To What Extent Does Your Life Revolve Around Alejandro Kirk? (The 2023 Blue Jays Thread)

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https://jaysjournal.com/posts/blue-jays-jose-bautista-to-be-added-to-level-of-excellence

Hardly a surprise, great news, but I always assumed he and Encarnacion would go up there together. Their prime Blue Jay years exist almost in lockstep. They're like Maddux/Glavine, Trammell/Whitaker, etc. Maybe it's just economics: two big showcase days are better than one.

clemenza, Monday, 6 March 2023 03:41 (one year ago) link

Obvious Bats was going to go up there. EE I’m not so sure about.

You don't think so? Except for Henke inexplicably not being up there, I can't think of anyone else who'd be the next logical choice. But if that's where they do draw the line, just above Henke, then no, I guess he isn't a sure thing.

clemenza, Monday, 6 March 2023 04:36 (one year ago) link

This is as good a place as any to repost some things I wrote in 2009 -- marvel at my innate (in)ability to spot future superstars. In my defense: Cito Gaston was managing the team and I was pissed off all season long:

Whose Baseball Team Is This? (2009 Blue Jays Thread)

NoTimeBeforeTime, Monday, 6 March 2023 09:20 (one year ago) link

Looking at Encarnacion/Bautista's time with the Jays:

EE: .268/.355/.522, 136 OPS+, 4.1 WAR/162, 1 incredible, iconic postseason HR
JB: .253/.372/.506, 136 OPS+, 5.0 WAR/162, 1 super-incredible, iconic postseason HR

Pretty damn close offensively; more defensive value for Bautista.

clemenza, Monday, 6 March 2023 13:39 (one year ago) link

NoTime: you don't even mention Bautista in that post--how did not see that he was going to hit 54 HR in 2010?

clemenza, Monday, 6 March 2023 13:41 (one year ago) link

Clem -- check the end of the first paragraph!

Snider never panned out (for any team) but he *was* regarded as a can't miss prospect by just about everyone. Good thing Joey Bats saved the team by retooling his swing!

NoTimeBeforeTime, Monday, 6 March 2023 16:19 (one year ago) link

Stepped on my own joke--you did mention him...(What you say is really funny, not that I'm any better at prognostication).

clemenza, Monday, 6 March 2023 16:30 (one year ago) link

two weeks pass...

I liked him--and he was treated shabbily--so glad to hear this:

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pat-tabler-blue-jays-new-gig

clemenza, Friday, 24 March 2023 15:41 (one year ago) link

i like him, but was not a fan of him as a broadcaster.

From Dave Fleming's annual predictions (which he treats as a goof):

"This is a very small ledge to go out on, but I think Bo Bichette will either come in second the AL MVP race, or win it outright."

https://www.billjamesonline.com/bold_predictions_for_2023/

clemenza, Tuesday, 28 March 2023 16:09 (one year ago) link

that's interesting! wouldn't have expected James to be too huge on Bo since he doesn't walk alot and his defence is mediocre

FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 28 March 2023 16:19 (one year ago) link

It's a guy who writes for James, not James himself. I like him; his predictions are intriguing, and he usually revisits to see how he did. Bo would have to have some really flashy old-school stats to get himself into an MVP race--he'll probably never have a really high WAR for the reasons you mention.

clemenza, Tuesday, 28 March 2023 16:26 (one year ago) link

This doesn't quite jibe with his Bo prediction (or at least not with Bo winning):

"Bold time: Adley Rutschman will have a 10.0 WAR season in 2023."

As far as I can tell, Piazza's 8.7 bWAR in 1997 is the highest ever by a catcher. So it's probably safe to say a 10.0 would be worth an MVP.

clemenza, Wednesday, 29 March 2023 02:16 (one year ago) link

Not if it’s 8 WAR of pitch framing!

FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 29 March 2023 04:26 (one year ago) link

My category is the Blue Jays for the monthly Zoom trivia group I'm part of.

Questions: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RE-5sucHGRKMruARoDZNvgux8EI5qy_hz4zw19s7HfI/edit?usp=sharing

Answers: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1v5Q0-b6rZnLXH0xSASkzTr0TmApXzsZq3VVYvI9KDNg/edit?usp=sharing

Realize that the first few questions are ridiculously easy...You can't assume people share your interests, so you have to have a few gimmes at the start.

clemenza, Thursday, 30 March 2023 01:26 (one year ago) link

Damn dude. #4 & 5 are tough!

FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 30 March 2023 04:55 (one year ago) link

the image for #6 D':<

francisF, Thursday, 30 March 2023 16:30 (one year ago) link

sorry – 5 &6 are the really tough ones. tho i had also forgotten about #4

FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 30 March 2023 18:27 (one year ago) link

I added the question about the Caribbean pipeline this morning and made #10 a bonus, which shifted some of the numbering.

clemenza, Thursday, 30 March 2023 18:41 (one year ago) link

What an epic game to start the season

Saw the Jays score their early runs, went for dinner, tied when I got back, skipped out, caught the end online while in the middle of my trivia thing (where people mostly tanked on my Blue Jay quiz).

clemenza, Friday, 31 March 2023 00:17 (one year ago) link

It was pretty tough!

Can't remember an Opening Day game as good as that.

NoTimeBeforeTime, Friday, 31 March 2023 07:12 (one year ago) link

you'd think we'd just won the world series judging by the celebrating going on at the (very awesome) bar i was at. after that wild up and down, back and forth game; Romano coming in and just shutting things down was epic.

Was surprised Manoah coughed up the lead. No cause for concern, right? I didn't see much of him, but in the little that I saw, it struck me that he felt a little rushed by the pitch clock (yet I always thought of him as a fast worker).

clemenza, Friday, 31 March 2023 16:17 (one year ago) link

he did get down to one second once. later on, his rhythm was obviously disrupted as he was futzing around with the buttons on his arm. wouldn't be surprised if he lets Kirk call his next start

francisF, Friday, 31 March 2023 17:39 (one year ago) link

Bassitt gave up nine runs in 3-1/3 today.

clemenza, Sunday, 2 April 2023 19:29 (one year ago) link

Apparently he is not a fan of the new pitching rules

Starting staff not off to the best start.
Wonder if Kikuchi can keep that spring training energy going tomorrow

Jays starters so far: 18.1 IP, 10.94 ERA
Rays starters so far: 23.0 IP, 0.39 ERA

clemenza, Tuesday, 4 April 2023 18:12 (one year ago) link

Didn't see any of today's game (afternoon?), but way to go, Manoah.

clemenza, Thursday, 6 April 2023 02:04 (one year ago) link

It literally just ended 10 mins ago!

FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 6 April 2023 02:09 (one year ago) link

My internal clock is still back in February.

clemenza, Thursday, 6 April 2023 02:17 (one year ago) link

What a wild game today. Missed the Jays' comeback--dinner--but caught the last three innings. 12-10, bottom of the 10th, two out, bases loaded, Trout and Ohtani coming up. Richards goes full on Trout, bounces the next halfway to the plate--lucky two runs didn't come in. So 12-11, Ohtani up, Mayza came in and got him to ground out.

clemenza, Monday, 10 April 2023 00:54 (one year ago) link

Matt Chapman might be a good guy to lay a modest MVP-bet on--he's not even on this tracker yet:

https://www.sportsbettingdime.com/mlb/nl-al-mvp-odds/

I do realize how ridiculously early it is. I only bring it up because he did have 6th- and 7th-place finishes with the A's, and his glove means he has to do less on offense, and right now he's hitting lights out.

clemenza, Monday, 10 April 2023 03:14 (one year ago) link

Kind of amazing that the Jays have had 10-9 and 12-11 wins already...and I thought it was a team built on pitching and defense!

clemenza, Tuesday, 11 April 2023 14:17 (one year ago) link

Those last two games were just nuts. Reminds me of the 92 team where even if they fell behind early you knew there was a good chance they could catch up

FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 12 April 2023 03:55 (one year ago) link

I think sometimes announcers and mlb.com overdo it on certain catches in search of highlight reels--you watch the clip, and you'll see an outfielder jump a few inches when he doesn't even really need to. That Kiermaier catch last night, though, was something to behold. (Followed, of course, by "Are you kidding me?", because every announcer has a recording of that programmed into him at birth.)

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

clemenza, Wednesday, 12 April 2023 12:21 (one year ago) link

Reminds me of the 92 team where even if they fell behind early you knew there was a good chance they could catch up.

― FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall)

I hereby anoint you Thermo the Magnificent.

clemenza, Thursday, 13 April 2023 02:38 (one year ago) link

was at the game last night and my god was it a blast.

FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 13 April 2023 14:39 (one year ago) link

6/8 wins are now come from behind!!

FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 13 April 2023 14:39 (one year ago) link

Bo 5-5, hitting .391.

clemenza, Saturday, 15 April 2023 01:39 (one year ago) link

Disappointed they had the lead the entire game!

FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Saturday, 15 April 2023 03:43 (one year ago) link

was at the game today. busy, sunny. got to see a lot of the new features, enjoyed the standing area in rf where it kinda overhangs the field. great game, great defensive plays. feels good man, to be the brick wall that the rays ran into. hoping for a sweep, our 4/5 SPs did a terrific job!

francisF, Saturday, 15 April 2023 23:39 (one year ago) link

gotta say i'm thrilled with how this series has started! no expectations for tomorrow tho, vs McClanahan

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, with the Rays due for a reality check, but I am. And if they sweep, wow.

clemenza, Sunday, 16 April 2023 05:31 (one year ago) link

As perplexing as ever. (I mean, I know the Rays were due, and the Astros are the Astros, but still.)

clemenza, Tuesday, 18 April 2023 01:59 (one year ago) link

"I know the Rays were due"--that didn't quite come out right. Due to bounce back from the two losses, I meant.

clemenza, Tuesday, 18 April 2023 02:03 (one year ago) link

Third good start in a row by Bassitt. I feel a little sorry for him, in that he got hammered so badly his first start, it'll probably take him till the All-Star break to get his ERA under 4.00, and maybe not even then.

clemenza, Wednesday, 19 April 2023 03:12 (one year ago) link


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