Uncustomed Heroes of 2024: Angels

 

The blog's annual 'Uncustomed Heroes' series, spending all of December commemorating great seasons that weren't awarded custom cards in-season, team by team, begins, as usual, with a look at the ongoing tragedy of the Los Angeles Angels. Unlike recent years, where the team struggles to get anywhere despite having Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, the team struggled to get anywhere despite having Mike Trout, and only having him for a month. Seeing Ohtani get a ring the second he leaves Anaheim must not have been good for the Angels' morale.

To this team's credit, Trout's play during April did give this team more of a chance than they had for the remainder of the season. This was still peak Trout, as the 32-year old spent his 29 games of the 2024 season hitting .220 with 10 home runs and 14 RBIs. And that's the damning stat- 10 homers, and for a while they were mainly solo homers, and only 14 RBIs, meaning other than the 10 times he batted himself home, there were only 4 other opportunities he made to score runs. He also stole 6 bases on 7 attempts, so those numbers were back up. And then, as he tends to this decade, Trout got hurt and missed the rest of the season. This time felt especially heartbreaking, as you can tell he's getting tired of missing all this time. 

2025 Prediction: I genuinely think this is gonna be his fullest season since 2019, and it's gonna be a Griffey-in-2005-esque return to form. 

Patrick Sandoval remains one of the chief starting weapons the Angels have, and though he's under team control for a couple more years, there is the worry that he'll truly hit his best years once he's out of Anaheim. To this point, 2024 was an injury-addled season following two fuller ones, where Sandoval's ERA rose over 5 with a 2-8 record. Simply put, Sandoval was not healthy this year, and by the end of June he was done for the year.

2025 Prediction: As he is currently undergoing UCL surgery, misses a couple months. I do think he'll be firmer and more consistent when he does eventually show up, though I'm guessing that'll be a second half thing. I'm not sure who it'll be for, though, and someone may need to take a flier on him.

It's funny that the Angels now have two different huge prospects that now just sit in the middle of their lineup and strike out 150 times a year. Jo Adell is the homegrown version of this, as he was a huge organizational piece in the late 2010s, was heralded upon his call-up, and hasn't done a dang thing in the majors. After four seasons of bobbing between Anaheim and the minors and not finding the sweet spot up here, Adell had his fullest, most consistent year yet...as a fill-in for Mike Trout. Adell, in 130 games, hit .207 with 20 home runs, 62 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. Those aren't terrible numbers, and they're the best numbers of Adell's career, but considering where the Angels thought Adell would be by this point, it's pretty underwhelming. 

2025 Prediction: I actually think he's gonna improve even further, but if the strikeouts are still an issue he might go the way of Joey Bart.

The other former top-ranked prospect who the Angels just have lying around now is former Phillies #1 overall pick Mickey Moniak, who struggled during his development and was swapped for Noah Syndergaard in 2022. This season Moniak had some pretty heroic moments during the second half, but it took a rocky first half to get there. Moniak finished with 14 homers and 49 RBIs, as well as a .219 average. For a team that really doesn't have much right now, he's at least a partial crowdpleaser.

2025 Prediction: 20+ homers but a lot of 'but's. 

The big surprise of the year for the Angels was Kevin Pillar, who, after being too mediocre for even the 2024 Chicago White Sox, was picked up and immediately caught fire. Pillar's May was incredible, as in 19 games he hit .409 with 5 home runs and 21 RBIs, immediately catching the attention of most of the league. Of course, his subsequent numbers couldn't match up, and so he hung on as a sort of above average hitting outfielder [he only hit 2 homers the whole rest of the season], but that May alone made his season worthy.

2025 Prediction: He'll be 36, so I don't think he'll top that, but he'll be moderately interesting in a minor role for a competitor. 

And finally...Anthony Rendon. Not since Cameron Crowe has someone taken a paycheck as a sign to never be good again. Since joining the Angels, Rendon has rarely showed any of the full baseball prowess he held on a daily basis in Washington. This season was more of the same, but with a new clarification from Rendon that, no, he didn't dislike playing baseball. And so through 19 games, it seemed like Rendon's energy was back, with a .267 average. Then he gets hurt again. And this time, for once in Anaheim, he actually seemed to be frustrated that he would be missing playing time and sitting in his mansion with all his money. He did come back for about a month but, of course, he got hurt again. So the former MVP candidate finished the season with a .218 average, 14 RBIs and no home runs.

2025 Prediction: Can it get any worse? Yes. We just don't know how yet. But it will.

Coming Tomorrow- Dispatches from the Astros team that, after seven years, failed to make an ALCS. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2023: Braves

 

Of the teams loudly protesting against the round one bye in the new expanded playoff schematic, the Braves might be the loudest. They had an incredible season, hitting NL marks all around, and getting a high seed for the playoffs. And then, because they missed a week of play, they didn't hang onto their momentum and were trounced by the Phillies. With everything the Braves accomplished this year, including monster seasons from Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder and an all-timer MVP year from Ronnie Acuna, it's disappointing that their stellar regular season didn't amount to more in the postseason. 

But that's where we are right now. It's no longer about regular season achievements, it's about which teams can hold their momentum for 7 months rather than six, I guess.

Eddie Rosario had some great midyear spikes but I just couldn't get to him during the season, for a lot of the same reasons I didn't get to Chris Bassitt til this month either. Rosario never had to come close to his 2021 postseason numbers, but at the very least he improved over his comatose 2022, with 21 homers and 74 RBIs, despite a .255 average. He didn't have to be the absolute highlight of the roster, he just needed to hit for power, and he certainly did that. 

2024 Prediction: Rosario will be a replacement-level player for a middle of the road team. His days of being a postseason hero are probably over.

The Braves were ready for another great season from Kyle Wright this year, after an impressive 2022. Then...he got injured, missed most of the season, and was way shakier upon his return. Wright topped out at a 6.97 ERA, and was unable to pitch during the postseason. What I'm saying is, even if they did have a lot of respect for Wright in his development, this season destroyed any goodwill, and made it easier to part with the right-hander to clear space.

2024 Prediction: Will improve in Kansas City, but he could struggle without the run support.

An amusing comeback from 2023 was Kirby Yates, who, after becoming an excellent closing option in San Diego prior to the pandemic, struggled with injuries for three straight seasons. Yates finally was healthy enough to play a relief role in this year's Braves team, and he impressed, with a 3.28 ERA, 80 Ks, a 7-2 record and 5 saves. He only pitched one postseason inning, but he didn't allow any runs. 

2024 Prediction: No matter who signs him, it's probably not gonna be as good as that Braves year. At least he'll get a payday out of it. 

After a season of injuries spent on the Dodgers' bench, Kevin Pillar finally returned to the field this year. Clearly, this is not the same Kevin Pillar who commanded the crowd when I caught a game in Toronto a few years back. Pillar was used as an extra outfielder this year, and as a cover for Eddie Rosario mostly. Though he did make fans pine for Adam Duvall a bit, Pillar still was decent off the bench, hitting 9 homers and 32 RBIs in 81 games, in addition to some above-average outfield play. 

2024 Prediction: I believe Duvall in Atlanta was a perfect storm, and a lesser team trying to capitalize on this won't have the same results. Honestly, though, of any of his former teams, I think the Rockies have the highest chance of bringing him back. 

And then we have the very ballsy trade deadline move I've spoken of, nabbing Nicky Lopez from Kansas City as an extra middle infielder, forgetting that Vaughn Grissom and Braden Shewmake were still on the team. Lopez was a quick fan favorite for the Braves on account of his contact bat; he hit .277 with 12 RBIs and 18 hits in 25 games. Even if he was basically a backup for Ozzie Albies, he was an extremely good one, though his immediate departure in exchange for Aaron Bummer was...slightly unsurprising, despite the necessity for him in July.

2024 Prediction: Of the three new middle infielders in Chicago [Lopez, Shewmake, DeJong], Lopez will have the best season. 

Coming Tomorrow- Several survivors of the latest, and final, Craig Counsell Brewers team to leave the playoffs empty handed. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2021: Mets

 

Business as usual for the Mets. All the promise, all the work, none of the results.

The Mets were looking for big seasons from Jacob deGrom, Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto. Instead they got...pieces of them. DeGrom was incredible, but only for 15 games. Lindor left with a 3.2 WAR, but only a .230 average. Nimmo missed a third of the season. Conforto slowed to a halt. And the Mets had to keep soldiering on before ducking out of first and letting the Phillies, and eventually the Braves, take the East. I hate that it keeps happening...but ya gotta admit it's a little funny.

Signed as an outfield piece, Kevin Pillar, while taking some starts in Brandon Nimmo's place, was mostly a backup/bench OF, which I don't think he loved. I think his biggest highlight of the year was that wild pitch to the face. Otherwise, he hit .231 with 15 homers in 124 games. Nothing too special.

2022 Prediction: Does end up starting, but for a lower market team with less pressure.

Edwin Diaz continues to baffle me. On paper, this sounds like a decent season, his third for the Mets- a 3.45 ERA, 32 saves and a pen-high 89 Ks. While not quite as statistically strong as his last season for the Mets, Diaz did deliver his best season as a closer since 2018, his 57-save year. And yet with his blown saves, shaky appearances and lack of complete control, Mets fans still aren't convinced in regards to Diaz. I'll tell ya this, he's way more consistent than Hector Neris. 

2022 Prediction: A similar season in the ninth, with a lower ERA. I hope.

J.D. Davis's position was sort of lapped by Jonathan Villar prior to the season, which is why it was such a shock that Davis came out to an insane start at the plate, hitting .285 with an .820 OPS in 73 games. Yes, he did get injured after over a month, giving the position over to Villar, but he still had some versatile and consistent stats, making him a useful, if not quite indispensable, piece.

2022 Prediction: With Escobar at 3rd and even more backup outfielders, expect even more of a bench presence with less starry results. 

In one of the most bizarre moves of the year, other than trading Diego Castillo for J.T. Chargois and coming away with a win, the Rays traded Rich Hill to the Mets for Tommy Hunter. Hill somehow came away with some fine numbers, with a 3.84 ERA and 59 Ks in 12 starts. Hill is probably the new Bartolo Colon, and I am 100% here for it.

2022 Prediction: More messy starts with the hometown Red Sox, eventually bottling into relief numbers.

2021 was the last season in Queens for longtime flamethrower Noah Syndergaard, who signed with the Angels during the offseason. Though Syndergaard's output has been limited in recent years, he's still a very powerful pitcher with some larger-than-life personality traits. Thor only pitched 2 innings this year, and came away with 2 Ks and 2 earned runs. 

2022 Prediction: AT LAST, THE ANGELS HAVE AN ACE THAT DOESN'T LOSES HIS FOOTING OR GETS INJURED HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR. PLEASE. PLEASE, NOAH, I'M BEGGING YOU.

Tomorrow, a dissection of what happened after the mass Nats exodus.

All Villar, No Pillar

 

Indulge me. I always wanted to make a pun involving those two on this Mets team.

Well, the Mets, as I write this, are still in first in the NL East despite slipping a bit. Hilariously, the guys who stayed healthy during the first injury stretch are now getting injured, most notably Jacob De Grom and Francisco Lindor, but also David Peterson and Jose Peraza. So yes, it's good to have Conforto, McNeil, Davis, Nimmo and Villar all back, but now they've got to hope the guys who were healthy as they rose to first won't cost them now that they're injured.

The refreshing thing is that the Mets have been winning a few in Cincinnati, shutting the Reds out today and battering even the phones of the opposing fans [thank Villar for that one]. The only Opening Day lineup guy that's injured is Lindor, so Luis Guillorme and Jonathan Villar can flexibly move so that the infield works. Plus, Guillorme is still an excellent backup option and is still hitting .293. Also, J.D. Davis is starting again and still relatively hot, there's outfield flexibility with Pillar, and the bulk of the lineup is hitting again, especially Alonso, Nimmo and McNeil. 

The pitching is a little trickier without DeGrom, Peterson or Joey Lucchesi. Tylor Megill has been a decent third option with a 2.63 ERA, and Robert Stock has been an odd but serviceable fourth, but...who's the fifth man? They've used relievers before, are they gonna keep doing that? Are they just sort of tapping their shoes waiting for Peterson or even Noah Syndergaard to come back? Are they just waiting for the trade for whichever pitching piece to come through? Hopefully they figure something out soon, because as good as Marcus Stroman and Taijuan Walker have been, that's just two guys.

I do think the Mets are the best contender of those in the NL East, but they've become more human in the last few weeks, and teams like the Phillies and Braves could very well jump on that. I don't even think the Phils are good enough to really sustain a lead over them, but you never really know what the deadline deals could bring, and how things could turn out for the division. Hell, maybe the Nats squeak by or something.

Coming Tonight: The White Sox have a lot of stars right now, but if you were to ask me the biggest x-factor player on that team, I'd give you this guy.

2020 Topps Final Edition: Cards #91-99

With a new week, comes a new 2020 Final Edition post. I guess I forgot today was monday, and didn't realize til like noon, after I'd already done the custom post for today. No worries. I guess I'll just do these 9 as the overnight post tonight. 

Anyway. Next 9 cards. Honestly, some pretty big guns as far as the 2020 season are concerned are in here. 

Card #091- Noe Ramirez, Los Angeles Angels

Since 2018, Noe Ramirez has been one of the most consistent, reliable relief options in Anaheim. Where Parker, Robles and Middleton have fallen apart, Ramirez has stayed strong. 2020 was no exception, with a 3.00 ERA in 21 games, including 14 Ks. Ramirez is hoping for a similar role with the Reds in 2021.

Card #092- Johan Oviedo, St. Louis Cardinals

As hazy as the starting pitching, at least the back half, seemed to be in St. Louis last year, a rookie start from Johan Oviedo did seem to put things into more perspective. Oviedo wasn't perfect, as evidenced by his 5.47 ERA over 5 starts, but he does seem to have some good mechanics and strikeout material that would probably benefit for a more comfortable year at it. It's not certain that he'll have a role in the 2021 rotation, but he could sneak in and make another case for himself very soon.

Card #093- Ronald Acuna Jr. ASG, Atlanta Braves

Due to a minimized role in the outfit schematic, Ronald Acuna Jr. would not notch a starting outfield spot [we'll get to the surprising keeper of the CF spot in a bit]. But he would still make the team, because...I mean, Acuna's still one of the best players in the game, and even 8/10 Acuna is still worthy of being on a potential ASG roster. 

Card #094- Josh Fleming, Tampa Bay Rays

After the injury to Yonny Chirinos, the Rays tried several things in order to fill his roster spot. The latest and, arguably, most successful fix to it was rookie hurler Josh Fleming. In 7 games, he hit a 2.78 ERA with 5 wins and 25 Ks, a pretty impressive run at things. Despite this, he was only used in relief during the postseason, and his ERA ballooned while facing better lineups like Houston and LA. Not sure if the Rays will need him as a rotation piece this year. 

Card #095- Kevin Pillar, Colorado Rockies

After a pretty good start for the Red Sox, Kevin Pillar was traded to the Rockies at the deadline. I'm still not quite sure why the Rox had so many deadline deals, especially considering their drop-off that had begun even before the deadline. The Denver air did help his pop a bit, as his average grew to .308 in 24 games, with 13 RBIs and 28 hits. If anything, he was a refreshing addition to a team whose productivity was winding down. He's slated to play for the Mets this season in their overloaded roster, so hopefully his contact abilities continue.

Card #096- Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee Brewers

This is probably the most shameful exclusion from the Topps sets in 2020. Corbin Burnes could have been in flagship, but Topps was too fixated on Adrian Houser. While they weren't looking, Burnes had a mightily impressive breakout last year, with a 4-1 record, a 2.11 ERA and 88 Ks in 12 games. This was a rotation presence that didn't become too apparent until late in the season, moving the Brewers towards the playoffs just when the eyes of baseball weren't paying attention. Shamefully, Burnes wouldn't get his chance to start during the postseason, as the Dodgers didn't give the Brewers a chance to.

Card #097- Bryan Garcia, Detroit Tigers

After a miserable seven game debut in 2019, Bryan Garcia became the relief asset the Tigers needed right as Joe Jimenez began to lose his luster. Garcia came alive in 26 games, with a 1.66 ERA and 4 saves, giving the Tigers ninth inning security for the first time since Shane Greene left, and being the next step towards competing in maybe 4 years. Garcia is looking at the closing gig in 2021, and hopefully he has similar luck this year.

Card #098- Ty France, Seattle Mariners

One of the biggest pieces of the Austin Nola trade, Ty France was an infield prospect that had been blocked twice, first by the arrival of Manny Machado and then by the signing of Jurickson Profar [and subsequent call-up of Jake Cronenworth]. There was no room for him in San Diego, so he made it to a team that had plenty of room and started hitting beautifully. In 23 games, he hit .302 with 13 RBIs and 26 hits, plus a 0.5 WAR that made him the fifth-best Mariners hitter to still be on the team by the end of the season. France may have the DH position this year, and will turn this into a campaign to keep playing as well as he did last year. 

Card #099- Lucas Giolito ASG, Chicago White Sox

In a season where he would throw a no-hitter and have an unforgettable postseason start, it's only fitting that Lucas Giolito would be welcome on a potential 2020 All Star team. Gio's stuff has only improved in the last 3 years, and has become one of the premier arms in one of the most burgeoning rosters in baseball. With Lance Lynn and Dallas Keuchel bolstering him this year, hopefully he'll continue his dominance and maybe make another ASG team.

We start the 100s on Friday. One very big rookie to start and some interesting ones follow.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2020: Rockies

 

Merry Christmas! This may not be the holiday season any of us asked for, but it still is what it is. The minimized state of Christmas this year means I can get away with posting this on the 25th and not fear a supreme lack of views. It's like Thanksgiving, everybody's home, everybody's together in some way, and there's more time to relax, I presume [I write these in advance].

Anyway. 2020 Rockies. Uh...perhaps the most middle of the road a team could be this year. Under .500, but not in a way that still garners playoff time. A few good seasons, but not enough to merit much attention. Another step backward for the 2018 playoff contenders.

Nolan Arenado was one of the victims of the lack of crowds this year, along with Javier Baez and Christian Yelich. This was Arenado's most human year yet, as he bat .253 with 26 RBIs and 8 home runs. The lower contact numbers are concerning, especially considering the large contract the Rockies just signed Arenado to. I sincerely hope it's a one year fluke, cause Arenado is still an elite player and I'd hate for him to suddenly not be.

2021 Prediction: He finally gets that MVP he's been inches from for years. 

German Marquez, after a few years of ruling the Rockies' rotation, had a bit of a down year as compatriots Kyle Freeland and Antonio Senzatela did most of the heavy lifting. Despite pitching the most games with 13, he had a 4-6 record with a 3.75 ERA. His 75 Ks were still the team high, though.

2021 Prediction: Will lead the team in wins and Ks. If the DH is taken away, he'll hit .250 again. 

Daniel Murphy has served his purpose as a contact hitter, and is now just your regular, old fashioned power 1st baseman. Anybody can do what Murph is doing in Denver, and they already had Ian Desmond for it, but he opted out. So Murph now just sorta...is there. He bat .216 with 13 RBIs and 3 homers. Not much to cry about, but for a former MVP candidate it's a sad fall.

2021 Prediction: If anyone signs him, it'll be as a backup DH. Then he retires. 

Raimel Tapia is the Boba Fett of baseball. Looks cool, does nothing to warrant it. Last few years he's been fun on the base paths and in the outfield but has no positive stats to note. However, this year was a few steps up, as he bat .321 with 59 hits and 17 RBIs, and had some positive defensive numbers to boost his WAR. He's not Story/Arenado levels yet, but he's getting there.

2021 Prediction: The contact mojo wears off, and the Rockies cut him midyear. 

If 2020 was a normal season, this would be a Marlins uniform that Matt Kemp would be wearing, as he made camp with the Marlins and was close to making the team. Then the pandemic hits, Kemp gets released...and signs with the other 93 expansion team, the Rockies, makes the team and becomes the go-to DH for the Rockies. While it wasn't a HIGH mark for Kemp, he still got 21 RBIs and 6 homers out of the deal, and he revitalized himself after a disappointing 2019, so...better than nothing.

2021 Prediction: That said, I don't know if he'll make camp with whoever signs him this year. His best numbers are clearly behind him.

The other guy who made the team based solely on summer camp tryouts was Daniel Bard, a former Red Sox reliever who'd kicked around the majors for 6 years, trying to make camp with Chicago, Texas and other clubs with no avail. 2020 was the year Bard finally returned to the majors, and oh what a return it was- Bard led the bullpen in strikeouts with 27, eventually got the closing gig, and had a 3.65 ERA and a 0.9 WAR, highest in the 'pen. 

2021 Prediction: A season that won't be as starry as 2020, but will still be consistent. 

In the absence of Jon Gray, the Rockies brought up Ryan Castellani to add to the bullpen. In 9 starts, Castellani struck out 25, had a 1-4 record and a 5.82 ERA. The perils of pitching at Coors Field.

2021 Prediction: Either he learns from the Big 4 how to pitch in Denver or he's repurposed as a reliever. 

Of the two backup infield options from 2019, Josh Fuentes had the starrier year. Fuentes took some starts at 1st from Daniel Murphy and was clearly the more feasible option, as he hit .306 with 17 RBIs in 30 games, and had a WAR that topped even Charlie Blackmon's. It's looking like he'll be the option at 1st going into next year, unless Ian Desmond really wants it. 

2021 Prediction: A full-season star-making turn for Fuentes, joining with the Arenado-Story core to really aid this team. 

As for the guys the Rockies got from the trade deadline, the weaker of the two was Orioles reliever Mychal Givens, who had a 6.75 ERA in 10 games. The Rox got him as a closing option and he blew more saves than he kept. 

2021 Prediction: Will be one of the more overlooked relievers of the 2021 Denver 'pen.

And then you have Kevin Pillar, pinched from Boston as a decent outfield bat for the stretch. Pillar hit .308 in 24 games, with 28 hits and 13 RBIs, a decent bit of pop to a lineup that sort of trailed off as the playoff race took shape.

2021 Prediction: Similar to this year- cheap 1 year signing, some solid outfield time without much statistical impact.

Coming Tomorrow- The Royals are rebuilding, and this year was...for better or worse, the result of that. 

Betts-Less and Defenseless

Well, uh...the good news is that  Kevin Pillar has a starting OF job on an AL East team again, and he's  leading the Red Sox in RBIs and hitting .500.

The bad news, at least for Red Sox fans, is that he's not Mookie Betts.

Betts-Bradley-Benintendi was an ironclad outfield that won a World Series and was the talk of fans and enemies alike. Now that Betts is in  LA, the dynamic has shifted. Benny isn't hitting, and while JACKIE BRADLEY CERTAINLY IS [who had 'Bradley hitting .600' on their '2020 first week' bingo?], there's an incongruence that's clear here.

As alien as the 2019 team felt without moving forward from the WS win, it feels weirder now. The rotation is almost completely dissolved, with Nathan Eovaldi, Martin Perez, and a strange cast of unknowns making up the new starting core. Jose Peraza is starting at 2nd, Jonathan Lucroy is getting reps at DH and catcher...this is a very 'work in progress' Red Sox squad. And they're not really trying to hide it.

The core of the team [Bogaerts, Benintendi, Martinez] is still there and performing, and they're all pretty much locked up, but...could trades happen soon? Could this be the first step of dismantling and breaking apart the once-trusted Boston core? As good as players like Pillar and Peraza are right now, their successes only mean that if the jersey heroes were to go, there would still be worthy people in the lineup. So...is the success of Pillar and Peraza a bad thing?

Or will they just be trade bait anyway for competitors? The Sox may be out of the conversation in 2020, but what is their long game?

Coming Tomorrow- Catcher for the World Champions. They just dropped 2 to the Yankees and 1 to Toronto. And it gets worse.

Pillar Talk

So...the San Francisco Giants might actually have a chance this year.

...I know.

The Giants have won 7 of their last 10 games, are second in the NL West, and are 2.5 games behind the wild card pack. How?? Well...you know that massive drubbing I wrote about on here a few weeks ago, where the Giants came alive and slaughtered the Rockies 19-2? That...was only the beginning. The Giants have only lost 5 games in July, which is the same amount they lost during the first week of the season.

But...let's be honest, this would be a lot harder for the Giants if they hadn't been slowly retooling this team into a contender all along. Like...week one of the season, they trade Kevin Pillar for Alen Hanson and change, and Pillar's bat comes alive, eventually getting him to 54 RBIs and 95 hits, both team highs. If they didn't get Pillar, the thought of dominance wouldn't have ever occurred to them.

Or how about the reshuffling of the pitching rotation? Giving Shaun Anderson and Tyler Beede more starts has been an impressive idea, and both have done fairly well in the rotation. Removing Drew Pomeranz from the rotation has worked well on his numbers. And Connor Menez will be back with the rotation within no time. They're definitely beginning to get somewhere. And with Will Smith, Reyes Moronta and Tony Watson still killing it in the bullpen, it could be a lot worse.

And if they didn't plan on competing, they wouldn't have engineered the gradual come-ups of Donovan Solano, Mike Yastrzemski, Alex Dickerson and Austin Slater, all of whom are KILLING IT after call-ups, and invigorating the tired long-standing starting lineup. There's more spontaneity in this lineup than there has been in years, and it's giving the Giants a reason to abandon their plan to sell and instead start buying a bit at the deadline...which is insane.

I so want them to keep this up. I know it'll be harder for them to find a voice within the insanity of the Wild Card race, but...I kind of want this madness to keep going.

Coming Tomorrow- Another young rookie just got brought up, so the odds are that this guy will probably be traded within the next 2 days.

Jagged Little Pillar

Well. What did you think was going to happen?

The Blue Jays arranged a number of established stars, with a minimal youth movement, to form a playoff squad for 2015 and 2016. The PROBLEM WITH THAT, however, was the basis on people over 30. Jose Bautista, Troy Tulowitzki, Edwin Encarnacion, Russell Martin and Josh Donaldson were all over 30 upon recruitment to this squad. Now, Joey Bats and Edwin are hitting elsewhere, Tulo and Martin haven't been worth their contracts, and Donaldson's having a down year. So, the minimal youth movement has to carry the team, along with some fledgling signings like Curtis Granderson, Yangervis Solarte and J.A. Happ.

This is a flawed team that wasn't especially trained for long-term success. So now, here they are, treading along in fourth place.

I mean, good thing Kevin Pillar's turned into a nice little player, or else they'd be farther gone. Pillar is essentially carrying the team right now, with a nice average, a nice amount of hits, and a general surge in ability since taking a backseat on the 2015 team. Yes, Solarte and Teoscar Hernandez are also aiding in terms of power, but Pillar is one of the sole sources of leadership that isn't hit/miss like Josh Donaldson.

I don't think this team is going to RULE THE DIVISION like they did in the early part of the decade...solely because Yanks-Sox is ruling the conversation this year. They don't have a ton to contribute, but they seem to have more of a drive than Baltimore right now.

Coming Tonight: They were off to a nice start until May happened and everyone got injured. They've enlisted a surprising amount of power in order to get back to the top.

Pillar of the Community

Yes, back to the Blue Jays. They're still not doing very well whatsoever.

Tonight, I did manage to watch a bit of Blue Jays baseball, voluntarily. I mean, it was only because the Yankees were playing them, and winning, but I was looking at some of the things the Jays were doing.

First of all, Jose Bautista's best days are way behind him. That bat flip may have been his last moment of relevance. Tonight he was striking out left and right, not doing a damned thing right. The Jays were smart to build the team around the guy when he was in his prime, and now that he's no longer in his prime, the team's falling apart along with him.

The fielding's not great either. Darwin Barney made an error at 2nd base that got a runner to stay at first. Then, the aforementioned Joey Bats hesitated in throwing to home, which got Didi Gregorius all the way home. The first choices for many positions are currently on the DL, like Devon Travis, and we're left with a very okay, inexperienced (or TOO experienced) team.

The pitching's alright- Marco Estrada and Marcus Stroman are throwing well enough, but tonight the Yanks got the best of Estrada, and the rest of the rotation is currently measuring DL stints. There's not a ton of strength left in a rotation that was, at one point, singlehandedly powering this Blue Jays team.

So...we're left with a tired team with only a few standouts, like Justin Smoak or Kevin Pillar, who'll probably be divvied up by playoff chasers this year. Usually I say it's sad when this sort of thing happens, but...this is a team that didn't especially deserve its success the last 2 years. So I'm perfectly fine with it. Keep it coming.

Coming Tomorrow- Last season he had a huge start, but foiled himself. This year, there's absolutely no sign of that.

The Toronto Conundrum

Always nice when things I didn't want to happen end up happening worse than I thought.

I didn't want the Blue Jays in the playoffs at all. It was great that the Cardinals were out, but the Jays were even peskier, and...it would have been a lot easier if the Orioles took them out when they had the chance. They...they didn't.

Now, thanks to Kevin Pillar, Troy Tulowitzki, and John Gibbons figuring out how the Rangers' rotation ticks, the Jays are up two on the best team in the AL, and are in position to advance to the ALCS and terrorize the Indians or Red Sox for 7 games and flirt with getting a World Series.

I...did not...want this.

Worst part is the odds are against the Rangers to win 3 now, because...stats are a thing. They COULD, but...again, the Blue Jays have momentum, which is the most powerful weapon to have in the postseason. I fear the Giants could have a shit-ton of momentum too, but that's for another post. If the Blue Jays are building out momentum NOW, not only does it not reflect what they did during the regular season (which...is the whole point of BEING in the playoffs), but it's incredibly dangerous going through the rest of the playoffs, where most teams usually have trouble keeping momentum going.

Look...I'm fearing that the Blue Jays might win the World Series. I just hope that the ALCS will be a little tougher on the Jays- I've been waiting all season for someone to smack these guys.

Food for thought. On with the playoffs.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2015: Blue Jays

The Blue Jays came from the kind odds that people write about in movies. They'd been written off so many times, mostly by me, that their surprise ascent to power shocked a ton of people, including me.

Edwin Encarnacion, as per usual, proceeded to hit a ton of home runs and not disappoint for the Blue Jays. It sucks that he's not as good a third baseman anymore, but as long as he can still hit...

Roberto Osuna came up this year and was thrown into a closing role right off the bat, which he proceeded to completely own, being a complete beast in the ninth, especially going into the postseason.

Marco Estrada followed up a surprisingly huge season in Milwaukee with an even better one in Toronto, firing up the 3-4 spot in the rotation and keeping things solid in the postseason. The Jays have locked him up for another season, as they should.

Marcus Stroman, meanwhile, came off the DL very late in the season and started pitching as if absolutely nothing had changed, throwing fire and keeping the adversaries at bay. He was even hotter in October.

Chris Colabello had come off a few rocky seasons with the Twins, but his 2015 was his first above .300, and how he did it I'm still trying to figure out. Colabello is definitely a contact hitter, and he definitely showed it in Toronto, becoming an unlikely hero and DH for them.

Drew Hutchison had another nice season, but a lot of his wins weren't his fault, and he did get very lucky by pitching behind a powerful offense. Hutchison on any other roster would be a fifth man who'd be shafted in favor of a new acquisition. In Toronto, he's a solid arm, and that's admirable.

Kevin Pillar was one of the few starters that led me to believe that the Jays weren't for real, but even Kevin Pillar heated up as the season went on, covering more in the outfield, and hitting more for average than contact, which...was kind of Ben Revere's thing, but I won't fault him.

Dioner Navarro got a lot of playing time, but was mostly a bench piece, and it was either him or Justin Smoak in that respect. Navarro had a friendlier time at the plate than Smoak.

Ryan Goins, meanwhile, was a weaker, but speedy, player, who rounded out the strong Toronto infield, and managed to hold his own around the weight of the new players.

Coming Tomorrow- The Braves did a lot with only a little, and we're gonna talk about how.