OT: Blue Jays Thread (II)

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I agree, Texas is the team I didn't want in a five game series either. Could have been avoided too if the organization hadn't take the rest of the season off after clinching the division.

You mean the Texas team the Jays destroy in their recent meetings? I think they'll be just fine.

They can out hit and out pitch the Rangers, not sure the concern.

 

[McGoMcD]

You mean the Texas team the Jays destroy in their recent meetings? I think they'll be just fine.

They can out hit and out pitch the Rangers, not sure the concern.

The Yanks and Astros were trending down big time. Still don't like facing the second hottest team in the AL since the All star break. I think you want the winner of the yanks and Astros. Then you get a team that has used its ace up as well.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

The Yanks and Astros were trending down big time. Still don't like facing the second hottest team in the AL since the All star break. I think you want the winner of the yanks and Astros. Then you get a team that has used its ace up as well.

True, but if I'm the Jays, none of these teams "scare" me, because the Jays look better and deeper then any of them.

 

[Juxta Position]

This would be the first time in the history of this board that a baseball thread hit 1000 posts here.

kind of tells you how long its been since Jays had a competitive squad.

I remember 92 and 93 being interesting. not so much since then.

The jays have always had a competitive team, save for a couple really bad outlier seasons. Problem was for over a decade the Yankees and Red Sox dominated baseball, not just the AL east but all of baseball. It was like being a jets fan in the 80's, almost always a good team, but they had Edmonton and Calgary in their division. Blue jays were always perennial 3rd place favorites in the AL east. Then in the mid to late 2000's the Rays and Orioles started to get a whole lot better due to high draft picks and very good managing. So the jays, for 20 years were the oilers of the early 2000's, not bad for impact draft picks, but not good enough to make playoff's.

 

[McGoMcD]

True, but if I'm the Jays, none of these teams "scare" me, because the Jays look better and deeper then any of them.

True. I agree there. We should beat the Rangers, but, I would still rather the winner of the Yanks and Astros.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

True. I agree there. We should beat the Rangers, but, I would still rather the winner of the Yanks and Astros.

My hope, the Jays beat the Rangers, and get the Astros in the ALCS, they worry me the least.

 

[phonyphreak]

You mean the Texas team the Jays destroy in their recent meetings? I think they'll be just fine.

They can out hit and out pitch the Rangers, not sure the concern.

IIRC We didn't face their top 2 pitchers

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

IIRC We didn't face their top 2 pitchers

Ok, they destroy their other pitchers and their bullpen, as I recall.

 

[shoop]

True. I agree there. We should beat the Rangers, but, I would still rather the winner of the Yanks and Astros.

I think given the option of the Yanks or Rangers the Jays are happier facing the Rangers.

A big part of the Yankees 'trending down' is due to the losses to the Jays. Other than that they have been pretty darned good.

There are no guarantees the Royals, also trending down, beat the wild card winner. Jays could still end up with home field advantage through to the world series.

 

[rboomercat90]

Ok, they destroy their other pitchers and their bullpen, as I recall.

Gallardo has owned the Jays this year too. Hamel's is unbeaten in his last 10 or so starts and the Jays haven't faced him this year either. I think the Jays can and should win this series. I am concerned though, because Texas is the hot team and this is only a five game series. We're gonna see Price on 11 days rest which makes me nervous and if Stroman doesn't pitch until Sunday he'll be on similar rest. The rest of the team took their feet of the gas the last week of the season too, while Texas played hard until the end. The Jays have set themselves up to come out flat and I'm concerned with the short series they may not recover in time. We see this from other teams every year. If they do get by Texas then I'm confident they'll easily win the next series.

 

[SerbianEagle]

I am a little worried ahead of this series. Not so much because of the match-ups, because the Jays are a better team with more talented individuals.

Price is better than any Texas starter
Hamels is better than anyone on Jays not named Price
Stroman and Gallardo are even
I'll take Dickey and Estrada over Holland and Perez

The lineup the Jays can send out there is close to being the best in baseball....

But...

Teams that win never, ever let up and the Jays did that. They should have started Price for the first 3 innings in the season finale in Tampa and then have Buehrle come in from the bullpen. That to me was a "we don't really care" moment and that can bite you in the a$$ in pro sports.

Speaking of Buehrle...he should have been part of the playoff roster. If not a starter, then part of the bullpen. His experience is vast, and he is a great leader.

Anyway, just worried...

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I am a little worried ahead of this series. Not so much because of the match-ups, because the Jays are a better team with more talented individuals.

Price is better than any Texas starter
Hamels is better than anyone on Jays not named Price
Stroman and Gallardo are even
I'll take Dickey and Estrada over Holland and Perez

The lineup the Jays can send out there is close to being the best in baseball....

But...

Teams that win never, ever let up and the Jays did that. They should have started Price for the first 3 innings in the season finale in Tampa and then have Buehrle come in from the bullpen. That to me was a "we don't really care" moment and that can bite you in the a$$ in pro sports.

Speaking of Buehrle...he should have been part of the playoff roster. If not a starter, then part of the bullpen. His experience is vast, and he is a great leader.

Anyway, just worried...

Yeah, don't worry. Buehrle isn't on the playoff roster because he has no experience pitching out of the bullpen and would make a bad option for the Jays.

Texas isn't as good as the Jays, flat out. It doesn't matter that the "let up" because they won their division well before the Rangers, for good reason. They will be just fine.

 

[Gret99zky]

Nitpick Alert:

A pennant is won by the team winning their league championship. Each year there are two pennants won. American League pennant & National League pennant.

The Bluejays won their division. Not the pennant.

Not yet anyway. *crosses fingers*

 

[rboomercat90]

I am a little worried ahead of this series. Not so much because of the match-ups, because the Jays are a better team with more talented individuals.

Price is better than any Texas starter
Hamels is better than anyone on Jays not named Price
Stroman and Gallardo are even
I'll take Dickey and Estrada over Holland and Perez

The lineup the Jays can send out there is close to being the best in baseball....

But...

Teams that win never, ever let up and the Jays did that. They should have started Price for the first 3 innings in the season finale in Tampa and then have Buehrle come in from the bullpen. That to me was a "we don't really care" moment and that can bite you in the a$$ in pro sports.

Speaking of Buehrle...he should have been part of the playoff roster. If not a starter, then part of the bullpen. His experience is vast, and he is a great leader.

Anyway, just worried...

Very well put. I agree with you on everything except Buerhle. In every interview I saw with him in the last 10 days or so he looked like a guy who knew he was about to be finished and he looked very comfortable with it. I get the impression his arm is done, he knows it and being the team guy he is knows he isn't the best option right now.

 

[CupofOil]

You mean the Texas team the Jays destroy in their recent meetings? I think they'll be just fine.

They can out hit and out pitch the Rangers, not sure the concern.

You're really underrating the Rangers especially facing Hamels twice (who they haven't faced yet) in a 5 game series who has the potential to neutralize the Price advantage.

I think it's a very close series. Similar strengths/weaknesses. Both have a very strong 2-5 in their lineup, a proven ace, question marks beyond that in the starting staff although Stroman looks awfully good, shaky bullpens.

I'd give the edge to the Jays because of a deeper lineup but this is a tight series. There's going to be tons of pressure to win Game 1 at home, lose that game and they might not see Toronto again until next season.
The Yankees and Astros would have been much more favorable matchups.

 

[McGoMcD]

You're really underrating the Rangers especially facing Hamels twice in a 5 game series who has the potential to neutralize the Price advantage.

I think it's a very close series. Similar strengths/weaknesses. Both have a very strong 2-5 in their lineup, a proven ace, question marks beyond that in the starting staff although Stroman looks awfully good, shaky bullpens.

I'd give the edge to the Jays because of a deeper lineup but this is a tight series.
The Yankees and Astros would have been much more favorable matchups.

I think the jays have the edge, but it will be close. The Rangers have been on fire and are similar to the Jays in many respects. Hamels shouldn't be pitching game 1, so that means we won't get him twice, which is good news. Could be the difference. I would have rather the Yanks or Astros as well. Esspecially with their Ace used up. That helps a lot.

 

[CupofOil]

I think the jays have the edge, but it will be close. The Rangers have been on fire and are similar to the Jays in many respects. Hamels shouldn't be pitching game 1, so that means we won't get him twice, which is good news. Could be the difference. I would have rather the Yanks or Astros as well. Esspecially with their Ace used up. That helps a lot.

Wouldn't Hamels be on 5 days rest going into Game 1? Don't see why they wouldn't start him. Even if that's the case, I'm sure they will find a way to get him into Games 2 and 5.

 

[McGoMcD]

Wouldn't Hamels be on 5 days rest going into Game 1? Don't see why they wouldn't start him. Even if that's the case, I'm sure they will find a way to get him into Games 2 and 5.

He pitched a complete game sunday. So thurs would be on 3 days rest, they usually want 4 or 5 even. 3 days is considered short rest. Then he could pitch game 5 on 4 days rest. So yes, they could use him twice, doubt he pitches game one though

 

[CupofOil]

He pitched a complete game sunday. So thurs would be on 3 days rest, they usually want 4 or 5 even. 3 days is considered short rest. Then he could pitch game 5 on 4 days rest. So yes, they could use him twice, doubt he pitches game one though

I thought the series started Friday for some reason.
In any event, Hamels has pitched on short rest before in the playoffs so I would still expect him to start Game 1 but you might be right. Either way, I think we see him in Game 2 and if it reaches Game 5.
Gonna be a real fun series. Really looking forward to Cubs-Pirates on Wednesday as well.

 

[rboomercat90]

I thought the series started Friday for some reason.
In any event, Hamels has pitched on short rest before in the playoffs so I would still expect him to start Game 1 but you might be right. Either way, I think we see him in Game 2 and if it reaches Game 5.
Gonna be a real fun series. Really looking forward to Cubs-Pirates on Wednesday as well.

I'm really looking forward to the NL wild card game too. Hard to imagine any team beating Arrieta right now. It's really gonna suck for the Pirates if they lose that game and they get knocked out so soon after the year they had. I find those National league series almost impossible to predict. They're going to beat the hell out of each other and you can make a case for any of those five teams to win the pennant.

 

[CupofOil]

I'm really looking forward to the NL wild card game too. Hard to imagine any team beating Arrieta right now. It's really gonna suck for the Pirates if they lose that game and they get knocked out so soon after the year they had. I find those National league series almost impossible to predict. They're going to beat the hell out of each other and you can make a case for any of those five teams to win the pennant.

The National League is beastly this season. It's a real shame that one of the Pirates or Cubs are going to be knocked out.

Smart money would be on Arrieta but something tells me that the Pirates are finally due for a breakout postseason. I really like both of those teams so not sure who to root for there. I just pray that one of them knocks out the Cardinals, enough of them already.

Great time to be a sports fan. Hockey season openers and baseball playoffs starting at the same time. Football in full swing. Multiple screens will be up in McCupofOil's household for the next few months.

 

[Kevotron]

Im just pissed off at the start time for game 2.

 

[The Head Crusher]

Great the first playoff game in 22 years and the Oilers season opener are on the same night....and I am going to stuck at parent teacher interviews

 

[Bastulon]

Mhmm maybe sticky the thread for the playoff run?

 

[joestevens29]

Really shocked to see a player voluntary go into rehab right before the playoffs. Hopefully CC can get the help he needs. Good to see someone put themselves before a game.