Blue Jays Discussion: Guys are getting hurt, but Grichuk is mashing.

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phillipmike

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Ive cooled on Vladdy quite a bit. But my prediction is Vladdy's bat comes alive in Buffalo, brings him back to his "roots" and successful days in Sahlen Field.
 

phillipmike

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Blue Jays Farm Director Gil Kim on Pitching Prospects, and Disparate Development During a Pandemic

I recently asked Blue Jays farm director Gil Kim how the organization is handling player development sans a minor-league season. Prefacing his answer by saying the top priority is ensuring the health and safety of all involved, he said there are a lot of Zoom calls, and that each player has a small support staff that checks in on a regular basis. A show-your-work component exists within many of the exchanges. Player plans being paramount, videos of the work being done are being shared. As Kim explained, “There’s more of a technical and mechanical focus for a lot of those players, especially the younger guys who are not at the alternate training site right now.”

In that respect, Woods Richardson is fortunate.

Kloffenstein, whom Toronto took in the third round of the 2018 draft, is toeing the rubber for the Sugar Land Skeeters, who, with the Atlantic League on hiatus due to the coronavirus, are competing in the four-team Constellation League. Kim, who at the time we spoke couldn’t give me the exact number of Blue Jays farmhands currently playing indie ball — “It’s not a ton.” — said that his staff had received assurances from Sugar Land that proper protocols would be followed, and that a pitching workload was agreed upon for the 6-foot-5, 245-pound right-hander.

“He’s one of our most intellectual pitchers,” said Kim, who shared that the Jays are receiving TrackMan data from Kloffenstein’s starts. “He’s always thinking about the game and analyzing different factors. We’re excited about Kloff. We’ve seen an increase in his fastball velocity to where he’s sitting in the low-to-mid 90s, and right now he’s focusing on executing his sinker and his slider in game action. He’s taken advantage of his time very well. Phil Cundari, who is our pitching coach in [Low-A] Lansing, and Kloff would routinely exchange video of his bullpen sessions, as well as Rapsodo data.”
 

theaub

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Nov 21, 2008
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But everything I've seen suggests that an opt out forfeits any service time.

A player considered high risk otoh goes to the covid il

Opting out forfeits any service time from the point of the opt out. He still earns service time up to the point of the opt out because his injury wasn't covid related.
 

phillipmike

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But everything I've seen suggests that an opt out forfeits any service time.

A player considered high risk otoh goes to the covid il

Those rules were for before season opt outs. Stroman got paid and service time up until he opted out. He wont receive any more service time or salary for the rest of the season. Losing salary sucks for him but not gaining anymore service time isnt a loss for him as he gained enough to be FA this off-season.
 

hockeywiz542

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Atkins: Toronto hitters 'trying to do too much' - MLB.com

Following a 5-8 start that could have easily gone better than it did, the Blue Jays find themselves staring at what Charlie Montoyo called “that next jump” competitively.

Toronto’s pitching has been solid, from the rotation back through a bullpen that’s surprised many with a modernized look and several young starters excelling in relief roles. The lineup is a different story entirely, as the Blue Jays enter Tuesday’s opener in Buffalo, N.Y., ranking last in the league with just three runs scored per game.

The Blue Jays have been too aggressive at times, and have particularly struggled to produce with runners on base. Only the Mets have swung at more first pitches than the Blue Jays (32.6%), while they rank last in the league in both average (.177) and OPS (.500) when hitting with runners on. On Tuesday, general manager Ross Atkins attributed this to the Blue Jays' young lineup gaining experience as they go.

“Youth is what we’re seeing,” Atkins said. “We knew that. We expected that there would be bumps. There were times last year when we saw our youth. One of the biggest differences in the Major Leagues -- obviously talent is a difference in the Major Leagues -- but it’s also game planning and the ability to really prepare for lineups and for hitters. Hitters need to make adjustments to that.”

There’s been a clear and understandable frustration from the Blue Jays’ hitters at times, because they know they’re capable of much more. To a man, this roster believes it should be sitting at .500 if they’d only taken advantage of a few more opportunities along the way, but “close” doesn’t count in the win column.

Taking a deep breath and letting their talent work for itself might be the simplest solution here.

“I do think there’s a bit of guys, just because they believe so much in one another and themselves, they’re trying to do too much,” Atkins said.
 

McFly2544

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I keep hearing Montoyo was not Jays first choice of Manager, does anyone remember who they were looking at? I think I remember Baldelli being one.
 

phillipmike

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I keep hearing Montoyo was not Jays first choice of Manager, does anyone remember who they were looking at? I think I remember Baldelli being one.

Blue Jays manager search down to final five?

No way of knowing but the Jays interviews 5 people;
Derek Bell
(hired on October 21st by the Reds)
Rocco Baldelli (hired on October 25th by the Twins)
Joes Espada
Brandon Hyde
(hired on December 14th by the O’s)
Sam Fuld (Withdrew his name from all managerial considerations on October 16th)

Sounds like the Jays didn’t have Espada and Hyde as finalist.

There was a unsubstantiated rumor the Jays started a 2nd round of interviews which included Montoyo. One might conclude that the Jays didn’t get who they wanted (Baldelli, Fuld or Bell) so they interviewed more people. But Rosenthal said the Jays interviewed more than just those 5 candidates so Montoyo could have been there from the beginning.

The Blue Jays' Managerial Search

Latest Update – October 23
  • Rays bench coach Charlie Montoyo interviewed with the Jays today, per Fancred’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link). It’s not clear if it was a second interview and Montoyo had already emerged as one of the reported finalists or if the Jays set up additional interviews after the Reds hired Bell (a reported Jays finalist) away. That brings the Blue Jays to 15 or more candidates interviewed for the managerial vacancy.

Rosenthal’s timeline makes more sense as Montoyo was hired the same day the Twins announced Baldelli as their manager. So a 2nd round of interviews wouldn’t have made sense if they lost out on Baldelli.

It was reported the Jays asked to interview Joe Girardi but he declined, so maybe he was their first choice.
 

Discoverer

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This might not be a bad idea



That's an interesting (and not at all far-fetched) thought.

I would be happy if they replaced Panik with Espinal, but there are lots of young guys who have had success at AA and AAA the last couple of years who provide a lot more upside than Panik (and who can't possibly be worse than he has been).

Honestly, I would take almost anyone off the secondary roster (or whatever the hell it's called) at this point: Kirk, Martin, Palacios, Wall... hell, at least Ruben Tejada is an actual SS. They keep using Panik at 2B (which moves a core young player off of his position), plugging him in at SS or 3B (where he's never played before and has looked bad), and now apparently DH (where he's basically useless since he can't hit). He provides absolutely nothing to the team and I don't understand why he's here.
 

phillipmike

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My guess is they have Panik is because he hits left handed, not a good reason, but might be Montoyo's reason over Tejada and Espinal.

A separate thought, Romano has been perfect on the season and has more swing miss stuff. Dolis looks like he has settled in too. Bass has almost as much walks as he does Ks. Romano is missing bats and you need that in the 9th. Borucki looks lights out in the pen. Borucki is throwing 95 out of the pen and he is establishing the fastball.



Jordan Romano broke Tom Henke’s record by retiring 27 straight batters to start the season. Henke's record was 26.

Romano would be my closer. Dolis and Borucki would be my situational guys in the 7th and 8th, whoever isnt used in the 7th will be my SU in 8th. Bass would move to middle relief until his stuff starts to show again, his stuff isnt bad right now just may need a few more innings in low leverage scenarios.
 

xxOCZMSxx

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He provides absolutely nothing to the team and I don't understand why he's here.
Every year there’s at least one player that contributes nothing on the field, but is a great vetrin. This year it’s Panik. Until Atkins gets rid of him, Montoyo will overuse him for the good of “player development”.
 

phillipmike

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Fernando Tatis Jr. Enters the Stratosphere

I just want to use this time to outline that i was absolutely wrong on Tatis being rushed. Never thought he would be this good, let alone so early. Plus his defense is a lot better than i thought.

Imagine if the White Sox didnt trade him for James Shields - they could have a lineup of;

C: Yasmani Grandal
1B: Andrew Vaughan
2B: Nick Mandrigal
SS: Fernando Tatis Jr.
3B: Yoan Moncada
RF: Eloy Jimenez
CF: Luis Robert
LF: Nomar Mazara or Tim Beckham
DH: Jose Abreu
 

phillipmike

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Panik's experienced -14 wRC+ is better than Tellez's inexperienced 36 wRC+.



For those calling Shapiro out for not finding the Jays a stadium during the middle of a pandemic with less than a months notice and the Canadian government barring you access to the RC, as predicted, found a stadium and it is forgotten about.

 

Kurtz

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So I missed the game last night...Joe Panik was actually DHing? Instead of a prospect that we're trying to develop/see what we have in (who Alex refused to move for Zobrist which would have won us the Pennant...but I digress), in Tellez?

Is Montoyo here to just tank the season and get us that #1 pick that this franchise has never had? Cuz that pick is certainly within our grasp, and if we were going to have that sort of awful season, this is the year to do it.
 

xxOCZMSxx

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Finally get “The” starting lineup tonight.
I predict a breakout tonight against whatever trash wears a Marlins uniform today...
 
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