Blue Jays: 2016 Edition

Butler1000

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Oct 31, 2011
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I never said our rotation wasn't good so far. I've said several times in this thread they were one of the best (until Stroman started channeling Romero). It's the best in the ALeast, but Boston has insane O and Baltimore has better O and bullpen. Yanks and TB are behind us in the standings. It take offence to score more than the runs allowed by pitchers to win, in case you haven't grasped the obvious.

While our starters have been good, I said none of our top 4 have pitched more than 187 innings in a season, this means they will struggle or injure into mid- and late season. Your point was reversion to the mean will lift our offence but our pitching will continue above career expectations.

I was merely pointing out the internal inconsistency in your logic.
Actually my point was that I think Estrada, Happ and Sanchez are going to do well because it's time for them to do so. The First two are at the age where they can produce with consistency at their skill level. And both signed good contracts so aren't distracted. As for Sanchez(and this also answers about his innings totals and putting him in the bullpen) he put on 25 pounds of muscle, changed his routine to give him more endurance and now has a wicked curve in his arsenal.

I believe they will continue to produce like this(barring injury) all season. Dickey will be the innings eater, and just do what he does.

Stroman it would appear is having a sophmore slump. I think they have figured him out around the league. Honestly a few more like this and we may have a similar situation with Tom Gorden. And the Bullpen may be the answer. But I will reserve judgement until a few more starts.

Sometime the status mean is the correct answer. In this case I think the starters will be better this year, and the bullpen and hitters will improve to normal.
 

busterhut

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Oct 5, 2008
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Stroman it would appear is having a sophmore slump. I think they have figured him out around the league. Honestly a few more like this and we may have a similar situation with Tom Gorden. And the Bullpen may be the answer. But I will reserve judgement until a few more starts.

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If you see where Stroman pitches, he is consistently lower half of strike zone. Zaun keeps saying he gets pitches up, but that isn't the cast according to pitch tracking. If you watch Estrada, he is up and down. Top if strike zone and higher at times and he doesn't throw as hard. If you watched Grilli the other night, he had a very successful inning and threw only one or two strikes. Up, down, in and out. I don't think Stroman is asking the hitters to defend as much zone as he should be. If major league hitters only have to focus on covering half the strike zone, be it top half of bottom, they will hurt you. Stroman has to start changing their focus and make them defend whole zone and then they have to start expanding their focus.
 

ultistar

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Apr 18, 2009
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ugh, Floyd coming in with bases loaded, no outs. Not good.

On the bright side, EE another HR and 4RBIs, up to 52 RBIs. Hey Butler, you taking notice? That's what a consistent productive slugger looks like.

Edit. 2hr and 5 RBIs. He's getting warm. And Saunders hits HR to opposite field.
4 sac flies, hitting more like last year. Good win.
 

Dawgger

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I'm happy with Biagini though. He's been a nice surprise.
ERA of 0.90. He could turn into an important 8th inning guy perhaps.

Then all you need is a 7th inning reliever, and have Chavez and Floyd duel it out for middle-relief or mopup
Still happy with Biagini? Looks like the teams have a book on him now and he is quickly looking like the AA pitcher they got from SF.
I am not writing him off, just that he is young and inexperienced. It doesn't take the pros long to find a flaw and then hammer it. doubt they will be able to send him down so Walker will be spending time working with him.
 

ultistar

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Apr 18, 2009
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If you see where Stroman pitches, he is consistently lower half of strike zone. Zaun keeps saying he gets pitches up, but that isn't the cast according to pitch tracking.
Don't counter Zaun with facts and stats. He knows what he sees and feels in his gut. Stats gets him so worked up he might bust the top button of his tight suit; the fatty.
 
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Butler1000

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Oct 31, 2011
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ugh, Floyd coming in with bases loaded, no outs. Not good.

On the bright side, EE another HR and 4RBIs, up to 52 RBIs. Hey Butler, you taking notice? That's what a consistent productive slugger looks like.

Edit. 2hr and 5 RBIs. He's getting warm. And Saunders hits HR to opposite field.
Yes. I know what a slugger looks like. And it only proves my point that they have been underperforming. Him Donaldson Martin etal. They will come around.

Bit of bullpen help and we will be the powerhouse the paper says.
 

AK-47

Armed to the tits
Mar 6, 2009
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In the 6
Still happy with Biagini? Looks like the teams have a book on him now and he is quickly looking like the AA pitcher they got from SF
He was bound to have a bad inning. His ERA wasnt gonna be around 1.00 forever.

And boy did Grilli look pumped with the win!! :)

Nice win EE!

Even taking just one more over the weekend and splitting the series would be great
Nah, they have to win tomorrow as well and send a message to rest AL East that plan on challenging.

With Sanchez pitching they got a good shot at it
 

Dawgger

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He was bound to have a bad inning. His ERA wasnt gonna be around 1.00 forever.

And boy did Grille look pumped with the win!! :)
Unfortunately, today wasn't his first bad inning, been a bit since he has had a good one.
I like Grille and he maybe what the bullpen needed. Veteran presence even more than his pitching ability.
 

shack

Nitpicker Extraordinaire
Oct 2, 2001
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Nah, they have to win tomorrow
They have to? Is the season lost if they don't.

For sure, it would be nice to win, but "have to"? Hardly.
 

Nad Smith

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Nov 23, 2004
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zeke plays well again...cementing his most underrated status........gotta like the Griller too........is it just me or does Encarnacion have his best days on Saturdays?
 
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So how many innings do you think he will pitch assuming he does not get injured?

Most he has done as a pro is 130ish and most of those were in the minors.
Heard Pete Walker talk about this the other day. He said Sanchez isn't on an innings limit, but they are monitoring his pitch counts, so at some point they will have to slow him down.
 

black booty lover

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Oct 21, 2007
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Heard Pete Walker talk about this the other day. He said Sanchez isn't on an innings limit, but they are monitoring his pitch counts, so at some point they will have to slow him down.


only if they feel like it's starting to affect him. They're just going to skip one of his starts once in a while.
 
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tribunus

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May 26, 2008
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Cool to see how pumped Grilli was to close out a 5-run win. He grew up a Jays fan (from Syracuse) so fanning 3 Orioles to end the game must have been pretty special for him.
 

ultistar

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Apr 18, 2009
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Cool to see how pumped Grilli was to close out a 5-run win. He grew up a Jays fan (from Syracuse) so fanning 3 Orioles to end the game must have been pretty special for him.
Yeah, I was wondering if he forgot it was a NON save situation since we hit 2 HR in the previous inning for a 5 run lead. The pros sometimes get tunnel focused on closing and they block out the score. But cool to seem him bear hug Martin, his former battery mate in Pittsburg, as if they won a playoff game :)
I also like his nickname GrilledCheese, cuz he's got a nasty breaking pitch :)
 

AK-47

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In the 6

ultistar

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With Joey Bats out with a bad hip, it got me thinking about the logjam we have at 1B/DH and Smoak. Smoaky got off to a good start and more recently has been coming back to his career avg of low .200 BA and low .700 OPS. He is a bit of an enigma as a GG quality fielder with a comparatively unproductive bat for 1B.

He hits too well to be just a late inning defensive sub, and if he is just a pinch hitter, we lose his defensive prowess. Meanwhile, he's just not that good enough to be an everyday 1B.

Typically 1B are good hitters, weaker fielders. Given that we have an ageing offence, it seems one (or 2) of JB, EE, JD, RM, Tulo could take a few days at DH to take a break from the everyday grind of playing the field.

Now, I've claimed that EE is a capable defender since he used to play 3B for most of his career, and he played well at 1B during 2012-14. Same could be said for JB who used to play 3B. So there will always be a few of the big 5 to play 1B or DH.

(not saying Martin or Tulo are at the same level as the big 3, but they are owed $20mill each over the next few years, so we can't have them exactly sitting; tho Tulo sure is trying hard).

Then we can use Smoak's good start as trade bait for a reliever or maybe even a 4th OF.
 

gcostanza

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Jul 24, 2010
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Russ Martin is batting .231 since May 1st.
Here's Russ Martin's batting average for the last 7 years:
2009 .250
2010 .248
2011 .237
2012 .211
2013 .226
2014 .290
2014 .240

What we are seeing (since May 1st), IS Russell Martin.

Now, if Mr. Martin could get back to his career average defensively, all is well.
 
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