Jays 2023

[Toronto Passions]

i think the key to the trade is what 261252 said

Teo is a free agent after this year so he is what is called a one year rental.
If we want him back we can get him as a FA and keep what we got for him

All good points. I have a real soft spot for Dominican Blue Jays. Must be from my 80s childhood. Although not developed in the Jays system, I felt there was a real home town connection with Theo. Probably because he really flourished as a Bluejay. And I still don't think he has peaked. And now with him on the open market next year, so many teams are going to be in on him. And if Manny Machado ops out of his contract like everyone says he is going to, that means Matt Chapman will be next to impossible to sign without spending a fortune. Everyone is saying the third base market next off-season is going to be insanely dry and guys like Matt Chatman will go for insanely high. Which furthers my point in the saying they miss-handled Hernandez and should've focussed on extending him because it probably wouldn't have been that difficult for them. Hernandez had that whole Dominican Blue Jays thing going on....and we need that. So now imagine a 2024 lineup without Hernandez and without Chapman. And ultimately this is all for a reliever that had one good season. And if the Blue Jays suffer an injury in the lineup they are fucked. I prefer an overstacked power lineup.

Philip

 

[Ref]

If Berrios has a bounce back year, the jays have a solid group of starters and decent bullpen. Every starter in the majors will shit the bed a couple of times during the course of the season, unfortunately he shit it too many times last year.

My other two hopes are that Vladdy matures and develops more of a "we're here to win" attitude versus the fun club antics of last year, and that an everyday player steps up into the catalyst role similar to how Donaldson led by example in 2015.

 

[K Douglas]

These 5 hitters are poised to break out this season

Each season, there are players who have a breakout performance, one that puts them on the baseball map and often propels them to new heights of stardom. The upcoming season will be no exception, and we asked five MLB.com writers to weigh in with a hitter they think will enjoy

www.mlb.com

I'm expecting Varsho's 2023 offensive number to look very similar to a Joe Carter season with the Jays. Varsho will probably benefit as much as any player from the new limitations on defensive shifts, (see link above). I'll quote this post at the end of the season, whether or not my prediction proves to be true.

Joe Carter's first year as a Jay (1991)
89 runs scored
33 home runs
108 runs batted in
20 stolen bases
.273 batting average
.330 on base percentage

No doubt that Varsho should benefit from being in a much better hitting lineup than Arizona. But I can't see him coming close to those numbers.

 

[K Douglas]

If Berrios has a bounce back year, the jays have a solid group of starters and decent bullpen. Every starter in the majors will shit the bed a couple of times during the course of the season, unfortunately he shit it too many times last year.

My other two hopes are that Vladdy matures and develops more of a "we're here to win" attitude versus the fun club antics of last year, and that an everyday player steps up into the catalyst role similar to how Donaldson led by example in 2015.

I expect Berrios will have a much better season. I'm not sure what happened with him last season. His K rate was way down and he gave up more hits than innings pitched for the first time in his career. I wouldn't be shocked to see him shave that ERA by a run and half.

 

[onomatopoeia]

Joe Carter's first year as a Jay (1991)
89 runs scored
33 home runs
108 runs batted in
20 stolen bases
.273 batting average
.330 on base percentage

No doubt that Varsho should benefit from being in a much better hitting lineup than Arizona. But I can't see him coming close to those numbers.

Daulton Varsho Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Daulton Varsho. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

Joe Carter Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Joe Carter. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

Look at the stats for Varsho and Carter for their 'age 25' seasons. They have almost identical Major League experience to that point.

In 2022 [Varsho] led the majors in percentage of balls pulled (54.5%) (wikipedia) - mlb(dot)com says '50.9% of batted balls'. That's the highest percentage in the league for left handed hitters. Not surprisingly, Varsho had shitty numbers against the stacked infields that are no longer allowed under the new rules. THAT, and the fact that his current age and degree of experience suggest that he is about to enter the prime years of his career have me very optimistic.

Gurriel is essentially a one year rental player for the Diamondbacks. It wouldn't surprise me if he's traded in mid-season, as it's debatable as to whether he's worth the qualifying offer salary on a one year contract.

 

[Toronto Passions]

I expect Berrios will have a much better season. I'm not sure what happened with him last season.

LOL maybe because he was telegraphing his pitches with his mouth piece dangling out of his mouth. Remember they were saying that at one point last season?

he looks good, his location is good,, his movement is good, I don't understand it either. This guy has Marcus Stroman syndrome. Everything looks good and his numbers should be better than they are.

Philip

 

[Toronto Passions]

...... and the real sad thing to me, is in about two or three years this whole Hernandez situation will be long totally forgotten. I just feel the Blue Jays really let that guy get away for nothing. Sure optimism tells us maybe the Blue Jays can sign him as an FA. When you got him and Matt Chapman going into the open market next off season.... we can say bye-bye to both bon voyage thank you for your time here......gone for life. Ross Atkins can talk about what a marvellous human being Hernandez is, and how much respect he has for him, bla bla bla..... but I personally will never agree with letting him get away the way they did. I think I'll be sick to my stomach if Seattle extends him.

LOL I have been talking too much about this now.

Philip

 

[black booty lover]

My other two hopes are that Vladdy matures and develops more of a "we're here to win" attitude versus the fun club antics of last year,

I'm bloody praying for this. I'm so sick of dumb ice baths after every game, guys doing stupid ass dances in the dugout and putting on a blazer after hitting a HR when your team is down 5 runs. I really think Atkins tried hard to change the culture which is part of the reason guys like Teo and Lourdes Jr were shipped out, and guys like Varsho were brought in along with Donny Baseball.

I think there's a lot of fan bases that feel this way, as last year at some point the Yankees stopped these kinds of shenanigans.

I want to see hard nose playing ballers that are in a shit mood when they lose, not Alejandro Kirk doing some ridiculous hug dance as seen here at the 0:52 mark:

 

[Darts]

Some people will call this "bonding". Sort of like taking a long nude shower with your co-workers.

 

[Insidious Von]

BBL how dare you, Captain Kirk is the son of Guillermo, he's untouchable.

The promise of spring has arrived!

 

[Insidious Von]

Captain Kirk's dad goes God mode!

 

[mandrill]

Joe Carter's first year as a Jay (1991)
89 runs scored
33 home runs
108 runs batted in
20 stolen bases
.273 batting average
.330 on base percentage

No doubt that Varsho should benefit from being in a much better hitting lineup than Arizona. But I can't see him coming close to those numbers.

He hit 27 HR's last year, with 11 in the last 1/4 of the season. Sounds like he's a solid for 30 HR's in 2023. And if he hits 30 HR's with a lineup that's on base a lot, that's 100 ribblies.

 

[shack]

not Alejandro Kirk doing some ridiculous hug dance as seen here at the 0:52 mark:

Does he do that after every home run?

Did any other Jays do this routinely.

If not, then it's just a spontaneous reaction, not staged like the jacket or the ice bath or the things other teams do like the massive chain or the ride in the shopping cart.

 

[onomatopoeia]

...... and the real sad thing to me, is in about two or three years this whole Hernandez situation will be long totally forgotten. I just feel the Blue Jays really let that guy get away for nothing. Sure optimism tells us maybe the Blue Jays can sign him as an FA. When you got him and Matt Chapman going into the open market next off season.... we can say bye-bye to both bon voyage thank you for your time here......gone for life. Ross Atkins can talk about what a marvellous human being Hernandez is, and how much respect he has for him, bla bla bla..... but I personally will never agree with letting him get away the way they did. I think I'll be sick to my stomach if Seattle extends him.

LOL I have been talking too much about this now.

Philip

Hernandez will make $14 Million in 2023, after losing in arbitration, and he's a free agent at the end of the year. Erik Swanson will make $1.25 Million in 2023, and is not eligible for free agency before the 2026 season. The salary saving pays Brandon Belt's 2023 salary, ($9.3 M), Swanson, and Bo Bichette's raise.

Before free agency, sports trades could be evaluated based on a talent for talent basis. Today, the money equation and years of club control are possibly more important, or at least, equally so. The Jays are right on the edge of the 'soft cap' figure for team payroll, and they don't have ownership that's indifferent to Luxury Tax. Seattle is paying Hernandez about 1 Million less than the Jays paid him for 2021 and 2022 combined. In assessing his trade value, the Jays determined that, as an asset expiring at the end of the season, his value was less than Belt, Swanson, Bichette's raise and Adam Macko the prospect. The stat that jumps about about Macko is 148 K's in 95 minor league innings, at or below A ball.

Look at what the Jays got for Josh Donaldson: Julian Merryweather, and look at how valuable Josh is these days, with about $30 Million of guaranteed money owed to him over the next two years, (plus the luxury tax). The current Jays' management is looking to pay players based on expected performance, rather than for past reputation, and arguably they are ahead of the pack in that respect. They have no chance whatsoever in bidding wars against the clubs with unlimited pocket depth.

 

[black booty lover]

Does he do that after every home run?

Did any other Jays do this routinely.

If not, then it's just a spontaneous reaction, not staged like the jacket or the ice bath or the things other teams do like the massive chain or the ride in the shopping cart.

Not sure which team you were watching last year, but yes every HR.

 

[The Oracle]

Not sure which team you were watching last year, but yes every HR.

Yeah it irritates the hell out of me as well.

As a Yankee fan I can tell you they were still doing the jumping forearm bash after every home run right to the very end.

Donaldson has some ritual hand slap/shake he likes to do when greetings teammates at home. It's a bad look on him when you consider how bad he was last year.

Ever seen a Mantle home run?..Puts his head down and gets arounds those bases fast. Crosses home plate at right to the dugout and parks it. That's the way to do it.

 

[black booty lover]

Yeah it irritates the hell out of me as well.

As a Yankee fan I can tell you they were still doing the jumping forearm bash after every home run right to the very end.

Donaldson has some ritual hand slap/shake he likes to do when greetings teammates at home. It's a bad look on him when you consider how bad he was last year.

Ever seen a Mantle home run?..Puts his head down and gets arounds those bases fast. Crosses home plate at right to the dugout and parks it. That's the way to do it.

The for are bash isn't to bad, but they used to do all kinds of dumb shit like the Jays, and at some point last year they stopped (with the exception of the for arm bash I guess).

It's so ridiculous. The Red Sox but the guy in a laundry basket and push him through the dugout. The Angels have stupid straw hat you have to put on, the Orioles have some big pimp chain you have to put on...it's some dumbest shit I've ever seen.

 

[Insidious Von]

Which team drops their pants after a hr?

Mr. Oracle, be prepared, the Jays are going to destroy Gerrit Cole for behaving like a pussy against them last year. First he hits Vlady on the wrist with a pitch, limiting his offensive output for the rest of the season. Then he goes all Pet Shop Boy, challenging the entire team. He knew his team-mates would stop him before he reached the point of no return, confronting Alek Menoah.

Gerrit Cole's theme song.

 

[Darts]

Which team drops their pants after a hr?

Mr. Oracle, be prepared, the Jays are going to destroy Gerrit Cole for behaving like a pussy against them last year. First he hits Vlady on the wrist with a pitch, limiting his offensive output for the rest of the season. Then he goes all Village Person,, challenging the entire team. He knew his team-mates would stop him before he reached the point of no return, confronting Alek Menoah.

Gerrit Cole's theme song.

Are the Village People gay? Asking for a friend.

 

[Insidious Von]

Are the Village People gay? Asking for a friend.

Dartsy, does it matter? I'm happy to report that almost all the original members of the VP survived the AIDS Plague of 1981 - 1996, unfortunately the Leather Bear didn't make it.

I hope Vic Willis has gotten his just royalties.