Jays (15-8) vs Yankees (16-6), May 2 - 4

[Schad]

Have to strongly disagree that the bullpen sucks. It could definitely use another arm, but Romano, Cimber, Garcia and Mayza are a well-above average late-innings combination, and Richards/Phelps (despite Richards' HR proneness) are perfectly adequate as the bridge. The rest aren't good, but they also don't pitch with any regularity when we're leading after the 5th inning (Charlie's insistence on using some of them when trailing by a run, as if that's low-leverage, is another matter).

[dagger]

Have to strongly disagree that the bullpen sucks. It could definitely use another arm, but Romano, Cimber, Garcia and Mayza are a well-above average late-innings combination, and Richards/Phelps (despite Richards' HR proneness) are perfectly adequate as the bridge. The rest aren't good, but they also don't pitch with any regularity when we're leading after the 5th inning (Charlie's insistence on using some of them when trailing by a run, as if that's low-leverage, is another matter).

I would say it doesn't suck, but it definitely needs an upgrade if they want to be true WS contenders. If it is going to take, say, 100+ wins to win the AL East, the Jays will be in a lot more close games than seasons when the most they are capable of is, say, 81 wins. Except for Mayza right now, I don't expect anyone out of the bullpen to throw a simple, clean seventh or eighth inning. You know, three up, three down. It happens sometimes but more often than not this pen is letting baserunners on, elevating risk in very close games. And this team, offensively, has been prone to lengthy collective droughts where the pitching has to save them. Sure, this bullpen is good enough for when the offence is ripping, but not when it is flagging and flailing. The Yankees have done a better job most years structuring their pen. They have done a good job developing bullpen arms. Take Mike King. Or Clay Holmes (okay, not home-grown). The Jays had no idea what to do with them. I'm not even talking about Chapman when he's on because Romano has been pretty good.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kingmi01.shtml

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/holmecl01.shtml

https://www.mlb.com/player/wandy-peralta-593974

But our long-man answers include Trent Thorton and a hodgepodge. Richards is on sometimes, but it's not just homers on which he's vulnerable. A WHIP around 1.5 is not especially good if he's the best guy behind Mayza/Romano trying to hold a one-run lead for them. In slightly lesser role, no problem. The Jays have the organizational depth below their best prospects - I'd list them as Groshans, Moreno, Martinez, Tiedemann, Robberse, guys you only consider dealing for a big positional or starter upgrade - to go out and get one more above average BP arm. If they are comfortable with Espinal at 2B, they have a surplus of middle infielders like Lopez, Taylor and more. Phil Clarke is becoming a very attractive catching prospect we won;'t need going forward. By mid-June, Atkins has to make something happen. The benefit of shoring up the pen is that it might save a bit more of Romano and Mayza.

(There might be home grown options as well, but it will take a larger sample. Adrian Hernandez and Kyle Johnson at BUF are both throwing very well. Hernandez is described as having one of the best changeups in the organization at any level, and Johnson is a power pitcher who failed as a starter but can ramp it up for an inning and a bit. In five innings since being promoted from New Hampshire, Hernandez has yet to give up a hit or run. So he probably bears the closest watch. He's our #18 prospect on MLBPipeline. Here's his profile



ETA
2023
Scouting grades: Fastball: 45 | Slider: 40 | Changeup: 65 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

Hernandez signed as an unheralded pitching prospect out of Mexico in 2017, but showed some immediate promise in the Dominican Summer League that year with a 2.60 ERA over 55 1/3 innings, striking out 64. Moving to the GCL in ’19, though, he got tagged with an 8.02 ERA over 16 relief appearances and appeared to lose any momentum. Hernandez embraced that challenge, pitching for Los Mochis in the Mexican Winter League before earning a Low-A assignment to open ’21. He climbed all the way to Double-A, posting a combined 2.74 ERA across the three levels with a whopping 108 strikeouts over 62 1/3 innings, reintroducing himself as one of the best young arms in the system.

Hernandez’s changeup is one of the best pitches in the organization. Even with opposing hitters on it, they often struggled to make much contact against it at all. His fastball sits in the low-90s, approaching 92 mph, and he uses that to disguise the changeup. He’s also thrown a bit of a slider, but his changeup was so effective in ’21 that he rarely needed to stray from that in big situations.

There isn’t much more physical projection for Hernandez’s 5-foot-10 frame, but as a strict reliever now, he makes it work. Developing his breaking ball will be a key to his long-term sustainability, but his changeup has the potential to be special. Veteran Triple-A pitchers who have seen advanced changeups before will be a great test for that pitch, but now that Hernandez has been added to the 40-man roster this past offseason, he could put himself on the doorstep of the Major Leagues by the end of ’22.)

[LLJ]

It's still May, the bats will come around eventually. Though it's not fun to watch them hacking themselves into rhythm

[dagger]

It's still May, the bats will come around eventually. Though it's not fun to watch them hacking themselves into rhythm

I'm going to make a separate thread about this: Some teams are embracing a swing-less philosophy because it's supposedly supported by analytics. The Jays, based on the type of hitters they have, seem to not be in that group.

[SharoneWright]

If Ryu can pitch, Stripling becomes an automatic upgrade for the long-man role.

And as much as I fantasize about Pearson coming in and imposing himself into the starting rotation, he's likely going to be another big help to the bullpen.

Borucki will contribute. I'm also hoping for a Thomas Hatch break out and call up, probably in September.

[DelAbbot]

It's still May, the bats will come around eventually. Though it's not fun to watch them hacking themselves into rhythm

I'm going to make a separate thread about this: Some teams are embracing a swing-less philosophy because it's supposedly supported by analytics. The Jays, based on the type of hitters they have, seem to not be in that group.

wut?

like this?

Watch on YouTube

[WuTang_OG]

bats gotta come alive here
should sweep cleveland

[WuTang_OG]

Tapia fkin sucks