What is the value a major league team can expect a draft class to produce? This is the question that had been bouncing around my head for the past few weeks, since an offhand Twitter discussion between myself, Joshua Howsam (BP Toronto Co-Editor-in-Chief), and Jesse Goldberg-Strassler (Lansing Lugnuts broadcaster) got my brain spinning on the topic. […]
Category: Articles
Jason Leblebijian is the Answer to the Blue Jays Middle Infield Problem
The middle infield was supposed to be a strength of this year’s club. It would’ve been nice for Gibbons to be able to pencil in Troy Tulowitzki and Devon Travis at the 4 and 5 every game, but it hasn’t quite worked out that way. As of today, Tulowitzki and Travis have combined for 302 PA […]
3 Things to Watch For Against the Mariners
Written by Greg Wisniewski, Dave Church, and Nick Dika Who Will Play Second Base? Devon Travis is back on the disabled list. After being hit on the wrist Sunday afternoon by a Luis Severino fastball, the assumption was that Travis’ wrist was the problem. On Tuesday, it was revealed that the injury sending Travis to the […]
Joe Biagini’s Outstanding, Yet Perfectly Average Fastball
A few weeks ago at BP Toronto, I wrote a piece about Joe Biagini that essentially listed all of the reasons he’d fail as a starting pitcher. He seems to be doing better than expected, but the issues raised in that piece are still of concern. As he’s started more games, the release speed of his […]
Justin Smoak is Finally Having Fun Playing Baseball
In BP Toronto’s preseason Bold Predictions, I picked Justin Smoak to be the biggest bust of 2017. Other than Josh Donaldson being the most valuable position player, it was the pick I was the most confident in. I knew only two things about Smoak. First, that he was a failed top prospect, and second, that […]
How MiLB Teams Deal With Public Relations Disasters
By now, you’ve probably heard of the Ogden Raptors’ recent PR disaster, in which they attempted to host an Hourglass Appreciation Night. The tagline for the event guaranteed, “gorgeous women whose curves rival those of any stud pitching prospect!” They wanted to push the envelope and appear edgy, but went about it in the wrong way and got […]
Artificial Turf Wars Ep. 60: Can’t Quell the DL Spell
Episode 60 Greg and Josh go over the last week of stories from the Blue Jays’ 4-3 week. They go over the games against the Yankees and Reds, touch on the triumphant return to superstardom (and health) of Josh Donaldson, the latest injury to Devon Travis, Francisco Liriano and Joe Biagini’s rest of the season […]
3 Things to Watch for Against the Athletics
Written by Sean Addis, Richard Lee-Sam, and Gideon Turk The Year of the First Basemen The Toronto Blue Jays are not the only team who has a first baseman that is having a breakout year. Oakland’s Yonder Alonso’s start to the 2017 season is showcasing the potential that the San Diego Padres saw when they […]
Francisco Liriano is Almost Back to Peak Form
The Blue Jays beleaguered starting rotation got some reinforcement this week with the returns of J.A. Happ and Francisco Liriano. Happ made it through five innings against the Reds and Liriano lasted into the sixth against New York. Happ wasn’t exactly sharp, but with just one rehab outing under his belt, that wasn’t overly surprising. […]
Blue Jays Minor League Update: One Third In Edition
The full season farm teams just passed the 1/3 mark on their season and the sample sizes are now big enough for both team evaluators and internet observers to take seriously. Traditionally organizations wait until June arrives before beginning earned promotions (as opposed to those which happen out of necessity such as Anthony Alford and […]