Blue Jays 2008 Season

[blueline]

And good trainers should never allow any injuries to happen. How about those Red Sox trainers? Beckett's back is sore. Shouldn't the ace of the staff be better taken care of?

Dam those Red Sox trainers, first Schilling, now Beckett. Why weren't they with Schill in January when this shoulder problem started?

As for Beckett, he really didn't want to go to Japan anyways. ....... then Dice-K, well someone should have kept him away from the wife. How dare she have a baby in March so he can't go to Japan.

 

[blueline]

Honestly, the level of criticism is amazing sometimes. Players get injured all the time, sometimes unavoidably. And sometimes those injuries hurt a team. And sometimes bad things happen that aren't due to incompetence. Must there always be somebody to blame?

Speaking of injuries, I hope the trainers were fired for letting these happen. What the hell were they thinking.

http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Park/1138/strangeinjuries.html

 

[the_big_E]

I'm with shack...injuries happen, why place unneccessary blame?

 

[Herodotus]

Unless it's the Philadelphia Flyers training staff!

("No, don't worry about that collapsed lung, just get on the plane!" or "It's just a little headache you big baby!")

 

[pdson2]

Well this management team said with a smile on their face last season that they lied about BJ injury to the media and fans ... So they have not earned the right to be given the benefit of doubt..

I fail to see how this is the Blue Jays fault, do you think he told them his shoulder was hurting and they put him out there anyways, i highly doubt it.

 

[salsamarc]

a good training staff is there to prevent certain injuries and minimize the damage we now have 2 pitchers that required Season ending surgery, that is without counting Reed Johnson and Vernon Wells, now I am not saying they should be held 100% responsible because sh!t do happen but they certainly have some of the blame to face

 

[teassoc]

A difficult start to the season - first up 3 vs the Yankees away and then 3 against Boston at home. Whoever does the scheduling must have been smiling about that. A 3 - 3 start is probably as good as we can hope for.

 

[hunter001]

Jays cut outfielder Johnson

I guess the writing was on the wall when they signed Shannon Steward and his noodle arm. I hope Johnson gets a job somewhere outside the American league east.

 

[salsamarc]

Jays cut outfielder Johnson

now that just SUCKS there is a survey on the Jays website about who should be sharing left with Stairs and Johnson is ahead of that survey for at least 25,000 votes...

Johnson is a much better player IMO whether you are talking defense or offense Stewart has a LOT to prove this year

 

[nato75]

...and the Jays get even older...

Rumours already are saying that the Devil Rays (sorry, the Rays) might be interested.

 

[big dogie]

I thought that Shanon was coming back as a DH......oh well

b d

 

[hunter001]

I thought that Shanon was coming back as a DH......oh well

b d

The are paying Frank Thomas 8 million to be DH Let hope Frank doesn't take a few months to get going again (.089 Sping training batting average )

 

[shack]

now that just SUCKS there is a survey on the Jays website about who should be sharing left with Stairs and Johnson is ahead of that survey for at least 25,000 votes...

Does that mean popular vote should be a determining factor in who plays?

I don't think so, which means that survey means squat.

 

[hunter001]

Does that mean popular vote should be a determining factor in who plays?

I don't think so, which means that survey means squat.

Or even better stats this spring. (Yeah I know Steward got a late start.)

 

[TechSeller]

This move pisses me right off. That team was a little light on grit and intensity to begin with. Reed would go through a wall to make a play or step into a 90 plus heater to get on base. Sure Stewart has better career hitting stats but lets see how often his spaghetti arm gets us into trouble this year.

 

[shack]

I actually do like Reed better than Stewart but to be honest the difference between them probably won't matter much in the overall success of the team. Reed brings hard play and Stewart brings more consistent offense.

As far as the batting stats, Johnson had the most at bats on the team in spring training as they were showcasing him. It was probably easier for him to get into a rhythm.

 

[salsamarc]

Jesus H. Christ Shack, have you thought about calling JP and ask him for a job...

Reed not only brings hard play to this team but his defense is much better, his arm is much more stronger and his bat (when healthy as we can see in 2006) is not too shabby either

this is going to be ANOTHER stupid move that he is going to make, Reed should have been sign over Matt Stairs instead of having him share the outfield with him, if anybody was the odd man out it should have been Stairs (and yes I know he had a good season last year) either johnson or stewart are an improvement in defense over stairs and we already have an 8 million dollar DH......

now if you excuse me i have to go and take my medication before the neighbors start to wondering why I keep cursing JP's name over and over...............once again

 

[Herodotus]

You forgot to mention one other domino side effect of this situation: sending Adam Lind back down to the minors... young, cheap and all he needs is the major league experience.

Matt Stairs is a valuable player - veteran presence and leadership, is a professional hitter off the bench, can play 4 positions - DH, 1B, LF, RF. Plus he's Canadian, which is an important bonus for this team.

Reed Johnson was the perfect fourth outfielder - can play all three positions, has some speed, decent defense. But he wasn't a starter for a top team - more of a platoon player/backup - average offensively (no pop) and durability issues.

Shannon Stewart? Noodle-armed left fielder/DH only. Good hitter with no pop. Good base runner with speed. Frequent health issues.

This was a combination money issue and Moneyball issue. Stewart and Stairs platooning should put up much better offensive numbers than Johnson. And you get those two for less than the price of one - even factoring in the almost $550K buyout to RJ. But yikes, the locker room presence, energy and defensive dropoff plus positional flexibility difference is HUGE.

The only other reason I can think of is that Reed Johnson was apparently a bit of a malingerer when he wasn't playing and it's not like the Jays have won anything with him on the roster, you know?

(It's still a head-scratcher. And I hope RJ goes to the Mets and does well for a winner.)

 

[salsamarc]

You forgot to mention one other domino side effect of this situation: sending Adam Lind back down to the minors... young, cheap and all he needs is the major league experience.

Matt Stairs is a valuable player - veteran presence and leadership, is a professional hitter off the bench, can play 4 positions - DH, 1B, LF, RF. Plus he's Canadian, which is an important bonus for this team.

Reed Johnson was the perfect fourth outfielder - can play all three positions, has some speed, decent defense. But he wasn't a starter for a top team - more of a platoon player/backup - average offensively (no pop) and durability issues.

Shannon Stewart? Noodle-armed left fielder/DH only. Good hitter with no pop. Good base runner with speed. Frequent health issues.

This was a combination money issue and Moneyball issue. Stewart and Stairs platooning should put up much better offensive numbers than Johnson. And you get those two for less than the price of one - even factoring in the almost $550K buyout to RJ. But yikes, the locker room presence, energy and defensive dropoff plus positional flexibility difference is HUGE.

The only other reason I can think of is that Reed Johnson was apparently a bit of a malingerer when he wasn't playing and it's not like the Jays have won anything with him on the roster, you know?

(It's still a head-scratcher. And I hope RJ goes to the Mets and does well for a winner.)

not buying it H, you make Stewart sound as a speedster and he may have been once but Reed is no turtle either and since when are the Jays under the almighty JP played little ball (bunting, sacrificing, stealing bases, manufacturing runs, etc) I hope RJ all the best so he rub in in JP's beak

back to my medicine...

 

[shack]

You forgot to mention one other domino side effect of this situation: sending Adam Lind back down to the minors... young, cheap and all he needs is the major league experience.

Matt Stairs is a valuable player - veteran presence and leadership, is a professional hitter off the bench, can play 4 positions - DH, 1B, LF, RF. Plus he's Canadian, which is an important bonus for this team.

Reed Johnson was the perfect fourth outfielder - can play all three positions, has some speed, decent defense. But he wasn't a starter for a top team - more of a platoon player/backup - average offensively (no pop) and durability issues.

Shannon Stewart? Noodle-armed left fielder/DH only. Good hitter with no pop. Good base runner with speed. Frequent health issues.

This was a combination money issue and Moneyball issue. Stewart and Stairs platooning should put up much better offensive numbers than Johnson. And you get those two for less than the price of one - even factoring in the almost $550K buyout to RJ. But yikes, the locker room presence, energy and defensive dropoff plus positional flexibility difference is HUGE.

The only other reason I can think of is that Reed Johnson was apparently a bit of a malingerer when he wasn't playing and it's not like the Jays have won anything with him on the roster, you know?

(It's still a head-scratcher. And I hope RJ goes to the Mets and does well for a winner.)

Good balanced analysis which takes into account there may be factors involved behind the scenes that we are not privy to.

My point is that none of these players are make or break players for the Jays. None are legit full time starters. Lind may have the most potential to be an impact player.