Toronto Blue Jays!!

[Duncan Smith]

Re: Toronto Blue Jays!!

Starting Arencebia first game was more a misguided sense of loyalty given his history of great opening days. They tried it, didn't work. The guy has been great since. Without his offence ( I believe 7 extra base hits ) they'd arguably be 1-8.

Catching is not their issue, never has been. Not sure why the chess group here is obsessed with this aspect. Infield defence more of a problem really, but Lawrie will solve that.

[Duncan Smith]

Re: Toronto Blue Jays!!

Now that the regular season is well underway, and going the wrong way for the Jays so far (who aren't even bit by the injury bug yet) :(, has the optimism dried up already for many of the above posters?

Boston and the NYY almost invariably seem to have the best talent money can buy, with their bigger payroll capacity than Toronto, in spite of however promising the Jays look on paper - another reason for pessimism in addition to their trend of recent years to have the injury bug.

I hate long summers without wanting to watch baseball. :(

If you are seriously basing your interest on the first ten games of the season then maybe find another sport to watch. What were the Yankees after 9 games last season ( something similar I believe ), and Boston started 0-6 recently and were in playoff contention by August. Blue Jays were pretty good in April last few years. Lot of good that did them.

I don't know why you think that NYY and Boston have great teams this year, the Yankees have a lineup that looks doomed to failure over a long season, so unless they buy some MORE players they are going nowhere. Boston lost a starter already, they are a hard team to grade ( lot of uncertainty ). Nobody who knows baseball would ever categorize either team "as is" as being a powerhouse. So they have to compete like everyone else and maybe add a couple of stars at the trade deadline. Detroit is real good. Toronto could get real good but so far no, but its not going to take a huge win total to take their division this year.

Jays actually HAVE been struck with injuries. Losing Lawrie ( all games ) and Bautista ( 3 games ) was a big chunk of their lineup. However, they are a team built for the long haul, the deepest pitching staff in baseball. Bonofocio is not really their 2B, Izterus is. Lind will lose his job if he doesn't hit soon. These kind of issues tend to sort themselves out by May.

So they may be 3 games out end of today. You should panic now. :):):)

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Toronto Blue Jays!!

That doesn't make it really any easier to catch of course... but what was the point of trading for a guy whose only purpose is to catch for Dickey and then not let him catch for Dickey?

I don't know why they sent Thole to the minors in March. I think there were 3 passed balls in Dickey's first game and only 1 in his second game where the Jays used their backup catcher. Problem with the second game is Dickey didn't think his ball was breaking. One of those games, I guess.

Charlie Sheen was pitching around 85 MPH in the Movie Major League. I guess to a good fastball hitter at that speed the ball would look like a grapefruit coming to the plate. :) A good closer might throw in the 90's.

[Christopher Mallon]

Re: Toronto Blue Jays!!

Knuckleballs are hard to catch. The pitcher doesn't usually know where they are going. If a catcher is good at catching them and the pitcher is confident in the catcher that's often who they use.

Here's a list from the web. Note Tim Wakefield who was a knuckleball pitcher.

http://www.mikemav.com/xbl/PC_MLB.htm

Actually, apparently the unique thing with Dickey is he does have a lot more control over the knuckleball compared to a traditional knuckleballer like Wakefield. He does it partly by throwing about 10 mph faster than Wakefield did.

That doesn't make it really any easier to catch of course... but what was the point of trading for a guy whose only purpose is to catch for Dickey and then not let him catch for Dickey?

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: Toronto Blue Jays!!

I wonder how Wakefield did the year he tended to pitch with catcher Cash, if it was the first year they were a regular battery.

I see there was a catcher named David Ross, in the year 2006 at least. Very probable there would also be at least one chessplayer with that name. :)

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Toronto Blue Jays!!

I didn't know a genuine major league pitcher had to lean on a personal catcher. Sounds different.

Knuckleballs are hard to catch. The pitcher doesn't usually know where they are going. If a catcher is good at catching them and the pitcher is confident in the catcher that's often who they use.

Here's a list from the web. Note Tim Wakefield who was a knuckleball pitcher.

http://www.mikemav.com/xbl/PC_MLB.htm

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Toronto Blue Jays!!

I was playing Stock Market today so I forgot to watch the game.

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: Toronto Blue Jays!!

Well, Dickey's personal catcher who came in the trade was shipped to the Minors in March. They had been together for a few seasons. First two games Dickey gets lit up like an Xmas tree.

Buck, the veteran catcher the Jays got and traded away has been real hot so far this season. The one they let get away so far.

The season still has a long way to go but Buerhle and Dickey have to do a bit better (Buerhle got smoked today) and the Jays still need a 2nd baseman. Bonificio made his 4th error of the season today.

Anyhow, it's still early.

The Jays won today 8-6 against the Tigers, so I'm not sure what you mean, JW.

I didn't know a genuine major league pitcher had to lean on a personal catcher. Sounds different.

[Bindi Cheng]

Re: Toronto Blue Jays!!

Come from behind victories are one of the main reasons I enjoy watching 3 hours of baseball. Hopefully today's game is a sign of more positive things to come.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Toronto Blue Jays!!

Well, Dickey's personal catcher who came in the trade was shipped to the Minors in March. They had been together for a few seasons. First two games Dickey gets lit up like an Xmas tree.

Buck, the veteran catcher the Jays got and traded away has been real hot so far this season. The one they let get away so far.

The season still has a long way to go but Buerhle and Dickey have to do a bit better (Buerhle got smoked today) and the Jays still need a 2nd baseman. Bonificio made his 4th error of the season today.

Anyhow, it's still early.

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: Toronto Blue Jays!!

Now that the regular season is well underway, and going the wrong way for the Jays so far (who aren't even bit by the injury bug yet) :(, has the optimism dried up already for many of the above posters?

Boston and the NYY almost invariably seem to have the best talent money can buy, with their bigger payroll capacity than Toronto, in spite of however promising the Jays look on paper - another reason for pessimism in addition to their trend of recent years to have the injury bug.

I hate long summers without wanting to watch baseball. :(

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Toronto Blue Jays!!

Which guy do you want ? Sorry, I don't get it. Arencebia's one of the best bargains on the team and his upside is yet to be
established.

Posey would be nice at around the same salary but it's not likely. Maybe Hanigan, maybe Suzuki.

Like it or not, Arencebia was calling the games last season and the Jays didn't win very many games. Whatever Arencebia was calling, the hitters were loving it.

You're worrying about bargains but there's no point in buying a Cadillac and using a pipe wrench for a steering wheel to save money.

[Bindi Cheng]

Re: Toronto Blue Jays!!

Here is a list of all the catchers by salary http://content.usatoday.com/sportsda...osition/C/2012.

Which guy do you want ? Sorry, I don't get it. Arencebia's one of the best bargains on the team and his upside is yet to be
established. Jays themselves have let Napoli, Mathis, Buck, Molina, and Barojas go because they liked Arencebia more ( salary and
talent considerations ).

As much as I love disproving Duncan, unfortunately he has a point here. Arencibia, for all his slightly below-averageness, is a good bargain on this team since he's cheap and league average catchers are tough to find, especially those who aren't injured or don't already play another position (Mauer, Montero etc.) I would think 96 wins is a fairly optimistic figure, I'm of the mind that anywhere between 90-95 will be fine by me. Of course, that is all assuming Johnson and Morrow doesn't get injured 10 games in...

[Duncan Smith]

Re: Toronto Blue Jays!!

They might be able to win 96 games. I still think they could trade for a catcher.

Are they replacing the pitching and conditioning coaches?

Here is a list of all the catchers by salary http://content.usatoday.com/sportsda...osition/C/2012.

Which guy do you want ? Sorry, I don't get it. Arencebia's one of the best bargains on the team and his upside is yet to be
established. Jays themselves have let Napoli, Mathis, Buck, Molina, and Barojas go because they liked Arencebia more ( salary and
talent considerations ).

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Toronto Blue Jays!!

They might be able to win 96 games. I still think they could trade for a catcher.

Are they replacing the pitching and conditioning coaches?