Seven batters in Jays lineup not enough

by valter on Jul 29, 2009 9:44 PM EDT Comment 22 comments

Even as a longtime and dedicated Jays fan, I have a difficult time grasping, just on what direction this club is really going in the immediate future, especially after losing two winnable games against the Mariners the last couple of days .

Aron Hill, Adam Lind and and Marco Scutaro all have had exceptional years, along with Scott Rolen and Rod Barrajas. But asking these guys to perform day in and day out, it's unjustifiable and ridiculous. Those expectations should automatically be put on the shoulders of the highest paid players in the lineup, of course that's Vernon Wells and Alex Rios. After all, a typical batting order consists of nine batters, in our case our lineup consists of seven regular batters and two invisibles. I know, we can't move these guys, because no team in baseball really wants neither player right now, especially with their overpaid salaries. Then what? Reassigment to the minors wouldn't be a bad idea, but we all know there's not a chance in hell this is going happen.

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So asking Hill and Rolen et company to perform everyday is too much

But the same can’t be said about Wells and RIos just because they make more? That doesn’t seem right.

And I know Rios and Wells have been underperforming but who could replace them in the minors that you think would be a better replacement?

And you can’t reassign them without their permission because of their tenor in the league (well Wells you can’t not sure about Rios).

Lastly, There are bigger holes in our lineup then Wells and Rios. I shall point you towards Millar that still seems to playing on a regular basis. I like Bautista ….. but at the plate he hasn’t been much better.

'But I don't want to go among mad people' Alice remarked.
'Oh, you can't help that' said the Cat 'we're all mad here'.

by JohnnyG on Jul 29, 2009 10:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Snyder & Ruiz

WE are in a point of the season were The Blue Jays are now beginning their evaluating process for next year, and it would not be a bad idea to call up Snyder and Ruiz to see what they can do….they certainly can’t perform any worse than the “invisible duo” of Wells and Rios..

"Sports is something you know, not something you should preach.'

by valter on Jul 29, 2009 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They get paid Millions to play hard everyday

Pretty sad when you try and make excuses for them…they are performing well, that doesn’t mean its okay to go in a major slump..which they haven’t.

and everybody knows with wells and rios performing at potential this year would have been much different, but you can’t change what happened, just look to next year.

They definetly should bring up Snider to replace the Millar spot in the lineup, will take off some pressure if he sees more major league pitching before being thrown to the wolves next year, hes not dumb, if they keep the same team, everyone will be looking to him to have that breakout year

by bowling_kid25 on Jul 30, 2009 7:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Are you seriously comparing Wells and Rios to Millar and Bautista?

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by furcifer on Jul 30, 2009 9:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No I am not, What I am saying is there are bigger holes in our lineup then Rios and Wells. That’s all.

The Fanpost indicates we have 7 hitters and two holes. I was pointing out that is incorrect. I am not saying Rios and Wells have not been holes in the lineup this year, because they have been. But there are bigger holes.

'But I don't want to go among mad people' Alice remarked.
'Oh, you can't help that' said the Cat 'we're all mad here'.

by JohnnyG on Jul 30, 2009 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think Rios has not been too bad.

He still gets RBI in key situations. I want to hold on to him. Wells is a different story and I sure hope he can turn it around. It’s got to be something mental in his head. However, he’s being paid an insane salary to put up big numbers, so there’s not really an excuse. Any ideas how we can get this guy going? If I were the club I would be trying all kinds of superstitious stuff. I sure hope he’s not one of those guys that used PED’s and now is showing all of the negative effects.

by suitup17 on Jul 29, 2009 10:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Superstition is not the problem...

I don’t think there’s a rabbit’s foot or lucky charm that can help solve a particular problem a baseball player is struggling with. I think when you reach three quarters of a season and find yourself in situation no further out of your slump than when you started, then you need to dig deep and go all the way back and look into the key fundamentals of the game that had you swinging the bat with confidence, even if it was a couple years ago…

"Sports is something you know, not something you should preach.'

by valter on Jul 29, 2009 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree but with different players

If we called up Dopriak or Ruiz we’d have a solid replacement for Millar/Overbay, who are both playing like garbage right now. It seems like both those guys are automatic outs for us…
Last time i checked, Dopriak is batting .300+ and hitting bombs in AAA, same goes for Ruiz i think. I dont see why we dont give Dopriak a shot? Hes a young guy still and does have the potential to be great… He could be like Nelson Cruz for us.

Lind, Hill, Scoot, Rios, Rolen = guys i feel we have a chance with. Everyone else, not so much.

Onions Baby Onions

by ohmybosh on Jul 29, 2009 10:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I would still like to see Snider back up with the big club

make it happen JP!

by suitup17 on Jul 30, 2009 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Title is very appropriate

Wow. That is the Jay’s problem in a nutshell. Ever since the Jays started slumping the problem has been, effectively, that the Jays have not been fielding 9 bats per game.

Agreed that Wells and Rios are the key culprits, although, Rios is back on track. He is batting over 300 last ten games.

But there have been other weak bats including Millar, Dellucci and Bautista. Ultimately, the team has been playing with one or two (batting) hands tied behind its back. This is the key problem. When Halladay and BP pitch a 3-run game and the Jays lose to Mariners, this is not a pitching problem. This is batting problem.

Another problem has been putting weak bats high in the lineup. Sure VW is a big name. But he is hitting like sh*t. No way that he should be hitting any earlier than 7th.

by aagoodfella on Jul 30, 2009 2:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I just have to ask

I’m trying my best not to make this a personal attack, but Valter, do you ever say anything positive?

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by boo15749 on Jul 30, 2009 3:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

personal attack ! personal attack !

oh wait, was that call-out a personal attack? ;-)

by aagoodfella on Jul 30, 2009 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Absolutely LOL.....

I don’t know if you read the post before you actually posted your comment, but I actually documented some of those who’ve actually are having a impact with the bat for the Jays this season.. sorry to disappoint you, but Wells and Rios are not included in that list. I’m not being negative, just realistic about something most Jays fans would agree with…It’s all good and I love your terminology of personal attack…

"Sports is something you know, not something you should preach.'

by valter on Jul 30, 2009 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well I think he is just commenting on the number of your fanposts that seem to have a negative view

TIME TO MOVE ON TO 2010
It’s painful watching Wells
If Ricciardi goes, Gaston’s job also not safe..
Jed Hoyer next Jays GM?
Seven batters in Jays lineup not enough

I mean 4 out of those 5 seem pretty negative. Not necessarily that I disagree with your sentiments (although I didn’t like your first one on the list there, or the Wells one), just saying that they seem mostly negative. Hard way to go through life.

'But I don't want to go among mad people' Alice remarked.
'Oh, you can't help that' said the Cat 'we're all mad here'.

by JohnnyG on Jul 30, 2009 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

“Seven batters in the Jays lineup” is positive. At least we have seven. Washington has only one, maybe too.
“Ricciardi goes” could be deemed a positive by some.
Time to move on to 2010. Seems like Valter thinks 2010 might be the year. I am more confident with Halladay in the fold.

by BigTimeBlueJayFan on Jul 31, 2009 1:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But we don’t have 7 :P

Regardless I wasn’t trying to attack him or anything. I was basically just saying that I was percieving them as negative. Besides the content in them really determines it more then the title.

Can we please just let it drop now :(

'But I don't want to go among mad people' Alice remarked.
'Oh, you can't help that' said the Cat 'we're all mad here'.

by JohnnyG on Jul 31, 2009 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's just sports opinions.....life has nothing to do with it....lol

These are just valid sports opinions who most people would agree with…life has nothing to do with people’s sports opinions….wow! You are almost as funny as the other replier….dam know I’m really LOL….

"Sports is something you know, not something you should preach.'

by valter on Jul 30, 2009 4:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You should probably go ahead and change your signature then.

Kidding :)

Happiness is a long walk with a putter in your hand.

by craig in calgary on Jul 30, 2009 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

rios not completely unmovable

i heard an analyst make a great point that he may be more valuable to another team in centre than he is to the jays in right. On top of that his bat seems to be coming around somewhat

by ucantcoachthat on Jul 30, 2009 7:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree....

He is younger than Wells and his bat recently is making positive contact….

"Sports is something you know, not something you should preach.'

by valter on Jul 30, 2009 7:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

that's the thing about Rios

he’s a very valuable centrefielder who we unfortunately have playing out of position

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Jul 31, 2009 7:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

he (Rios) is a good player … despite a long slump this year

not sure why folks want to trade him

i expect him to keep getting better … he hits, defensive speed, speed on the base paths and his contract is not unreasonable …. so ummm, why trade him? you would just have to pay up to buy a replacement — it makes no sense

VW is more someone you want to move cuz his contract is too big for his production and most likely what he will ever produce - notwithstanding this year’s slump, VW is a good player but he has an overvalued contract so if you could move him you could replace his production at a lower price

by aagoodfella on Jul 31, 2009 9:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs