2014 Blue Jays

[Majingir]

[SPTO]

A couple notes (one is definitely true and the other is closer to speculation)

- Edwin Encarnacion told the Blue Jays last season that he wants to be exclusively at DH. That doesn't mean he won't start at 1B every once in a while but it looks like he wants to be the full time DH from this point forward.

- The more speculative piece of news is that the city of Toronto is close to reaching a deal with MLSE to expand BMO field for football by 2015 if things work out. That would mean Rogers Centre should have grass as early as that year or 2016.

[Majingir]

Would be great if we get grass at Rogers Centre as early as 2015! Getting to see guys like Reyes playing on a regular field again!

Will be interesting to see how they manage to have CFL and MLS stuff at BMO Field.

Also, if anyone looking for schedule wallpaper:
http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/tor/.../wallpaper.jsp

[Majingir]

Rasmus with mini injury and Janssen dealing with injury too.....


Can Jays please just fire the entire training staff. Every last member of the staff should go! There's absolutely 0 reason why we keep the same training staff around all these years when it's nothing but injury after injury after injury after injury after injury.

[SPTO]

Welp, it's already started. Happ has a "minor back issue" compound that with a not so stellar spring and Anthopoulos has declared that Happ is no longer a lock for the last two rotation spots.

Y'know, this wouldn't be such an issue if the Jays actually got themselves a less expensive middle of the road pitcher in Free Agency.

"sigh"

[bhurst99]

Quote: Originally Posted by SPTO

Welp, it's already started. Happ has a "minor back issue" compound that with a not so stellar spring and Anthopoulos has declared that Happ is no longer a lock for the last two rotation spots. Y'know, this wouldn't be such an issue if the Jays actually got themselves a less expensive middle of the road pitcher in Free Agency. "sigh"

Yep, this is how it always starts. First, it's a minor injury but AA says he won't miss any time. The next stage is that Happ will need to start the season on the 15-day disabled list. We've seen this movie before.

I could see that happen here easily because the Jays have so many players who are on the bubble and out of options and putting Happ on the DL to start the season frees up a spot on the roster for one of them.

I believe Ervin Santana is sitting at home with a voodoo doll collection of Jays pitchers that he stabs every morning.

[SPTO]

Quote: Originally Posted by bhurst99

I believe Ervin Santana is sitting at home with a voodoo doll collection of Jays pitchers that he stabs every morning.

I'm sure Boras is helping him too! (Boras is his agent right?)

[bad_philanthropy]

Even if it is the case of horrible juju for like four years in a row, it is time to replace the training staff. Turf is crap and all, but I'd be surprised if the Rays were anywhere near the man games lost to injury as the Jays over the same span.

I'll preface my thoughts by saying I'll surely be watching a ton of Jays games as always. I never can seem to turn away until September.

My expectations are nil. I don't expect the Jays to compete in the AL East this season. If they do, it will be out of sheer overachieving.

I wouldn't be surprised if there is a thorough cleansing of the front office and other organizational personnel followed by cutting of losses with the roster by June/July. Players like Bautista, Dickey, and Bueherle will get shipped to contenders for whatever they fetch, and Rasmus might get some decent prospects back—as there is no way he will want to stay a Jay, nor will they be able to afford him.

I'd expect the Jays will keep EE, Reyes, Lawrie, and other obvious unmovable guys like Lind, and the bullpen should remain intact barring and major meltdowns. It took AA three years to get it right, and now the rest of the team is a mess. I mean, just like at that starting rotation once you cut bait with Dickey and Bueherle.

Unfortunately, as crafty as AA looked at times on the baseball side of things, and building a farm team, he just isn't a capable GM within the wider responsibility of an MLB organization. And, I just wonder about his credibility among his peers—whether justified or not. He just never had the experience and tools to find ways of overcoming terrible luck. Anyone can understand the logic of the Marlins trade, but you have just got to find some way to save face when you start making Jeffrey Loria look like a genius.

I just don't know where the Jays go from here from a front-office standpoint. The eternal tension between Rogers, and its disdain for the uncertainty of financial investments involved in running a major league baseball club, and Beeston/AA trying to compete with owners in it to make money by winning baseball games are so bloody frustrating.

Rogers needs to act with urgency approving budgets, and making things like a natural grass surface in the dome happen. Additionally, the front office needs more autonomy plain and simple. Ultimately, I state the obvious, Rogers needs to put a strong MLB GM in place, and surrender to the mandates of their front office. Pro sports is weird like that, if you want success as ownership, it's nearly always best for the tail to wag the dog.