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MLB 2016 Regular Season Official Thread - Do Not Attempt to Ketchup

S

Spizz

Banned
Tragicomedy said:
I think they'll be good long-term, but there's the same issue with team construction from last season. Their payroll is so offense-heavy that there's not a lot of money left for pitching. To put that in context, they have an almost identical payroll to the Royals ($140.5M versus $137.6M), but the balance is totally different.

Blue Jays: $81.7M towards hitters, $56.1M towards pitching
Royals: $61.2M towards hitters, $70M towards pitching

I'm ignoring the retained money both teams are paying to former players or guys in the minors, since it's a wash, so the totals don't add up exactly to the total payroll numbers.
http://www.spotrac.com/mlb/payroll/

I don't know the financial disposition of the Blue Jays' ownership. They might be cheapskates cutting corners and pocketing large profits, but that doesn't seem to be the case given the amount they spend on bats. Also not saying the Royals' equation is the right one, just pointing out the contrast. I think the Blue Jays salary balance is particularly alarming when you factor in that a 41-year old knuckleballer is making 21% of all pitching dollars.

It's about priorities, and the Jays are certainly built around powerful, expensive bats. They might obliterate offensive records this season. With their pitching options, they may very well have to in order to win.
Click to expand...
That Royals Jays comparison is interesting, thanks for that.

I feel like the Jays focus on stacking offence has been going on for a long time. I don't know what it is, management? I'm not going to dig into Shapiro/Atkins yet, it's far too early for them to make their mark on this team yet. But it felt like the same thing with the Riccardi era and the Anthopoulos era.

I don't even know if I'm making any sense here, but lack of pitching consistency has been something I haven't liked for far too long. The bullpen has been bad to mediocre for years, starting pitching has been ok, and that's being generous. Osuna is the first closer I've felt confident in a LONG time.

It took Anthopoulos purging the farm system to get some consistency in the bullpen, and that rotation. It feels like if it's not this year, then we're going to be waiting a while. I don't believe Jose and Edwin are back next year, and unless we spend that money saved on those two on legitimate pitching, I don't see the Jays doing anything.
 
B

bumclot

Member
Tragicomedy said:
Not that I agree 100%, but I do have a French Canadian coworker who constantly ridicules baseball for featuring fat, out of shape athletes. I've tried to explain to him that it's a hell of a lot less common in the league now than in the 90s, since teams are prioritizing speed, defense, and athleticism more than ever. Then you've got Sandoval and Bartolo Colon pulling in millions of dollars...
Click to expand...
Your coworker sounds like an insufferable asshole. Big people doing big things.

hqdefault.jpg
 
T

Tragicomedy

Member
Spizz said:
That Royals Jays comparison is interesting, thanks for that.

I feel like the Jays focus on stacking offence has been going on for a long time. I don't know what it is, management? I'm not going to dig into Shapiro/Atkins yet, it's far too early for them to make their mark on this team yet. But it felt like the same thing with the Riccardi era and the Anthopoulos era.

I don't even know if I'm making any sense here, but lack of pitching consistency has been something I haven't liked for far too long. The bullpen has been bad to mediocre for years, starting pitching has been ok, and that's being generous. Osuna is the first closer I've felt confident in a LONG time.

It took Anthopoulos purging the farm system to get some consistency in the bullpen, and that rotation. It feels like if it's not this year, then we're going to be waiting a while. I don't believe Jose and Edwin are back next year, and unless we spend that money saved on those two on legitimate pitching, I don't see the Jays doing anything.
Click to expand...

Like I said, I don't know the management's mindset or long-term plan, but the discrepancy does look pretty huge in terms of where the dollars are going.

As for the reasoning, my best answer as a neutral is fans love the long ball. There's something to be said about having five bats in your lineup that can crush the ball in any given at bat. Fans are filling up your stadium. Guys like me catch the Blue Jays highlights every night, or tune into them if my team isn't playing. There's a ton of excitement around your hitting lineup. If you guys had taken down the Royals in last year's ALCS, I would have been pulling for you to win it all.

But the pitching remains questionable, at best. I predict you guys will do well this year, but giving up 5 runs per game to Tampa Bay and Boston gives me pause.

bumclot said:
Your coworker sounds like an insufferable asshole. Big people doing big things.
Click to expand...

He's actually a really good dude, but he's incredibly snobby when it comes to sports. If it isn't hockey, rugby, or soccer, it isn't a sport worth watching.
 
S

Spizz

Banned
Tragicomedy said:
Like I said, I don't know the management's mindset or long-term plan, but the discrepancy does look pretty huge in terms of where the dollars are going.

As for the reasoning, my best answer as a neutral is fans love the long ball. There's something to be said about having five bats in your lineup that can crush the ball in any given at bat. Fans are filling up your stadium. Guys like me catch the Blue Jays highlights every night, or tune into them if my team isn't playing. There's a ton of excitement around your hitting lineup. If you guys had taken down the Royals in last year's ALCS, I would have been pulling for you to win it all.

But the pitching remains questionable, at best. I predict you guys will do well this year, but giving up 5 runs per game to Tampa Bay and Boston gives me pause.
Click to expand...
The offence certainly is exciting, and people love it.

As for the pitching, it's going to come down to three guys this year in my eyes, Stroman, Sanchez, and Estrada. It's up to these three whether or not we will succeed. I'd say it's safe to have a grasp at what the offence, bullpen, and other starters will bring for better or worse. Those three have the ability to rise and potentially lead us on a great run, or falter and fail to reach expectations.
 
C

CrispyBoar

Banned
I'm thinking about getting MLB.TV Premium.

Right now, I'm just watching the games through a free preview (which stops after Sunday). Want to be able to enjoy a lot of baseball games afterwards.

The only games that I won't be able to watch, are games that features the Baltimore Orioles or the Washington Nationals, since I'm in Virginia.
 
C

Chuck

Still without luck
CrispyBoar said:
I'm thinking about getting MLB.TV Premium.

Right now, I'm just watching the games through a free preview (which stops after Sunday). Want to be able to enjoy a lot of baseball games afterwards.

The only games that I won't be able to watch, are games that features the Baltimore Orioles or the Washington Nationals, since I'm in Virginia.
Click to expand...

Find someone with tmobile and sign into your account on their phone!
 
C

CrispyBoar

Banned
HarryDemeanor said:
Game is on now? I thought it was a night game. Slept through two innings. =/
Click to expand...

Yep. Right now it's just the Dodgers & the Giants.

Rest won't come along until starting at 7:05 PM today (EST).

Rays Vs. Orioles: 7:05.
Astros Vs. Brewers, Phillies Vs. Mets, & Cardinals Vs. Braves: 7:10.
Twins Vs. Royals: 7:15.
Cubs Vs. Diamondbacks & Padres Vs. Rockies: 8:10.
Rangers Vs. Angels: 9:05.
Athletics Vs. Mariners: 9:10.
 
L

Lkr

Member
its a shame vin scully ain't doing road games. maybe phil jackson will manage to pull the same kind of deal with the knicks
 
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