Off-Day Bantering: Jays Stuff

It has been a fun couple of weeks to be a Jays fan.

Yesterday’s Umpire Scorecard is almost enough to make you not want Robo Umpires (but don’t give them IA, that ends badly if science fiction has taught me anything) (just an aside, I heard a Ted Talk by an AI, the fellow said, about Terminator, that he watched Arnold spray bullets and miss, he said ‘that’s not AI, using AI the Terminator would never miss). Anyway...If every game were like this, I’d be ok with real people being umpires. Slight edge to the Sox, but the team behind tends to get help from the umpire.

Our starting rotation taught us not to judge small sample sizes. But then we get that lesson every year and forget it every year. Not that our starters aren’t going to have some bad starts as the season goes on, but it doesn’t look as bleak as it did after the first week.

Speaking of sample sizes, Brandon Belt has turned things around. In his last 9 games, he is hitting .300/.364/.500. The strikeout rate is still 24%, but it is much better than the 60% rate he had for the first six games of the season. The last 9 games might not be the real Belt, but I think he can hit reasonably in the long run.

Trevor Richards is having a great start to the season too. Batters are hitting .222/.333/.333 against him this year. He has 16 strikeouts in 9.1 innings. I’m sure the 38.1% strikeout rate (the best on the team) isn’t sustainable, but I won’t worry much if he comes into a game in extra innings again. I would like it if John would occasionally let him go more than an inning. Someone who could eat 2-3 innings when a starter comes out early would be nice.

It was nice to see Santiago Espinal get 3 hits yesterday (he only had 4 hits until yesterday). All he needed was to get hit in the hand.....maybe it will work the same way with George Springer. He seems to be hitting in bad luck.

I suppose, with all the players, I shouldn’t focus on the numbers until June 1st.

It is a pain being the in the AL East at the best of times, but the Jays are 16-9 and in third place in the division. It is early. I shouldn’t look at the standings until July.

An off-day question for you all, which Blue Jays player has surprised you the most in the early season?