WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE JAYS?

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As I write this here today, the Blue Jays sit 7.5 games back of the AL East Lead, with a pathetic 5-13 record so far in this young season. For a team coming off back-to-back ALCS appearances, this is pretty concerning. Baseball is tough to analyze and react because of its inherently long, tiring season and whatever stretch we look at is ultimately a very small sample size. So take whatever is being written with a grain of salt, or just full well knowing that I’m aware that there’s still 9 / 10 of the season that remains.

Hitting

The team ranks 25th overall in average (.223), 27th in RBI (60), and 28th in OPS (.639). When you’re in the bottom dwelling of those categories, it’s no surprise that the team’s record is what it is. I’m not going to cast blame on Kendrys Morales because he’s been one of the very few Jays that have performed so far. And the team has been ravaged in injuries, but certain players really aren’t earning their paycheque so far. Jose Bautista is hitting just .132, with 1 home run and 4 rbi… At the current rate he is on pace for 9 home runs and 36 RBI. He’s a streaky player and I don’t think that will be the case, but as our leader and a guy battling for a contract next year he simply isn’t doing enough. With Donaldson and Tulo out, if we don’t have our biggest bats performing then we can expect more of the same. The main issue, however, is that the jays poor bats didn’t come out of nowhere- this is an issue that arose in the last 2 months of last season. Failing to get timely runs, especially with runners in scoring position was a problem that was prevalent back on August 1st, 2016. The frustrating part is that management did very little to address those red flags, save for letting one of the best sluggers in the game leave for Cleveland.

Pitching

ERA 4.11 (20th)

OPP AVG: .250 (22ND)

WHIP: 1.30 (20TH)

STRIKEOUTS: 151 (16TH)

I find these stats to be somewhat predictable as there was no way all of our pitchers would continue at the level they were at last year. You knew that Happ and Estrada would regress somewhat, and conversely that Stroman would bounce back. The pitching should slightly improve once we Sanchez and Happ back from the DL.

AL EAST PREDICTIONS

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1. Red Sox – Boston’s rotation goes as follows: Rick Porcello (last year’s Cy Young Winner), Chris Sale (the biggest offseason addition), David Price (needs no introduction to Jays fans), Steven Wright (the best knuckleballer in the game, apologies to R.A Dickey) and either Eduardo Rodriguez or Drew Pomeranz to fill out the 5-spot. That is pretty insane…and that is why I have Boston leading the division.

2. Orioles – It’s the same old story with Baltimore; their rotation sucks (on paper at least) but they have the best mashers in the game in Chris Davis, Mark Trumbo, Adam Jones, Manny Machado, etc. and one of the best closers we’ve seen in years in Zach Britton. If their Starters can be even slightly mediocre then they should be good enough to challenge Boston for 1st in the AL East.

3. Blue Jays – The Jays are an interesting team. Their rotation is due for some regression from last year’s surprising numbers, but conversely, their batters should bounce back. Morales should put up a huge year, batting 81 games at the Rogers Centre, and a hopefully healthy Bautista and Tulo should do some damage together. Donaldson should continue to do what he’s done the last couple seasons, despite a calf issue that has plagued him during spring training. But if it’s a season long nagging injury, the Jays may have to look to the Wild Card for any hopes of a postseason run.

4. Yankees – It seems that the Yankees are in fake rebuild mode. With a mix of veterans (Matt Holiday) and young players (Greg Bird), the Bronx Bombers seem like their just biding their time for the epic free agency year of 2018 aka the Bryce Harper sweepstakes. They could surprise a few teams but I’d be shocked if they are several games above .500 if at all. The re-signing of Chapman will likely help them out a bit.  

5. Rays – Colby Rasmus is not the answer to this team’s woes. With the exception of Longoria and Chris Archer, there is not much to see here at the Trop. If they finish anywhere other than 5th that would be a big shock to everyone else in this division.

MLB 15-20 Picks

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We’re in the last installment of my MLB fantasy picks for this season. Hopefully you’re well into your 2nd round at this point. Pitchers should be a heavy focus at this point in your draft. Once one goes, the rest will quickly follow. 

16. MAX SCHERZER (WSH) P – He almost got 300 strikeouts last season… that is ridiculous. If you can get last year’s Cy Young winner this late into the draft then you’re laughing. 

17. NOAH SYNDERGAARD (NYM) P – Speaking of strikeouts, Noah Syndergaard is no slouch. He’s a top 5 pitcher in the league, and as a Jays fan it pains me to say it…he’s in good standing to win a future Cy Young.

18. MADISON BUMGARNER (SF) P – Although I listed several other pitchers above ahead of him, from a reality (non-fantasy) perspective, there is no one better than MadBum. He is the one pitcher I’d want to start a team around above everyone else. The problem is that you never know what type of team the Giants will field behind him.

19. ROBINSON CANO (SEA) 2B – Whatever was troubling Robby Cano when he first got to Seattle, it is officially behind him. He is Mr. Consistency and puts up an easy 30+ home runs every year which is extremely rare from a 2nd baseman. 

20. JOEY VOTTO (CIN) 1B – Joey was a huge bounceback player last season, and just keeps on leading the league year after year in OBP. If you have that stat in your league then Joey is a no brainer pick.

MLB 11-15 Picks

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So you’re either in the 2nd round of your pool, or you have 12 – 14 teams and have to dig deep. Don’t worry, that’s why I’m here…

11. MANNY MACHADO (BAL) 3B, SS – The position versatility is key for Manny. Shortstop has absolutely the biggest dearth of talent and anyone who puts up 37 bombs and 97 rbi should be snagged up relatively quickly. He might not be the sexiest name but he is definitely elite. 

12. MIGUEL CABRERA (DET) 1B – If this was a keeper pool then I’d suggest perhaps going with someone younger, but in a one-year pool: Miggy is a first ballot hall-of-famer, coming off a 38 home run, 108 rbi campaign, while batting for a .316 average. He’s been doing this for well over a dozen years and it’s never a surprise what you see from him.

13. TREA TURNER (WSH) 2B, OF – This is a bit of a riskier pick, considering we’ve only seen him for half a season… but consider this: in 73 games last year he went: .342 avg, 13 hr, 40 rbi, 33 steals. Not a single one of those stats isn’t insane for a kid his age, and with his experience. He could explode to MVP type expectations if he continues last year’s pace – worth the risk in my opinion.

14. CHARLIE BLACKMON (COL) OF – He’s improved every single year he’s been in the majors and has shown no signs of regression. He’s a pretty safe pick and a good value one with your 14th overall choice.

15. COREY SEAGER (LAD) SS – Remember what I said earlier about shortstops… well this is the guy you should have highlighted as he’s the best in the game. He should be taken pretty high simply because of position scarcity.

MLB 6-10 Picks

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Chances are if you’re reading this then you don’t have a top 5 pick in your upcoming baseball draft. Not ideal, but there’s such an embarrassment of riches in talent that you don’t have to worry much until the very late rounds of your fantasy draft. Here’s who you should be picking #6 through #10.

6. NOLAN ARENADO (COL) 3B – Yes I’ve already waxed poetic about Kris Bryant, and Josh Donaldson, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any other elite third basemen left. Arenado is a beast and is pretty much guaranteed 35 HR and 110 RBI, at the very least. Don’t let him slip too far into your draft as he’s sure to make a huge impact on whatever squad he ends up on.

7. PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT (ARZ) 1B – A couple of years ago, Goldy would’ve been pushing for 1st overall. He hasn’t really regressed and has kept up his consistent play as the best 1B in the game, so at 7th overall, he is essentially a steal. The only thing that I’m hesitant about is the fact that 1B has the most depth in the league, and if you miss out on Goldy you can find a solid replacement later on.

8. BRYCE HARPER (WSH) OF – Talk about a sleeper pick. Harper is set to bounce back in a huge way after having a relatively down year by his terms. He hasn’t even hit his potential yet, and he took home the NL MVP just 2 years ago. He should explode and should not make it to the 2nd round.

9. ANTHONY RIZZO (CHC) – Make no mistake, Rizzo can mash. He can sometimes be overshadowed by his other talented teammates, and the fact that he plays 1st base can deter from his talent. But he has been incredibly consistent the last few years – you know what you’re getting from him. 

10. CLAYTON KERSHAW (LAD) – Until I’m proven otherwise, Kershaw is still the best regular season pitcher in baseball. When a pitcher gets chosen, he should be the first to go. He’s a strikeout machine and is good for an easy 18-20 wins. 

2017 MLB Fantasy Draft

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It’s that time of the year again! Pitchers and Catchers Report in 4 Days and counting, which means spring training is just around the corner and baseball is officially on it’s way back. Which means your mlb fantasy draft is also quickly approaching… so let’s start mock drafting! Here are your top 5 picks:

MIKE TROUT (LAA) OF – Can’t choose anyone but the best player in baseball to go 1st overall. It’s rare that the best player in the game also happens to be the best fantasy player. 

KRIS BRYANT (CHC) 3B, OF – Coming off an MVP, World Series Ring, Blue Jays bias aside… I can’t think of a third baseman I’d rather have. He’s young, and he’s only getting better.

JOSE ALTUVE (HOU) 2B – He steals, he hits, he has power…and there’s not many 2nd basemen out there that can touch him. Position scarcity puts him in my top 3.

MOOKIE BETTS (BOS) OF – Mookie seemingly came out of nowhere to contend for AL MVP late last season, and he probably would’ve won it if Big Papi didn’t have his crazy farewell year. Look for him to improve on last season’s stats.

JOSH DONALDSON (TOR) 3B – Simply put, his last 2 seasons combined have been insane. He hasn’t shown any signs of regression, and should continue to smash, with Bautista continuing to bat after him. 

Cleveland blew a 3-1 lead

We’ve all seen the signs, the social media posts, the trolling of Golden State blowing a 3-1 lead last season in the NBA finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. In fact, the Cavs MADE SURE the Warriors did not forget.  But karma is a funny thing, and one could say that Cleveland got a taste of it’s own this week. 

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The Chicago Cubs, who trailed 3-1 against the Cleveland Indians, became just the 6th team in MLB history to win the World Series, after trailing from a 3-1 deficit. So basically, Cleveland blew a 3-1 lead. The very slogan that Cleveland’s basketball team incessantly lamented over all summer long. Except this time it’s So Much Worse!!

It’s exponentially tougher to make the playoffs in baseball than it is in basketball. The Indians are a good team, that was even missing some of their best players and pitchers, but the reality is in baseball good teams don’t make the playoffs. They may not even make the playoffs for a long time, nevermind have a chance to win the world series again (see 1948 Indians drought).

In baseball, your momentum is only as good as your next day’s starter. And the Indians had several chances to change that momentum swing. Cleveland had arguably the 3 best pitchers of the series going for them in game 7 with Kluber, Miller and Allen, and they still could not get the job done.

The Warriors had already won a championship the year before….against the Cavaliers. This was merely a repeat performance for them. So as devastating as losing the 3-1 series was, they are technically now at one championship apiece vs the Cavs and this year should be considered the rubber match. 

In conclusion, karma is a bitch!