Spring Training

polo007 · Post #141 » by **polo007** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 5:05 pm

vaff87 · Post #142 » by **vaff87** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 5:17 pm

polo007 wrote:
TheDunc wrote:Videogame curfew in the blue jays club house before games, wow didn't think this type of thing would be a problem but I guess it is

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Damn, Bud Norris snitching already smh

BigLeagueChew · Post #143 » by **BigLeagueChew** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 5:50 pm

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Ah fortnite

vaff87 · Post #144 » by **vaff87** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:15 pm

Somehow I don't see Bryce Harper and Jean Segura helping a "problematic clubhouse".

vaff87 · Post #145 » by **vaff87** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:32 pm

Spring training observations: Blue Jays’ Bichette looks like he belongs

BO BICHETTE IMPRESSES
“He’s been our best player in camp,” a Blue Jays executive told me of Bichette during a chance encounter over runny eggs and soggy bacon at our mutual hotel’s continental breakfast.

I feel it's possible Bo and Vladdy are the two best players in the organization, already.

fedord · Post #146 » by **fedord** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 9:05 pm

So Travis is injured yet again eh? I would have cut ties with this guy a long time ago. Never seen a more injury prone and less durable baseball player in my life.

dagger · Post #147 » by **dagger** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 9:18 pm

vaff87 wrote:Spring training observations: Blue Jays’ Bichette looks like he belongs

BO BICHETTE IMPRESSES
“He’s been our best player in camp,” a Blue Jays executive told me of Bichette during a chance encounter over runny eggs and soggy bacon at our mutual hotel’s continental breakfast.

I feel it's possible Bo and Vladdy are the two best players in the organization, already.

Probably, but everything in its time. Bo and Cavan Biggio were sent to the minor league camp today, although they might both be back before the end of the season.

polo007 · Post #148 » by **polo007** » Tue Mar 19, 2019 1:44 pm

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So_Fresh · Post #149 » by **So_Fresh** » Tue Mar 19, 2019 5:00 pm

A bit disappointed to see Anthony Alford didn't make the team. I guess he had options and they sent him to the minors. What about Pompey?

Post #150 » by **Schad** » Wed Mar 20, 2019 12:36 am

So_Fresh wrote:A bit disappointed to see Anthony Alford didn't make the team. I guess he had options and they sent him to the minors. What about Pompey?

Alford was a hot mess all of last season, and he struck out almost 30% of the time in spring training. He needs some time to prove that he can sustain it...he was hot in spring last season as well, before posting the worst performance of his career by some measure.

vaff87 · Post #151 » by **vaff87** » Wed Mar 20, 2019 2:41 am

Yeah, I think Alford needs to prove himself a bit in the minors this year before being promoted. I don’t see how that strategy can hurt with anybody. Even Vladdy.

dagger · Post #152 » by **dagger** » Wed Mar 20, 2019 7:08 pm

The Elvis Luciano thing looks like a major fail - he couldn't get an out today, and gave up three runs. I'm all for high ceiling swings, I get the thinking - normally 19 year olds with good tools aren't available in the Rule 5 draft - but this isn't working out. As part of taking him, they lost Travis Bergen to the Giants in the Rule 5, and Bergen has had a great spring. Decent lefty relievers who have a lot of swing and miss have value, and Bergen had a great season with Dunedin/New Hampshire. He hasn't allowed a run this spring, which is right in line with his record at NH where he didn't allow a run for three months! I was pissed when they didn't protect him, and am still pissed.

Post #153 » by **Schad** » Wed Mar 20, 2019 8:46 pm

Some of the choices we made in the Rule 5 draft were definitely odd. We ought to have been able to protect Bergen and/or Romano, even while rolling the dice on Luciano; Gaviglio is now pretty low on the depth chart, and for good reason, and Biagini likely passes through a DFA as well. We chose not to, and I'm not really sure why.

Black Watch · Post #154 » by **Black Watch** » Wed Mar 20, 2019 10:30 pm

BigLeagueChew wrote:

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Ah fortnite

Surprised Gabe would let that sort of thing go on

BigLeagueChew · Post #155 » by **BigLeagueChew** » Thu Mar 21, 2019 8:08 pm

Black Watch wrote:
BigLeagueChew wrote:

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Ah fortnite

Surprised Gabe would let that sort of thing go on

Santana was moved back to the Indians, who moved Edwin to Seattle. Santana projects better than Edwin at this stage of their careers.

BigLeagueChew · Post #156 » by **BigLeagueChew** » Thu Mar 21, 2019 8:08 pm

Norris injured. Today would be his opt out day in his contract. Pompey also injured.

Black Watch · Post #157 » by **Black Watch** » Fri Mar 22, 2019 2:33 am

BigLeagueChew wrote:
Black Watch wrote:
BigLeagueChew wrote:Ah fortnite

Surprised Gabe would let that sort of thing go on

Santana was moved back to the Indians, who moved Edwin to Seattle. Santana projects better than Edwin at this stage of their careers.

I meant that I was surprised he would let some players play fortnite in the back. If you remember the hullabaloo when Boston collapsed in 2011, we heard all kinds of blame laid at the manager (wrongly) Terry Francona for letting some players eat, drink, and play video games.

Plus Gabe comes across as the kind of guy who wouldn't allow that sort of thing, but I don't know what he's really like in the clubhouse, obviously.

BigLeagueChew · Post #158 » by **BigLeagueChew** » Fri Mar 22, 2019 3:36 am

Black Watch wrote:I meant that I was surprised he would let some players play fortnite in the back. If you remember the hullabaloo when Boston collapsed in 2011, we heard all kinds of blame laid at the manager (wrongly) Terry Francona for letting some players eat, drink, and play video games.

Plus Gabe comes across as the kind of guy who wouldn't allow that sort of thing, but I don't know what he's really like in the clubhouse, obviously.

Oh yeah that shouldn't go on anywhere during games was just saying what happened to Santana, hopefully not traded for speaking up.

So_Fresh · Post #159 » by **So_Fresh** » Fri Mar 22, 2019 4:33 pm

Pompey diagnosed with his third concussion. Jesus Christ... I have never seen a professional sports player be so unlucky.

polo007 · Post #160 » by **polo007** » Fri Mar 22, 2019 7:28 pm

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DUNEDIN, Fla. – Breaking camp with the Toronto Blue Jays is going to be something new for left-hander Tim Mayza, who last year rode the options train between triple-A Buffalo and the big-leagues a galling seven times each way. Next Thursday, he’ll take a spot on the third-base line and hear his name announced before the 2019 opener against the visiting Detroit Tigers.

“Definitely some excitement,” says Mayza, who was pulled aside by manager Charlie Montoyo on Tuesday and told he’s made the club. “I’ve never been a part of an opening day (in the majors), even as a fan growing up. I never went to opening day because I was either playing or I was in class. It was definitely a lot of excitement going on in that moment.”

Another new experience this spring for the 27-year-old from Allentown, Pa., has been regularly taking throws at first base, a byproduct of his status as the only lefty in the bullpen.

Mayza last played first as a freshman at Millersville University in 2011, appearing in two games while getting five at-bats (he had two hits). That year, he also logged 20 games at first for the Quakertown Blazers of the Atlantic collegiate summer league, but until this spring hadn’t been back over since.

“It’s been a while,” he says with a smile. “I’m just over there just in case we make one of those double switches, getting comfortable with being able to receive the ball at first base and my footwork over there. I have fun with it. …

“I play catch every day, so catching the ball shouldn’t be much of a problem. I’ve got to make sure I don’t get trucked or run over at first base. But it’s going as well as I thought it would.”

The likeliest scenario for Mayza to end up at first in a game is if an extreme pull right-handed hitter came up with a lefty or two following. The Blue Jays have emphasized positional flexibility for its players in recent years, and outfielder Billy McKinney’s work at first base helps in that regard.

Still, the possibility hadn’t crossed Mayza’s mind until Montoyo asked him about getting some work in over at first base.

“I was a little taken aback, I didn’t know if they were joking or serious,” Mayza recalls. “But Charlie was like, ‘No, I’m serious,’ so I was like, ‘Oh, OK.’ It comes along with being the only lefty in the bullpen right now. In years past we had Aaron Loup and myself at times, so there are two guys. Now, being the only lefty comes with that role.”