2K24: Toronto Blue Jays

[TranaGreg]

For Nori Aoki and a minor leaguer

I didn't have high hopes, but a 35 year old OF with no power? I suppose I should wait until hearing who the minor leaguer is but I'm pretty sure it's not anyone relevant. Oh well.

edit: turns out the minor leaguer is Teoscar Hernandez; Bit of a lottery ticket, but that's okay, it's at least something half-decent.

[TranaGreg]

Joe Smith is going to Cleveland; no word yet on who's coming back ...

edit: LHP Tom Pannone and SS Samad Taylor; neither on Cle's top 30 prospects

[Pauly]

For Nori Aoki and a minor leaguer

This is great news for Derek Fisher!

[TranaGreg]

Big weekend for the Jays ... we're in Wrigley for 3 - this will be a good test. In case you haven't been paying attention, we're now just 3 games back of a wildcard spot (altho we would have to leapfrog 5 other teams). Still, with 6 weeks to go & with Sanchez, Travis, and Martin all coming back soon, there's actually a chance of making the post-season. Crazy game, this baseball!

[virgonomic]

Moving the OF discussion here. Greg, can you rename to 2K18 (because we prefer typing a K to a 0).

The Jays said Grichuk will be their everyday RF. I know it's much too early to say that. Is that a tactic to motivate the others, in particular, THernandez and Alford?

There have been rumblings of moving Pillar for a couple seasons. I can see the Jays doing that if someone other than Grichuk plays well enough to earn the RF job.

In the 2016 playoffs I figured Pompey would be a regular by now. Has his ship sailed?

ETA: When I googled his name to check his stats this was the second hit.

https://jaysjournal.com/2017/11/20/b...window-closed/

Didn't remember he was out with a concussion for most of last year. He may get squeezed out in Toronto and scooped up by AA or another savvy GM.

[revo]

These recent moves (Grandy Man, Solarte, Grichuk) appear to either squeeze out or put on notice Teoscar Hernandez and Devon Travis.

I'm a little surprised about Travis because he was perhaps their best hitter in May, just before micro-fractures KO'd him again. Obviously they're concerned with his brittleness, but if healthy, he could be a force.

Grichuk should be a more than adequate replacement for Jose Bautista.

Teoscar Hernandez probably deserved a shot, and will probably still get it when Grandy is batting .200.

[TranaGreg]

I'll repost here what I put in the transaction thread ...

There's a scenario, where Hernandez could outperform Pillar in the spring ; it wouldn't shock me to see Grichuk then start in CF, Hernandez in RF, and Pillar becomes a 4th Of /defensive replacement. Or it could lead to a Pillar trade, if they can get something of value. I agree that the likely scenario is Teoscar starts the year in Buffalo, but I think the organization is open to a lot of different things playing out.

I really do think that this FO has assembled guys who can compete for starting positions in the spring, and that nobody will be handed a job. I think that this spring will be very different from past ones (they Jays typically have had 8 starters - 9 with DH - pegged before ST even starts).

[Grinch]

In the 2016 playoffs I figured Pompey would be a regular by now. Has his ship sailed?

ETA: When I googled his name to check his stats this was the second hit.

https://jaysjournal.com/2017/11/20/b...window-closed/

Didn't remember he was out with a concussion for most of last year. He may get squeezed out in Toronto and scooped up by AA or another savvy GM.

More recent:

https://twitter.com/bnicholsonsmith/status/954841475472224256

The Jays have a plethora of OF talent either on the major league roster or waiting in the wings. I could see them making a trade or two with this depth:
Granderson, Grichuk, Pillar, Hernandez, Pearce, Saunders, Pompey, Alford and Carrera----All have MLB experience (Alford only a handful of games)

[TranaGreg]

broadcast booth news: Jerry Howarth announced his retirement today as Blue Jays radio voice after 36 years. Heck, I was still a teenager when Jerry first started calling Jays games with Tom Cheek in 1981.

a Jerry tidbit: a couple of years ago someone asked him what he thought about Cleveland's logo (chief wahoo) - he stated that he felt strongly that it should be removed, and then he casually stated that he stopped calling them the Indians 5 years prior ... it's just that nobody noticed & he hadn't made any statements about it.

[virgonomic]

broadcast booth news: Jerry Howarth announced his retirement today as Blue Jays radio voice after 36 years. Heck, I was still a teenager when Jerry first started calling Jays games with Tom Cheek in 1981.

a Jerry tidbit: a couple of years ago someone asked him what he thought about Cleveland's logo (chief wahoo) - he stated that he felt strongly that it should be removed, and then he casually stated that he stopped calling them the Indians 5 years prior ... it's just that nobody noticed & he hadn't made any statements about it.

And there she goes!

Sad news. I've been listening to Jays games on radio since the early 80s. They won't sound the same.

[chancellor]

And Tulo is already hurt. Heel bone spur.

[Gregg]

And Tulo is already hurt. Heel bone spur.

Hey, did play in 66 games last year and batted .249.

Sounds like a good name to toss out and sit back and watch. Somebody will take a chance on him.

[chancellor]

Hey, did play in 66 games last year and batted .249.

Sounds like a good name to toss out and sit back and watch. Somebody will take a chance on him.

I’m not even taking the chance this year that he’ll end up on my roster. Unless it’s in the reserve round

[Gregg]

I’m not even taking the chance this year that he’ll end up on my roster. Unless it’s in the reserve round

I would take Tulo right now for a buck.

We do have a reserve draft after the auction as well as $100 bucks of FAAB.

[chancellor]

I would take Tulo right now for a buck.

Under normal circumstances, I'd agree. I just think there's a lot of opportunity for profit at the MI positions in an AL-only this year, and I'd rather not plug my roster with an injury risk like Tulo.