2020 Blue Jays Spring Training Thread

phillipmike · Post #1 » by **phillipmike** » Fri Jan 24, 2020 3:26 pm

With Pitchers and Catchers reporting in 3 weeks, and the team pretty much set, thought we might start a Spring Training thread.

Read on Twitter

Projections, prospect lists and other publications are set to be published;

https://www.mlb.com/news/most-interesting-steamer-projections-for-2020

9) The Blue Jays are catching up
The focus tends to be on Toronto’s young, ultra-talented infield, but what they have behind the plate might be overlooked. Former top-100 prospect Danny Jansen had a strong 2019 defensively, being named an AL Gold Glove finalist and finishing fifth among MLB catchers in Defensive Runs Saved (12). The 24-year-old’s bat was a different story (.207/.279/.360), but Statcast shows that Jansen had one of the largest gaps between his expected and actual numbers, based on quality of contact. The projections forecast a rebound to a league-average .249/.326/.431 line, which in a thin catching pool would put Jansen seventh in WAR at his position in only 72 games. With equal playing time, he would be tied with Realmuto for second behind Grandal. Between Jansen and 24-year-old counterpart Reese McGuire, the Blue Jays may have one of the game’s best behind-the-plate situations.

phillipmike · Post #2 » by **phillipmike** » Sun Feb 2, 2020 7:00 pm

https://www.mlb.com/news/most-improved-mlb-teams-win-projection

Blue Jays
2019 win total: 67
2020 projection: 79
Difference: +12
OK, a 79-win effort isn’t going to make this club a contender. But this would still be a really encouraging year for Toronto if it comes true. It would mean Hyun-Jin Ryu (2.9 projected WAR) did lend legitimacy to the pitching staff; that full seasons from Cavan Biggio, Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. turned the infield into a genuine strength (because of those three young players, Toronto is projected in the top 12 in MLB at second base, shortstop and third); and that youngsters Danny Jansen and Reese McGuire continue to form a really effective catching tandem (projected for the third-best WAR in MLB at that position).

bluerap23 · Post #3 » by **bluerap23** » Mon Feb 3, 2020 3:40 pm

From bluejays.com official site, which is usually pretty accurate.
The only thing I disagree with is Davis ahead of Alford because Alford is out of options and Davis is not...

Also, nice to see an empty injury report (though Shoemaker may not be ready for spring).

I_Like_Dirt · Post #4 » by **I_Like_Dirt** » Mon Feb 3, 2020 4:53 pm

bluerap23 wrote:The only thing I disagree with is Davis ahead of Alford because Alford is out of options and Davis is not...

I'd be perfectly fine with that. Alford is basically a non-prospect at this point. Davis isn't great shakes himself but Alford isn't even AAA good let alone MLB good. I don't see Alford as the solution to anything at this point and he's an imperfect space filler at best.

As an aside, other than Vlad, the AA farm was honestly really bad and pretty overrated in general. Even among the guys they traded away, there weren't that many good players there, either. A lot of that is simply baseball, but the results really didn't match the hype in general there. The past few years the Jays seem to have avoided the hype, for the most part, and really found success with players who's game exceeded their hype and watched as the hype caught up to them.

bluerap23 · Post #5 » by **bluerap23** » Mon Feb 3, 2020 7:01 pm

I_Like_Dirt wrote:
bluerap23 wrote:The only thing I disagree with is Davis ahead of Alford because Alford is out of options and Davis is not...

I'd be perfectly fine with that. Alford is basically a non-prospect at this point. Davis isn't great shakes himself but Alford isn't even AAA good let alone MLB good. I don't see Alford as the solution to anything at this point and he's an imperfect space filler at best.

As an aside, other than Vlad, the AA farm was honestly really bad and pretty overrated in general. Even among the guys they traded away, there weren't that many good players there, either. A lot of that is simply baseball, but the results really didn't match the hype in general there. The past few years the Jays seem to have avoided the hype, for the most part, and really found success with players who's game exceeded their hype and watched as the hype caught up to them.

Still doesn't make sense from an asset management point of view. I agree the asset isn't worth much, but still an asset (unless they find someone better).

Re: other prospects
What about Marcus Stroman, Noah Syndergaard, Kevin Pillar (in 18th round), Danny Jansen. I'm sure I am missing at least a couple others. I know he drafted Kris Bryant but he didn't sign.

vaff87 · Post #6 » by **vaff87** » Mon Feb 3, 2020 7:15 pm

bluerap23 wrote:
I_Like_Dirt wrote:
bluerap23 wrote:The only thing I disagree with is Davis ahead of Alford because Alford is out of options and Davis is not...

I'd be perfectly fine with that. Alford is basically a non-prospect at this point. Davis isn't great shakes himself but Alford isn't even AAA good let alone MLB good. I don't see Alford as the solution to anything at this point and he's an imperfect space filler at best.

As an aside, other than Vlad, the AA farm was honestly really bad and pretty overrated in general. Even among the guys they traded away, there weren't that many good players there, either. A lot of that is simply baseball, but the results really didn't match the hype in general there. The past few years the Jays seem to have avoided the hype, for the most part, and really found success with players who's game exceeded their hype and watched as the hype caught up to them.

Still doesn't make sense from an asset management point of view. I agree the asset isn't worth much, but still an asset (unless they find someone better).

Re: other prospects
What about Marcus Stroman, Noah Syndergaard, Kevin Pillar (in 18th round), Danny Jansen. I'm sure I am missing at least a couple others. I know he drafted Kris Bryant but he didn't sign.

He drafted Kris Bryant and Aaron Nola. But you can’t really credit him for those because everybody knew there was basically a 0% chance they would sign.

phillipmike · Post #7 » by **phillipmike** » Mon Feb 3, 2020 8:44 pm

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-biggest-holes-on-contending-teams-part-one-the-infield/

The Fix: Uh. Uh. Catcher is a tough hole to fix, because there aren’t a lot of good backstops on bad teams. Buster Posey theoretically qualifies, but there’s been absolutely no smoke around the Giants moving him, and I don’t expect that to change. The Mariners might listen to offers for Tom Murphy, but he feels like a slightly different flavor of what the Reds already have.

The only realistic trade partner, in my mind, is the Blue Jays. They have two interesting young backstops, and the Reds have a Nick Senzel burning a hole in their pockets. Danny Jansen is the more highly regarded of the two, and while there are question marks around his offense after a rough 2019 at the plate, his plate discipline-based game provides a nice offensive floor and his framing grades out well.

Reese McGuire also looks acceptable, though he’s more of a Barnhart type than the Reds are probably interested in. But his existence makes it more reasonable for the Blue Jays to trade from catcher. A reader in my chat last week suggested Senzel for Ken Giles and Jansen, and that sounds enticing to me. There might need to be other names in the trade to give the Blue Jays the years of control they so deeply desire, but Jansen and Giles would boost the team right now, and given the rest of their maneuvers this offseason, that’s exactly what they need.

LBJKB24MJ23 · Post #8 » by **LBJKB24MJ23** » Tue Feb 4, 2020 5:26 pm

was tempted to go down this time around.

polo007 · Post #9 » by **polo007** » Tue Feb 4, 2020 10:12 pm

Read on Twitter

BigLeagueChew · Post #10 » by **BigLeagueChew** » Tue Feb 4, 2020 10:47 pm

bluerap23 wrote:

From bluejays.com official site, which is usually pretty accurate.

That's a interesting depth chart for pitching but i do like the approach of getting a bunch of arms at low cost in the bullpen, surely a few of them will hit or miss.

Still wonder if a CF or utility SS is coming our way.

It's a bit too expanded, this chart, no reason to list your 3rd and 4th catcher and 14th bullpen pitcher.

BigLeagueChew · Post #11 » by **BigLeagueChew** » Tue Feb 4, 2020 11:10 pm

Pitchers and catchers report next week, first workout on Thursday.

bluerap23 · Post #12 » by **bluerap23** » Wed Feb 5, 2020 1:06 am

BigLeagueChew wrote:
bluerap23 wrote:

From bluejays.com official site, which is usually pretty accurate.

That's a interesting depth chart for pitching but i do like the approach of getting a bunch of arms at low cost in the bullpen, surely a few of them will hit or miss.

Still wonder if a CF or utility SS is coming our way.

It's a bit too expanded, this chart, no reason to list your 3rd and 4th catcher and 14th bullpen pitcher.

Makes sense for ST so the diehard geeks know who is in Florida. They will adjust it in advance of the season.