2019 Blue Jays General Discussion Thread

[OldTimeHockey]

Power comes from bat speed, not big biceps.

Talk to Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa

[herman]

Excuse me?

So I don't know how literal that is as Vlad can't really speak English but even then it's not that crazy a concept. Generally speaking baseball players are supposed to keep fit and teams give them the resources to do that but time actually spent with coaches in the limited practice time players have is more likely to spent on things that are more baseball related. Working with a swing coach, watching tape, doing infield drills...etc

Working out in a gym isn't really central to what a baseball player does. Players do pre-game running to stay trim and putting on muscle mass isn't necessarily a positive. Jose Altuve is 5'6, 165. Mookie Betts is 5'9, 180. Power comes from bat speed, not big biceps.

I largely agree: swing mechanics and technique is what's required for the hitting side. The boy knows how to put bat on ball.

I think the point of his revelation* here was more for becoming an everyday position player, where I think mobility, core strength, soft tissue support are pretty advantageous, i.e. this is weight training for balancing out his body and playing longevity (it's a lot of extraneous work and wear and tear to run at his current size). You only need enough consistent 'strength' to mis-hit a ball 420' to keep up the dingers as a 540' blast and a 430' drive are worth the same number of runs.

On the team level, if Vladdy can be an everyday position player instead of a sheltered 1B turret, we can stash a veteran bat there and improve overall offensive depth.

* I know he said he's aiming for strength... he's also only 20, so probably shouldn't be doing any hard weight training until now anyway.

[Nik]

On the team level, if Vladdy can be an everyday position player instead of a sheltered 1B turret, we can stash a veteran bat there and improve overall offensive depth.

I agree that there's a tremendous upside for the Jays if Guerrero can be a good defensive 3B. It's why, as mentioned in that tweet, the Jays' infield coach is going to be working with him on it this off-season. Coaching him at the sport he plays professionally is their job and they appear to be doing it.

I'm not arguing whether or not there's an upside to Guerrero being fit(although??? Pablo Sandoval got three rings), I'm saying that Guerrero's revelation really isn't much a surprise and, to other people, that it's not evidence of some sort of terrible malfeasance by the team. Ballplayers and their fitness have traditionally been their own responsibility and, luckily, they have a huge financial incentive to work at it.

[Nik]

Power comes from bat speed, not big biceps.

Talk to Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa

Willie Mays outhomered them both and he weighed about as much as one of McGwire's bats.

[OldTimeHockey]

Power comes from bat speed, not big biceps.

Talk to Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa

he weighed about as much as one of McGwire's bats.

Is there scientific proof saying this is indeed a fact?

[Nik]

Is there scientific proof saying this is indeed a fact?

Yes.

[hockeyfan1]

Guerrero's natural position is the outfield.  Playing third base in the major leagues has been a bit more complex for him.  His footwork and agility need improvement.

Let' s not kid ourselves here, the guy is just twenty years old.  For a rookie, he actually has done his job fairly well.  His power hitting is something else altogether.  He doesn't need weight training for that.

The Jays staff would hope a training regimen would help him become a better third baseman in terms of endurance.  162 games can be at times overwhelming for a rookie, and Vladdy under the circumstances has done admirably.

Given that raw power isn't an issue, the Jays are hoping that improved overall strength will enhance Guerrero's durability.

"The idea is to stay stronger for a longer time and then your at-bats are going to feel better in September," Montoyo said. "It's not about getting stronger to hit the ball farther."

In other words, resiliency and strength training is where it will be at, in an effort to make himself even more proficient and efficient at his game as it stands.


https://torontosun.com/sports/baseball/toronto-blue-jays/blue-jays-rookie-guerrero-looking-forward-to-productive-off-season

[Nik]

Guerrero didn't play a single inning in the outfield in his entire minor league career.

[hockeyfan1]

He played briefly on an experimental trial when he was scouted by Anthopoulos while in the Dominican Republic.  He wasn't too good at catching the balls that flew out.  Speed wise he was fine.  Eventually, he was asked which position he favoured and he chose third base.  He's played that position ever since.

[Dappleganger]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-prospect-guerrero-jr-isnt-just-like-dad/

From the article:
"He was a really understated kid, without any sense of entitlement," Anthopoulos said. "We worked him out in the outfield and didn't think he moved that well. So I asked him what position he liked to play—you know, where he had the most fun—and he said third base. I said, 'OK: You're a third baseman.'"

[Nik]

Right. So the outfield is not his "natural position" and he's been playing 3B for the entirety of his professional career.

[Heroic Shrimp]

Right. So the outfield is not his "natural position" and he's been playing 3B for the entirety of his professional career.

Well, sure I guess, if you're nit-picky and go by the actual definitions of the words "natural" and "position".

[herman]

https://twitter.com/bnicholsonsmith/status/1176225515776163840

lollercopters

[hockeyfan1]

Jays lose 11-4 Tuesday night to the O's.

Monday night, they won 10-9 in the 15th inning off Anthony Alford's walk-off home run.

Highlights:

Tuesday's win:  Fisher!
[tweet]1176647768196206592[/tweet]

Hi-lites & more:
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/orioles-vs-blue-jays/2019/09/24/566940#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=videos,game=566940


Monday's win: Walk-off! (Alford's first MLB home run)
[tweet]1176354781176246272[/tweet]

Club record!
[tweet]1176511679603060737[/tweet]

Hi-lites & more:
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/orioles-vs-blue-jays/2019/09/23/566939#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=videos,game=566939

[hockeyfan1]

Jays defeated Baltimore Wednesday night 3-2 to take the series two games to one.

Rowdy Tellez with two, and Billy McKinney with one were the home run heroes and all the scoring the Blue Jays really needed.
Tellez's two homers gave him twenty on the season, becoming the fourth Jay rookie in franchise history to achieve that feat.

Jays starter Jacob Waguespack shut down Baltimore for six scoreless innings while striking out five for the win,
Giles closed out the ninth for the save.

Toronto is off today but will resume playing Friday versus Tampa Bay in the last weekend homestand of the year.

Highlights:

McKinney!
[tweet]1177001115621216256[/tweet]

Tellez!   Part I
[tweet]1177015498690768896[/tweet]

Tellez!  Part II
[tweet]1177026130223738880[/tweet]

Waguespack!
[tweet]1177045853707616256[/tweet]

[tweet]1177060345514512384[/tweet]

Hi-lites & more:
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/orioles-vs-blue-jays/2019/09/25/566941#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=videos,game=566941