Most disappointing Jay so far?

[BigLeagueChew]

I nominate the fans as the worst so far

[Santoki]

16 games. That's what we're talking about here.

Why don't we just shut this whole board down then until games matter?

[Randle McMurphy]

16 games. That's what we're talking about here.

Why don't we just shut this whole board down then until games matter?

This has nothing to do with the games mattering (for the record, they do). It has everything to do with jumping to massive, unjustified conclusions based on small sample sizes.

[MGD24]

I nominate the fans as the worst so far

+1

[Santoki]

16 games. That's what we're talking about here.

Why don't we just shut this whole board down then until games matter?

This has nothing to do with the games mattering (for the record, they do). It has everything to do with jumping to massive, unjustified conclusions based on small sample sizes.

It's not a massive, unjustified conclusion to say that Jose Bautista has regressed from the player he was 2 years ago when he was at his peak. It was pretty unsustainable the rate he was mashing and getting on-base, but I was hoping we'd see him revert back to the approach and disciplined he showed during that time. Last year he struggled in April and that patience and approach really changed. Yes he hit 23 HRs in the next two months, but that's all he seemed to be doing and that sort of thing has continued. When he was locked in, he was driving the ball, using different parts of the field (even for a notorious pull hitter) and was working at-bats. Now, and much like last year, the only thing he seems to be doing is hitting home runs. While he was obviously a home-run hitter those first two years, it wasn't all about that for him. That's the worrisome part for me. If all he is going to contribute is home runs and his OBP is going to be lower than Edwin's, I'd rather him hit clean up. I know that won't happen, but if it continues I'd rather have a better overall hitter in the 3 spot.

[Randle McMurphy]

It's not a massive, unjustified conclusion to say that Jose Bautista has regressed from the player he was 2 years ago when he was at his peak.

No, but it is to suggest that he's in for some kind of regression from the player he was last year based on 16 games.

It was pretty unsustainable the rate he was mashing and getting on-base, but I was hoping we'd see him revert back to the approach and disciplined he showed during that time.

He was hitting like Barry Bonds for two months two years ago. It's beyond clear that he's not that guy and it's been clear for quite some time. But that isn't what this is about.

Last year he struggled in April and that patience and approach really changed. Yes he hit 23 HRs in the next two months, but that's all he seemed to be doing and that sort of thing has continued.

He had a 142 wRC+ in May and a 206 wRC+ in June. Not only was he hitting HRs at a higher pace than everyone else in baseball last season after April, but he was walking at a very high pace as well.

When he was locked in, he was driving the ball, using different parts of the field (even for a notorious pull hitter) and was working at-bats. Now, and much like last year, the only thing he seems to be doing is hitting home runs. While he was obviously a home-run hitter those first two years, it wasn't all about that for him.

You might want to go look at his 2010 season again. He was a high power/high BB/low AVG player that season, the same as he was last season. It's 2011 that's proved to be the aberration (and it's too bad because I would have loved to watch a Jays version of Bonds for longer), but there is nothing wrong at all with the hitter from 2010 or 2012. That hitter is very elite indeed.

That's the worrisome part for me. If all he is going to contribute is home runs and his OBP is going to be lower than Edwin's, I'd rather him hit clean up. I know that won't happen, but if it continues I'd rather have a better overall hitter in the 3 spot.

Worry in three months if Bautista still has a .750 OPS. Not after 16 games. Bautista could go on one of his mini streaks and completely change the look of his slash line.

[torontoaces04]

I didn't put Encarnacion on there because he was really starting to swing the bat well, when I made this post. Like other posters have mentioned, yes he did have 0 hits this series, but he absolutely scorched a bunch of balls. I was watching the Yankees feed for this entire series, and in today's game especially, their guys were saying, "I'm happy we're leaving town when we are, because you can see it...Encarnacion is about to explode." He was lacing balls all over the field, and either hit it right at a fielder, or was getting robbed by Vernon Wells circa 2003.

BUMP