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Reposted by Nick Ashbourne

Stoeten @stoeten.bsky.social · 19h

And don't forget that you get full access to all our playoff coverage over on Patreon, including ad-free versions of every episode, a weekly bonus show, and exclusive instant reaction episodes immediately after every game for the entirety of the Jays' run.

Patreon is empowering a new generation of creators. Support and engage with artists and creators as they live out their passions!

www.patreon.com

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Reposted by Nick Ashbourne

Stoeten @stoeten.bsky.social · 19h

The Jays are off to the ALCS! It’s a sublime and surreal moment, but are the vibes better today than after last weekend's two astonishing triumphs over the Yankees?

This week @nickashbourne.bsky.social and I talk all about it, and much, much more! ALCS, BABY!!!

Have a listen! 👇

🎧BJHH: 195 - ALCS, BABY!!!!

The fever dream continues, as the Jays have moved on to the ALCS, where they'll have home field advantage over either the Tigers or Mariners beginning on Sunday!

stoeten.substack.com

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Reposted by Nick Ashbourne

Stoeten @stoeten.bsky.social · 1d

For @nickashbourne.bsky.social and my Patreon crew, it's another Playoff Instant Reaction podcast, featuring my thoughts on the Jays' Game Four win and ALDS victory over the New York Yankees and upcoming trip to the ALCS!!!!!!!!!!1!!!

PLAYOFF INSTANT REACTION: Jays 5 - Yankees 2 (ALDS Game Four) | Blue Jays Happy Hour

www.patreon.com

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 1d

Before the season, it felt really generous to consider the Blue Jays wild-card contenders.

Now they are headed to the ALCS.

Toronto sports fans have been treated to so much misery of both the expected and unexpected varieties that this club's trajectory feels difficult to believe.

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 1d

The Blue Jays' RP weren’t perfect tonight. The Yankees often had traffic on the bases, and things felt dicey multiple times.

But at the end of the day, they held a quality Yankees lineup to two runs and two extra-base hits.

Astounding work from a relatively unheralded group.

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 1d

Maybe Trey Yesavage could start playing some catch... in a totally recreational capacity that has nothing to do with Jeff Hoffman's season.

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 1d

Truly a microcosm of the Brendon Little experience. Leadoff walk, near-catastrophe, scoreless inning.

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 1d

Underrated play in that sequence: Andres Gimenez stealing second base. If he doesn't do that, the Lukes 1B doesn't knock him in, and it's 3-1.

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 1d

Pretty good time to have one of the most accomplished playoff hitters of all time at the dish.

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 1d

The Blue Jays don't have a better matchup for Judge than Dominguez, so why use that bullet with no one on and one out in the third?

Judge will probably come up in a bigger spot later, and Toronto will have to lean on a less trustworthy pitcher in that moment.

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 1d

Mason Fluharty got about as little of the strike zone as humanly possible on that K of Volpe... but that is a strike.

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Reposted by Nick Ashbourne

Stoeten @stoeten.bsky.social · 2d

Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes the bear, well, he eats you.

Here's tonight's reaction show for @nickashbourne.bsky.social and my Patreon crew, after a demoralizing loss to the Yankees that nevertheless probably deserves a little less doomsaying than it's received.

PLAYOFF INSTANT REACTION: Jays 6 - Yankees 9 (ALDS Game Three) | Blue Jays Happy Hour

www.patreon.com

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 2d

I think a lot of folks are treating Game 4 as an inevitable NYY win, but while they have the edge, FanGraphs sees it as essentially a coin flip.

As intimidating as Cam Schlittler seems, it's worth remembering the Blue Jays have scored 6 runs against him in 6.2 IP this season.

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 2d

George Springer may have an extremely high comfort level at DH and some dicey defensive metrics (in a small sample) this year, but it's probably time for him to grab his glove.

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 2d

That's not an error from Vladdy, but it's a play he should make, which means 3 Yankees runs are directly attributable to defensive miscues.

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 2d

There are (at least) 30 outs left in this game. Somehow.

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 2d

Getting Shane Bieber out is the right call. It was all hard contact out there (98.8 mph on average), and Ryan McMahon didn't miss a HR by much in his first AB.

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 2d

Aaron Boone has already burned his starter and two challenges here in the third inning.

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 2d

Coming into tonight, Carlos Rodon hadn't gone fewer than 5 innings or given up more than 3 runs in 11 straight outings, with 9 quality starts.

The Blue Jays scored 6 runs off of him in 2.2 IP.

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 2d

The intentional walk to Vladdy was arguably the right call, but it officially backfired when he crossed the plate to give the Blue Jays a 3-run edge.

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 2d

If the way the ALDS has gone so far is any indication, IKF will probably hit a 3-run HR in this inning.

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 2d

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has driven in as many runs as the entire Yankees lineup in the series (8).

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 2d

Before the ALDS opened, @stoeten.bsky.social and I did an unlikely playoff heroes draft over on Patreon (but free to anyone): www.patreon.com/posts/193b-u...

Early results (based on Yahoo Fantasy Points - truly the best way to judge playoff heroes):

Nick: 60.2

Stoeten: 17.7

193b. The Unlikely Playoff Hero Draft! | Blue Jays Happy Hour

www.patreon.com

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Reposted by Nick Ashbourne

Stoeten @stoeten.bsky.social · 3d

And don't forget that we've expanded our coverage for the playoffs over at Patreon where not only will you get ad-free versions of our main show, but a weekly bonus episode, and my instant-reaction post-game mini episodes throughout the Jays' run!

Patreon is empowering a new generation of creators. Support and engage with artists and creators as they live out their passions!

www.patreon.com

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Nick Ashbourne @nickashbourne.bsky.social · 3d

Blue Jays Happy Hour began in 2021, and there has never been a more positive vibe check.

Stoeten @stoeten.bsky.social · 3d

Daulton Varsho had one of the greatest playoff games in baseball history on Sunday, and somehow it’s, like, the third or fourth thing @nickashbourne.bsky.social and I needed to talk about after a truly unbelievable weekend of Jays playoff baseball against the Yankees.

Have a listen! 👇

🎧BJHH: 194 - Living in a Fever Dream

Bahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha (Plus some housekeeping)

stoeten.substack.com

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