
On nights like this, you don't want to waste any hits, right?
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Magpie - Monday, April 01 2024 @ 10:03 PM EDT (#443835) #
if it wasn't for his little drag bunts [Varsho] would have hit below 200 last year iirc

Don't know where you heard it, but disregard! Not true.
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blu-j - Monday, April 01 2024 @ 10:08 PM EDT (#443836) #
To the ninth we go.....Jays announcers are quite comfortable pointing out the no-hitter, so I think it's kosher for me to note it here.  Can't say I want the Jays to be no hit victims again, even if it's fun to see one happen.
I would not have guessed they've only been on the bad end of these 7 times!
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greenfrog - Monday, April 01 2024 @ 10:13 PM EDT (#443837) #
No-hit…To The Core?

Kidding aside, that was an excellent pitching performance.
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Magpie - Monday, April 01 2024 @ 10:30 PM EDT (#443838) #
Seventeenth no-hitter in franchise history? Seventeen They've only been around an extra fifteen years.

I have some research to do!
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Chuck - Monday, April 01 2024 @ 10:36 PM EDT (#443839) #
Colorado LF Nolan Jones now has 4 errors in 5 games. That's almost a season's worth.
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Magpie - Monday, April 01 2024 @ 11:12 PM EDT (#443840) #
The Dodgers have 26 no-hitters, which is the most of any franchise, but 14 of them came when they were still in Brooklyn and they've been in California longer than Houston's had a team.

The White Sox can claim 20 and the Red Sox can claim 18, and it looks like almost half of them were thrown by guys who were dead before Houston had a team. Ed Walsh! Cy Young! Eddie Cicotte!

Four of Houston's 17 no-hitters were group efforts - Cristian Javier started two of them, one in the 2022 post-season. The other collective no-hitters were started by Roy Oswalt and our old chum Aaron Sanchez.

Of the 13 complete game no-nos, Don Wilson accounted for two of them - the other pitchers were Don Nottebart, Ken Johnson, Larry Dierker, Ken Forsch, Nolan Ryan (only once?!), Mike Scott, Darryl Kile, Mike Fiers, Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez, and now Romel Blanco.

Houston is now 16-1 when their pitcher throws a no-hitter, so it's worked pretty well for them.
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soupman - Monday, April 01 2024 @ 11:14 PM EDT (#443841) #
i looked it up - by my count he pulled it off 9 times. if you convert all those to outs, he would have hit .203
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Magpie - Monday, April 01 2024 @ 11:40 PM EDT (#443842) #
According to BB-ref, he actually had 11 bunt hits. But I don't think you convert them all to outs. If he's about a .200 hitter when he's swinging away, he gets a couple of hits in those 11 ABs, no?
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Nigel - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 12:37 AM EDT (#443843) #
I’m pretty sure I’ve been the low person around here from day 1 with respect to Varsho’s offensive profile. And I agree that he looks lost right now. But the rest of what he does still makes him one of the team’s 3 best OF’s (how could he not be? They only have 3!). And he will get better than what he’s doing now. I just think it very likely that he’s a sub 100 wRC+ hitter. There are just way too many holes in his swing for it to be otherwise. If he’s a 90 wRC+ hitter and playing CF he’s a league average or so player even as he’s starts to age (he’s not a young player).
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soupman - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 12:48 AM EDT (#443844) #
sure - but that gets us back to the 203 average... which is a little easier to look at than something with a one, but i'm tired of it leading to a full season of at bats. i think the unfortunate reality is that the trade clouds perception (at least for me), so even though i want to root for him because i like so much of the play style...i end up having my ire level raised.
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Magpie - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 01:24 AM EDT (#443845) #
I agree. I really like everything else about his game - his hustle, his his baserunning, his defense - but I would have issues with that level of offense from a Gold Glove shortstop.
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Magpie - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 01:39 AM EDT (#443846) #
I had to go and read about Ken Johnson, who actually lost his 1964 no-hitter 1-0. He retired Cincinnati pitcher Joe Nuxhall to begin the ninth, but then Pete Rose - that dastardly fellow - dopped down a bunt. (Tie game, ninth inning, fine by me!) And Johnson threw it away, putting Rose on second. He advanced on a groundout and scored on another error, this one by the second baseman.

Johnson had already told the world he didn't think he was a hard luck pitcher (he'd gone 11-17 with a 2.65 ERA the year before, so I might quarrel with him there.) He said he thought Rose would have beat it out anyway even if he hadn't thrown the ball away.
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greenfrog - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 07:11 AM EDT (#443847) #
I wonder how much Varsho's struggles are related to coaching issues in Toronto. He seems to have tried some different approaches last year and this year. Maybe he would have done better with better coaching. But that is speculation on my part. I really don't know.
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Joe - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 08:05 AM EDT (#443848) #
I don't know if Varsho's struggles last year were due to coaching, but he did talk about how he was getting away from pulling the ball, and I put a lot of stock in how last year's Jays offensive woes seemed to be related to a one-size-fits-all, "spray the ball" approach. Springer, in particular, needs to pull the ball to hit for power at this point in his career.

The talk in camp was about tailoring advice and hitting approach to each individual, working the count until you get your pitch; I've seen a lot of that in what Varsho's doing (and what Vladdy's doing, and what Springer's doing, etc). These first 5 games of the season, Varsho's been hitting a lot of popups, which wasn't the case in spring training: his launch angle was ~17° in spring training, according to baseball savant, but it's ~24° so far in the regular season. His walk rate is literally double what it was in his most successful seasons, so it might be that he's "in-between" in the swing, as Buck might say, or it might be Just One Of Those Things. 5 games is not a lot, after all.

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Ryan Day - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 11:17 AM EDT (#443849) #
It's weird to single out Varsho's performance on a night when everyone but Springer looked like they belonged in AA, and at a point in the season where he's not even the worst-hitting regular in the lineup.

It's April, they've played 5 games. At the end of April last year, Matt Chapman was going to win the MVP and Brandon Belt should have admitted his career was over & retired.
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92-93 - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 11:33 AM EDT (#443850) #
Varsho just isn't suited for the role the Jays have put him in as the team's middle of the order LH bat. They doubled down on last year's mistake of playing a CF in LF because they are obsessed with defense. Kiermaier was really mediocre over the final few months of 2023 (and hasn't done anything at the plate yet this year), but nobody cares because he's the handsome CF and the Jays didn't use their top prospect to acquire him.

If the Jays had never signed KK last year and instead had gone with offense in LF, the narrative around Varsho would be completely different.
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ISLAND BOY - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 11:39 AM EDT (#443851) #
In that vein, Bryce Harper is batting ,000 ( 0 for 11), Pittsburgh Pirates are 5-0, and the Oakland A's have committed 13 errors in 5 games, including 5 in last night's game.
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John Northey - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 11:44 AM EDT (#443852) #
Agreed 92-93. If the Jays this past winter even had signed Bellinger to play LF like many expected, or decided to put Schneider in LF full time and leave Varsho in CF then perceptions would change. A gold glove in CF would be a lock for him I think, and we'd just expect Devon White level offense (around a 100 OPS+) but at a lower spot in the order (7-9). I really don't get batting Varsho in the heart of the order. Biggio would be better suited if you must put a LH bat there - more patient, has power. But in the end, studies have shown the lineup order is secondary to who you put in there.

To me, not playing Schneider is a big negative. Yeah, he has holes but he hit a home run his only start of the season so far and showed tons of power last year. Give him a chance to fail, stick him in LF with Varsho in CF 2 out of 3 games instead of KK in CF - bring in KK late for defense if needed, having KK in CF and Varsho in LF everyday weakens the offense too much and puts too much stress on the big guys to produce imo.
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bpoz - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 12:17 PM EDT (#443854) #
KK as a veteran is going to have to play as much as he can IMO. I think this may be an unwritten rule. Last year I think they promised him CF. I don't know if they did that this year. Either way CF D is covered this year.
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Marc Hulet - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 01:20 PM EDT (#443856) #
Anyone else finding it nearly impossible to read the site on mobile recently?
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Joe - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 01:25 PM EDT (#443857) #
Marc, is it the need to zoom in, or something else?
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dalimon5 - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 01:39 PM EDT (#443858) #
For those that weren't aware KK played injured in the 2nd half of last season. According to him he could barely walk without pain. There's an entire article about it here which I haven't read:

https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/gap-to-gap-how-blue-jays-kiermaier-stayed-on-his-feet-in-2023/


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Marc Hulet - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 01:46 PM EDT (#443859) #
Yeah having to zoom in and scroll left to right to read comments.
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Gerry - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 01:50 PM EDT (#443860) #
My phone, which is older, works fine for the site.
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Gerry - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 02:29 PM EDT (#443861) #
Two games suspension for Genesis Cabrera, starting tonight. A one game reduction from three.
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lexomatic - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 02:41 PM EDT (#443862) #
<re 17 no hitters. This is surprising for a franchise that has had Nolan Ryan (Most ever by a single pitcher), Jr Richard (Dunno if he ever had any, but few hits), Mike Scott (I know about one with a ton of walks in his heyday 86-90) pitch for them? That's not even including other good pitchers who'd surprise. Didn't one of thr Forsch get one with trickery & guile?
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soupman - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 03:29 PM EDT (#443863) #
do players get docked pay while suspended? wondering about the economics of these processes. do teams pay for legal? the union? player themselves?
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dalimon5 - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 03:38 PM EDT (#443864) #
"Yeah having to zoom in and scroll left to right to read comments."

I've been dealing with these posting issues for a decade on the mobile site if not longer. I don't complain because it's free. I have to zoom in and scroll left to right to read and when posting the site has some sort of auto correction enabled which does not work and the site is very slow so when you type too fast it skips letters or inputs. Basically every time I visit the site from my desk top my posts are error free and every time I visit from mobile to post there are errors every where. If I try to correct the typos it's like posting 4 times to get it right. Could be worse...could be us trying to find a clean up hitter to send out every day.

Can we trade Tiedeman for Trout yet?
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soupman - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 03:56 PM EDT (#443865) #
they really ought to just give him away like the sox did Betts to get out of that Rendon noose. i think their owner is a maniac and won't allow our guy Peregrine to do that, however.
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Michael - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 04:32 PM EDT (#443867) #
According to articles I see online players are not paid for PED suspensions but are paid for suspensions based on on the field infractions.

Not sure about domestic abuse and situations like Franco or Bauer or Urias - presumably these would be unpaid too, but possibly contested by the PA depending on process.
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SK in NJ - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 04:47 PM EDT (#443868) #
Agreed with 92-93. If Varsho was a CF the moment he came to the Jays, and they had more thump out of LF, then I don't think the anger would be anywhere near as intense (it would still exist, though). In reality they traded a top 10 prospect in baseball for a great defensive CF with an average bat, and proceeded to put that CF in LF full time in half of his years of control. At least in 2023 they acquired Kiermaier first and then made the Varsho trade, so you could argue it was a one year thing based on circumstances, but the fact that they saw how much of a hinderance it was to the offense to have those two in the same OF/lineup and decided to do it again is just awful roster management. Varsho as a CF batting 7th/8th/9th would have been fine, and still would be fine.

I also agree with the notion that Varsho may not be in the right organization to maximize whatever offensive potential he has. The way the org has handled hitters is very strange, especially since 2023. I really do not trust them to get the most out of offensive players.
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Leaside Cowboy - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 05:07 PM EDT (#443869) #
Opening Day in Milwaukee. Nice to see Bob Uecker.  Christian Yelich hit a 423 ft. bomb to centre field.  This Jackson Chourio kid looks awesome.
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dalimon5 - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 05:38 PM EDT (#443871) #
I think Varsho is going to be fine. 4-6 WAR player with 25-35HR. 20+ stolen bases.


He needs to stop trying to get on top of high pitches and just learn to let some of them go by and murder everything below and he will be fine.

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greenfrog - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 05:51 PM EDT (#443872) #
I'm concerned we may be seeing a Jackie Bradley-type progression with Varsho, where 90 wRC+ is the new ceiling and there is potential to go below (perhaps significantly below) that level.
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Nigel - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 06:34 PM EDT (#443873) #
dalimon5 - in one sense you are right - Varsho hits pitches in the lower third with real authority and he has above average power. But, expecting magically improved plate selectivity and pitch recognition is unlikely (not impossible) of a player that is almost 28 years old (people forget just how late Varsho made it to the majors). The other issue is that his problems won't be solved by just improved selectivity and laying off high pitches out of the zone. He can't hit pitches up and on the inner half that are strikes. Pitchers are just pounding strikes into that zone and saying "here it is hit it". He can't and the pitchers aren't even trying to fool him any more. Its just FBs and cutters into that zone one after the other. It leads to a very large number of simply uncompetitive ABs.

It's early though with a new hitting coach and maybe with some time he can make some important incremental improvements.
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Leaside Cowboy - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 07:06 PM EDT (#443875) #
Bryce Harper smacks a 420 ft. homer in rainy Philadelphia.  The Mets have a rain delay.  The weather in Baltimore is much better.
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greenfrog - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 07:07 PM EDT (#443876) #
Jordan Hicks was pretty good in his first start for the Giants the other day: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K
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dalimon5 - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 07:50 PM EDT (#443878) #
Nigel, I don't see him not being able to hit the high and inside pitch that is a strike. I see him swinging at a lot of balls in that area that are not strikes. If he lays off the balls then by process of elimination he will improve. How many starters are going to hit their spots all the time? It's no different than Vlad chasing sliders away for the past 2 years.
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Joe - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 08:09 PM EDT (#443879) #
Chris Black outlined that Varsho wasn't always bad on inside pitches, but he was last year. There's no reason to think that's the new normal, though: he's got more of a history of success than just what happened in 2023.
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greenfrog - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 08:51 PM EDT (#443880) #
I guess the concern is that Varsho has now had 600+ PA as a Blue Jay, with a sub-85 wRC+ over that span. I agree that he could rebound to a 100 wRC+ level (or better), but the sample size of below-average offensive performance is growing. I don’t know why he has had such a rough go of it in Toronto. Age 26-27 is usually a player’s prime age for performance.
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uglyone - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 09:24 PM EDT (#443881) #
this team seems familiar.
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Nigel - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 09:42 PM EDT (#443882) #
The most disturbing part of the last two nights is just how easy it’s all been for the Astros’ starter. Almost certainly a 2nd complete game in a row. This may well be a Maddux tonight.
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uglyone - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 09:49 PM EDT (#443883) #
a lack of professional at bats, sounds like.
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greenfrog - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 09:55 PM EDT (#443884) #
Sweet outing by Yimi, despite getting squeezed by the home plate ump. First and third, none out, zero runs allowed.
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uglyone - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 10:00 PM EDT (#443885) #
valdez ain't getting squeezed of course.
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greenfrog - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 10:03 PM EDT (#443886) #
What does it take for John Schneider to start a runner on first base? Maybe it would be worth trying something different?
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uglyone - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 10:10 PM EDT (#443887) #
I'm surprised Schneider's "Please Do Some Damage, Hitters" strategy hasn't worked.
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James W - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 10:14 PM EDT (#443888) #
a lack of professional at bats, sounds like.

I'm fairly sure they're all being paid for their at bats. Whether they deserve to or not is another question.
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Gerry - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 10:19 PM EDT (#443889) #
Tim Mayza's top velocity tonight was 86 mph.
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uglyone - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 10:30 PM EDT (#443890) #
ok that's awesome.
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uglyone - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 10:32 PM EDT (#443891) #
maybe play schneider tomorrow too.
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christaylor - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 10:32 PM EDT (#443892) #
Schneider did some damage.
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Michael - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 10:32 PM EDT (#443893) #
This Schneider fellow seems pretty good again.
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Magpie - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 10:34 PM EDT (#443894) #
Tim Mayza's top velocity tonight was 86 mph.

Seven pitches, seven sliders.
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uglyone - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 10:40 PM EDT (#443895) #
Game MVP: Houston Baserunning
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Magpie - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 10:41 PM EDT (#443896) #
Don't see that every day.
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uglyone - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 10:42 PM EDT (#443897) #
Green's 3-ball strategery for the win!
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greenfrog - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 10:42 PM EDT (#443898) #
A few big flubs by the Astros tonight. The Blue Jays will take it.

What a moment for Schneider. Almost makes you wish he had played in the WC series against Minnesota.

And excellent job by the pitching staff to keep it close.
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electric carrot - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 10:51 PM EDT (#443899) #
I'm good with Schneider hitting 1 home run every four at bats and nothing in-between. Don't change a thing Davis!
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Joe - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 11:00 PM EDT (#443900) #
Until today, I had never in my whole life seen someone tag out themself.
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Michael - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 11:13 PM EDT (#443901) #
Presented without comment: https://www.mlb.com/news/astros-to-be-more-aggressive-on-basepaths
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greenfrog - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 11:15 PM EDT (#443902) #
As John Northey suggested, it seems like the Jays might want to just give Schneider the bulk of left fielder plate appearances for now. Let Varsho and Kiermaier man center field (with Varsho taking over left field as a defensive replacement where appropriate late in games). As a reminder, Schneider had a 1.008 OPS for the Blue Jays last year (and a .969 OPS in AAA last year).

Depending on the matchup, Varsho could still start some games in left field against some RHP, with Kiermaier in center field on those days.
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92-93 - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 11:26 PM EDT (#443903) #
Tomorrow should feature Schneider at 2B and Biggio at 3B.

The Jays don't have an opposing LH SP on their schedule until 4/14 vs. Colorado.
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SK in NJ - Tuesday, April 02 2024 @ 11:30 PM EDT (#443904) #
Not playing Schneider against RHP is ridiculous to begin with, especially given the quality of the players he's losing playing time to (IKF and Kiermaier, specifically). My hope is that as the season progresses they will slowly start to get more comfortable playing him regularly regardless of who is pitching. I really wish someone would ask them why he's being platooned. If he's a bad defensive 2B in the team's eyes, then just start him in LF and let Kiermaier be the 4th outfielder. The Jays badly need home run power in the lineup and Schneider is one of the few players on the team who has it. Thankfully he hasn't listened to the org's instructions of hitting everything the other way and on the ground. Maybe that's why he's losing playing time. Too much launch angle and pulled baseballs.

Regardless, this was a nice win tonight. A .500 trip wouldn't be bad at all given the competition, but hopefully they can steal this series in Houston with the Astros reeling a bit to start the year.
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vw_fan17 - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 01:10 AM EDT (#443905) #
I suggest they play this Turner fellow a bit more to see if he's got what it takes to be a major leaguer..
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Ducey - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 01:48 AM EDT (#443906) #
Too early for me to climb on the Twisted Sister bandwagon.

He was hitting like .167 before Hayder hung one right in his wheelhouse. He has struck out in 50% of his at bats, and stinks in the field.

I'm happy for him, but am worried still

Much stronger belief in Clement.
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greenfrog - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 05:51 AM EDT (#443907) #
The manager is pleased (per ESPN):

“He’s really, really calm for a young player,” the manager said. “And I think that he was probably trying some new things in spring, and kind of got back to what he’s good at. So it’s a constant game of adjustments and I think he was aware of that. And love where he’s at right now and just trying to continue to put him in spots to do what he did tonight.”

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Jonny German - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 06:19 AM EDT (#443908) #
Props to John Schneider for leaving Varsho in to play defence in the 9th, thus losing the DH. Managers are traditionally way too cautious about this.
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Leaside Cowboy - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 06:44 AM EDT (#443909) #
Schneider's blast was the 9th go-ahead homer in franchise history as the visitor with 2 outs in the 9th inning.
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dalimon5 - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 07:30 AM EDT (#443910) #
Confident: Varsho will come around (acknowledge he's been the worst 3+ WAR player I have ever seen

Doubtful: Alehandro Kirk is not a middle of the order bat and should be dropped way down in the line up

Acknowledged: The best thing I have seen through 6 games this season is the sense of urgency and almost panic from the staff. Schneider managing like a playoff game and Don Mattingly shaving his beard after the first series tells me that these guys know they won't get enough leash to hover around .500 or below past the 5th or 6th week. It makes me think management is ready to trade their best assets in the farm for the required offense to get a better team in place this year and next.
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Leaside Cowboy - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 08:22 AM EDT (#443911) #
Confident: Varsho will come around

Yes. A few knocks and his confidence will rebound.

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John Northey - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 08:39 AM EDT (#443912) #
Watching the Jays platoon Schneider reminds me too much of the 80's with Bobby Cox and Jimy Williams - the two of them were too strict in platooning guys and made part timers out of guys who should've been full-timers while guys who should've been deep down on the bench were getting tons of playing time - see Rance Mulliniks (very good hitter - massive splits but might those have been due to not getting playing time vs LHP thus the 770-642 OPS split career) vs Garth Iorg (horrid hitter - 589-677 OPS split RHP/LHP career) for a good example of this. Another good example was feeling Willie Upshaw was an everyday guy but McGriff and Fielder were not (one was a HOF'er, the other a 50 HR guy once given shots at playing everyday). Many other examples exist but the bottom line is if you have a guy who can hit on a team with a hitting problem you don't bench him for 3/4s of the games.
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Glevin - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 08:48 AM EDT (#443913) #
"He was hitting like .167 before Hayder hung one right in his wheelhouse. He has struck out in 50% of his at bats, and stinks in the field.

Much stronger belief in Clement."

He was 1/8 with a HR and now he's 2/9 with 2 HRs. He has K concerns for sure but he has 150 major league PAs with a WRC+ of 182. I don't know how you don't give that guy a shot with an offense as inept as the Jays. Clement has much higher floor I think but much lower ceiling.
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bpoz - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 09:18 AM EDT (#443915) #
Looking at the AL East schedule TB and Toronto have difficult schedules and maybe NYY. Baltimore and Boston have the easiest schedule based on their opponents results last season.
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Ducey - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 11:13 AM EDT (#443916) #
"He has K concerns for sure but he has 150 major league PAs with a WRC+ of 182. I don't know how you don't give that guy a shot with an offense as inept as the Jays"

Well, after setting the world on fire for 25 games, pitchers noticed he cant hit the high fastball and he went 0 for 31 down the stretch (~10 games) last year. He wound up striking out 30% of the time.

In spring training, he hit 159/240/318 and struck out 31% of the time in 17 games.

As you point out, more of the same now. Yesterday he looked lost on 2 K's earlier in the game before the HR.

So thats 30 games in a row since last season of poor performance. I'd call that a trend.

So that WRC+ 182 is not indicative of what you are going to get from him obviously.

I have no problem with the manager using him sporadically until he can start cutting the K's and making more contact - especially because he is not strong defensively.

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James W - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 11:14 AM EDT (#443917) #
Unfortunately, both of you are incorrect. Schneider is now 2/8, so he was 1/7 (.143) before the 9th inning last night.
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uglyone - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 11:32 AM EDT (#443918) #
Career (min 100pa)

* 1. J.Gibson 202wrc+
* 2. B.Ruth 194wrc+
* 3. E.Steele 194wrc+
* 4. T.Williams 187wrc+
* 5. C.Smith 186wrc+
* 6. D.Schneider 182wrc+
* 7. O.Charleston 181wrc+
* 8. W.Brown 177wrc+
* 9. B.Leonard 175wrc+
* 10. T.Strong 175wrc


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bpoz - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 11:39 AM EDT (#443920) #
Joey Bart traded to Pittsburg.
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greenfrog - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 12:19 PM EDT (#443921) #
So far, Schneider has had 542 very productive PAs between AAA and the majors in 2023-2024. I would like to see what he can do with some regular playing time.

I would ignore his spring training stats, as those stats are largely irrelevant.

Also, during his stint in the majors last year, he seemed to be getting squeezed fairly often by umpires. Otherwise his 176 wRC+ (and 30.5% K rate) in the majors last year might have been even more favourable.
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uglyone - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 12:30 PM EDT (#443922) #
I get people worry about Schneider's K-rate, but his Power and Patience should let him get away with quite a high K-rate.
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lexomatic - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 01:02 PM EDT (#443923) #
Bart now behind 2 better younger prospects than he ever was. Now AAA depth.
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John Northey - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 01:08 PM EDT (#443924) #
I do find it funny when people complain all the time about the Jays bad offense, and that we can't be having KK and Varsho out there, and that Biggio hasn't shown enough. Then we get a guy with a 182 wRC+ so far show up and it is all about his K's and a bad slump he had last year and his spring stats.

2015 Russell Martin hit 196/308/268 in spring - didn't matter once the bell rang as he hit 240/329/458 during the season. 
2017 Jose Bautista hit 414/469/759 his final spring as a Jay - then hit 203/308/366 once the season started.  Ugh.

Yeah, I get into the spring stats and they can hold some meaning.  But NEVER read too much into them. Who the guys face, when they face them, etc. can all have a massive impact.  Umpires getting back into the game also can have a big impact especially with guys like Schneider and Biggio who have excellent eyes for balls/strikes.

In the end, we have a guy who has seen TONS of success in the majors hitting, the Jays need hitting, why isn't he out there everyday until he shows he doesn't belong?  His defense isn't horrid, just not Varsho/KK level in LF, nor anything to write home about at 2B. But this team has defense up the wazoo right now and they can easily do what they did last night - come the 9th with a tight lead you pull him and put Varsho/KK in LF/CF, or bring in Clement or IKF if he is at 2B.  Simple.
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bpoz - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 01:19 PM EDT (#443926) #
Due to bad weather the Buffalo game has been postponed to April 5th.
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GabrielSyme - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 04:25 PM EDT (#443929) #
For whatever reason, the Jays seem to think that the league has adjusted to Schneider and he will be unable to make any corresponding adjustment. I think that's far from obvious, and I don't understand why the Jays (a) have 2B, 3B and LF more or less in flux and (b) are still mucking about with a player who has performed incredibly well so far and could well be a long term solution at one or another of those positions.
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SK in NJ - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 05:53 PM EDT (#443932) #
I think it's possible that Schneider's bat is not as good as projections say it is, and that the way the Jays are using him might be the best way to maximize his offensive production. However, he absolutely deserves a shot to prove whether he can be an everyday player given the players currently slotted ahead of him (Kiermaier and IKF specifically). If the Jays had Semien at 2B and Teoscar in LF, then sure, use Schneider the way he is being used now. That's hardly the case here.

I think there will come a time in the season where they will play Schneider regularly (even if it's begrudgingly), as there will be injuries, ineffectiveness, etc throughout the season. I guess in this case they just truly believe in the defense first mindset and are doubling down on it.
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tercet - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 06:29 PM EDT (#443933) #
Most projections seem to think he will be around 105wrc/750ops which I think seems fair imo.
The problem/issue with Schneider is just his approach/style though which is why alot of people myself included are skeptical about him.
He is a low contact, dead pull power , high k, with two obvious holes in his bat already high fastballs and away pitches.
He has already had 2 extended slumps due to pitchers exploiting his obvious flaws. Until he fixes one or both of these issues, it is fair to platoon him imo.
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GabrielSyme - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 06:45 PM EDT (#443934) #
Platooning Schneider would result in him starting about 1/4 of the team's games, and he wouldn't see many right-handed pitchers. Some players are bench players and have to do their best with the playing time they get; but if you're asking Schneider to address weaknesses to show he can be a starter, this seems counterproductive. You'd be better off asking him to lay off the high fastball in everyday playing time AAA against both lefties and righties.

And what two extended slumps? One, sure.
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scottt - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 07:14 PM EDT (#443935) #
It's early in April. The numbers don't mean a thing yet.
April is as fluky as March, except the wins count.

They have a pretty good bench.

Right now, Schneider leads in OPS, after 2 games.
Then it's Turner and Guerrero, all good. Then Biggio who is fine at the bottom.
Springer is 5th and IKF is 6th. Clement is at .534 OPS.
And then, there's Bo who needs to do better offensively and defensively.
2 Error in 4 games, a lot of plays not made and an OPS of .485.
Varsho, Kirk and KK have not been good.

Still, it's April and there's no reason to bench players.

A good plan today would be to try to get to the pen early.
Javier threw 6 innings allowing just 5 guys to reach against the Yankees--no earned run.

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greenfrog - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 07:38 PM EDT (#443936) #
It wouldn't surprise me if the organization is a bit biased against Schneider because he's cheap, and they don't want to look bad by starting him ahead of Varsho and IKF. Plus the whole unwritten code around seniority ("know your place, rookie") which may be partly why Schneider rode the pine in the postseason last year while the team scored a total of one run in two games and got eliminated.
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Nigel - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 07:51 PM EDT (#443938) #
That's my concern greenfrog but we shall see. If you think about CF, RF, 3B and 2B as positions that some combination of KK, Varsho, Biggio, Schneider, IKF and Clement could fill on any given night I would prioritize ABs as follows: against a LHP (KK in CF, Schneider in LF, IKF at 3B and Clement at 2B but I wouldn't hesitate to use Biggio at 2B and Clement at 3B if IKF hits like IKF); against a RHP (KK in CF, Varsho in LF, Schneider at 2B and Biggio at 3B). In order to get KK rest and/or shelter poor hitting the alternative RHP lineup would be Varsho in CF, Schneider in LF, Biggio at 2B and Clement at 3B.
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uglyone - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 09:23 PM EDT (#443940) #
starting neither Schneider nor Vogelbach today is real dumb.
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Nigel - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 09:50 PM EDT (#443941) #
Particularly when it’s in aid of getting IKF into the lineup
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Marc Hulet - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 10:03 PM EDT (#443942) #
John Schneider's lineup gamble is looking as stupid as it appeared (to just about everyone but him). It feels like 2023 never ended...
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greenfrog - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 10:06 PM EDT (#443943) #
What grade does John Schneider merit thus far in his managerial career? I would probably give him a B- or C+. Of course, many on-field decisions during his tenure may have been made with significant “input” from the front office.
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John Northey - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 10:07 PM EDT (#443944) #
Sigh - Pearson comes in 2 runs score. I have zero faith in the guy. He shows the truth behind the old TINSTAAPP saying.  $1 million arm, 10 cent command.

Need our big 2 relievers to return.  The pen has 2 long men who can't be trusted with a lead (Mitch White, Wes Parsons), Pearson, Génesis Cabrera with the 18 ERA and suspension. Which means Richards and García are the most trusted middle men with Green and Mayza the closer/setup. At this point I'd be looking at sending Pearson back to AAA and advise him to buy a house in Buffalo, and call up Yariel Rodríguez or Paolo Espino.  Heck, can they do worse?
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greenfrog - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 10:08 PM EDT (#443945) #
The manager did the same thing last year, rewarding Davis Schneider for a big home run by benching him the next day.
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uglyone - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 10:10 PM EDT (#443946) #
Firing the whole front office and coaching staff tonight would be perfectly justified.
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greenfrog - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 10:14 PM EDT (#443947) #
Chapman has an .898 OPS entering tonight’s game.

IKF currently has a .583 OPS.
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uglyone - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 10:23 PM EDT (#443948) #

* Gurriel 33pa 145wrc+
* Chapman 28pa 134wrc+
* Moreno 22pa 74wrc+

* Varsho 23pa 45wrc+
* Falefa 18pa 85wrc+
* Kirk 22pa -37wrc+
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uglyone - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 10:28 PM EDT (#443949) #
Buck was so sure that this team had a new professional focus this year, too.

fooled me again!
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Magpie - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 10:30 PM EDT (#443950) #
Maybe we should all give up and not watch the remaining 155 games?
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uglyone - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 10:36 PM EDT (#443951) #
wes parsons, a guy who definitely earned a spot on a big league team.
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Eephus - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 10:41 PM EDT (#443952) #
I must say, this Wes Parsons Project is not nearly as appealing as the Alan Parsons one.

Possibly my last ever opportunity to make that joke, damnit. Could not pass that up.
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Nigel - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 10:41 PM EDT (#443953) #
Houston is going to have one of the best starting staffs in baseball so you have to be more sanguine about this futility. However, hopefully a few self inflicted wounds can be cleaned up as we move along.
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Eephus - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 10:53 PM EDT (#443954) #
Agreed, Nigel. I’m as down on the confusing choices/construction of this roster as anyone, and hoo boy they still drive me as nuts as they did last year so far… but it’s April 3rd. They will win at least 75 more games, ideally a dozen or so more than that when the final tally rolls in.
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BlueJayWay - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 10:59 PM EDT (#443955) #
Well then
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uglyone - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 11:01 PM EDT (#443956) #
you can't no-hit us twice!
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Eephus - Wednesday, April 03 2024 @ 11:03 PM EDT (#443957) #
Varsho’s new open stance also seems to have him pulling his head off the ball, instead of keeping it firm into his body as he swings to the pitch. It explains the pop-ups, his front side is flying open and the bat control is not there.

Nothing wrong with an open stance. But crucially you still have to step into the ball without half your body going towards a different angle. In the modern game only Ichiro could do pull that off.
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The_Game - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 12:07 AM EDT (#443958) #
It’s like the Jays are running a thought experiment about how bound to process and projection in the aggregate an organization can be over actual results. For as enlightened as they think their approach is, it takes an incredible rigidity of thought to reach the point they have. I can say I’ve truly never seen anything like this FO in all my years watching sports. You can say baseball has been trending this way for decades with its inclination toward analytics but I still can’t imagine any other organization in MLB dictating a Berrios pull in that spot, or benching Davis Schneider on a struggling offensive team (for defensive specialists) after a game winning HR off one of the best pitchers in baseball. They are truly one of a kind.
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uglyone - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 01:00 AM EDT (#443959) #

Blue Jays are the first team in modern MLB history (since 1901) to be victimized by a no-hitter & a 1-hitter within the first 7 games of the season

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) April 4, 2024
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Nigel - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 01:40 AM EDT (#443960) #
Well then. The Jays are No.1.
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greenfrog - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 03:58 AM EDT (#443961) #
Instead of benching Davis Schneider because he supposedly can't hit a pitcher like Javier, the manager (front office) should start him and help educate him about how to succeed against the pitcher (maybe work on laying off the high pitches?). It's not like Davis is a 37-year-old veteran who is obviously best used in certain niche roles. He's barely 25 years old and on a steep learning curve. What kind of a message does it send to him that he needs to be sheltered against all kinds of pitchers and that even a huge game-winning home run against an elite closer doesn't merit a start the next day? What if the Blue Jays end up in a 2024 postseason game against Javier? Are they going to bench Davis against because he has never faced him?

Before the game, the manager touched base with the utility player to be sure they were on the same page.

“He gets it,” John Schneider said. “He knows where he handles the ball.”

I'm sure Davis Schneider is starting to get how things work around here.
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scottt - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 06:44 AM EDT (#443962) #
WAR numbers from Bref.

IKF 0.4
Turner 0.3 (0.4 for offense loses for taking the field)
Springer 0.3
Clement 0.2
Guerrero 0.1
Schneider 0.1
<This is where it turns negative>
Biggio
Kiermaier
Vogelbach
Serven -0.1
Varsho -0.1
Kirk -0.3
Bichette -0.4 (negative numbers offensively and defensively)

Benching IKF doesn't really improve things.
They could play KK a bit less, he's the guy who can only hit fastballs.
Playing Turner at 3B and  Vogelbach at DH only works if the pitcher can keep the ball from being hit to third.
Bichette needs to play better. He and Kirk need to start hitting.

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scottt - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 06:58 AM EDT (#443963) #
Parsons is useless. White has done the job so far.
Cabrera is fine if you bring him to face left bats.
Mayza doesn't look right.
Bassitt should eventually sort it out, but isn't quite there yet.

I am not sure about Francis. It seems like he was following the game plan which was to throw high fastballs (which the Houston hitters love) and low breaking balls. He wasn't missing the glove or shaking pitches. At least 2 of the homeruns came on balls way out of the strike zone. Too often is seems to me like the Jays don't look at scouting reports when pitching to hitters. If a Jays hitter struggle with high fastballs, that's all he will see no matter what team he faces, but the Jays keep throwing high fastballs to a guy like Altuve who feasts on those.


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scottt - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 07:00 AM EDT (#443964) #
The site is fine on the 8 year old Samsung but the font is way too small on the Pixel 8.
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lexomatic - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 07:27 AM EDT (#443965) #
Schneider absolutely got " you think you know the strike zone better than us" treatment from the umps last year. Maybe someone more experienced or with a different skill set could have handled it differently. But yeah, with the crowd on this one.
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Jonny German - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 07:33 AM EDT (#443966) #
Font is real small on iPhone 15, but I've reached the age of reading glasses and can't blame the site. Turning the phone to landscape orientation is enough zoom for me. So far.
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greenfrog - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 07:48 AM EDT (#443967) #
To me, another weird aspect of this story is just how often the Blue Jays have been talking about Schneider big flaw as a hitter (difficulty hitting the high fastball). I mean, Schneider has been very successful overall, and (as discussed) he may have been getting screwed by the umps last year.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen management repeatedly discuss a successful and contributing young hitter’s apparent flaw as a hitter to this extent.

It would seem preferable that they recognize his value, publicly praise his success, and work with him behind the scenes to improve his game. Isn’t that what normal managers, coaches and front offices do?
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Leaside Cowboy - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 08:41 AM EDT (#443968) #
An off-day in Manhattan is just what the doctor ordered.
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Ryan Day - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 09:38 AM EDT (#443969) #
As they say, no one is as good as they look on a hot streak nor as bad as they look during a slump. But these guys look bad.

It's puzzling that with a bottom of the order of the likes of IKF, Kiermaier, Kirk, Clement, and Biggio, there doesn't seem to be any attempt to steal bases, bunt, or hit-and-run. I'm not usually one to complain about these things, but none of these guys are likely to start slugging homers or making otherwise significant offensive contributions.

And we can talk about Davis Schneider's shortcomings until the cows come home, but he's hit 2 of the team's 7 home runs. "He might not hit" is not a strong defence when the lineup is full of guys who are definitely not hitting.

I dig Justin Turner's style, though. Maybe he hasn't paid any attention to the Jays' offensive strategies yet?
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Four Seamer - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 10:38 AM EDT (#443970) #
My humble suggestion for the Blue Jays is that the next time they hire a manager, which could very likely be in the next six weeks, they employ one who has done the job before at the major league level. I am not sure Don Mattingly is the answer, since he has been joined at Schneider's hip the last season plus, but hiring inexperienced managers to learn on the job (or not learn, as the case seems to be) has hardly paid dividends the last two go-arounds.
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Glevin - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 10:51 AM EDT (#443971) #
Brutal series but going 3-4 at Tampa and Houston isn't a reason to give up hope. Offense is likely to not be great but it will be better than this for sure. Hoping they can win 2/3 in NY and score some runs.
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85bluejay - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 10:54 AM EDT (#443972) #
In their history, the Jays have had a propensity to hire first time managers.
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uglyone - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 11:12 AM EDT (#443973) #

Sportsnet Stats
@SNstats

Blue Jays set franchise records for the fewest hits (9) & batting average (.106) in a 3-game series

Previous lows were 10 hits & a .112 AVG in a 3-game set vs the Red Sox from Sep 29-Oct 1, 1978
11:07 PM · Apr 3, 2024
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85bluejay - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 11:15 AM EDT (#443974) #
Last year I got into the BSOML (at least in 20 years) because I didn't watch the Jays (about 9 innings total for the season)and this year it may be a repeat - I just haven't gotten excited about the team/players.
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Leaside Cowboy - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 12:20 PM EDT (#443975) #
The Oakland Athletics are moving to Sacramento for 2025-'27, then to Las Vegas for 2028.
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92-93 - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 12:23 PM EDT (#443976) #
Meanwhile, out here in the real world, IKF has 1 run and 0 rbi in 6 starts, and has done very little to help the Blue Jays actually win a game.

Yankees fans will be thrilled to see him in the Jays lineup.
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uglyone - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 12:34 PM EDT (#443977) #
The defensive portion of war 7gms into the season is less than noise.
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uglyone - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 12:35 PM EDT (#443978) #
Lotsa lotsa renos talk on the timeline today.
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Gerry - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 12:38 PM EDT (#443979) #
I don't know what BSOML was so I googled it, bad mistake. So what is the clean meaning of BSOML?
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uglyone - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 12:44 PM EDT (#443980) #
you got this Gerry. give it a little more thought.
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ISLAND BOY - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 01:15 PM EDT (#443982) #
Biggest Shit Of My Life.
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christaylor - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 01:29 PM EDT (#443983) #
If the road trip is 5-5 or even 4-6 is there anyone here who can honestly say they'd be OK that back on opening day? A sweep by NY would hurt.

Tip the cap to the Astros pitching and move on. For many players the plate discipline is there.

BSMOL = Best Shape Of My Life?
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Nigel - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 02:07 PM EDT (#443984) #
This is a tough stretch of games to start a season so expectations have to match that.

I will say that the continual emphasis on what Schneider can't do doesn't bode well and really stands in contrast to how the Rays have generally run things for much of the past 20 years. Take what the player can do and see how you can best use that skill. In this case, the lineup can use some thump and that appears to be what Schneider can offer. On a personal level I will say that if in my 20's my employer spent all its time harping on what I couldn't do it would have been incredibly disheartening.
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85bluejay - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 02:14 PM EDT (#443985) #
I apologize , assuming always leads to problems- BSOML, I meant to say best shape of my life.
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greenfrog - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 02:21 PM EDT (#443986) #
Here's what I think is happening. The front office is providing strong indications to the manager as to how Davis Schneider should be used. The manager wants to be supportive of Davis and use him appropriately in order to win ballgames, but he also knows he has to adhere to what the GM wants -- as in the Berrios situation.

The manager's statements to the media are trying to straddle that multitude of goals. Win ballgames, preserve his position and authority with his players, and keep his boss happy. How well is this approach working? I guess we all have our opinions about that.
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Gerry - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 02:29 PM EDT (#443987) #
And I thought it was some kind of league. I am way out of touch.
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bpoz - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 02:37 PM EDT (#443988) #
Bassit has pitched badly in his 2 games. In the 2 losses to TB we scored 2 & 1 run. Also only scored 2 runs in our 1 win against Houston. Houston may have good pitching because Toronto & NYY may be good teams. A larger sample size is needed.
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SK in NJ - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 03:37 PM EDT (#443993) #
I wonder if the the Jays have tried to tinker with Davis' swing in order to generate more contact and he hasn't been receptive to it. Maybe this is their way of bullying him into changing.
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Leaside Cowboy - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 03:43 PM EDT (#443994) #
Note to self: Quit betting on the Mets.
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scottt - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 03:50 PM EDT (#443995) #
I dunno. I think the offensive portion is a lot less meaningful over 7 games.
If a guy plays great defense over 7 games, he's more likely to replicate that over the full year than a guy who hits a homerun in every game he plays.
And it's wearisome if a guy fumbles the ball and misses plays  3 or  4 times per game over an entire week. I'm quite confident Bo will start to hit, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see new lows defensively.

We're going to New York. They're 6-1 atop the league and you might think people are dancing in the street there. In actuality, 3 guys have carried the team, Soto, unsurprisingly, but also Oswaldo Cabrera and Anthony Volpe. Judge has an OPS of .630 which barely beats IKF at .627. Nobody else has an OPS over .600. There is a lot of scuffling there too. It's early in April.

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scottt - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 03:57 PM EDT (#443997) #
Bassitt has 8 pitches, so it's probably not shocking if he's not in mid-season form on April 4.
He won 16 games last year, but he has never started in a playoffs game.
I'm not concerned as along as plays are made behind him.
When they are not, he's prone to unraveling. 
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Nigel - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 04:40 PM EDT (#443999) #
That defensive WAR for IKF is based on a total of 11 plays in 2024 none of which were that difficult and from which Baseball Reference is extrapolating that he will provide something like 35 Runs Saved above average. That ain't happening. There is no basis to be looking at WAR at all in a 7 game sample size and particularly not for defence.
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Nigel - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 04:47 PM EDT (#444000) #
Actually, Baseball Reference, based on those 11 plays, is extrapolating that IKF would save somewhere between 68-80 runs above average (over their assumed 1200 innings). To give some context for how crazy that is, peak KK in 2015-2016 was at 35 or so runs save above average for the year. The same size is just to tiny for anything.
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uglyone - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 05:05 PM EDT (#444001) #
yeah the value of defensive and offensive war contributions isn't really a matter of debate - it's just the statistical nature of each - defense takes much more time to accumulate enough useful data points than offense does.
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lexomatic - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 06:52 PM EDT (#444003) #
Otto Lopez winding up in Miami seems perfect foe both, really
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scottt - Thursday, April 04 2024 @ 07:28 PM EDT (#444005) #
I don't know that it extrapolates anything. It's rating the plays made or not made. It's not predicting that he'll finish the year with 12 WAR. Offensive WAR goes up and down a lot  from week to week as well. Every homer gives around a tenth of a WAR, but go hitless for a week and the number go down.



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Leaside Cowboy - Friday, April 05 2024 @ 08:16 AM EDT (#444010) #
The Mets finally win, but poor Miami is 0 - 8.
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Cracka - Friday, April 05 2024 @ 10:36 AM EDT (#444011) #
Schneider batting 5th and playing 2B today. Paolo Espino is on the active roster and Wes Parsons has been DFAed.
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dalimon5 - Friday, April 05 2024 @ 10:38 AM EDT (#444012) #
Kevin Barker is a good and reliable source when it comes to the Jays players. He stated yesterday that Jon Schneider (his room mate when they played together) actually just about lost the room at the end of last season and he needed to win the room back. That's interesting because if this team continues like it has been playing then it's likely he loses the room again.

Who's the replacement?
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ISLAND BOY - Friday, April 05 2024 @ 11:51 AM EDT (#444014) #
Another question: there's 4 people advising the hitters so is there such a thing as too much information? Maybe try see the ball, hit the ball?
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