heartbreaking information A key player for the Jays is fighting the owner over his pay dispute.
DUNEDIN, Florida Following a shocking and unexpected post-season exit in October of the previous year, the Blue Jays promised us that their focus for 2023 would be on doing all the little things right when they opened spring training last year.
Manager John Schneider made a joke when they started spring training, saying, “We know how well that played out, I know.”
Yes, the Jays were eliminated from the postseason with a startling lackluster performance despite only managing to score one run in two games.
Tightening up will therefore be one of the main priorities this spring. which sounds a lot like taking care of the little things. What’s the difference?
Schneider remarked on Thursday while all of the Grapefruit League teams’ managers were in Tampa. “I think tightening up is just… we’re still going to focus on those little things,” Schneider said. “Where we can definitely tighten up is on the bases, not giving away outs, and tightening up an offensive approach one through nine.”
Consequently, as follows: “We were trying to force the problem on the bases and running into outs last year when we weren’t scoring, and it was kind of a snowball effect of trying to do a little bit too much.” Little things will therefore always matter, and you should aim to improve what you’re doing annually.”
While a team begging for outside help in the off-season treaded water at best, they are attempting to add offense to what may have been the best pitching and defense in the major leagues last year.
Bryan Belt, the club’s top hitter with an on-base plus slugging percentage of.858, was a free agent designated hitter. He was replaced by Justin Turner, who played in 146 games compared to Belt’s 103 but had an OPS of.800 with Boston.
Participate in the discussion of this narrative.
To share your ideas, click this link +Isiah Kiner-Falefa, a defensive whiz whose.646 OPS topped only 11 American Leaguers who played at least as many games as he did (113), and holdovers Cavan Biggio and Santiago Espinal have replaced Matt Chapman, who is still a free agent, at third base. Turner might also witness some action at the hot corner.
+ Kevin Kiermaier, a free agent center fielder, took over for Kiermaier.
General manager Ross Atkins stated he wanted to add as many as four bats, so it wasn’t exactly a “mission accomplished” winter. Atkins would have rather looked back at the previous few off-seasons on Thursday.
Atkins declared, “Our roster is different.” The growth of players who are joining the team and have the potential to make an impact, including Yariel Rodriguez, Justin Turner, I.K.F., and the return of Kairmaier. Among the players who joined the team last year were Génesis Cabrera, Chad Green, and Chris Bassitt, who joined the team just a year ago. We have been assembling really strong leaders and contributors around a solid core for the past five years in addition to talent.”
Even though spring training is underway and there are still desirable free agents available, like Chapman, 2019 National League MVP Cody Bellinger, and reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, the Jays don’t seem to be in a position to sign any of them.
“At this point,” stated Atkins, “additions that would be of significance would mean some level of subtraction.”
In other words, he’s exhausted.
“We can always present things (to ownership), for sure,” Atkins stated. Because of our agility and the support we have, finance isn’t always clear-cut. However, based on our operational objectives and the goals we set at the beginning of the year, it now makes the most sense for us to consider addition and subtract as well.”
This is a fancy way of saying that any additional funds for the payroll will need to come from somewhere else.
In addition to Atkins confirming that the slugger was present in Arizona when he won his arbitration case against the Jays, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will receive $19.9 million (U.S.), which is $1.85 million more than the team offered. Atkins stated that he took precautions to ensure Guerrero wouldn’t hear anything distressing during the hearing and that there are no hard feelings.
