Not the Team We Thought

Since I usually post my complaints about the Jays, I thought I'd post some positive comments because I am positive. That might sound odd after the loss last night (amid more not good fielding), but I don't think this is a bad team at all. In fact, I never did. What is more, this is not the team I thought it was, nor I suspect most Jays fans and what has me upbeat is precisely that. The Jays are a really good pitching team. The have a problems with defence but their defence, particularly in the outfield, is good. I don't like the phrase "ready to go on a run" and I am not certain they are. One of their remaining problems is inconsistent play. But, I see no reason they can't get into the playoffs and I see no reason that can't win a round, maybe more. So, what is good about the Jays? 

Before we get ahead of ourselves, let's keep acknowledging that team has problems. For whatever reason, it is not scoring runs. You know the data as well as I do. They are near the bottom of the league in hitting with runners in scoring position and with runners on base. Moreover, a number of their key players have taken a backwards step either year over year or in comparison to how well they played earlier this year. Some of this is explainable. The issue with regard to Springer, for instance, is not that he had a bad run and will come around (as the announcers keep saying -- and he might). The issue is that he is a banged up 33 year old outfielder. He will lose bat speed, for instance, and that will limit his offensive abilities. But, and here is what I think is important to note. The Jays brain trust -- whom I faulted for some pretty poor pitching decisions very recently -- has also made the right decision to get him out of the lead off spot and try to find a place where his skill base is useful to the team. The first good thing to note about the Jays right now, then, is that for the first time in a while, the team decision makers (whomever these are) seem to be responding to the talent that is in front of them and making decisions on that basis.  (As opposed to, in the past, trying to create a plug and play team, Gibby-proof team.) 

Second, I'll also give the Jays front office and field level management credit for not panicking when Manoah went off the rails. To state my point above again: they responded by assessing the talent they had and what they could do with it -- a very Tampa Bay like decision making strategy -- rather than trying to copy another team or using players in ways that moved them out of their comfort zone. They used off days to their advantage and made use of what they had (a potentially good opener in Richards and a potentially good bulk guy in Francis) to get them through a potential problem. For the record, I also think they handled the other Manoah problem tactfully so I'll mention it here. Manoah, you may know, is at AAA and the demotion was needed. It was needed because there was no place for him on the roster (there was nothing that he could do that another pitcher could not do better) and because he shot his mouth off in a press conference about watching to pitch to Ohtani and saying that the decision to walk him was Schneider's. His comment drew a laugh but what was missed were two things: (1) the issue is not what Manoah wanted to do because he was a "competitor" but what gave the team the best chance to win, and (2) the answer he gave sucked. His job is not disagree with his manager but to say precisely point 1 above. It is not about how a player feels. It is about how a team wins. And, players that won't put winning ahead of themselves ... well ... they end up in AAA. 

Third, despite some recent trips to the IL but a number of key players, the Jays have been relatively healthy. I saw that data recently but I forget where (an in game graphic, I think), but the Jays have lost fewer games to injury than most other teams. And, most of those games lost were known (Ryu and Green) at the start of the season. In fact, the Jays have really only had one rough stretch with regard to injuries (and that is right now) over the season. They've gotten more out of Kiermaier, Springer, and Belt than I thought they would. In other words, whatever was not working in the past -- because the Jays were loaded with injuries -- has been corrected (better planned days off?) and the team is enjoying the effect of that. 

Finally, I see nothing wrong with tight pitched games. Whether by design or luck, the Jays have built an impressive bullpen. I still don't like the one pitcher, one inning approach, but the bullpen is deep and it is good. I feel a bit bad for players like Francis and Jackson who will be out of a job in the near future because they have made a contribution.  But, we no longer have to live with the possibility that the brain trust will elect to turn a key game over to a pitcher who they did not think was good enough to make the team (see a pervious post on this) in the first place.  

I expect a spate of transactions before the weekend series. Green and Richards will likely be coming off rehab, which means Francis and Jackson are headed to AAA. Bichette will come off rehab as well and so one infielder is likely hitting the road. If I had to guess, it would Schneider Jr., but we'll see. Keeping DeJung makes sense to me because he provides a defensive sub for Bichette late inning in close games where we have the lead. But, we'll see. 

In short, I am looking forward to the back end of the season.