Blue Jays Discussion: Confirmed: Vladimir Guerrero Jr is still good at baseball

[TheMadHatTrick]

New mock draft projects record number of hitters at the top

It's a big week for college prospects, as most of them are involved in conference tournaments that allow evaluators to do a lot of one-stop shopping. How they perform this week will move the needle for several players, which should make for plenty of upheaval when Jonathan Mayo does our

www.mlb.com

Latest mock draft has us taking Toe-Man.

23. Blue Jays: Tucker Toman, 3B, Hammond HS, Columbia, S.C. (No. 42)
This may be light on Toman, a switch-hitter who's one of the best high school bats available. DeLauter is another possibility.

 

[Eyedea]

Don't know much about this draft, but from the little I've seen I'd be targeting Zach Neto, Peyton Graham, and/or Josh Kasevich.

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

Ward on track to win the Chris Collabello BABIP hitter award

And the Juan Soto plate discipline award!

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[ShaneFalco]

Nice PR spin - Josh is probably thinking - this is bullshit

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

Don't know much about this draft, but from the little I've seen I'd be targeting Zach Neto, Peyton Graham, and/or Josh Kasevich.

I'm a big fan of Neto, but I think he goes in the teens. He's even got the requisite Blue Jays' leg-kick. lol

 

[Eyedea]

I'm a big fan of Neto, but I think he goes in the teens. He's even got the requisite Blue Jays' leg-kick. lol

Yeah he looks like he'll go out of reach but if teams are weary due to small conference then I'd be all over him. I'd expect the Jays to lean toward a TJ arm in that first round anyway.

 

[as Pure as Evil]

At this point looking even at the past 4 years of drafting i have no worries . They seem to go in to the draft well planned with contingencies incase something goes awry

I personally think they have there board filled at this point with 6 or so weeks left just tweaking as some rise and fall

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

Yeah he looks like he'll go out of reach but if teams are weary due to small conference then I'd be all over him. I'd expect the Jays to lean toward a TJ arm in that first round anyway.

Yeah, I'd be all over him too. He reminds me of Justin Foscue (a Rangers prospect we liked at the 2020 draft) except he's a shortstop with a chance to stick.

I am also hoping we grab one of the TJ college pitchers like Priellipp/Pallette/Rocker but I keep seeing us connected to hitters, which is fine if it's BPA. I'm unsure what to make of Delauter, who keeps falling down the list. He has tantalizing tools but some big question marks. I don't want to be fooled by another Hunter Bishop type. I almost prefer Gilbert and Melton as lefty outfielders if we're going that route, maybe even Sterlin Thompson.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

Nice PR spin - Josh is probably thinking - this is bullshit

I would have respected him more if he didn't put this out (EDIT: although he pretty much had to). Everyone knows this is nothing but fabricated fluff to appease everyone who gets triggered so easily these days.

I thought his explanation for saying it was genuine and not fabricated. It proving to be the case made his whole story/stance legitimate.

Would he have been better off not saying it? Sure, especially in the world we live in. Do I think he said it maliciously and with intent? No. Not everything has to be figured to have some sort of racial connotation behind it nowadays.

 

[justloveleafs]

Doesn't make me any money like a well executed stock trade, but I called out Guerrero for being too bulky to continue to be an MVP candidate player.

Blew me away how long he received an MVP menu of over the plate pitches, but those days are gone finally and what you see is what it is with him.

Should have traded him at the top, might have gotten an Eric Lindros type package for him(ya I know Lindros was a hockey player, just sayin)

Sell at tops, buy at bottoms, so easy to say, so few can do it.

Hard for GM's to give up on a shiny toy. The best can. And do.

I shudder to think what he could have landed. Now, he is looking like a slightly above average major leaguer and falling fast.

I called this out before there was any drop in his stats, he was at the top of his game, but I saw what I would do, if I was a pitcher, and conveniently, MLB read my mail shortly after.

 

[Eyedea]

Doesn't make me any money like a well executed stock trade, but I called out Guerrero for being too bulky to continue to be an MVP candidate player.

Blew me away how long he received an MVP menu of over the plate pitches, but those days are gone finally and what you see is what it is with him.

Should have traded him at the top, might have gotten an Eric Lindros type package for him(ya I know Lindros was a hockey player, just sayin)

Sell at tops, buy at bottoms, so easy to say, so few can do it.

Hard for GM's to give up on a shiny toy. The best can. And do.

I shudder to think what he could have landed. Now, he is looking like a slightly above average major leaguer and falling fast.

I called this out before there was any drop in his stats, he was at the top of his game, but I saw what I would do, if I was a pitcher, and conveniently, MLB read my mail shortly after.

Right, and Juan Soto isn’t getting an MVP tier package of players back for the nats.

 

[Canada4Gold]

Gabriel Martinez has 2 HRs today. His OPS approaching .900. One to look out for for sure. Lord knows we need OF prospects.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[stickty111]

Really like this gesture by the Yankees

 

[Hoverhand]

Doesn't make me any money like a well executed stock trade, but I called out Guerrero for being too bulky to continue to be an MVP candidate player.

Blew me away how long he received an MVP menu of over the plate pitches, but those days are gone finally and what you see is what it is with him.

Should have traded him at the top, might have gotten an Eric Lindros type package for him(ya I know Lindros was a hockey player, just sayin)

Sell at tops, buy at bottoms, so easy to say, so few can do it.

Hard for GM's to give up on a shiny toy. The best can. And do.

I shudder to think what he could have landed. Now, he is looking like a slightly above average major leaguer and falling fast.

I called this out before there was any drop in his stats, he was at the top of his game, but I saw what I would do, if I was a pitcher, and conveniently, MLB read my mail shortly after.

was giving this post a glance as Vladdy hit a homerun just now.

had a good laugh.

 

[canucksfan]

 

[trellaine201]

oh oh Ryu has tightness in his elbow. Of course Charlie says everything is fine lmao

 

[stickty111]

The downfall of Ryu was exaggerated

 

[lebdafor norris]

The downfall of Ryu was exaggerated

His declining performance was him trying to pitch thru a nagging injury, when healthy Ryu is still really good starter, healthy being the key word. I wont be surprise if his elbow tightness turns out to be a much more serious issue and Ryu struggles again in his next start, hopefully this is not the case.

 

[hockeywiz542]

It’s time the Jays look at outside options for struggling offence - TSN.ca

Manager Charlie Montoyo has tried just about everything to jump-start Toronto’s stagnant offence. Now it is time for the front office to get involved, Steve Phillips writes.

www.tsn.ca

I mentioned veteran Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder David Peralta as a potential target for Toronto on SportsCentre this week. He is a free agent at the end of the season and is very affordable with an $8 million salary. He also bats left-handed and has eight homers already.

I also mentioned Trey Mancini with the Baltimore Orioles. He is a right-handed hitter but is a great person and would fit in nicely as backup to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. while serving as the designated hitter. He is making $7.5 million this year with a $10 million mutual option for next year. Peralta and Mancini would both provide leadership as well.

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto is another option to consider. The Reds and Votto just left town, and it’s clear how much Votto loves Toronto and his childhood team, the Blue Jays. He’s had an awful season so far, but his home run at the Rogers Centre on Sunday makes me believe that a change of scenery to Toronto could reinvigorate him. He has no-trade rights, but based upon his excitement this weekend, I believe he would accept a trade.

The problem with a Votto trade is his contract. He is due more than $40 million between the rest of this season and next. But that can be negotiated between the clubs. I would only make the deal if it were financially appropriate, but the Reds are in full rebuild mode and I think a deal could be made.

A couple of other names that the Jays should consider are left-handed hitting Royals outfielder Andrew Benintendi and switch-hitting first baseman/designated hitter Josh Bell of the Washington Nationals.

 

[dredeye]

Batting order ranks in wRC+

1st - 6th
2nd - 20th
3rd - 8th
4th - 26th
5th - 22nd
6th - 15th
7th - 16th
8th - 5th
9th - 23rd

Dead last with men in scoring position. Why? Let's take a look at the PA breakdown:

1. Vladdy (46 PA) - 123 wRC+
2. Chapman (45 PA) - 51 wRC+
3. Springer (42 PA) - 109 wRC+
4. Bichette (41 PA) - 64 wRC+
5. Espinal (39 PA) - 58 wRC+
6. Kirk (33 PA) - 44 wRC+
7. Gurriel (33 PA) - 1 wRC+
8. Tapia (33 PA) - -42 wRC+
9. Hernandez (20 PA) - 44 wRC+
10. Collins (14 PA) - 179 wRC+
11. Zimmer (9 PA) - -7 wRC+
12. Jansen (7 PA) - 95 wRC+

Optimally, right now I'd structure the lineup as:

1. Springer - CF (second best hitter)
2. Vladdy - 1B (best hitter, say no more)
3. Bichette - SS (Career 143 with men on base, 127 in scoring)
4. Jansen - C (best RBI spot, for his career he's significantly better with men on base)
5. Hernandez - RF (Better with runners on base, still solid with bases empty)
6. Kirk - DH (Better with bases empty, elite discipline/bat to ball skills)
7. Chapman - 3B (Above average career numbers in all situations)
8. Gurriel - LF (Average with men in scoring, above average with men on base/bases empty)
9. Espinal - 2B (138 wRC+ bases empty, stats tank hard with men on base/in scoring)

I really can’t believe how bad Chapman’s bat has been

 

[trellaine201]

Why can’t catchers hit in the general sense? I am pretty sure 15-20 years ago many catchers were good on the offense. Seems like a lost art the past 10 years.

 

[tmlfan98]

It’s time the Jays look at outside options for struggling offence - TSN.ca

Manager Charlie Montoyo has tried just about everything to jump-start Toronto’s stagnant offence. Now it is time for the front office to get involved, Steve Phillips writes.

www.tsn.ca

I mentioned veteran Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder David Peralta as a potential target for Toronto on SportsCentre this week. He is a free agent at the end of the season and is very affordable with an $8 million salary. He also bats left-handed and has eight homers already.

I also mentioned Trey Mancini with the Baltimore Orioles. He is a right-handed hitter but is a great person and would fit in nicely as backup to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. while serving as the designated hitter. He is making $7.5 million this year with a $10 million mutual option for next year. Peralta and Mancini would both provide leadership as well.

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto is another option to consider. The Reds and Votto just left town, and it’s clear how much Votto loves Toronto and his childhood team, the Blue Jays. He’s had an awful season so far, but his home run at the Rogers Centre on Sunday makes me believe that a change of scenery to Toronto could reinvigorate him. He has no-trade rights, but based upon his excitement this weekend, I believe he would accept a trade.

The problem with a Votto trade is his contract. He is due more than $40 million between the rest of this season and next. But that can be negotiated between the clubs. I would only make the deal if it were financially appropriate, but the Reds are in full rebuild mode and I think a deal could be made.

A couple of other names that the Jays should consider are left-handed hitting Royals outfielder Andrew Benintendi and switch-hitting first baseman/designated hitter Josh Bell of the Washington Nationals.

Peralta or Benintendi would make a lot of sense on this team. Another name who wasn't mentioned that would fill the same OF lefty bat need is Ian Happ, although he has another year of control and is much better than Peralta or Benintendi so he would likely cost more.

 

[Eyedea]

Why can’t catchers hit in the general sense? I am pretty sure 15-20 years ago many catchers were good on the offense. Seems like a lost art the past 10 years.

Well 15-20 years ago there was this steroid scandal going about so yeah, in a sense they did hit better. But relative to the league average (100 wRC+), catchers have traditionally hit 5-20% worse than a league average hitter. The only time they were actually an above average position offensively was in 1871, 1872, 1877, and 1879. A lost art indeed.