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 YOUR 2024 TORONTO BLUE JAYS begin the season homeless for the second year in a row, who as in 2023 are on an extended road trip while their corporate overlords build more "drink rails" around SkyDome to justify raising prices at the seventh-oldest park in the majors. These kinds of front office shenanigans have been the norm ever since Rogers Communications got that meddling Alex Anthopoulous out of the way, the worst in recent memory being last season's disastrous early hook to José Berríos in game 2 of the Wild Card. They couldn't hide from that one and promised things would be different this year, but what exactly has changed? Did they add enough run support? Will pretending the coaching staff has a longer leash have any meaningful effect on team culture? Have the Blue Jays become--as many fear--yet another Toronto profit-over-product, run-it-back cash cow, forever to be wild card fodder with all systemic flaws plastered over by a slick corporate marketing machine? These questions and more are best contemplated watching this hype vid as you lean against your nearest drink rail and #WorkFromDome. OPENING DAY LINEUP: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B) - Our baseball-loving son, our Quebec representation, our home run jacket enjoyer, our face of the franchise etc. Ownership decided his down year in 2023 was worth taking him to salary arbitration which they lost. Showed up to training camp in the best shape of his life, will have to see if this translates more to his bat or his glove. Either way the debates on if 2021 was a one-off will spring eternal. Cavan Biggio (2B) - Son of hall-of-famer Craig Biggio, who alongside Vlad Guererro Sr. makes him and Jr. the first sons of hall-of-famers to be major-league teammates. Spent the first half of 2023 trashed on by fans and sports radio alike as an underachiever kept afloat only by pedigree, but really seemed to figure out his ABs down the stretch and became a good offensive contributor. Hopefully can hit on this again in 2024. Bo Bichette (SS) - Vlad's pal and the Blue Jays' other baseball son, Bo is often described on the broadcast as a "student of the game", which in practice is a cyclical process of starting the season slow and then having a very good July/August before levelling off in time for the playoffs. Is quietly improving every year so who knows? Was the Jays' nominee for the Roberto Clemente award last year for his work sponsoring baseball camps. Isiah Kiner-Falefa (3B) - The only new face on the opening day defense, we saw him a lot with the Yankees so it's nice to have a known product I guess. He replaces Matt Chapman at what seems to be half the offense for half the asking price so we'll see how this turns out. Daulton Varsho (LF) - Our president and GM have insisted that you can't fairly evaluate if a trade was "good" or "bad" before the five-year mark and to pretty please stop being mean to them for sending Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr to Arizona in this deal. He's fine I guess, not his fault, I hope he has a good year if only so he gets a break in our rabid market. Kevin Kiermaier (CF) - Kiermaier won his 4th gold glove last year and was a big part of why the Jays quietly were among the league leaders in outfield defense. Was not expected to stay on but apparently nobody else made him a good offer so welcome back. Came from the Tampa Bay Rays in part because he was really impressed with our team barber. George Springer (RF) - Relocated to a foreign country after the whole garbage can thing. At the halfway point of signing the biggest contract in team history, he so far has paid it back with hard work and professionalism even in the face of Alejandro Kirk (C) - Definitely another player the front office really is hoping/relying on to find a consistent offensive groove. Not having it figured out in years prior was in part smoothed over by being Alek Manoah's personal catcher but at this point it's probably just as much that he's the only one who stays healthy. José Berríos (SP) - The opening day assignment was well-earned, in 2022 he had a bit of a problem letting bad starts snowball so I was surprised to learn it didn't put a dent in him being one of baseball's most reliable 6+ IP starters over the past few years, including winning a gold glove in 2023. Luckily there are no (apparent) hard feelings over the wildcard thing because he has the longest remaining contract on the rotation. Justin Turner (DH) - The cream that rose to the top of the front office's master plan to add offense by signing a bunch of older players and hoping one of them can still hit. He perfected his craft with the Dodgers and is now 39, so I imagine the Jays' hitting coaches inevitably ruining him as they did Vlad will coincide with when he was going to turn into a pumpkin anyways, leaving none the wiser. MANAGER: John Schneider - Former AAA catcher in the Jays organization who was offered a lower-league coaching position when released in part due to a concussion history, Schneider worked his way up to the show through great player relations and solid game management, both of which seem to vanish under front-office pressure come playoff time. Maybe this is the year he pushes back or gets fired or both. THE REST OF THE ROTATION AND OTHER OPTIONS: Chris Bassitt - A take-charge-of-his-own-game personality sort of pitcher, Bassitt has his ups (8-pitch arsenal) and downs (random implosions, ignoring public health advice) which balanced into a reliable arm that gave us 3.60 over 200 IP last year. Long may it continue. Yusei Kikuchi - A solid starter last year who, much like Berríos, had a rough 2022 that was a little rougher to the point that he was demoted to the bullpen for awhile. He got through it and became one of last year's studs, never forced to make a relief appearance again... until that wildcard game. I hope he has a good contract year. Fun fact: was admired by a young Shohei Ohtani who went as far as living in his former high school dorm room. Kevin Gausman - Found himself as a pitcher just as the Jays found him and has been great on and off the mound. I was surprised to learn we aren't even halfway through his contract, he's been so reliable that it feels like he's been around a lot longer. Bowden Francis - The guy on the wrong end of the Jays becoming the fastest team to be no-hit in MLB history. We got him from the Brewers a couple years ago and he's been an up-and-down guy, mostly down, but made the rotation out of spring training this time. If he sticks around long enough we could potentially get a ballpark promotion based on this shirt. Alek Manoah (IR?) - Who could have known egging on an A-ball pitcher to go 200 innings in his first complete MLB season would end badly??? I don't know what's going on with this guy but I have more faith in him than I do in the front office. Yariel Rodríguez (AAA) - If I am understanding this correctly: Rodríguez was an NPB reliever who had one (1) four-inning start in the WBC and was so sure of a bright future in the majors that he ghosted his Japanese team and spent a year doing nothing. Once his contract situation was resolved the Jays signed him to a five-year deal and then immediately demoted him. Probably nothing to worry about. Ricky Tiedemann (AAA?) - Hot prospect at one point being "carefully developed along the same path as Alek Manoah" which obviously has taken on a whole new meaning lately. Might see him as an injury replacement or a bullpen day guy. BENCH AND BENCH-ADJACENT GUYS: Danny Jansen (C) - Regular #1 catcher, whichever poster said he kept himself in the majors by hitting clutch home runs off the Yankees was probably right. Now he's keeping himself out of it by repeatedly breaking miniature bones you've never heard of in his hands and wrists. I wonder how long he's going to keep signing one-year deals. Brian Serven (C) - Backup catcher who will see plenty of MLB time while Jansen continues to do his thing. Daniel Vogelbach (DH/1B) - Fan-favourite(?) player imported from the Mets, and one of very few in the history of the game to never so much as attempt a stolen base (min. 500 opportunities). Was apparently a member of the Blue Jays for 9 days back in 2020. Davis Schneider (2B/OF) - An out-of-nowhere underdog fan favourite who homered in his debut last year and went on to post 1.358 OPS in his first 20 games, a modern era best. Then he went on a huge o-fer and I think was stapled to the bench for the playoffs? Seems to ride a razor's edge between crushing baseballs and being completely figured out, the most consistent part of his game is that any home-run heroics are generally followed by being left out of the lineup the next game. No relation to the manager. Ernie Clement (IF/OF) - I think was up and down a few times over the previous year but broke camp with the team this time around, good luck to him. Joey Votto (DH) - At one point the highest-paid Canadian professional athlete, when the Reds didn't bring him back for an 18th season he picked up the phone and called his hometown team. Said he's willing to ride buses in the minor leagues until he gets another chance and good on him for still loving the game, currently is either doing that or rehabbing an injury or something. I will need to see him in a Jays uniform a little more for him to not look photoshopped into it. Arjun Nimmala (SS) - The 20th overall pick in the 2023 draft, will very likely become the first first-generation Indian American to play in the show, hopefully they don't rush his development but I could see him getting a game or two if the injury bug goes around in the summer or something. BULLPEN STAFF I CAN NAME: Trevor "Old Man" Richards (SP/RP) - I wonder if our premier innings-eater went prematurely grey in part from all of the weird situations the team tosses him in, last year's 72 were the most of anyone not a starter. His ERA isn't pretty but neither are his assignments. Jordan Romano (C) - Team closer and local kid from nearby Markham, the sum of his good and bad stretches of performance make him the kind of closer that when he comes on we are just as nervous as everyone else. Hurt currently, so for the foreseeable future his duties will be split between Yimi García and former Yankee Chad Green. Erik Swanson (RP) - Went on almost as much as Richards but far less memorable for whatever reason. I think he is hurt ATM. Génesis Cabrera (RP) - Acquired at the trade deadline last year, did fine, already suspended this year for shoving a guy. Tim Mayza (RP) - Very effective put-out-the-fire guy last year to the tune of 1.52 ERA over 51 innings, apparently he is not confident in his fastball velocity in tyool2024 which I am sure will end well. Nate Pearson (RP) - Last year's 4.85 over 42 innings of relief were more than the rest of his injury-riddled career combined, it was nice to see some return on a guy we have had in our system going on eight years. Mitch White(SP/RP) - A bubble pitcher and a bit of an underdog I hope figures it out to someday be trusted in anything other than no-leverage situations. We DFA him a lot but there's a good arm in there and I imagine one of these days another team will claim it. NOTABLE DEPARTURES: Whitley Merrifield (IF/OF) - Left the Royals to chase a ring and wound up in Toronto, has since realized his mistake and went to Philly. Adam Cimber (RP) - Our local eccentric sidearm pitcher guy is now an Angel, however he is still alive  Jay Jackson (RP) - This one stung. Jackson was one of our better relievers in 2023 but spent his entire tenure somewhere between undervalued and disrespected by the front office, the cherry on top being DFA'd on the last day of the season to make room for who the hell knows. We all hated it and it tbh felt like the writing on the wall for the team's short postseason, poetically he has now signed with the Twins. Matt Chapman (3B) - Signed with the Giants, his dugout beefs with the manager were funny but I understand why he didn't stick around. Brandon Belt (1B/DH) - After 90M and a World Series ring with the Giants, in 2023 he signed a 1-year deal with the Jays he spent half of publicly waffling about retirement, decided not to and now is reportedly surprised he isn't getting any good offers. I would imagine any spot for him in the Jays org is taken by Joey Votto. Luis Rivera (Coach) - Our third base guy has retired after ten or so years. His weird sends will be missed. 
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Apr 4, 2024 05:26
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