2015 Toronto Blue Jays

[BMann]

They also have the best ERA in the AL since the all star break. They're clearly superior to us now. All this stuff about their past hot and cold streaks is just whistling past the graveyard IMO. They're an elite offensive team and if their pitching is respectable they're going to be a dominant team over the final third of the season.

I agree. The O's stunk every year from '98 to '11... until they didn't. These Jays look for real, and I fear they've passed us for good.

[Tony-OH]

Since the trade deadline the Orioles have gone 3-3 (.500). They traded away their top young upper level starting pitching prospect for a guy who has OPS'd so far .625 (small sample size of course). They then DFA'd a guy with a .659 OPS for a guy with a career .664 OPS. The Orioles are now two and half games out of the last wild card position which gives the them an outside chance at the one-game wild Card playoff game that could go either way. Meanwhile the Blue Jays went for it and are 6-1 since the break, are two and half games up for that last spot, and actually have a team that could challenge for the Division crown now.

Duquette threw away a kid who could help this team cheaply for years to come for a team that has spun it's wheels all year and continues to do so. Let's hope that a few of his free agents to be will pass through waivers and he'll still be able to get some actual value for them that could help this team in the future.

[SeaBird]

Perhaps putting players on the DFA is intended to send a signal to the rest of the team. Start rowing this boat or you're going overboard.

[tntoriole]

They also have the best ERA in the AL since the all star break. They're clearly superior to us now. All this stuff about their past hot and cold streaks is just whistling past the graveyard IMO. They're an elite offensive team and if their pitching is respectable they're going to be a dominant team over the final third of the season.

Absolutely agree with this! Their lineup gets in the head of opposing pitchers. Their ownership decided to absolutely go for it this year. Unlike some other ownerships I might mention.

[tntoriole]

Since the trade deadline the Orioles have gone 3-3 (.500). They traded away their top young upper level starting pitching prospect for a guy who has OPS'd so far .625 (small sample size of course). They then DFA'd a guy with a .659 OPS for a guy with a career .664 OPS. The Orioles are now two and half games out of the last wild card position which gives the them an outside chance at the one-game wild Card playoff game that could go either way. Meanwhile the Blue Jays went for it and are 6-1 since the break, are two and half games up for that last spot, and actually have a team that could challenge for the Division crown now.

Duquette threw away a kid who could help this team cheaply for years to come for a team that has spun it's wheels all year and continues to do so. Let's hope that a few of his free agents to be will pass through waivers and he'll still be able to get some actual value for them that could help this team in the future.

Agreed. Dan's decisions both in this past offseason and particularly at this year's and past trade deadlines have been pretty awful. Enough so, that it might get other GMs canned.

[33rdst]

The Jays are really talented and they're playing with a lot of confidence. That close win against the Yankees yesterday adds to it and shows that there pitching can step up when there offense doesn't tough combo to beat.

[Going Underground]

They also have the best ERA in the AL since the all star break. They're clearly superior to us now. All this stuff about their past hot and cold streaks is just whistling past the graveyard IMO. They're an elite offensive team and if their pitching is respectable they're going to be a dominant team over the final third of the season.

Agreed.Things change each year. I heard people say the Orioles pretty much had the same record at the midway point as last year. That meant things would go like last year. It never does and never will. The Yankees are winning because two players are healthy and no one expected the production from Arod and Tex.

[weams]

Toronto manager John Gibbons revealed second baseman Devon Travis isn't recovering from a left shoulder injury...

Maybe Bautista and Encarnation might have an issue. We all know Tulowitzki is likely to.

[Can_of_corn]

Maybe Bautista and Encarnation might have an issue. We all know Tulowitzki is likely to.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/BlueJays">@BlueJays</a> have acquired INF Cliff Pennington and cash considerations from <a href="https://twitter.com/Dbacks">@dbacks</a> for minor league SS Dawel Lugo. <a href="http://t.co/lzaJ6r9A8t">pic.twitter.com/lzaJ6r9A8t</a></p>— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlueJays/status/630094275414396928">August 8, 2015</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[mcgraw238]

Since the trade deadline the Orioles have gone 3-3 (.500). They traded away their top young upper level starting pitching prospect for a guy who has OPS'd so far .625 (small sample size of course). They then DFA'd a guy with a .659 OPS for a guy with a career .664 OPS. The Orioles are now two and half games out of the last wild card position which gives the them an outside chance at the one-game wild Card playoff game that could go either way. Meanwhile the Blue Jays went for it and are 6-1 since the break, are two and half games up for that last spot, and actually have a team that could challenge for the Division crown now.

Duquette threw away a kid who could help this team cheaply for years to come for a team that has spun it's wheels all year and continues to do so. Let's hope that a few of his free agents to be will pass through waivers and he'll still be able to get some actual value for them that could help this team in the future.

This is a really fine post. I've read it several times and agree with it word for word.

[waroriole]

This is a really fine post. I've read it several times and agree with it word for word.

Yep, that sums up the horrific trade deadline DD had. He needs to be locked away every July and not let out until the deadline passes.

[mcgraw238]

Yep, that sums up the horrific trade deadline DD had. He needs to be locked away every July and not let out until the deadline passes.

Careful, you'll be subject to a stop and frisk for saying that.

[weams]

Careful, you'll be subject to a stop and frisk for saying that.

How so? It's just his opinion. He's entitled to that.

[33rdst]

I had watched Davies pitch a few times and I wasn't very high on his chances to succeed as a starter in the bigs. I have actually liked what I've seen from Parra so far even though his numbers aren't great. He looks like a pretty tough slash hitter.

With all that written and understand, it was still a bad trade IMO. Renting him for 2 months just doesn't make sense. Hopefully we will sign him next year, but the signing will have very little to do with the trade other than getting him aclimated and making sure we like him. It wasn't a good call IMO.

You know I like Parra too. I hope we can sign him in the off season. Trading Davies for him may have been a mistake but DD still thinks we have a shot. If he is to be criticized it should be for not honestly assessing his team's chances in light of what Toronto has done. Still, I can't blame him for taking the shot.

[MdSooner]

You know I like Parra too. I hope we can sign him in the off season. Trading Davies for him may have been a mistake but DD still thinks we have a shot. If he is to be criticized it should be for not honestly assessing his team's chances in light of what Toronto has done. Still, I can't blame him for taking the shot.

I am not a MLB guru or a GM but isn't Parra just another AAAA player on our team. We have / had to many of them.