Toronto Blue Jays 2018: Our Team Was Founded by Regular Canadian Guys, but It’s Being Run by People from Cleveland

vlad: 4-for-5
bo: 2-for-3, stolen base
aa: 3-for-4, triple, two doubles

the orioles don't actually have any pitchers, but still

if they did, they're dead now.

Came on to post about Vlad too. I did hear he clapped his hands and pointed to the sky on a single, mind you. I hope that was the first one...

That home run...

I was there. Can't believe it.

Amazing!!!

<3

fuck it was so great

tonight was more magical than any spring training night has any right to be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r9Rd3RqiYQ

#priceless pic.twitter.com/dh3RUpcTjg

— Vladimir Guerrero (@VladGuerrero27) March 28, 2018

Bo seems excited.

This is going to be a great season!

Gibbons keeping Sanchez one batter too long was so infuriatingly obvious.

So that was exciting.

And this has been fun

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/lets-talk-about-the-jays-promising-projection/
Good time to be a jays fan (as opposed to all of last season). Soak it up, fast!

my main takeaways from jaffe's article on how we'll add 10 wins despite a very modest off-season:
-Our most talented guys will likely spend less time on DL, and will have actual back-ups
-No more Bautista

We are currently working to repair damage to the Rogers Centre roof caused by falling ice from @CNTower. We continue to work with @CNTower & @TorontoPolice to assess the situation, & will provide updates about tonight’s game shortly. Gates 1-6 remain closed until further notice.

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) April 16, 2018

this city got pretty fucked up over the weekend. "falling ice from the CN Tower" is a terrifying thing that had never occurred to me.

You know the weather is O_o when even the domed games are getting PPD.

wow! has that ever happened at skydome before?
one time i was at the game and it started raining pretty heavily but the roof was stuck, wondered the same thing

weird to watch all the Jays wearing 42 and the Royals wearing their regular numbers.

Hmm, so they mentioned during the Royals@Jays game today that a 2001 Royals@Jays game in SkyDome was postponed because metal siding fell onto the field when the roof was opening. It was the only other time a game's been postponed in SkyDome

who needs Donaldson when you have Solarte?

They needed that. Flip side of last year--when's the last time they started a season 11-5?

start of this season just shows I'm wrong about literally everything ... so far

Last time they started a season 12-5 was 2009. They ended up 75-87, so perhaps I should curb my enthusiasm. Playoff years:

1985: 10-7
1989: 8-9
1991: 10-7
1992: 13-4
1993: 9-8
2015: 9-8
2016: 8-9

To echo the radio guys this morning, please tell me they're not going to demote Teoscar when Morales gets back. In 107 AB, he's now slugging about .650 for the Jays.

The answer, thank god, was “no”. And not a bad bebut for Gurriel!

Extra inning walk off homer off Kimbrel? This could be one of those "circle this game" games.

Granderson has been a great signing so far.

Outstanding. .321/.424/.571, 10 walks in 66 PA, 7 XBH in 56 AB.

Stroman's XFIP around 3.80 which is not the worst considering he is doing spring training in April. The ERA will adjust pretty quick.

Vlad just called his shot and went deep off the tee for @MLBNetwork. Carlos Pena approves. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/SrcMlYvdjY

— NH Fisher Cats (@FisherCats) May 7, 2018

#BlueJays closer Roberto Osuna was arrested this morning and charged with assault on a woman, Toronto police confirm. Story coming shortly.

— John Lott (@LottOnBaseball) May 8, 2018

ya that's unfortunate. it's Osuna shirt day thursday too.

banner day for the blue jays here.

Jays starters are not doing well, it was supposed to be a strength.

They rank 26th on fangraphs, relievers are ranked 7th, but now with Osuna gone, well...

Speaking of which: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/roberto-osuna-the-blue-jays-and-the-limits-of-presuming-innocence/

Sachez is struggling :(

Teoscar out with back problems...

Sachez is struggling :(

― Van Horn Street, Thursday, May 17, 2018 8:45 PM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Sanchez too :(

If I were a master impressionist, I'd make John Gibbons my first project. My Gibbons would have the same laconic, aw-shucks manner, but he'd be awkwardly, brutally honest, saying the things everybody knows. Try to hear this in his voice:

"Yeah, you know, we're doing okay. We're in this win-one, lose-one thing right now, just kind of piddling along, so we'll see where that takes us. The guys are out there playing, getting some hits, making a lot of outs, so, uh, it's not like we're not surprised or anything, we're really not that good. Pitchin's been good...I mean, sometimes, we've had some bad games too. We got a few guys like Biagini, and they're out there getting some outs, but, uh, you know, they're really not that good. I like our team, we're gonna be okay. We're really not that good, but we're out there playing baseball."

Now behind Tampa.

Sanchez doesn't seem able to shake off his walk problem.

clippard has gakked two games in four days eh?

we all knew this was where it would wind up.

I suppose Clippard has 'closer' attitude.

A nightmarish top of the 9th goes really well with a nightmarish bottom.

Russell Martin SS

"his mom"

Rowdy has six doubles in his first 10 major-league AB--six! And he didn't even get a sidebar mention on the MLB site.

Home run, Rowdy! He's got 7 XB hits in his first 4 games, first time since 1913. Slugfest going on, so he may get another AB.

rip gibby

Thank you John Gibbons for leading our @BlueJays and for all the great memories. I want to wish you good luck in the future! Toronto will miss you, Gibby! Proud to proclaim today as John Gibbons Day in Toronto. #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/ZwtJuJjTD9

— John Tory (@TorontosMayor) September 26, 2018

I wanted to see the end of the game but got held up at the dentist. Ended up with the second-most wins behind Cito, and today's win assures he'll finish up with a winning record (barely). No one will ever surpass him in Stengel-like post-game meandering.

These days managers only need to keep the peace in the clubhouse while still finding time to memorize the reports from the analytics department -- not exactly Gibbons' best skills.

Russell Martin manager shows excellent judgement in sitting down Russell Martin player.

so i didn't realize until he did it Sunday – but Kevin Pillar hit 40 doubles! was rather surprised. has only happened 25 times in Blue Jays history – with 16 players doing it. (two accomplishing it three times as Jays)

Ed Sprague was interviewed for the managerial post today.

Oh god

i'm hoping Stubby Clapp gets the job.

I don't want Eric Wedge, otherwise no preference. Don't know anything about Sprague's credentials, other than his recent job with Oakland.

(xpost on Pillar)

He's been a pretty consistent doubles hitter the past three seasons: 35, 37, 40. As frustrating as he can be, I can envision him thriving in a situation where he's on a good team and can bat eighth or ninth and not be expected to carry any offensive load; just play defense (which has slipped the past couple of years), and any offense is a bonus. Because he does contribute with the bat--the doubles, 10-15 HR, and he keeps his average over .250. He's got one huge glaring weakness: the hideous walk rate (111 for his career now, in over 2,500 AB). Hidden away on a good offense (like the Jays three years ago), he can be the designated Caesar Geronimo, and his OBP is not that big a deal.