Blue Jays Discussion: The Vladimir Guerrero Jr. injury overreaction thread

[ShaneFalco]

I like this lineup for this game

 

[zeke]

yep. gibby's on top of it. nice to see.

travis better wake up or he'll be riding pine when Donaldson comes back.

 

[Nineteen67]

With the roller coaster ride we’ve been on with the Leafs it’ll feel good to relax and watch a ball game tonight.

 

[Kurtz]

travis better wake up or he'll be riding pine when Donaldson comes back.

See, I'd rather he be sent down to get reps against live pitching in the minors than ride the pine in the majors.

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

Don't want to overreact to a small sample but Biggio off to a good start early on. .313/.414/.708 with 4hr 5(2b) 1(3b) 8bb 13so. So he's hitting for more power. Wonder if there's a swing adjustment or launch angle change. Probably a utility profile, but he's a lefty bat which we don't have a ton of.

 

[Goonface2k14]

Jays and Sox also tied at 3... bottom 9th... coincidence?

 

[canucksfan]

Yennsy Diaz had another good start. No hits but 4 walks. He pitched about 38 pitches in the first inning then got much better.

 

[zeke]

grandy is the steal of the offseason.

big shout out to the red sox' 3b coach for sending the runner home for the easy 3rd out in the 9th, with mookie coming up against a struggling osuna.

 

[phillipmike]

I was lukewarm at best on Granderson when I heard we signed him. Gladly eating crow.

 

[Superstar]

Did Granderson turned on that fastball!

 

[TootooTrain]

I sat in section 117 for tonights game. Right behind the new netting extension for the first time. Honestly it's so thin, I didn't even notice it. I appreciated the game more with how close I was. I enjoyed seeing the pitcher work, the sound, the speed of play.

 

[Discoverer]

Don't want to overreact to a small sample but Biggio off to a good start early on. .313/.414/.708 with 4hr 5(2b) 1(3b) 8bb 13so. So he's hitting for more power. Wonder if there's a swing adjustment or launch angle change. Probably a utility profile, but he's a lefty bat which we don't have a ton of.

The power surge is intriguing. If it ends up being real rather than just a hot streak, then his patience and plate discipline suddenly look like they may translate. It's hard to get by on just walking a lot when pitchers have no reason to fear throwing you strikes.

Speaking of walking a lot... Ryan Noda is having the weirdest start to the season. 22 BB (!!!) in 60 PA and already 7 SB against 0 CS (from a 1B prospect).

 

[Jepprey]

I was lukewarm at best on Granderson when I heard we signed him. Gladly eating crow.

He is playing like its 2007. lol. What a beauty.

 

[Mitchy]

Grandy with a solid 150 wRC+ entering Tuesday's game.

 

[zeke]

172 now.

 

[canucksfan]

In slightly under 23 innings Yennsy Diaz has only given up four hits. If he continues he will get promoted to Dunedin very quickly.

Clemens could get a quick promotion too.

 

[metafour]

and already 7 SB against 0 CS (from a 1B prospect).

They moved Noda to LF this offseason.

 

[Mach85]

What are people's thoughts on Smoak? Yes, it's April. Yes, cold weather. Etc., etc. Humour me. Slower start relative to last season isn't BABIP-driven. His hard contact is down a bit. Hitting a few more ground balls. However, his plate discipline (including SwStr%) are the best they've ever been. He's swinging a lot less in general, so maybe he's gone a little too far in that direction?

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

What are people's thoughts on Smoak? Yes, it's April. Yes, cold weather. Etc., etc. Humour me. Slower start relative to last season isn't BABIP-driven. His hard contact is down a bit. Hitting a few more ground balls. However, his plate discipline (including SwStr%) are the best they've ever been. He's swinging a lot less in general, so maybe he's gone a little too far in that direction?

What are your thoughts on Joey Votto?

 

[BlueForever75]

What are your thoughts on Joey Votto?

If Smoak continues to do what hes doing, his numbers will be better then next season. Understand that the entire lineup isnt together yet, once he has protection and bats were he should be his numbers will translate better then last season.

He is doing just fine right now.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Top 22 Prospects: Toronto Blue Jays | FanGraphs Baseball

Guerrero was identified as an elite talent years before the Jays signed him at age 16, exhibiting an advanced feel for hitting and raw power like his father. Unlike the elder Guerrero, Vlad Jr. has generally developed earlier — already looking too big for third base as a teenager and polishing his tools at a very young stage. Whether Vlad Jr. settles as a fringey third baseman or a first basemen/designated hitter is up for debate, but his easy plus hit and power tools (with ceiling for more) are not and will make his ascent to the big leagues a quick one

Kylie\Eric have Bichette with a 50 grade hit tool.......

 

[Eyedea]

Top 22 Prospects: Toronto Blue Jays | FanGraphs Baseball



Kylie\Eric have Bichette with a 50 grade hit tool.......

They basically just guessed that he’ll sacrifice some of his contact for more power. But they also said we have two of the top 10 prospects in baseball, so who’s to complain? Also Jansen 60 hit, bravo.

 

[Mach85]

What are your thoughts on Joey Votto?

Come on, DJQ, I expect more of an effort than that from you. Votto has more of a track record, and he's on record as saying he'll just try things out for a month randomly, which can lead to variations in performance. Similar "veteran breakouts" from last year (Alonso, LoMo, etc) aren't doing so hot. I'm not equating Smoak to them, as I thought I made clear in my initial query that I was aware of small sample caveats. But that doesn't mean that a discussion can't be had. Did I really have to lay all that out? Don't make me unregister my name from the Quimby voting list, good sir.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Come on, DJQ, I expect more of an effort than that from you. Votto has more of a track record, and he's on record as saying he'll just try things out for a month randomly, which can lead to variations in performance. Similar "veteran breakouts" from last year (Alonso, LoMo, etc) aren't doing so hot. I'm not equating Smoak to them, as I thought I made clear in my initial query that I was aware of small sample caveats. But that doesn't mean that a discussion can't be had. Did I really have to lay all that out? Don't make me unregister my name from the Quimby voting list, good sir.

Was said in a less pointed way than it may have come off.

The message is roughly the same though. I'd give it through the end of May before I make any pronouncements one way or the other (for Votto, as well as all three guys mentioned, and including Chris Taylor and Cozart).

Specifically with Smoak, the trends in discipline should be viewed as a positive.

 

[Kurtz]

The thing with Smoak is...he was a replacement level player for the first 8 years of his career, then had an excellent 3-month stretch in the middle of his 9th season, and was again a replacement-level player for the finals 2 months of the season. And he's 31.

He's certainly not killing us out there and his defense is a plus...and the internal alternative is Mo..so really our best course here is just to stay put and hope for the best.