Toronto Blue Jays (77-62) at Baltimore Orioles (45-94) - September 10-12

[LLJ]

I hate multi team tiebreakers. Please Jays just win a game or two more

[Parataxis]

What happens if three teams tie for the 1st WC spot?

The normal rules for multi-team ties don't seem to make much sense (have them play against each other, just to see who gets to play against each other) given the 1 game nature of the WC game itself. Does anybody know if they have a separate plan, like a three team round robin?

Teams would be designated A,B and C. Don't ask me how they would do it. Each team would have two chances to make it. Two games would have to be played just to get to the Wild Card Game. Team A would play Team B. Loser of that game would play Team C. Winner of that game would get the last wild card spot.

A, B, and C are determined by head to head winning percentages, unless they're all identical (or circular) an then it gets more complicated. Teams with the best record get to choose which designation they want.

[Lateral Quicks]

I'm sorry but all this "time to move on from Lourdes" talk just feels so typically Toronto.

So he sucks in the field.

Ok.

We aren't cursed with multiple guys who are unable to play the field so just let him be the full time DH....

Why is that an issue?

It's an enormous issue. Other than the bullpen, defense is the primary problem with the Jays both this year and moving forward. Trading a good (albeit flawed) bat to improve that area while also potentially filling other needs if you can makes a ton of sense. It did last year and it especially will make sense this offseason if he continues to hit for the next few weeks.

It's an issue, but hardly enormous. Lourdes has a well above average arm, but has trouble getting to balls. You can hide such a player in LF, so long as you have a good CF and the whole lineup isn't full of defensive holes.

Grichuk is a better defender out there (better range, weaker arm), but he's put up 1 bWAR while Gurriel has put up 2.3 bWAR. And Grichuk will make twice as much as Gurriel over the next two years. I would much rather see Gurriel get regular playing time over that span than Grichuk, and it isn't particularly close.

There's no harm in listening to trade offers, but I am in no rush to move him. That might be different if we had a hot shot OF prospect ready to take a spot, or if we could transition a guy like Kirk to the OF (which obviously isn't happening). But with Grichuk's bat and Springer's health, I'm not ready to give up on an above-average offensive outfielder like Gurriel - odds are we'd miss him quite a bit.

[Randle McMurphy]

I'm sorry but all this "time to move on from Lourdes" talk just feels so typically Toronto.

So he sucks in the field.

Ok.

We aren't cursed with multiple guys who are unable to play the field so just let him be the full time DH....

Why is that an issue?

It's an enormous issue. Other than the bullpen, defense is the primary problem with the Jays both this year and moving forward. Trading a good (albeit flawed) bat to improve that area while also potentially filling other needs if you can makes a ton of sense. It did last year and it especially will make sense this offseason if he continues to hit for the next few weeks.

It's an issue, but hardly enormous. Lourdes has a well above average arm, but has trouble getting to balls. You can hide such a player in LF, so long as you have a good CF and the whole lineup isn't full of defensive holes.

Grichuk is a better defender out there (better range, weaker arm), but he's put up 1 bWAR while Gurriel has put up 2.3 bWAR. And Grichuk will make twice as much as Gurriel over the next two years. I would much rather see Gurriel get regular playing time over that span than Grichuk, and it isn't particularly close.

There's no harm in listening to trade offers, but I am in no rush to move him. That might be different if we had a hot shot OF prospect ready to take a spot, or if we could transition a guy like Kirk to the OF (which obviously isn't happening). But with Grichuk's bat and Springer's health, I'm not ready to give up on an above-average offensive outfielder like Gurriel - odds are we'd miss him quite a bit.

Gurriel has a league worst -9 OAA in LF, he’s absolutely terrible at the position.

And Grichuk has no real trade value, Gurriel does. And if you want to improve the defense and not have so many DH types on a team where the CF plays half the games and isn’t physically capable of playing CF, you’re not going to be trading Grichuk over Gurriel (although I’m sure they’d be just fine if somebody wanted to take Randal and his salary off their hands).

There’s little doubt in my mind the Jays will look to see what they can get for him this off-season.

[vaff87]

Guys we sweep the Rays and we might just have a chance at the division title!

We're 9 games back with 19 games left, heh. There is virtually no chance we win the division. Fangraphs gives us (very generous) 0.8% odds.

What’s remarkable is we made up more ground than that on the Yankees, in less time. August 27th we were 9.5 back.

[duppyy]

These mets better hold the lead.

[vaff87]

Smh, Brad Hand

[JN]

Brad Hand still **** the Jays over even after waiving him.

[The_Hater]

I'm sorry but all this "time to move on from Lourdes" talk just feels so typically Toronto.

So he sucks in the field.

Ok.

We aren't cursed with multiple guys who are unable to play the field so just let him be the full time DH....

Why is that an issue?

It's an enormous issue. Other than the bullpen, defense is the primary problem with the Jays both this year and moving forward. Trading a good (albeit flawed) bat to improve that area while also potentially filling other needs if you can makes a ton of sense. It did last year and it especially will make sense this offseason if he continues to hit for the next few weeks.

It's an issue, but hardly enormous. Lourdes has a well above average arm, but has trouble getting to balls. You can hide such a player in LF, so long as you have a good CF and the whole lineup isn't full of defensive holes.

Grichuk is a better defender out there (better range, weaker arm), but he's put up 1 bWAR while Gurriel has put up 2.3 bWAR. And Grichuk will make twice as much as Gurriel over the next two years. I would much rather see Gurriel get regular playing time over that span than Grichuk, and it isn't particularly close.

There's no harm in listening to trade offers, but I am in no rush to move him. That might be different if we had a hot shot OF prospect ready to take a spot, or if we could transition a guy like Kirk to the OF (which obviously isn't happening). But with Grichuk's bat and Springer's health, I'm not ready to give up on an above-average offensive outfielder like Gurriel - odds are we'd miss him quite a bit.

Of course we’d prefer to keep a Gurriel over Grichuk, I don’t think anyone would dispute who the superior player is, but Gurriel is also the one that should likely be traded for all the same reasons you listed. Grichuk has minimal at best trade value with his contract and production while many teams would covet LG. It’s about dealing from a team strength to fill a weakness.

[JN]

Lindor!!!

It was a bit of a hot dog move after his earlier homer, but you know what if the Yanks are going to push what is considered acceptable they deserve it.

[HangTime]

Guys we sweep the Rays and we might just have a chance at the division title!

We're 9 games back with 19 games left, heh. There is virtually no chance we win the division. Fangraphs gives us (very generous) 0.8% odds.

What’s remarkable is we made up more ground than that on the Yankees, in less time. August 27th we were 9.5 back.

Maybe 2021, will be similar to 2011.

Watch on YouTube

[Mehar]

The Yankees next 10 games involve the Twins, Orioles, Indians and Rangers. As bad as they have been playing, I think they will win a majority of these games against these horrible teams. So, the Jays need to continue to play well, starting with a quality team like the Rays.

[s e n s i]

you know you're a trash franchise when you lose by 15 when you're not cheating anymore. andale andale andale you sad sack losers.

[The_Hater]

you know you're a trash franchise when you lose by 15 when you're not cheating anymore. andale andale andale you sad sack losers.

Don’t forget the idiot manager they have in charge. I would have fired him Saturday before if I was the GM.

They’ve got some nice prospects in the system but enough to get out of this hole? Which AL east team is going to let them escape from the cellar anytime soon?

[pilkoids]

Twins up 4-0