Blue Jays Discussion: Spring training! (next TV game: Sunday 1p ET/10a PT)

[zeke]

I'd take a flyer on him.

 

[Kurtz]

Yeah, I'd cut Goins for him no problem.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I don't see new management picking him up. If AA was still here, sure, but not with Atkins/Shapiro at the helm. Just don't see it.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/03/whitesox-release-brett-lawrie.html

White Sox release Brett Lawrie

 

[phillipmike]

Would gladly take a look at him for the bench. Can play 3B if JD is hurt, 2B if Travis is hurt, can play 1B and i am sure he is athletic enough to play LF.

But i wont hold my breath.

he has to rebuild value so i think he goes to a team where he can get as many PAs as possible. Maybe he tries to go back on the West Coast? Or Mets for 3B with Wright injured. Have to think he is better than Reyes at 3B. Screw Panda and Boston makes a run? Tigers? Giants? Braves?

 

[The Nemesis]

Lawrie and Hutch. Man that gif is a time capsule.

I also miss using it. the short-lived Pillar/Colabello one was much less fulfilling as a victory celebration.

 

[The Nemesis]

Kevin Pillar: "I can control the pitches I swing at."


No, Kevin. You can't.

 

[phillipmike]

Lawrie and Hutch. Man that gif is a time capsule.

I also miss using it. the short-lived Pillar/Colabello one was much less fulfilling as a victory celebration.

Dont forget Arencibia and Escobar too.

 

[TootooTrain]

Kevin Pillar: "I can control the pitches I swing at."


No, Kevin. You can't.

By the word "I", I think he means his brain. In which case he would be correct.

 

[Drew311]

Lawrie is a bit of a headcase. I'm assuming that had something to do with him being released. The guy can still be a serviceable 2B, which is a position you don't expect offense from.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Dont forget Arencibia and Escobar too.

Lawrie and Hutch. Man that gif is a time capsule.

Literally a team full of A-holes

 

[Discoverer]

Kevin Pillar: "I can control the pitches I swing at."


No, Kevin. You can't.

In all seriousness, that interview was awesome. The fact that he recognizes it as a weakness and is consciously working on improving that aspect of his game is really positive to see. He's the anti-Arencibia, which is always a good thing.

 

[The Nemesis]

Lawrie is a bit of a headcase. I'm assuming that had something to do with him being released. The guy can still be a serviceable 2B, which is a position you don't expect offense from.

For the Sox, I think it's due to the fact that he's blocked from 3rd by Todd Frazier and was, from what I can gather, roundly underwhelming/mediocre at 2nd (FWIW, DRS, UZR, and Fangraphs' defensive WAR component all rate him as a negative at 2nd)

his offence also remains kinda middling/replacement level with some concerning upward trend in his strikeout rate.

 

[doorman]

Loved Gibbons assessment of Salty- "he's got a lot of power, he's going to hit some home runs, he's going to strikeout so he'll fit in good around here", lol

 

[Woodman19]

I would try and sign him to a minor league deal and stash him at AAA, see if I can get him to build up some confidence while taking advantage of his Canadianness.

 

[chaosrevolver]

Id definitely take Lawrie back.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Loved Gibbons assessment of Salty- "he's got a lot of power, he's going to hit some home runs, he's going to strikeout so he'll fit in good around here", lol

Honest expectations

 

[Discoverer]

For the Sox, I think it's due to the fact that he's blocked from 3rd by Todd Frazier and was, from what I can gather, roundly underwhelming/mediocre at 2nd (FWIW, DRS, UZR, and Fangraphs' defensive WAR component all rate him as a negative at 2nd)

his offence also remains kinda middling/replacement level with some concerning upward trend in his strikeout rate.

I wouldn't even label it as "concerning"... it's terrifying!

18.1
16.0
15.4
17.4
23.9
28.4

Where the hell did those last two years come from?

 

[Cor]

Like the majority here, I would take Brett Lawrie back.

Can help ease the load off of Travis and Donaldson, and could possibly be an option in LF or 1B if needed

 

[The Nemesis]

I wouldn't even label it as "concerning"... it's terrifying!

18.1
16.0
15.4
17.4
23.9
28.4

Where the hell did those last two years come from?

increased aggression as he desperately tries to turn around his offence because he realizes that his chances to stick in the bigs as anything more than that suboptimal guy who only starts on a garbage team are quickly running out?

looking at his pitch f/x and plate discipline profiles, it also looks like opposing pitchers are increasingly catching on that he's overmatched against breaking balls. Beyond just the K-rate, his last 2 years are marked by a pronounced shift toward more sliders/curves and less fastballs, along with a much more aggressive attack plan with 1st pitch strikes. This in turn shows up with his swing rates not really changing, but his contact rates plummeting and swinging strike rates shooting up.

From what I saw of him with the Sox and Athletics over the last couple years, this bears out on the eye test too. He remains hyper-aggressive at the plate, which leads to a lot of bad hacks at pitches he should let go, and a lot of balls he rolls over on and has to make a mad dash to 1st to beat the throw. It's like watching Pillar combined with Kawasaki.

 

[Longshot]

Traded by the Brewers.

Traded by the Jays.

Traded by Oakland.

Released by Chicago.

Brett Lawrie gets around. Numerous management groups have had this guy and have said "thanks, but no thanks."

I wonder if he is a rock head/disruptive clubhouse guy? Clearly it's not his baseball skills, which are serviceable.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Does Gibby get an extension?

 

[Eyedea]

McBoom

 

[Suntouchable13]

Does Gibby get an extension?

Depends on how the season goes, I guess. If they struggle, I am not saying it will be his fault I am saying that there will be lots of changes and he could be one of those.

 

[Discoverer]

Considering he was always the one to blame when the team was struggling, you'd think back-to-back ALCS appearances would be enough to buy him a bit of time.