Blue Jays Discussion: Prospects getting the call! Jansen, Reid-Foley up to the show

[Nineteen67]

10 best college players in the 2019 MLB Draft

Sort of funny to see only 1 SEC player and that he’s from Kentucky.

 

[Nineteen67]

Yep, you hit the nail on the head.

When I grew up there was one option in the summer, baseball. One option in the fall, football. One option in the winter, hockey. Now kids have a billion activities / distractions they can do. Lets face it , if you are playing in the younger leagues you might go multiple games with out a ball being hit in your direction ... how boring is that.

When I coached 10-12 year old's many moons ago, I would actually have to tell kids, take your ball glove off your head, stop lying down in the outfield, etc. the short attention span generation like to be stimulated every waking hour and if not they quickly lose interest.

Baseball can be a boring game for those who don't understand it.

Try convincing a 10 year old that sacrificing with less than 2 out and a runner in 2nd is the fun thing to do.

Really? 10-12 year olds?

 

[TML Dynasty]

Baseball for me is something to watch when I need to do something else or if there is nothing else on. It does not take away too much of your attention but can still be entertaining to watch in the background. However I doubt I would watch any games, at least regular season games that I would watch on TV, without doing something else. Even when they were good I was never that interested. I still follow them because they are the local team and I still like the sport.

I think baseball will always have the appeal of being relatively cheap to attend and many days where it is easy for people (especially families) to attend. But the lack of eventfulness of the sport + good, upcoming teams in other sports which are generally seen as more interesting will mean that the Jays are going to have to be good if they really want to draw in a lot of interest from people. It's just a good thing they do not play in the winter, because they'd have no chance against the Leafs and Raptors. They'll always be able to beat the Argos and TFC even if it's just because there are not that many games to watch in the first place.

Yeah for me Baseball is super relaxing while im chilling on the couch. Often nod off during games lol. Or its on as background noise while Im bbqing etc. Hockey/Basketball for me is exciting and Im watching every moment....often yelling at the tv

 

[Advanced stats]

I think the people who enjoy baseball most are the ones who play it to some degree.

I'm a super athletic competitive natured guy who couldn't have cared at all about baseball 5 years ago.

Fast forward to now where I've played super low level softball for a few years, and I'm absolutely hooked on baseball.
It's about being familiar with the strategy and the systems and seeing the usefulness of how it's played.
I have a lot of friends who scoff at baseball, but then after incorporating them into the sport, it seems to grow extremely quickly.

I also have feelings that it's a regional thing too.

In Canada here, we love our crash bang sports, and place them in higher regard than finess sports. It's just in our blood.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Baseball for me is something to watch when I need to do something else or if there is nothing else on. It does not take away too much of your attention but can still be entertaining to watch in the background. However I doubt I would watch any games, at least regular season games that I would watch on TV, without doing something else. Even when they were good I was never that interested. I still follow them because they are the local team and I still like the sport.

I think baseball will always have the appeal of being relatively cheap to attend and many days where it is easy for people (especially families) to attend. But the lack of eventfulness of the sport + good, upcoming teams in other sports which are generally seen as more interesting will mean that the Jays are going to have to be good if they really want to draw in a lot of interest from people. It's just a good thing they do not play in the winter, because they'd have no chance against the Leafs and Raptors. They'll always be able to beat the Argos and TFC even if it's just because there are not that many games to watch in the first place.

Sometimes I forget that this is a hockey board....then I'm reminded by fun little things like the bolded.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Credit to fat Kendrys for turning his season around. This has probably been his most sustained stretch of success as a Blue Jay.

The question now is: has he already cleared trade waivers, and is there a MFer out there crazy enough to take him.

 

[Bluelines]

Really? 10-12 year olds?

Yep.

 

[Nineteen67]

Yep.

Park n Rec baseball is tough.

Maybe one day you’ll harken back to the days when you coached that future media member/ statistician/ super fantasy league star knowing full well he was destined for greatness.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Morales is just good at baseball

 

[Anthrax442]

 

[deletethis]

This is the consummate "old men yell at clouds" article:

'I Find It Very Difficult' to Watch: Why MLB Greats Think Baseball's in Trouble

It certainly was rambling but there's something to the sentiment of it. There is something missing with the current game even though it's clearly maximized for results and performance. The article hinted towards this only but my issue is the player turnover element to the modern game. Well trained players, who are from a large pool of not-so-special players, are constantly rotating on and off MLB rosters. I have a problem with this personally. Baseball was a game of attrition, personalities and patience. Now there are a dizzying number of roster moves. The roster moves are sometimes just macro pitching changes for a game or two. Sometimes the moves are valueless non-auditions for a player/pitcher who is off the larger roster in a week's time. Other times the moves turn into "self owns" when a better talent is dropped on waivers and lost while some journeyman with a rested arm pitches an inning or so that day.

I do miss a stable 25 man roster and less pitching changes. I don't actually see an easy remedy because there's nothing inherently wrong with giving more players a taste of the major leagues. Perhaps a limit to the roster moves per month (not counting injury replacements). Pitchers aren't being removed during games because their arms are about to explode, they're being removed for the slightest of advantage in a match up.

 

[Bluelines]

Park n Rec baseball is tough.

Maybe one day you’ll harken back to the days when you coached that future media member/ statistician/ super fantasy league star knowing full well he was destined for greatness.

Whut?

I was making a point that baseball is a boring sport for kids who have a ton of options.

Any logic for being a Dick this early in the morning or is that your natural state??

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Whut?

I was making a point that baseball is a boring sport for kids who have a ton of options.

Any logic for being a Dick this early in the morning or is that your natural state??

Your point was valid. Its a tough sell for kids that age. I coach younger ones, and special needs younger ones as well, and both sets of kids love it at that age (5-6). At 10-12, given the rise of soccer, video games, etc., you tend to lose some kids.

In the states however, there's been a nice rensasance of youth baseball, with numbers (specifically among African Americans) rising. Likely due to kids avoiding football given the development of head trauma studies.

 

[Bluelines]

Your point was valid. Its a tough sell for kids that age. I coach younger ones, and special needs younger ones as well, and both sets of kids love it at that age (5-6). At 10-12, given the rise of soccer, video games, etc., you tend to lose some kids.

In the states however, there's been a nice rensasance of youth baseball, with numbers (specifically among African Americans) rising. Likely due to kids avoiding football given the development of head trauma studies.

Would make sense that football is losing kids to baseball.

Besides it (baseball) being boring for kids, baseball can be somewhat expensive too. Which is a barrier for some of the lower income families, I would donate ball gloves to kids who were in need. I also sponsored some through paying for their registration out of my own pocket, when we went on trips outside of the city I would pay for their parents and their accommodations at the hotel too.

Glove $50- $100, Cleats $50-$150, Batting glove (every kid thinks they are better hitters with one ) $35, Bat $80 - $200, Helmet $65, Registration $125. Add that all up and you got one expensive summer sport. With Basketball you have to buy sneakers, most kids already have them. Soccer you need cleats. Both sports are much cheaper and more engaging for kids, baseball is a passion of mine but I can admit it is not the most engaging sport for the kids. Lets face it if kids don't get involved at a young age, studies show that people typically develop their self image by the age of 12, its doubtful a 18 year old who has played other sports all their life is going to wake up one day and say all of a sudden hey I'm going to drop those other sports and make baseball my sport of choice.

It's good to hear ball is going through a resurgence in the south.

 

[phillipmike]

Yep. Last year he didn't play for six weeks in June and July. The year before it was most of April and May. He could have played every inning of every game outside of the injuries and it would have looked like he was a part time player if you didn't know about the injuries.

This is way more research than you needed to do. He was a full-time player who missed time with injuries. That's it.

This isnt evaluating how the planned on using him its a theory showing that the potential result of how he WAS ACTUALLY used which may have contributed to his less than desire numbers. He was a very useful bench player from the start of the season to July 1st then he was stuck in that starters role and played more games than he was used to thus potentially showing the correlation to his "decline."

The research shows that up until this date he started, played and defended considerably more than any other season. I am not willing to give up on important, short term depth and good bench player based off of (4 months or 1 month and 11 days depending how you look at it) asking him to more than he has done to date at any point in a season that he played in his career... at least not until the off-season plays out.

 

[phillipmike]

Obviously if multiples of those other guys get unexpectedly hurt or traded and we the team suddenly has no depth than picking up the option might make sense.

However, given what we know know and the most likely scenario that those guys will be on the team, then there is absolutely no room on the team for Solarte. Especially given his age and performance.

What is the most likely scenario? Because that is the problem here - we are disagreeing on what the most likely scenario is. No need to make definitive statements in August when you dont need to fill your 2019 lineup card until April.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Would make sense that football is losing kids to baseball.

Besides it (baseball) being boring for kids, baseball can be somewhat expensive too. Which is a barrier for some of the lower income families, I would donate ball gloves to kids who were in need. I also sponsored some through paying for their registration out of my own pocket, when we went on trips outside of the city I would pay for their parents and their accommodations at the hotel too.

Glove $50- $100, Cleats $50-$150, Batting glove (every kid thinks they are better hitters with one ) $35, Bat $80 - $200, Helmet $65, Registration $125. Add that all up and you got one expensive summer sport. With Basketball you have to buy sneakers, most kids already have them. Soccer you need cleats. Both sports are much cheaper and more engaging for kids, baseball is a passion of mine but I can admit it is not the most engaging sport for the kids. Lets face it if kids don't get involved at a young age, studies show that people typically develop their self image by the age of 12, its doubtful a 18 year old who has played other sports all their life is going to wake up one day and say all of a sudden hey I'm going to drop those other sports and make baseball my sport of choice.

It's good to hear ball is going through a resurgence in the south.

The cost is absolutely an issue, though not nearly as bad as hockey (which actually probably likes their barriers of entry, but that's another conversation completely). We subsidize as well, and had a program when I was in MD\Washington to get kids from lesser fortunate areas to play. Did the same in Panama through my job and community sponsorship programs. Nothing better than seeing a kid get a glove, even a used one; its their most prized possession. Great causes.

Americans are pretty consistent with their sports. Most boys will play ball in summer, then football in the fall, then have a winter sport (traditionally basketball). Fall ball has taken over that spillover from football. Lots of kids like Alford\Kyler Murray\Jordyn Adams (to lesser talent degrees) all over the south who play both all the way up, but the generation behind them is now baseball\basketball given basketball's growth and the aforementioned safety issues with football.

As for people coming to the sport late, its weird with Canadians, and I see it throughout the week. There's a bunch of young adults playing softball that clealry never played as kids\teens, and they love it. So I don't necessarily agree with the idea that people can't come to the sport late.

 

[Discoverer]

The research shows that up until this date he started, played and defended considerably more than any other season.

Because he missed time in other seasons with injuries, not because he's played more often this year. I don't understand what's so complicated about that. His deployment this year has been the exact same as it was in previous years, so "he's being overexposed and put in a role he's never been in before" is a poor argument because he's playing the same role he always has.

 

[phillipmike]

Credit to fat Kendrys for turning his season around. This has probably been his most sustained stretch of success as a Blue Jay.

The question now is: has he already cleared trade waivers, and is there a MFer out there crazy enough to take him.

Morales is just good at baseball

Its funny when i was his biggest supporter he was absolutely disappointing. Then i wanted to shoot him off into the sun a few months ago and he is hitting like one of the best players in baseball in the 2nd half.

Major League Leaderboards » 2018 » Batters » Dashboard | FanGraphs Baseball

I hope Sanchez, Stroman and Giles get cut.

 

[phillipmike]

Because he missed time in other seasons with injuries, not because he's played more often this year. I don't understand what's so complicated about that. His deployment this year has been the exact same as it was in previous years, so "he's being overexposed and put in a role he's never been in before" is a poor argument because he's playing the same role he always has.

No way of knowing for sure, you are assuming what he did no matter how he performed or how banged up he was that he would have continued to play at a starters pace. Its an assumption that cannot be made and a poor one.

And it fits with my point, with the exception of the early injuries in 2016 he breaks down when playing at a starters pace.

 

[Discoverer]

And it fits with my point, with the exception of the early injuries in 2016 he breaks down when playing at a starters pace.

And, once again, that's an entirely different issue. You were arguing that his decline in production this year was caused by usage he's never had before.

 

[phillipmike]

And, once again, that's an entirely different issue. You were arguing that his decline in production this year was caused by usage he's never had before.

Right, and to date he was never used this much at this point in part of the seasons he played in his career.

I dont deny that he can sustain a starters role for months at a time as we have seen it. But to ask him to do something he hasnt done before up to Aug 11th for almost 4 straight months is a recipe for a disaster and the Jays got it. He isnt a starter but he can be one short to mid term anything longer it looks like he breaks down; anything within the range he can be productive.

 

[phillipmike]

• Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak went through without a claim. While that’s perhaps surprising at first glance, other organizations are surely aware that the Jays won’t be allowing the 31-year-old to walk for nothing. Accordingly, a claim isn’t likely to do much to facilitate an agreement. The switch-hitting slugger has largely carried forward his surprising 2017 output, turning in 487 plate appearances of .257/.363/.465 hitting on the current season. But he’s cheap this year ($4.125MM) and controllable for an affordable rate ($6MM) for 2019. While there’s obviously no reason to believe that Smoak is particularly likely to be dealt, he could still be an interesting chip for the Toronto organization — particularly if other quality hitters don’t make it through the wire.

 

[Bluelines]

The cost is absolutely an issue, though not nearly as bad as hockey (which actually probably likes their barriers of entry, but that's another conversation completely). We subsidize as well, and had a program when I was in MD\Washington to get kids from lesser fortunate areas to play. Did the same in Panama through my job and community sponsorship programs. Nothing better than seeing a kid get a glove, even a used one; its their most prized possession. Great causes.

Americans are pretty consistent with their sports. Most boys will play ball in summer, then football in the fall, then have a winter sport (traditionally basketball). Fall ball has taken over that spillover from football. Lots of kids like Alford\Kyler Murray\Jordyn Adams (to lesser talent degrees) all over the south who play both all the way up, but the generation behind them is now baseball\basketball given basketball's growth and the aforementioned safety issues with football.

As for people coming to the sport late, its weird with Canadians, and I see it throughout the week. There's a bunch of young adults playing softball that clealry never played as kids\teens, and they love it. So I don't necessarily agree with the idea that people can't come to the sport late.

I was coming from the angle that the people who pick up ball late in their development curve are not going to be prospects. I guess the question would be how many people pick up baseball late in their teens and get drafted? You can certainly come to a recreational sport late but the chances you become a prospect a slim to none.

 

[Clark4Ever]

Credit to fat Kendrys for turning his season around. This has probably been his most sustained stretch of success as a Blue Jay.

The question now is: has he already cleared trade waivers, and is there a MFer out there crazy enough to take him.

If I was a contender looking to add an extra power bat off the bench, I'd take a chance on him.