2022-2023 Blue Jays

[Arthur Dailey]

Starting a new thread as the Jays' season is now over.

Just how good was Pat Gillick?

Well he won a WS with the Phillies.

Gillick retired from his position as general manager after leading the Phillies to a World Series championship in 2008.

Tied a regular season record with the Mariners.

The Mariners made back-to-back playoff appearances for the only time in franchise history in 2000 and 2001, and the 2001 team, with a 116–46 record, tied the 1906 Chicago Cubs for the all-time Major League Baseball record for most wins in a single season.

Led the Orioles to the playoffs twice in a row.

He guided the Orioles to the playoffs in 1996 and 1997.

And in Toronto. From Mike Wilner's most recent column in The Star.

Had the current system been in place then, the Jays would have made the playoffs every year from 1983 to 1993: winning the division seven times (thanks to the Tigers being in the AL Central), the top wild-card once (1990), the second wild-card once (1983) and the third wild-card twice (1986, 1988).

[Pimento Cheese]

Starting a new thread as the Jays' season is now over.

Just how good was Pat Gillick?

Well he won a WS with the Phillies.
Tied a regular season record with the Mariners.
Led the Orioles to the playoffs twice in a row.

And in Toronto. From Mike Wilner's most recent column in The Star.

Hall of Famer for a reason. He may have been the greatest GM of all time.

[ninja]

Sure this isn't the 1994 Blue Jays thread?

I'm thinking the most important resigning might be Ross Stripling unless the Jays have their sights on a front end guy for the rotation. Fairly certain there wasn't another arm in the pen that could have made the transition as smoothly as RS did.

[mpare]

Before we leave 2022, let's not forget that five of our players were recognized for their defensive work.

Five Blue Jays named finalists for Gold Glove awards (msn.com)

[Chambokl]

Before we leave 2022, let's not forget that five of our players were recognized for their defensive work.

Five Blue Jays named finalists for Gold Glove awards (msn.com)

Nice . . . Chapman is so good . . .

[mpare]

My younger daughter is an avid Jays fan. Recently, she told me that she and her husband arrived early to one of the games. Chapman was getting ready for the game. At that point he had a no-sleeve t-shirt on. She said that he’s “A Beast”. “Muscular” doesn’t come close to capturing his size. I hadn’t noticed, but I did after her comment. If I’m in a bar fight, I want him with me.

Nice . . . Chapman is so good . . .

[Chambokl]

My younger daughter is an avid Jays fan. Recently, she told me that she and her husband arrived early to one of the games. Chapman was getting ready for the game. At that point he had a no-sleeve t-shirt on. She said that he’s “A Beast”. “Muscular” doesn’t come close to capturing his size. I hadn’t noticed, but I did after her comment. If I’m in a bar fight, I want him with me.

I think we don't realize how big and muscular most athletes are. In the old days, you and I were pipsqueak . . . I don't even know if we had a weight room in High School . . .

It didn't stop us . . .

[Arthur Dailey]

My younger daughter is an avid Jays fan. Recently, she told me that she and her husband arrived early to one of the games. Chapman was getting ready for the game. At that point he had a no-sleeve t-shirt on. She said that he’s “A Beast”. “Muscular” doesn’t come close to capturing his size. I hadn’t noticed, but I did after her comment. If I’m in a bar fight, I want him with me.

I remember training pro hockey players and even some CFL players in the 1970s and early 1980's.

There was still the stigma that they might get 'too big and muscle bound'.

Ben Johnson helped to change that.
As did the successes of the pro athletes who started using PEDs later in that era.

Currently NHL players are going for a leaner rather than a bulkier look.

Chapman (I may have posted this earlier) strikes me as an 'old school' type of player. One who would have fit in, in any era.

[Pingeye2_fan]

My younger daughter is an avid Jays fan. Recently, she told me that she and her husband arrived early to one of the games. Chapman was getting ready for the game. At that point he had a no-sleeve t-shirt on. She said that he’s “A Beast”. “Muscular” doesn’t come close to capturing his size. I hadn’t noticed, but I did after her comment. If I’m in a bar fight, I want him with me.

Chapman is a well put together 215 pounds.

In a jam in a bar, I would be okay with Manoah as well.

[Marty Canuck]

I remember training pro hockey players and even some CFL players in the 1970s and early 1980's.

There was still the stigma that they might get 'too big and muscle bound'.

Ben Johnson helped to change that.
As did the successes of the pro athletes who started using PEDs later in that era.

Currently NHL players are going for a leaner rather than a bulkier look.

Chapman (I may have posted this earlier) strikes me as an 'old school' type of player. One who would have fit in, in any era.

At the ACC way back at a Team Canada practice before the World Cup of Hockey I was outside the Team Canada (Leafs room) waiting for the Equipment Manager. A man came out of the room and I momentarily thought “who is that fat guy?” I quickly realized as he cleared the crowd he was not fat at all but had enormous chest and shoulders. Then I realized that it was Marty Brodeur. His upper body was huge! Probably didn’t need a chest protector when he played! LOL

[ninja]

Schneider's contract extended through 2025 with a team option for 2026

[Pimento Cheese]

Schneider's contract extended through 2025 with a team option for 2026

Very much expected, but good to see anyway. He did a solid job, and it's hard to complain too much about a manager when the team won at a 101-win pace. But the true test of a manager is how well the team performs under a manager who starts with them in spring training, rather than what a manager is able to do when picking things up mid-season. He's got all offseason to talk to the front office about what the team's needs are, then he's got spring to work with the front office and coaching staff to map out goals for individual players and the team as a whole, and we'll see how things look next year. The challenge will be to find greater consistency from the lineup than we saw in 2022, when things were too hot-and-cold.

I like that he's a Blue Jays lifer, having spent his entire minor-league playing career and his entire coaching career in the organization. But the time this deal ends he'll have spent not just his entire career, but most of his life as a Blue Jay.

I'm glad they didn't hire Tom Wopat.

[Cyrus]

Surprised at this move but hope it works out.

[Arthur Dailey]

Very much expected, but good to see anyway. He did a solid job, and it's hard to complain too much about a manager when the team won at a 101-win pace. But the true test of a manager is how well the team performs under a manager who starts with them in spring training, rather than what a manager is able to do when picking things up mid-season. He's got all offseason to talk to the front office about what the team's needs are, then he's got spring to work with the front office and coaching staff to map out goals for individual players and the team as a whole, and we'll see how things look next year. The challenge will be to find greater consistency from the lineup than we saw in 2022, when things were too hot-and-cold.

I like that he's a Blue Jays lifer, having spent his entire minor-league playing career and his entire coaching career in the organization. But the time this deal ends he'll have spent not just his entire career, but most of his life as a Blue Jay.

I'm glad they didn't hire Tom Wopat.

Nicely done.

[ninja]

Five Blue Jays named finalists for Gold Glove awards

Congrats to Vladdy on the achievement! Thought he was here for his bat?!

Curious if snagging most of those errant tosses to first helped in the voting?