2024 Blue Jays

[Arn]

Yeah, I'm a Jays fan. But also a baseball fan. And lately I've found myself, if given a choice of a Jays game or some other games, leaning toward leaving the other game on to see someone like Soto or Ohtani or whoever play.

 

[Frank E]

I just got back from the jays game - you know I don?t care that they aren?t a good team, what makes this depressing is how boooooooooring they are.

I can always find something fun to follow even on a bad jays team, somebody having a good season, chasing a record, whatever, but this team is just a pack of mediocre players have sub mediocre seasons.

And they're not a bunch of kids that are getting better...there really isn't much reason to watch.

Like Arn, I'd watch...I'd put the games on my laptop and hear it in the background...I don't even do that these days.

 

[Frank E]

Surprised to read that the Jays are 10th in league attendance:  https://www.espn.com/mlb/attendance

 

[bustaheims]

Surprised to read that the Jays are 10th in league attendance:  https://www.espn.com/mlb/attendance

I suspect a good chunk of it is people wanting to see the newly renovated stadium more than wanting to watch the middling team it houses.

 

[Peter D.]

Yeah, I'm a Jays fan. But also a baseball fan. And lately I've found myself, if given a choice of a Jays game or some other games, leaning toward leaving the other game on to see someone like Soto or Ohtani or whoever play.

As weird as it may sound saying it, me and my buddies starting up a keeper baseball league has elevated my overall baseball watching significantly.  And that's with me having always been a big baseball watching fan beyond just the Jays prior to.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

Something has to happen with this team right? A trade? A firing? A demotion? All 3?

 

[Bill_Berg]

Blow it up!

 

[OldTimeHockey]

I tuned in for about 6 seconds last night. Just as the pitcher was serving up a meatball for the 2 run shot that made it 7-0.
The look of absolute defeat on Schneider and Walker's face was so very telling of the atmosphere around this team right now.

 

[bustaheims]

Schneider, Atkins, and Shapiro all need to go. They're responsible for the main facets of this mess - the flawed roster and the poor in-game decisions - and I don't trust them to be part of the solution.

 

[dappleganger]

Blow it up!

Do you look to trade Bo and Vlad?

 

[Bender]

Schneider, Atkins, and Shapiro all need to go. They're responsible for the main facets of this mess - the flawed roster and the poor in-game decisions - and I don't trust them to be part of the solution.

The fact that Schneider is still here is baffling.

 

[L K]

Schneider tipping his hat to the opposing team over and over again is getting tiring.  They stink and they are doing nothing.  I think this roster is not a coaching change away from being fixed, but they need to start sorting guys out now. It's two consecutive years of the team being dreadful at generating runs.

 

[cabber24]

Jays just posted to Facebook to vote them into the All-Star game!?!?! LOL.

Seriously, though it's a tough watch. I was perfectly content watching them when they were supposed to suck for decades but now I was told that they were supposed to be good and it's unbearable to watch a team at this salary stink this bad. There is no storyline to route for. The game has also changed for the worse. I enjoyed "small ball" and the manufacturing of runs and now it's the HR or nothing. I have never watched so little baseball in my life.

 

[Frank E]

Schneider, Atkins, and Shapiro all need to go. They're responsible for the main facets of this mess - the flawed roster and the poor in-game decisions - and I don't trust them to be part of the solution.

The fact that Schneider is still here is baffling.

I think Schneider is a puppet.  I don't think this is on him...this is on Shapiro and Atkins.

 

[IJustLurkHere]

I'm all for GM's being boring, and most of the bets Shapiro & Atkins have made were individually defensible at the time, but at some point, if all your bets keep losing, responsibility lies with the one placing the bets.

Tougher to parse coaching, the single biggest failing of the Jays is hitting and I doubt Schneider is hands on with the hitters. Team has Guererro, Bichette, Springer and Turner, and their only .800+ OPS hitter is Danny Jansen. Keirmayer and Kirk are both <.600.

Which begs the question, who IS hands on with hitters? Is it Guillermo Martinez? over the offseason when Mattingly's role was expanded, Martinez seemed to be the fall guy for 2023... but they kept him. Is it Mattingly himself? Joined in Nov '22 - when Bo, Vladdy, Springer were all .800+ OPS guys. Is it someone else? What has changed in the Jays hitting process since the end of 2022?

All of which is to say that if Shapiro and Atkins are to stay, the Jays batting lineup needs to go from "aw shucks, what happened?!" to actually being good. I may not have insight the Jays hitting coaching, but they sure should, and something needs to change.

 

[Frank E]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/blue-jays-alek-manoah-to-undergo-ucl-surgery-will-miss-remainder-of-season/

Super.

 

[Highlander]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/blue-jays-alek-manoah-to-undergo-ucl-surgery-will-miss-remainder-of-season/

Super.

Ya, shows up in complete Beast Mode for 2 games and gone again, hope he can bounce back. And goodbye Cavan and good luck

 

[Arn]

Schneider, Atkins, and Shapiro all need to go. They're responsible for the main facets of this mess - the flawed roster and the poor in-game decisions - and I don't trust them to be part of the solution.

The fact that Schneider is still here is baffling.

I think Schneider is a puppet.  I don't think this is on him...this is on Shapiro and Atkins.

I do wonder if a more ?loose? manager could do more with the roster. I feel like they?re too mechanical. This roster needs someone who can get them playing with a swagger and confidence.

But I think you?re right that that comes down from higher than the manager. 

 

[Arn]

From The Athletic:

Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins doesn?t think it makes sense to trade shortstop Bo Bichette and/or first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. because he?d much rather sign both to long-term extensions. However, if the Blue Jays can?t do that by the trade deadline, they?d be foolish not to shop both. One rival executive believes a deadline trade involving either one will only happen if Atkins is replaced.

I dunno what the answer is. Maybe that last line.

 

[bustaheims]

From The Athletic:

Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins doesn?t think it makes sense to trade shortstop Bo Bichette and/or first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. because he?d much rather sign both to long-term extensions. However, if the Blue Jays can?t do that by the trade deadline, they?d be foolish not to shop both. One rival executive believes a deadline trade involving either one will only happen if Atkins is replaced.

I dunno what the answer is. Maybe that last line.

I'm no fan of Atkins, but I don't think he's necessary wrong here. Get a new manager, new batting coach, etc., and let's see if they can get things going. Vladdy has been much better of late and Bo has shown some signs of turning it around. Both are still capable of being part of a championship calibre core. The rest of the offence needs a pretty serious overhaul, though. This trade deadline could represent a real opportunity for the team to replenish their farm system, and they should really move anyone who isn't under team control next season.

Atkins and Shapiro need to go, though.