[Official] Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball thread

[RUPERTKBD]

Just saw a report that said Cavan Biggio looks to be heading for the IL with Covid symptoms....

 

Hopefully, this isn't something that runs through the entire clubhouse.

[RUPERTKBD]

Wow.....Bo has a ton of power for a guy that size....Grand Slam to right field with plenty to spare....

[Gurn]

Good start to the home stand

 

[Ralph.]

13 hours ago, RUPERTKBD said:

Wow.....Bo has a ton of power for a guy that size....Grand Slam to right field with plenty to spare....

It has truly baffled me since I started watching him how this kid, who looks like a 13 year old, can hit balls like that. That was epic. F&%$ Boston.

 

Maybe he'll break out after this. No more defensive errors either, Bo!

[Gurn]

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/mlb/why-blue-jays-prospect-gabriel-moreno-s-rare-instincts-make-him-an-elite-talent/ar-AAWzMF3?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=069a7fa84343429e9219933dada9ae19

On the surface, it looked like a straightforward play

With a runner on second and one out, Bisons starter Shaun Anderson spiked a pitch in the dirt to Gabriel Moreno’s glove side. The 22-year-old catcher effortlessly picked the ball, shuffled around the left-handed hitter, and fired a sizzling throw straight to second base to back-pick the baserunner who’d wandered too far off the bag.

That tremendous throw, which some major-league catchers can’t even make, in the fifth inning of Friday’s game quickly became the talk of the town in Buffalo. But once Moreno returned to the bench, the rest of his club realized how brilliant that play really was.

 

The Blue Jays No. 1 prospect — and seventh best prospect in MLB, per Baseball America — jogged back to the dugout and explained his thinking on the throwdown. Moreno said once he cleared the hitter with his footwork, he realized Anderson — who stands 6-foot-6 — hadn’t ducked down to open a throwing lane. Within a fraction of a second, Moreno knew that meant he had to deliver a high throw to second base, and he put a rocket right on the money to get the out.

“People say there aren't such things as instincts or anything,” Buffalo manager Casey Candaele said. “But you don't practice that play … that kind of thought in that quick a time, it's pretty good.”

Plenty of talented players surge through the minors with loads of hype, but few make legitimate contributions in the major leagues because it isn’t enough to survive on talent alone. Good players — good catchers, especially — need certain intangible qualities to reach their full potential; they need baseball I.Q., polished instincts, and stellar decision-making.

Moreno has already proven he possesses these rare skills, and that he didn’t develop them by accident.

“He's very receptive to advice and knowledge and so he really wants to learn and get better,” Candaele said. “So I think that is one of the things that you look at with an elite player, and say he's probably going to have a real good career because he's very receptive to things that people are willing to give him.”

And the Bisons skipper knows a thing or two about what an elite player looks like. An MLB player from 1986 to 1997 and long-time coach, Candaele explained that Moreno’s outlook on the game shows his catcher has the capability to make a seismic impact at the big-league level, the same way current Jays stars Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. already have.

“There's been a bunch of jerks that have been great players. I mean, don't get me wrong,” Candaele said. “But when you have the attitude that Gabby has, you could become a leader, and you become someone that people emulate, and then you can actually affect the culture in an organization as to how you play the game.”

Part of the formula to Moreno’s success comes down to what motivates him to succeed. Generously listed at 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, Moreno sometimes gets criticized for being too small, a sentiment Candaele — nicknamed “Mighty Mite” during his playing days for his aggressiveness despite his small size — can relate to.

“I always wanted to prove people wrong and show them that I could play with elite players,” Candaele said. “I wasn't elite by any means, but that was what [I could do] on any given day in baseball, which is beautiful.”

The difference-maker, though, is that Moreno does possess elite talent. Despite his small stature, the Venezuelan-born catcher has such God-given athleticism that he’s shocked his teammates with what he’s capable of doing.

“He’s met all those expectations,” fellow Bisons catcher Kellin Deglan said of Moreno. “Being able to see it in person, I see all the hype.”

Deglan praised Moreno for his work ethic, his arm behind the plate, and his quick-twitch reaction time, but he sees something in Moreno’s bat-to-ball abilities — considered the prospect’s best tool — that gives him hope about Moreno’s chances of succeeding at the next level.

“He puts the ball in play a lot,” Deglan said. “So if he goes in a slump, it won’t be a really long slump, I would think.”

Moreno’s contact skills are well-established — the hitting part of his game is big-league ready. It’s the defensive aspect, particularly game-calling, that takes longer for young catchers to master, though he’s already impressed his pitching staff in many ways.

“He handles [pressure] pretty well,” said Bisons reliever Graham Spraker. “I never see him too distracted. But, yeah, people always talk about Moreno; he’s always the buzz of the game. It’s how it should be.”

The Triple-A level is a bit of a scrambled setting by nature — guys are constantly optioned up and down, and there’s a lot of roster turnover, meaning it’s hard for catchers like Moreno to develop stable gameplans with different pitchers. Still, Moreno has quickly picked up the intricacies of his pitchers’ arsenals.

“He's comfortable calling a lot of fastballs for me and then mixing in the slider,” Spraker said. “So me and Gabby have a pretty good relationship. Just give him a couple more weeks and he’ll have everybody figured out, I'm sure.”

Bottom line, the kid has a very bright future. All the elements that form a future superstar are there. Now it’s up to Moreno to put it together once he eventually gets the call to Toronto.

“Gabby is elite in some of the things he does already,” Candaele said. “So he's gonna have to still work because the game is a tough game and you got to work your butt off all the time to be successful, and there's no doubt that he'll do that. But he's got a good head start.”

 

[RUPERTKBD]

15 minutes ago, Ralph. said:

It has truly baffled me since I started watching him how this kid, who looks like a 13 year old, can hit balls like that. That was epic. F&%$ Boston.

 

Maybe he'll break out after this. No more defensive errors either, Bo!

I think we're seeing the effect of Bo working with Tulo this offseason. We see a lot more of him flipping the ball while on the move, rather than planting and gunning it across the diamond. That was something TT did better than anyone. (with the possible exception of Tony Fernandez)

 

It's still a work in progress, as we saw back on the 19th in Boston, when he made 2 bad throws, likely costing the Jays the game (although like Shizzy said, the 2nd one is probably scooped by the first baseman, more often than not)....but for the most part, BB has looked pretty comfortable making that play this season....

[Ralph.]

18 minutes ago, RUPERTKBD said:

I think we're seeing the effect of Bo working with Tulo this offseason. We see a lot more of him flipping the ball while on the move, rather than planting and gunning it across the diamond. That was something TT did better than anyone. (with the possible exception of Tony Fernandez)

 

It's still a work in progress, as we saw back on the 19th in Boston, when he made 2 bad throws, likely costing the Jays the game (although like Shizzy said, the 2nd one is probably scooped by the first baseman, more often than not)....but for the most part, BB has looked pretty comfortable making that play this season....

I'm still fairly new to baseball, so I'm glad that's something I've actually picked up on myself (more throwing while moving vs. setting first).  Always enjoy your insights in this thread, Rup!

[Sean Monahan]

3 hours ago, RUPERTKBD said:

think we're seeing the effect of Bo working with Tulo this offseason. We see a lot more of him flipping the ball while on the move, rather than planting and gunning it across the diamond. That was something TT did better than anyone. (with the possible exception of Tony Fernandez)

I’m not sure I ever saw Tulo throw a ball with his feet set. You’d have to think Tulo would be just about the best guy for Bo to learn from, right? He was always big and slow for a SS but played the position at an elite level for a long time. That’s got to speak to his knowledge and smarts for it. 
 

Seeing Tulo play SS for the Jays right after Jose Reyes was an interesting contrast actually. They were pretty opposite in how they played it, with Reyes relying more on his quickness and athleticism. Once his feet slowed down we saw throwing errors become a bigger issue for him. 
 

I really liked the Tulo acquisition at the time (I was always a fan of his) and still do, even if the bat never materialized with Toronto. I didn’t imagine we’d be seeing it pay dividends still in 2022, however, but I’m happy to see it. 

[Down by the River]

I think Gausman is at something like 31 K, 0 BB. Only 15 balls on 48 pitches tonight. 

[RUPERTKBD]

Huge win. Biggest of the season so far, IMO....

 

Totally worth missing the Canucks' 3-0 first period.....

[shiznak]

7 hours ago, RUPERTKBD said:

Huge win. Biggest of the season so far, IMO....

 

Totally worth missing the Canucks' 3-0 first period.....

Feel kind of feel terrible for Gausman. He gets a no decision after that masterful performance, but that’s just baseball.

[Gurn]

Seems baseball has a problem with cheating- again/still/always?

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/mlb/reports-yankees-used-dugout-phone-replay-room-to-steal-signs-in-2015-16/ar-AAWCJ4t?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=28b311d4c008490d9f97fc88a8abfc20

Long before the well-documented Houston Astros sign-stealing scheme, the New York Yankees utilized dugout telephones and a relay system from their replay review room to steal opposing signs in the 2015 and 2016 seasons, according to a sealed letter obtained by multiple news organizations on Tuesday. 

The Houston Chronicle and SNY obtained copies of the 2017 letter from Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred that the Yankees have fought to keep under seal as part of a class-action lawsuit filed by daily fantasy sports players seeking damages from the well-publicized Astros and Boston Red Sox sign-stealing schemes in 2017 and 2018. 

Two seasons before the Astros' infamous trash-can banging scheme, which utilized a center field camera and video monitor placed in a dugout-adjacent tunnel, the Yankees hatched their own sign-stealing system.

According to the letter, staffers "physically relayed" pitch information to the Yankees dugout during home games at Yankee Stadium; similar tactics on the road proved more challenging, requiring the team to “orally provide real-time information” via dugout phones. 

The letter – and the investigation that exposed its scheme – came about after MLB's 2017 investigation into the Red Sox using Apple watches in their dugout to relay opposing signs. The team was fined an unspecified amount for that violation but of greater note, MLB general managers were warned that stealing signs by electronic means would result in greater punishment, and that GMs were charged with informing their managers of the consequences.

That Sept. 15, 2017 letter to all 30 clubs proved crucial in November 2019, when a report in The Athletic detailed the Astros' elaborate sign-stealing scheme, which continued through their run to the 2017 World Series title and into the 2018 season. 

In January 2020, MLB concluded that investigation and suspended GM Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch for a year and stripped the Astros of their top two draft picks; Astros owner Jim Crane fired Luhnow and Hinch shortly thereafter. Alex Cora, the Astros bench coach in 2017 and Red Sox's manager in 2018, also was suspended for the 2020 season, but returned to Boston's dugout in 2021. Hinch now manages the Detroit Tigers.

Following the 2018 season, MLB deployed monitors to ensure information was not passed from video replay rooms to dugouts.

MLB released a statement Tuesday noting that the Yankees did not explicitly violate league rules, noting that "at that time, us of the replay room to decode signs was not expressly prohibited by MLB rules as long as the information was not communicated electronically to the dugout." 

A March 27, 2018 directive from MLB made it "explicit to all 30 clubs that any clubhouse or video room equipment could not be used to decode signs and that future violations of electronic sign stealing would would be subject to serious sanctions, including the possible loss of draft picks."

As part of the 2017 Apple Watch investigation, a former Yankees staffer and a Red Sox player who'd previously played for the Yankees revealed to MLB investigators the details of the Yankees' scheme. Their 2015 team won 87 games and lost in the AL wild card game - to the Astros, who made the first of seven playoff appearances over eight seasons. 

The 2015-16 Yankees squad included two players – Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann – who'd go on to play for the 2017 Astros. Beltran, now a YES Network commentator, resigned as Mets manager in 2020 after it was revealed he was, among players, the ringleader in the Astros' 2017 scheme. 

The letter's contents, above all, confirm the long-held suspicions of many players that cheating predated – and was far more prevalent than – the Astros' 2017 scheme. Since then, current and former Astros players have endured the brunt of fan and media criticism.

Red Sox starter Chris Sale was among a chorus of players who noted earlier this month that stripping the 2017 Astros of their title was folly, given the widespread use of electronics over the last decade.

"If the Astros were the only team doing it, then yeah, take it back," Sale said. "I know for a fact they weren't. All these people pointing fingers: Well, hey, take a check in the mirror real quick. Make sure that you and your team weren't doing something."

Sale's comments came after Astros GM Brian Cashman told The Athletic that the only thing that prevented the 2017 Yankees from a World Series title was "something that was so illegal and horrific." 

And took place one year after the Yankees employed similar tactics.

 

 

[Gurn]

Also seems to be trouble with the baseballs this year.

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/mlb/mlb-has-a-very-big-problem-mets-rip-baseballs-after-three-more-batters-get-hit-vs-cardinals/ar-AAWDUM9?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=28b311d4c008490d9f97fc88a8abfc20

ST. LOUIS — While the Mets had just sealed a record sixth series win to start the season, there was still an air of frustration and anger following Tuesday's victory over the Cardinals.

 

The irritation is justified.

Through 19 games, Mets batters have been hit an MLB-high 18 times. And once again, the Mets saw Pete Alonso escape major injury as he was hit in the head by a pitch for the second time this season

"You care about your players and getting into right and wrong and intent and what have you," Mets manager Buck Showalter said. "You reach a point where it’s about safety of your players. We’re lucky. You talk about a pitch that broke his helmet. It’s not good. I’m not happy

 

On Opening Day, Alonso received a fat lip after a pitch from the Nationals' Nate Thompson careened off his helmet extension in the top of the eighth inning. One day later, Francisco Lindor suffered a cracked tooth but avoided any further damage when he was hit by Steve Cishek as the benches cleared.

Dominic Smith and Starling Marte were also hit by pitches during Tuesday's win.

"It’s really uncomfortable at the end of the day," Marte said. "It’s one of those things where ,whether it’s intentional or not, it has to stop. We’re tired of it and we’re going to do something about it if it continues to happen. It is uncomfortable every single time you go out there and you’re getting hit."

It has become part of a disturbing trend for the Mets this season. And battery mates Chris Bassitt and James McCann believe it is part of an underlying issue of the lack of consistency in baseballs and pitchers not being able to get a hold of the ball following the crackdown on substances to try and grip the ball.

"The MLB has a very big problem with the baseballs. They're bad," Bassitt said. "Everyone knows it. Every pitcher in the league knows it. They’re bad. They don't care. The MLB doesn't give a damn about it. They don’t care. We’ve told them there are problems with them. They don’t care."

Bassitt called it "extremely annoying" to continue to see his teammates get hit. Max Scherzer said he felt like he was throwing a cue ball and overgripping the ball following his start against the Giants on a frigid night on April 19.

Both Bassitt and McCann said there is a need for a universal substance to help pitchers grip the ball.

"Sit down with players and see what players want," McCann said. "Don’t take opinions of people that aren’t the ones on the mound trying to throw it. Don’t talk to somebody who’s not trying to stay in the box when a guy’s throwing 100 miles an hour and doesn’t have a feel for the ball. That’s the answer is talk to the players and see what the best result is."

McCann suggested an on-deck circle behind the mound with certain essentials: pine-tar rag, sunscreen and rosin.

"You want to talk about Spider Tack and all this other stuff, yeah, get that out of the game, I agree with that, McCann said. "But give them an on-deck circle just like the hitter’s have. Let them have a grip on the baseball."

After being hit up high, Alonso kept his composure but voiced his displeasure with Cardinals reliever Kodi Whitley, who tendered the ill-fated pitch, as he jogged to first base in the eighth inning.

Once again, Showalter was the first one out of the dugout for the Mets and headed out to tend to Alonso, who stayed in the game. A few of Alonso's teammates came out of the dugout and stood just outside of the warning track on the third-base line but the Cardinals' bench stayed still.

[RUPERTKBD]

3 hours ago, shiznak said:

Feel kind of feel terrible for Gausman. He gets a no decision after that masterful performance, but that’s just baseball.

100%

 

Although Garcia is kind of wearing the goat horns, I put this more on the hitters. The bullpen has been fantastic, but you can't keep sending them out there with zero margin for error. Eventually it's going to come back and bite you.

 

If they were playing with last season's bullpen, I think they're 6-12, rather than 12-6....

[Gurn]

Jays .5 games up on Yankees

        2.5 up on Rays 

and 5 up on Boston- so far.

Would be a very good series to sweep the final 2 games.

[Mj2345]

Jays now 0.5 back of NY Yankees, early Blue Jays game today at 12pm pacific, Yankees play on Sportsnet at 10am as well.

[RUPERTKBD]

FFS! Vladdy is out today.

 

Fouled a ball off his foot last night. Injuries hitting pretty hard so far this season.....

[shiznak]

If there was a good time for Bo to break out of his slump.
 

Please let it be today.

[Down by the River]

Chapman's approach at the plate today has been brutal. 

 

 

[Down by the River]

This ump has made some brutal calls, especially against the BoSox.