2012 Toronto Blue Jays Thread

[#1PilarFan]

Sorry but I haven't been following the Jays very closely like I did when I was in high school (90s), but aside from spending $$, it seems we can never get a top performing team.  On paper, when we had Wells etc, it seemed like we would challenge for at least a wild card.  Look at Tampa Bay, they have a lower payroll and were able to make the playoffs.  Why can't we be like them?

Tampa Bay was one of the worst teams for a very long time, and even with all their high picks, they struck out a couple times. But, given the way baseball minor league systems work, they're still pretty loaded. Not as much as they used to be. They did make a couple great trades though and overall they've done a pretty good job restocking their team once some of their guys make the big bucks.

Toronto hasn't had a ton of luck either. Their drafting under JP was pretty mediocre and he made some pretty questionable moves to try and build a playoff team. AA is taking a much slower approach. He's changed the organization to prefer more traditional scouting methods instead of pure statistics. He also doesn't seem to care if a player has attitude problems with his team. Lawrie, Rasmus and Escobar are all examples of guys who are acquired at below market value because of their attitudes.

Also, what's up with all these pitchers getting arm injuries?  Is the pitching coach trying to change their delivery or arm motion that it's now straining their arms?

I don't know, but I'd say it's a combination between really bad luck and some kind of overwork in practice/games. Pitchers are typically very injury prone. With that said, this many injuries is kind of unheard of and certainly cause for concern.

Again, I haven't been following in depth lately so don't crucify me because of my comments.  Just from a big picture kinda view, it just seems like we're just not improving even though we have all this youth and have been stockpiling players.

Well the farm system has come a long way. They are ranked top 5 or higher depending on whose doing the ranking. AA's put a big emphasis on signing undrafted FAs from a bunch of different places - something that JP never really believed in. He's done pretty well so far with his pro scouting too. 

 

[#1PilarFan]

On another note, apparently AA is prepared to trade Escobar as they believe Hechavarria is ready to play in the big leagues.

Oakland Athletics may be interested as they want to replace the man, the myth, the legend; Cliff Pennington.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I don't know, but I'd say it's a combination between really bad luck and some kind of overwork in practice/games. Pitchers are typically very injury prone. With that said, this many injuries is kind of unheard of and certainly cause for concern.

The Jays have said that they basically follow the same protocols as almost every other team in the league in how they treat their pitchers.  I mean, their manager is a former pitcher and pitching coach!

 

[jonlleafs]

I don't know, but I'd say it's a combination between really bad luck and some kind of overwork in practice/games. Pitchers are typically very injury prone. With that said, this many injuries is kind of unheard of and certainly cause for concern.

The Jays have said that they basically follow the same protocols as almost every other team in the league in how they treat their pitchers.  I mean, their manager is a former pitcher and pitching coach!

Yeah, I'd hope he was a former pitcher if he's my pitching coach, however, in the past 2 years or so, there have been so many pitching injuries on the Jays.  Are there any other teams with so many pitching injuries?  Just seems like something is wrong in our system for so many pitchers to get injured and injured severely.

 

[hockeyfan1]

Some good news on the injured front:

Pitcher Drew Hutchison is near recovery and should be ready to go near month's end.

Pitcher Dustin McGowan is continuing to work on strengthening and continues to make progress on his pitching arm.  His eligibility to return is unclear however.

The "Langley Flash", otherwise known as Brett Lawrie, will not be placed on the dl. No serious injury.  A contusion (bruised calf).  If necessary, his temporary replacement may be Yan Gomes.

The Blue Jays are third on the list of most injured teams category with 8.
The San Diego Padres (12) & the New York Yankees (10) surpass the Jays.


Source: Sportsnet

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I don't know, but I'd say it's a combination between really bad luck and some kind of overwork in practice/games. Pitchers are typically very injury prone. With that said, this many injuries is kind of unheard of and certainly cause for concern.

The Jays have said that they basically follow the same protocols as almost every other team in the league in how they treat their pitchers.  I mean, their manager is a former pitcher and pitching coach!

Yeah, I'd hope he was a former pitcher if he's my pitching coach, however, in the past 2 years or so, there have been so many pitching injuries on the Jays.  Are there any other teams with so many pitching injuries?  Just seems like something is wrong in our system for so many pitchers to get injured and injured severely.

There's been a couple articles written this season on the number of league-wide pitching injuries.

http://mlb.sbnation.com/2012/5/4/2999339/pitching-injuries-data-disabled-list-study

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/tom_verducci/04/17/closers/index.html

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Snider is up in some capacity now.

Travis Snider is headed to Boston to meet up with the Toronto Blue Jays although it's not clear whether or not he will be activated, a source told sportsnet.ca.

The outfielder was pulled from triple-A Las Vegas' contest against visiting Fresno after hitting a homer in the second inning Thursday, one night after going 4-for-5 with two homers, a double and six RBIs for the 51s.

The source said it was uncertain if the move was related to the status of Brett Lawrie, who suffered a right calf contusion during a frightening fall in Wednesday's 6-0 loss to the New York Yankees. Lawrie is listed as day-to-day.

It's possible Snider is being brought over in case Lawrie's status worsens.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/2012/07/20/snider_vegas_/

 

[Kin]

It's a good move if they're finally willing to show some patience with him and just give him the LF job(which they should anyway, running out Rajai Davis and his sub .300 OBP at this point is just a joke) but if this is just for them to jerk him around some more then I don't see the point.

 

[L K]

Snider is up in some capacity now.

Travis Snider is headed to Boston to meet up with the Toronto Blue Jays although it's not clear whether or not he will be activated, a source told sportsnet.ca.

The outfielder was pulled from triple-A Las Vegas' contest against visiting Fresno after hitting a homer in the second inning Thursday, one night after going 4-for-5 with two homers, a double and six RBIs for the 51s.

The source said it was uncertain if the move was related to the status of Brett Lawrie, who suffered a right calf contusion during a frightening fall in Wednesday's 6-0 loss to the New York Yankees. Lawrie is listed as day-to-day.

It's possible Snider is being brought over in case Lawrie's status worsens.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/2012/07/20/snider_vegas_/

Not exactly sure how that makes sense unless they figure E5 plays in the field until Bautista is back.  He's still sitting at a 1.00 OPS in the minors yet again.  His average isn't amazing but when you look at his OBP as being over .400, I'm willing to bet that they aren't pitching to him in AAA anymore.

He's hitting reasonably well against both lefties and righties.  As much as Gose is fun and all, I still don't understand how you call him up ahead of Snider at this point.

 

[Corn Flake]

@blueJays Blue Jays complete 10 player trade with Astros. Major Leaguers Happ and Lyon to Toronto, Cordero and Francisco to Astros. Snider recalled

WAAHHHH HAPPENNNNED??!?!?


edit: Happ, Lyon and David Carpenter just acquired. 
gone:  F. Cordero, B. Francisco, minor-leaguers Asher Wojcoechowski, Joe Musgrove, Carlos Perez, David Rollins and PTBNL.

 

[Deebo]

To Toronto

LHP JA Happ
RHP Brandon Lyon
RHP David Carpenter

To Houston

RHP Francisco Cordero
OF Ben Francisco

RHP Joe Musgrove
RHP Asher Wojciechowski
LHP David Rollins
C Carlos Perez
player to be named later.

 

[Kin]

Well, Happ's a warm body for the rotation at least.

 

[Fanatic]

For a casual fan like myself I am looking forward to some perspective on this.

 

[bustaheims]

Not really a fan of giving up Musgrove or Wojciechowski. Don't really care about the rest there - mostly scrubs/filler. Lyon and Carpenter add live arms to the pen, though, they're not exactly great additions either. Happ was pretty good for a Phillies a few years back. Maybe he can regain that form. If not, this trade is at best meh.

 

[Kin]

Yeah, it seems like that's some of the tail end of the team's prospect depth for...some pretty mediocre immediate help.

 

[Zee]

Anthopoulos called up Burke : "Your turn buddy!"

 

[bustaheims]

Yeah, it seems like that's some of the tail end of the team's prospect depth for...some pretty mediocre immediate help.

Sort of, yeah. None of them are among the big name prospects in the system, but, both Musgrove and Wojciechowski were compensation round picks (2011 and 2010, respectively). Perez and Rollins probably never amount to anything more than organizational filler, but, those two have some promise. I think, when it's all said and done, the Astros will have come out ahead in this trade, but, probably not by a whole lot.

 

[#1PilarFan]

It's a strange deal to say the least. Maybe AA thinks he can make the playoffs.

Musgrove and Woj aren't much in the way of prospects - neither one would fit into the Jays top 15 prospects and you could argue about top 20.

Lyon's contract ends this year, so AA doesn't have control over him. Happ I believe he keeps for another year.

AA's been trying to get Happ for sometime so I guess he finally got his man. Hopefully he can adjust to the merciless AL East.

 

[bustaheims]

Musgrove and Woj aren't much in the way of prospects - neither one would fit into the Jays top 15 prospects and you could argue about top 20.

Woj was the team's #10 prospect coming into the season according to BA.

 

[dappleganger]

Another take on the trade.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/baseball/mlb/07/20/astros-blue-jays-trade.ap/index.html?sct=hp_t2_a3&eref=sihp