Every week in this space, we’re going to be running down the “Hitter of the Week” for the Toronto Blue Jays. This won’t always be the best hitter, but it will always be someone who did something notable that we can break down further. Using information from games through Friday (Saturday-Friday), we will try to […]
Author: Kyle Matte
Stroman Might Use His WBC Strategy Against the Familiar Rays
The Toronto Blue Jays may have two games in the books, but Marcus Stroman’s 2017 season will kick off tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays – the second consecutive year in which he’s debuted down at Tropicana Field. While it’s only his first of hopefully thirty-two, it’s an important start for Stroman at the beginning […]
Roberto Osuna and the Cutter Holding his Slider Hostage
When Roberto Osuna burst onto the scene in spring training 2015, he featured a powerful four seam fastball, a fluttering changeup, and a slurvy slider (that some identified as a curveball), with all three offerings having received plus future grades from the scouting community as he ascended the system. Previously a starting pitcher throughout his […]
Devon Travis, Brett Lawrie, and (a lack of) Middle Infield Depth
I won’t hold your disdain for Brett Lawrie against you, but in light of John Gibbons’ comments on Tuesday morning it’s hard not to be more than a little concerned about the Toronto Blue Jays middle infield depth. “I expected him, to be honest, to be a little further along,” the manager said regarding starting […]
Joe Smith is Tunneling His Way to a Home Run Problem
Over the weekend the Toronto Blue Jays came to terms with free agent Joe Smith on a one year, three million dollar contract for the 2017 season. After losing mid-season sensation and setup man extraordinaire Joaquin Benoit to Philadelphia, a right handed void had emerged at the back-end of the bullpen, one which Mark Shapiro […]
Patrick Corbin: Potential Andrew Miller Clone and Blue Jays Target
Ignore the modest save total of twelve: Andrew Miller was one of the best relievers in baseball during the 2016 regular season, and was the best reliever in baseball during the postseason. He was unquestionably the deciding factor in the Blue Jays ALCS defeat at the hands of Cleveland, as favorable scheduling and deft usage […]
Andrew McCutchen: A Wise Trade Investment for the Blue Jays
There’s more than one way to flex your financial muscle in the game of baseball. Shouldering out lesser bidders and landing the top free agents available in November is the standard by which most fans measure their team’s fiscal heft. However, as the Toronto Blue Jays deftly displayed at the non-waiver trade deadline last summer, […]
Blue Jays vs. Rangers: ALDS Game Two Preview
Toronto Blue Jays @ Texas Rangers Friday October 7th, 2016 On the surface, one could argue that conditions favored Texas entering Game One on Thursday afternoon. The Rangers, owners of the best record in the American League during the regular season had their ace on the mound, and were hosting the villainous Jose Bautista and friends; seeking […]
Solving Marcus Stroman’s Woes with Runners On
Marcus Stroman has pitched parts of three seasons in his major league career, and one of the more interesting peculiarities to develop is his worse-than-expected run prevention ability. The fielding-independent metrics love him: over those three seasons, his 3.36 FIP ranks 25th among 127 starting pitchers to throw at least 300 innings, while his xFIP […]
Marco Estrada’s Changeup and its Place Among Royalty
The changeup can be a devastating pitch with its doppelganger-like deception; and the Blue Jays’ Marco Estrada just so happens to feature one of the finest in all of baseball. Estrada’s style is the antithesis of baseball’s modern era, where a hurler’s panache is measured by how hard he can throw. When Marco entered the […]