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Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Well, Jeff, that is about two and a half hours of our lives. We'll never get back. Unfortunately, here at the Rogers Center, some real ugly baseball played in front of the home crowd. Some costly errors early, some real bad base running, not nearly enough hitting. Jays lose two straight to the Astros after winning the first one. They lose the series. They are two games under .500, 39-41.
And, yeah, kind of the theme... that we have discussed a lot of this season, you know, one step forward, two steps back seems to be the MO right now.
Yeah, it's like they go from dead-ass baseball to dumb-ass baseball in the space of, you know, a couple of games. Look, I don't know what Jeff Hoffman was thinking. Oh, my goodness.
Chapter 2: What were the main issues in the Blue Jays' loss to the Astros?
You know, it reminds me of the Bull Durham line, right? Don't think you can only hurt the ball club. I mean, we'll wait and see what John Schneider has to say about that particular play. But that's embarrassing. That's amateurish stuff. That's not even Little League stuff. I mean, I don't even know where to begin in that play. Kaz Okamoto didn't. He didn't move an inch towards the bag.
He was nowhere near the bag.
The throw was nowhere near the bag either. I mean, you know, Jeff Hoffman, worry about the dude at the plate. Like, I just – again, two games under .500, and this team – I mean, God love them, but this team really does have a tendency to get exposed at really, really, really high leverage times in games.
It's remarkable, you know, that they have the record they have in the last 20 games or 25 games or whatever it is. But, yeah, this is a series that got away from them. They should have swept the Astros. Look, the wild card is the only thing this team can hope to get right now. And Houston's right around them. Texas is coming in. Texas is right around them.
I mean, if they end up losing a wild card spot to the Astros by one game, We'll look back at these two games and, you know, Jeff Hoffman's play and Luis Urias' base running. And, yeah, we'll look back and say, you know, these two games conceivably cost them a wild card spot.
That is Jeff Blair. I'm Joe Alley. You're listening to Blue Jays Talk here on the Sportsnet Radio Network. We're also streaming on Sportsnet.ca and on the Sportsnet app. You can give us a call, 416-870-0590, 1-888-666-0590, star 590 on your cell. I'm sure you guys have got a lot to say.
Text line is open, 590-590, name and location, the people's text line, of course, always open for your texting pleasure. Standard messaging and data rates may apply. I mean, I just, on the Hoffman thing, There had to have been a play on of some sort, right? Because otherwise, there's no way you make that decision just all on your own.
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Chapter 3: What happened in the eighth inning with Jeff Hoffman and Kazuma Okamoto?
I mean, that's got to be the explanation. They just messed it up.
Yeah, I mean, listen, it's entirely possible. We'll have to wait and see. But again, the point is, it would have been worse if Kaz Okamoto had gone over to the back. The throw is still nowhere near it. So, I mean, regardless of whether Kaz moves or not, The throw's not going to get the guy at third. I just have, yeah, it's, you know, I mean, it's June 24th.
They're making mistakes that you would see maybe early in the year. You know, Luis Urias, look, Urias, he's just been here for a couple of games. So, you know, you can't buy the, boy, they're pressing to score runs, so guys are trying to do too much argument. He hasn't been here long enough to press. And for the most part, he's actually had some pretty good at-bats.
So, yeah, we'll wait and see what John Schneider has to say about that. Yeah, just, I mean, just not good enough. Just not good enough. I mean, I've got to tell you, two games under 500 flatters this team. It really does.
Yeah, the Urias thing, too, I mean, what really boggles the mind is he was standing at second base, right? I mean, if he thought that ball was going to drop... just let it drop then. You're just going to score from second on a ball that hits the wall, essentially, right? I think you're right, though, Jeff.
I mean, all of it, the totality of what we've seen sloppiness-wise from this team, it's just obviously it's not good enough, but... You can kind of get away with some of these things, I think, if you are launching balls into the Toronto night sky, night after night, because that covers up a lot of things.
But when you're a team that has to grind out one-run wins and two-run wins on a night-by-night basis, which obviously we've talked about, the offense was not good at all tonight, let's face it. I mean, Varshow had two of the team's three hits for a good chunk of this ballgame, essentially. I don't know.
You can't afford to make those mistakes when you yourselves have made the margins so small when it comes to margins.
You know, Vladdy and George were two for 18 in the last two games. Both of those hits were singles in a game yesterday in which they scored seven runs. I mean, they really are the boys of slumber, these two right now. There's really no other way to put it.
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Chapter 4: Did Luis Urías make an avoidable baserunning error?
Joey, we're looking for just certain things, like as soon as the pitcher picks up, is the runner going to kind of commit to the plate? Which we, I mean, again, you're trying to just keep them close on a contact play. Not necessarily pick them off, but I think with Kaz not covering, kind of threw Jeff off a little bit. So just miscommunication with Kaz, really.
And then in the bottom half with the tag play getting doubled up there, what was your view of that? Is that plan full?
Yeah, I mean, one out. I mean, Louie's doing the right thing. He's staying off the base, and I think probably just put his head down one step too early. You know, it's a great catch from Smith. And, yeah, that happens sometimes. You know, I think, you know, in a perfect world, you put yourself in a position to score, but also if you make a great catch to get back and keep the inning going.
But, yeah. Really good catch, and I think just put his head down a tick too early.
Yeah, so there you go. That's John Schneider.
So Okamoto was the doughhead. Is that where to take it? It seems like what he's saying. It still doesn't explain to me why the hell the throw was nowhere near anybody. And maybe John's right. Maybe Hoffman looks over and, where the hell is my guy? But then don't throw the ball. Yeah, just put it in your pocket, then. So, you know, yeah, okay. Somebody screwed up. Let's put it that way.
And again, that's a mistake on June 24th. You know, you get you get you. You should have your communication in place by now. I mean, you really should. So inexcusable. Whoever was at fault. But again, I get back to it. Don't throw the ball then.
Yeah. Seems pretty simple to me. 416-870-0590, 1-888-666-0590, star 590 on your cell. Let's go to Jason in Barrie on the phones. Jason, what's up?
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Chapter 5: How can the Blue Jays return to fundamentally sound baseball?
Hey, guys. How you doing? Good. How are you? Yeah, good. I was just on hold there. Basically, at the end of the day, Vladimir Gross, the straw that serves this team's strength here, and I don't think anybody would have expected his numbers are nominally better than Dalton Varshow to this point in the year, the season. I don't know.
This guy's been in the major leagues for, what, seven, eight years now? He's obviously got some adversity to handle here in the Jays or depending on him. I don't know how he gets out of this. Pros are pros. It happens to them. But this is a severely long slump. It's flat he doesn't get going. This team, I don't think, is strong. really in the postseason conversation at all.
Hopefully, as a J-10, I hope he can really get it going. Not really putting... Springer, obviously, his numbers aren't great, but he's also, what, 35 years old? Could be his last year as a J, who knows, but... If Vladdy doesn't get going, this thing doesn't get turned around as far as I'm concerned. Thanks, guys.
Yeah, Jason, appreciate the call. I mean, that's something we talk about, it feels like, every single day at this point. And Jason's not wrong, right? That's the thing.
Chapter 6: When will George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. find their rhythm?
He's not wrong. You listed the numbers from Vladdy and Springer in the last couple of games, and you just need more. Again, Lucas hitting a home run tonight was great. Varshow had a couple of hits. I mean, again, not a lot to hang your hat on in a game where you only score one run, but you will just need more from guys like George and Vladdy.
Yeah, and where this, to me, gets really interesting is, like, I still think, you know, we talked to Ross today. Ross Atkins today, and they're seeing not even underlying numbers. They're seeing some metrics that suggest that things are going to turn around for Vlade. Okay, I mean, you know, I've made the point. Vlade's going to be here longer than any of us.
So, I mean, we're going to drive ourselves crazy if every day for the next 14 years we turn it into a referendum on Vlade. I do think this, though.
If this continues to be the way it looks through the entire season, you know, not that I expect Vladdy to have four home runs, but if this continues to be the way at the end of the season, the way it's been so far, where it gets really interesting is if you are the Jays' front office in the offseason, like, do you take a look at your team and go, you know what? We need to get another team.
We need to get another impactful bat in here. We essentially, I'm not going to say you're going to replace Bo, because Bo wouldn't necessarily be the answer to everything that's wrong with this team. But, you know, they tried to sign Kyle Tucker for a reason. And that's what I wonder.
If this thing continues to go this way, if you're the Jays' front office, do you just write it off and go, hey, everybody has a bad year, which is true. You know, guys often have bad years after good World Series, right? All that stuff. But I would be fascinated to know at the end of the year if this holds up, if that changes the Jays' opinion of their team.
You're not going to undo that contract. But maybe you just have to suck it up and realize, you know what? We do need somebody else in here. We need somebody really good in here along with Vladdy. And I'm not talking about a guy like Anthony Santander. I'm talking about a guy who's an all-star caliber, 30 to 40 homer guy who's going to hit in the middle of the lineup.
And essentially, to bore a basketball thing, try to find a Pippen Jordan thing. And they don't have that right now. They did last year. They don't have it right now.
Yeah, they need that. People are probably going to quibble with this, but the Robin to Vladdy's Batman.
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Chapter 7: What are the implications of the Jays' current standing in the wild card race?
I mean, Vladdy is getting paid to be your number two, number three, or number four hitter. And in terms of moving him down in the lineup, who are you going to replace him with? Yeah, that's the thing. Jimenez, Schneider, Kirk. I mean, Jimenez, 234, seven home runs, not a bad year. Schneider, 163. Kirk, 205. Right now, Varshow, 262 with seven home runs. Who the hell knows? Dalton Varshow.
We've seen enough of Dalton Varsha to know you never know what you're going to get day to day. So, yeah, I'm really a little more interested in... Whether or not they try to do something with George, then Vlade. And that, again, will have to wait until Varga gets back. But, yeah, I mean, there's really nothing you can do. I mean, hitting Vlade's six, that's not going to do anything.
It's not going to be seen as a punishment. It's just not going to do anything. If anything, you know what it's going to do. If anything, it's going to create, put even more spotlight on him. And that doesn't accomplish anything. You don't want to punish Vlad here. You want to get Vladdy going. You're not punishing a guy for a lack of effort. You're not going to bench him for a lack of effort.
You've got to get him going. And I don't think by sitting him you necessarily do that.
416-870-0590, 1-888-666-0590, star 590 on your cell. 590-590, name and location, please. Bunch more texts for us to get to as well. Let's step aside, take that break here, Jeff. On the other side, check out the standings watch, courtesy of Bet365. Then go back to the phones, back to the text line as well. You're listening to Blue Jays Talk. That's Jeff Blair.
I'm Sho Ali, back in a flash on the Sportsnet Radio Network.
Yeah, I think there's some things to learn from things to tighten up a little bit in all phases of the game. I think yesterday we definitely left some chances there, and today... You know, you want to generate some more offense against a starter, and if you don't, then things kind of have to be a little bit tighter.
So that happens, and you want to definitely clean that up going into the series against Texas. So it's frustrating when you feel like you leave a couple wins on the table against an American League team. But, yeah, it's baseball sometimes. But there's definitely some areas where you can get a little bit tighter.
That is John Schneider talking to the media about a lot of errors, a winnable series against the Astros that, of course, goes the opposite way. Blue Jays losing today 3-1 at the hands of those Astros. They lose the series as well. They are two games under .500. There's a text here I wanted to get to real quick, Jeff, from Trevor in Toronto.
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