Matt Stairs: Stop Jerking Snider Around!

[JermanJaysFan]

He wouldnt have been jerked around if he just produced a little bit over the past 4 seasons

He has. He ****ing has. What don't people get? He was **** last season. He was just as good as you can expect a 20-22 year-old to be in the parts of three seasons before that; at least, he wasn't bad enough to be given up on. The guy posted a .764 OPS over three seasons of confidence hell at the hands of Cito when age-wise he should have been in AA or lower. He was better in those years than the 24-year-old Thames was in 2011, and Thames has supposedly "proven something".

[wagnall]

I'm trying to see the down side of putting Snider out there till just before the TD. If he is the real deal, he keeps it, if he can't cut it then he gets delt, but at least he gets his 400 to 450 ABs to make it happen, without fear that his first slip up isn't going to get him sent down. Has only 1 option left, so you send him back to AAA during the season cause he just is off, then next time he has to clear waivers, which he won't. Lets see what he has. Someone has to go.
Guys like Gose and Marsnick are knocking at the door.

[DeRozan10]

Thames is gonna be the starting LF

Travis Snider will be in AAA

There is a reason for this. I believe all of the Jays organization (AA, Farrell, etc, etc, etc) knows what they are doing much better than any of us.

[JermanJaysFan]

Thames is gonna be the starting LF

Travis Snider will be in AAA

There is a reason for this.I believe all of the Jays organization (AA, Farrell, etc, etc, etc) knows what they are doing much better than any of us.

You're right, they do know better than us. But, there are two clear divisions of opinion in the fan base- the one you just expressed, and the one that says Snider deserves a fair chance in the bigs this season. Which segment of the fan base is AA and co. going to prove they know more than? It can't be both.

[wamco]

enough excuses for snider. We need him to break out big time.

[Twitchy]

Between 2008 and 2010 Snider had a 764 OPS over 675 PA.
During 2011 Thames had a 769 OPS over 392 PA.

Can we cut the crap of Snider not having produced as well as Thames? And Snider did all this while playing every other day and batting mostly out of the 7-8-9 spots, unlike Thames who basically got the greatest spot in the world batting in front of Bautista.

Snider had a lousy 2011, but let's not pretend that he wasn't every good as Thames before that. And when you factor in age/defence, it's not even close that Snider has had more success.

Stairs comment is pretty bang on. Start him in the 6/7 spot and just play him every day no matter how good or bad he is.

[Farsight]

Between 2008 and 2010 Snider had a 764 OPS over 675 PA.
During 2011 Thames had a 769 OPS over 392 PA.

Can we cut the crap of Snider not having produced as well as Thames? And Snider did all this while playing every other day and batting mostly out of the 7-8-9 spots, unlike Thames who basically got the greatest spot in the world batting in front of Bautista.

Snider had a lousy 2011, but let's not pretend that he wasn't every good as Thames before that. And when you factor in age/defence, it's not even close that Snider has had more success.

Stairs comment is pretty bang on. Start him in the 6/7 spot and just play him every day no matter how good or bad he is.

Completely agree, and once you add Sniders defense, its not a question that Snider should play in LF

[Towelie]

He's been mistreated but at the exact same time he's done nothing when given the chances. If he even played even close to AAA stats he would already be a lock to play everyday.

[jbkbluejayfan]

Completely agree, and once you add Sniders defense, its not a question that Snider should play in LF

Why can't they both stay up and play, splitting time with DH and injuries we will have better idea with what we have with both by the end of the year.

[DeRozan10]

Between 2008 and 2010 Snider had a 764 OPS over 675 PA.
During 2011 Thames had a 769 OPS over 392 PA.

Can we cut the crap of Snider not having produced as well as Thames? And Snider did all this while playing every other day and batting mostly out of the 7-8-9 spots, unlike Thames who basically got the greatest spot in the world batting in front of Bautista.

Snider had a lousy 2011, but let's not pretend that he wasn't every good as Thames before that. And when you factor in age/defence, it's not even close that Snider has had more success.

Stairs comment is pretty bang on. Start him in the 6/7 spot and just play him every day no matter how good or bad he is.

Were not a building team right now.

Leaving him in even if he is batting below around or below 200 is rediculous. This team wants to win. Thats the goal right now. Win ball games. And AA and his crew obviously think that having Thames in LF is gonna help the team win more games.

[DeRozan10]

Why can't they both stay up and play, splitting time with DH and injuries we will have better idea with what we have with both by the end of the year.

Because the Blue Jays want to win ball games this year.

Weather we agree or not, the organization believes that having EE at DH and Thames in LF is help then win more games than having Snider at either spot

[Farsight]

If they both produce their career numbers this coming season, than they would have a better chance of winning with Snider in left field as he is that much better defensively than Thames, so you're point is inaccurate. Offensively Snider has posted similar numbers as Thames in multiple years , due to the inability of our organization to give him playing time. And he posted those numbers at a much younger age. If given 600 AB this season it would not surprise me to see him outproduce Thanes offensively and be significantly better defensively

[Twitchy]

He's been mistreated but at the exact same time he's done nothing when given the chances.

Really? In 2010 when he had a 105 OPS, and earned 1.2 WAR in 298 AB (prorated over 550 = 2.2 WAR) he did nothing? Sure you want to argue that? That's a league average player as a 22 year old.

If he even played even close to AAA stats he would already be a lock to play everyday.

Or if the Jays showed some confidence in him, and actually let him bat everyday in the majors, he would have had that chance.

Were not a building team right now.

Actually, that's exactly what we are, because the Jays sure as hell aren't a playoff team. And even if they weren't, Snider still gives them a better chance of winning.

Leaving him in even if he is batting below around or below 200 is rediculous.

It's called showing faith in young players. Something Snider has never had, given that every time he's struggled the Jays have demoted him rather than let him play through it.

You may disagree with what I'm saying, but let's take a look at Dustin Pedroia. In 2007, his first full season, he was hitting under 200 for the first month of the season. If that was Snider, you'd bet your *** he'd get demoted.

Yet the Red Sox, a team that intended to make the playoffs, kept Pedroia in. Despite him hitting 182 the first month of the season. You may recall what happened. But in case you don't, I'll remind you. From May 1st through the end of the year, Pedroia hit 333/389/467. Oh, and the Red Sox won the World Series, in no small part to Pedroia who dominated the ALCS and was solid once again in the World Series.

The moral of the story being, that you don't give up on talented players simply because they have a bad month. The Red Sox made a smart play to leave Pedroia out there despite hitting under 200, and were rewarded with a player who became their catalyst, their best player, and a future MVP.

I'm not saying Snider will achieve any of those things, but the Jays mismanagement of Snider is a major reason why he's struggled in his limited times. So you better believe I'm serious when I say that the Jays need to give Snider 550 at bats, regardless of whether he's hitting 200 or 310.

Because that is what a good organization would do with a potentially dynamic player in a year they're not going to make the playoffs.

Really, what difference does it make if the Jays win 82 or 85 games this year? Might make you feel better, prouder as a fan. But at the end of the day, it's fairly meaningless. The development of key guys is what this season is about, like it or not.

This team wants to win. Thats the goal right now. Win ball games. And AA and his crew obviously think that having Thames in LF is gonna help the team win more games.

They can think that all they want. Just like I think that later today I'm gonna have a threesome with Minka Kelly and Kate Upton. Thinking it doesn't mean it's going to happen.

[Bombtista]

Between 2008 and 2010 Snider had a 764 OPS over 675 PA.
During 2011 Thames had a 769 OPS over 392 PA.

Can we cut the crap of Snider not having produced as well as Thames? And Snider did all this while playing every other day and batting mostly out of the 7-8-9 spots, unlike Thames who basically got the greatest spot in the world batting in front of Bautista.

Snider had a lousy 2011, but let's not pretend that he wasn't every good as Thames before that. And when you factor in age/defence, it's not even close that Snider has had more success.

Stairs comment is pretty bang on. Start him in the 6/7 spot and just play him every day no matter how good or bad he is.

This x 100. I don't know why it hasn't really even been considered to put Snider in the two hole to help him out especially when hes struggling but Thames gets to play there most days.

If both players put up the same OPS with one having the best hitting spot in baseball you have to imagine Snider could have put up better numbers than he did if he hit there.

No excuses for Snider though, he played poorly last year and needs to prove he can play before anything else

[JermanJaysFan]

Really, what difference does it make if the Jays win 82 or 85 games this year? Might make you feel better, prouder as a fan. But at the end of the day, it's fairly meaningless. The development of key guys is what this season is about, like it or not.

The funny thing about all these people complaining against Snider is that this point shouldn't even be have to made. Playing Snider in LF over Thames is demonstrably the smarter choice, both from a win-now and a develop-high-upside-talent standpoint.