Blue Bombers sign kicker Sergio Castillo

[Sir Blue and Gold]

This is why we'll keep Leggs around as the # place-kicker, probably the whole season, and if Castillo isn't much better by labor day, I could see Castillo getting PR'd or cut.  Castillo has to be much better to steal the job.  Otherwise it makes no sense, except from a "cool under fire" standpoint for the playoffs.

Castillo has never been a top-3 kicker.  People are acting like we just hired Medlock again, and that Leggs is a Pallardy or Milo.  It's just not reality.

Not true. And you may be misremembering some things.

Castillo's played three full seasons in the CFL to date. In 2018 he made 85.3% (missing 5 FGs in 14 games), 2019, 91.1% (missing 4 FGs in 18 games) and 2022 he made 84.1% (missing 7 FGs in 18 games). Putting aside comparisons to other players, that's pretty good.

Now on to your comparisons/claims:

Never been a top 3 kicker
In 2019 Castillo was the best kicker in the league, as far as percentage goes (making 41-45), beating Medlock's season kicking percentage 91.1% to 86%.

He's not a Palardy:
In 2012, Palardy was Winnipeg's nominee for the CFL's top special teams player after making 39-of-45 field goals (86.7 per cent) and averaging a career-high 57.3 yards on 70 kickoffs. So far, Liegghio has not accomplished what Palardy did. So maybe you're right, he's not yet a Palardy, but not in the way you were thinking.

[GCn19]

That is what happened. It was revealed on a CJOB pre-game show last year. Sergio was waiting for an offer that never came. I was surprised to hear it.

We were over the SMS as it was, we just couldn't afford him.

[GCn19]

Anyone looking real hard at Castillo's stats from last year remember that he had a really bad game last year playing in a monsoon and that really screwed up his %.

[pjrocksmb]

Anyone ooking real hard at Castillo's stats from last year remember that he had a really bad game last year playing in a monsoon and that really screwed up his %.

Interesting thanks, last year weather was pretty stable here for home games.  I expect to get wet more this year.

[BLUEBOMBER]

Sad how we could have 3 Grey Cups in a row if only we had a decent field goal kicker for the Grey Cup.  When Legghio ruined the Bombers win streak last year, we should have known better... glad the BB brass finally is willing to spend money on a kicker as that's probably the second most important position in the game after the QB.

[Pete]

Sad how we could have 3 Grey Cups in a row if only we had a decent field goal kicker for the Grey Cup.  When Legghio ruined the Bombers win streak last year, we should have known better... glad the BB brass finally is willing to spend money on a kicker as that's probably the second most important position in the game after the QB.

So much wrong with this post;
- Legghio didnt lose this game by himself, the defence had their chances to stop Toronto but didn't
- kicker the 2nd most important? Will Castillo mean more than Jefferson? More than Bighill? Theres a reason no team pays a kicker more than 136k  or ever been a most valuable player

[Pigskin]

So much wrong with this post;
- Legghio didnt lose this game by himself, the defence had their chances to stop Toronto but didn't
- kicker the 2nd most important? Will Castillo mean more than Jefferson? More than Bighill? Theres a reason no team pays a kicker more than 136k  or ever been a most valuable player

Well I think Medlock got paid a little more than $136K, and probably could have won MVP at least one year while playing for us.

[pjrocksmb]

So much wrong with this post;
- Legghio didnt lose this game by himself, the defence had their chances to stop Toronto but didn't
- kicker the 2nd most important? Will Castillo mean more than Jefferson? More than Bighill? Theres a reason no team pays a kicker more than 136k  or ever been a most valuable player

Agree all Pete but not sure on pay for kickers or mvp stats

Kicker and punter very important but not #2

Game is won in the trenches and football is as much of a team sport as there is

bluebomber story on Leggs is far from over, let's see what happens in camp and the regular season

[TecnoGenius]

Never been a top 3 kicker
In 2019 Castillo was the best kicker in the league, as far as percentage goes (making 41-45), beating Medlock's season kicking percentage 91.1% to 86%.

Then why does he never stick on a team?  Like ever?  Dude has bounced from:

WPG
OTT
HAM
BC
WPG
EDM
WPG

Why would any of these teams let a "top kicker" go?  He has never stuck on a team even 2 years in a row!  And you can't say because he's "too expensive".  He's never earned anything close to Medlock money.

He may have had 91% FG in 2019, but he missed 10% of his PATs.  Not very good.  As has been reported, his FG% in 2022 wasn't really any better than Leggs, and another 10% PAT miss.  Look at his career stats and it's clear he's hit & miss, good years, bad years.

One of our main goals has got to be to get back to "money" PATs in 2023.  By that metric we may not find success with Castillo.  Hey, I like the guy, I hope we do find gold, but the career stats of Castillo vs Leggs doesn't instill gobs of confidence.

He's not a Palardy:

Meh, I wanted to <insert mediocre kicker here> and he's the first one who came to mind (with Milo).  If I'm wrong, <insert any other mediocre kicker here>.

[TecnoGenius]

Well I think Medlock got paid a little more than $136K, and probably could have won MVP at least one year while playing for us.

I thought speculation was Meddy was getting $160-$190k at times; and that's 5-years-ago money!  Far and away the best-paid CFL K ever?

[pjrocksmb]

Then why does he never stick on a team?  Like ever?  Dude has bounced from:

WPG
OTT
HAM
BC
WPG
EDM
WPG

Why would any of these teams let a "top kicker" go?  He has never stuck on a team even 2 years in a row!  And you can't say because he's "too expensive".  He's never earned anything close to Medlock money.

He may have had 91% FG in 2019, but he missed 10% of his PATs.  Not very good.  As has been reported, his FG% in 2022 wasn't really any better than Leggs, and another 10% PAT miss.  Look at his career stats and it's clear he's hit & miss, good years, bad years.

One of our main goals has got to be to get back to "money" PATs in 2023.  By that metric we may not find success with Castillo.  Hey, I like the guy, I hope we do find gold, but the career stats of Castillo vs Leggs doesn't instill gobs of confidence.

Meh, I wanted to <insert mediocre kicker here> and he's the first one who came to mind (with Milo).  If I'm wrong, <insert any other mediocre kicker here>.

Weak come back imo

[Tee42]

All very good discussion. Look around the league. How old are the top kickers? How long have they been in the league? Leggs going in his 3rd year at 26. Imagine Leggs 5 years from now at 31.
Many kickers will retire next year, dont you want to make sure you have a young one with experience on your roster. We are far ahead of the game with leggs and if we dont play him this year, someone is going to sign him. 2 full seasons and 2 Grey Cup games, not many can say that, he has been cheered and he has been lamb basted, leggs has been through it all great development in Winnipeg.

[DM83]

LOL!

Wrong!

[Tee42]

How is that wrong?

[ModAdmin]

We've said it before and it is in the Code of Conduct - avoid giving one or two word answers which seldom deal with the question or issue.  Saying "right", "wrong", "agree", "disagree" "LOL" etc. does nothing to explain the "why" you feel that way.  Take a bit of time to explain your position and respect the poster to whom your position is directed.