With team mostly set, Blue Jays ‘want guys to take care of every little thing’ at camp

Baseball

Published 14.02.2023

With team mostly set, Blue Jays ‘want guys to take care of every little thing’ at camp

DUNEDIN, Fla. – The agenda for John Schneider in his first spring coaching as supervisor of the Toronto Blue Jays is comparatively simple. There’s a fifth starter to establish between Yusei Kikuchi and Mitch White together with a remaining spot on the bench to be determined between Nathan Lukes, Otto Lopez and doubtlessly others. But past that, the roster is basically devoid of questions in want of a solution.

“For the first time in a while we kind of have a pretty set team, I think,” Schneider mentioned as camp opened Monday. “There’s going to be competition for a few spots and you want to look at those and dive into those certain positions, just kind of seeing how the guys play together, too, how they mesh. Building off of the last month of the season last year and carrying it over into this year and seeing how they come together as a team is important this time of year, too.”

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To that finish, the plain precedence for a Blue Jays group that received the American League’s prime wild-card spot final yr earlier than getting ousted in two video games by the Seattle Mariners within the post-season is the progressive workload buildup wanted to have gamers prepared for opening day.

At the identical time Schneider, who led the group to a 46-28 end after Charlie Montoyo’s firing, additionally has some “general themes” in thoughts for his squad, beginning with “being a little bit precise with the ball, if you want to call it that, or being precise with your work.”

“Every team has the same block of time that they’re going to work, but what you do in those blocks makes a difference,” he continued. “We want guys to take care of every little thing. They’re going to hear that all spring, meaning bases, defence, pitching, all that kind of stuff.”

That message isn’t an unfamiliar one from Schneider, who sought to tighten up the small cracks that undermined the Blue Jays’ efficiency final yr. Now, he’ll be armed with a roster higher outfitted to satisfy no matter conditions a recreation presents.

“Different search for positive from offence and defence,” he mentioned. “Run prevention was something we were stressing going into the off-season and I think that we’ve done a great job bringing guys in that can help with that and more left-handed hitters, guys that are versatile, kind of what we had last year with some of those guys. And you look at some bullpen pieces and obviously (starter) Chris Bassitt, it’s a different look, but a team that I’m really excited for this season.”

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NO WBC FOR ROMANO: Jordan Romano dedicated to enjoying for Team Italy in subsequent month’s World Baseball Classic shortly after event plans had been introduced and he was down for it.

The Blue Jays nearer performed for Italy in 2017 when the occasion was final staged and “had a great time,” he mentioned. But as this version approached, he grew cautious of crossing the Pacific to play in Pool A out of Taichung, Taiwan towards Cuba, the Netherlands, Panama and host Chinese Taipei, so he bounced.

“I simply didn’t really feel prefer it’d be the most effective determination for me to sort of rush and prepare,” mentioned Romano. “Taiwan’s pretty far away, it’s almost 24 hours to get there and I just felt like it would throw off the routine schedule for me getting ready for the big-league season. The Blue Jays are my primary focus and I just felt like it was the right call just to stay here and stay on schedule.”

The Markham, Ont., native can be eligible to play for Canada and Guardians starter Cal Quantrill lately tried to persuade him to change sides. The journey can be simpler with Canada set to play out of Pool C in Arizona with the United States, Mexico, Columbia and Great Britain.

“Me and Quantrill are pretty good buddies and he approached me wanting me to come play,” mentioned Romano. “Hanging out with Quantrill does seem pretty cool, but I committed to Italy, so if I was going to play, it would just be for Italy this year.”

What about subsequent time?

“That’s a discussion for a few years from now,” mentioned Romano. “It’s Italy right now but we’ll see in four years.”

At the Letters

Ben Nicholson-Smith is Sportsnet’s baseball editor. Arden Zwelling is a senior author. Together, they create you essentially the most in-depth Blue Jays podcast within the league, overlaying off all the newest news with opinion and evaluation, in addition to interviews with different insiders and group members.

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NEW RULES FOR NEW YEAR: Bo Bichette and his teammates took the sector for the primary time with the brand new expanded bases – now 18 inches squared from 15 inches squared – and a part of the Blue Jays’ planning this spring will revolve round adjusting to the adjustments.

Also new for 2023 will likely be a pitch clock and the elimination of infield shifts. Having stolen 25 bases in 26 tries in 2021 earlier than going 13-for-21 a yr in the past, the shortened distance between luggage and limits on pickoff makes an attempt may entice gamers to be extra energetic as soon as aboard.

“The (greater) bases don’t actually imply an excessive amount of to me – I used to be planning to be extra aggressive anyhow,” mentioned Bichette. “I guess it’s going to be easier with those rules, pick-offs and all that. That’ll be something we have to learn and see what we can take advantage of there. But I definitely want to be aggressive either way.”

John Schneider mentioned the Blue Jays “have been trying to come up with ways to train accordingly and put some constraints on some guys, whether they’re working off the mound or whether we’re working defensively. We’re excited to see how it plays out and I think it’s going to be a little bit of an adjustment for every team in the league.”

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LINEUP LOOKS: John Schneider, new bench coach Don Mattingly and others have “kicked (batting order possibilities) around” and whereas he wasn’t sharing the place they’re at, he’s enthusiastic about “a different look” that may embrace lefties Brandon Belt, Daulton Varsho and Kevin Kiermaier.

Spreading them out to “where you can kind of stay out of some predictable pockets for the opposing bullpen,” will seemingly be a part of the plan. “Whether you’re right-handed or left-handed, we have some really, really good hitters that can do a lot of really, really good things. A lot of it’ll be performance/health dependent. In a perfect world, if you can spread them out a little bit and ensure that at least one guy gets a really favourable match-up in a three-hitter pocket, that’s what you’re shooting for.”

Last yr the Blue Jays had been final within the majors in at-bats with platoon benefit at 30.7 per cent, miles away from the league common of 52.7 per cent.

QUOTABLE: “I believe that it’s a must to study to lose collectively earlier than you may study to win. We undoubtedly must go on the market and study from what we didn’t do proper, me included, a bit of little bit of maturing as an expert and as an individual. I believe we’re all prepared to try this.” – Bo Bichette