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The Jays seem to be setting themselves up for a for a fascinating middle of the season... one way or the other.
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The nicest thing the Blue Jays have going for them this week is a pair of off-days. That's far from the final word on what this season is ultimately going to be, but after losing four straight series the team feels less like the one that was shakily treading water in the season while the bats tried to catch up, and more like one that might genuinely have some serious issues. The hitting was never likely to be elite, but now the pitching is struggling, the bullpen can hardly hold a lead, their depth is being tested, George Springer looks cooked, Bo Bichette has produced less fWAR since last year's All-Star break than the positionless slugger everyone seems to have decided is a bust, their playoff odds are at their lowest point since they fell a game short on the last day of the 2021 season, they’re out there bunting their way out of rallies for god knows what reason. You get the idea.
Year two of “well it surely can't keep going like this” isn't letting up, and while nothing in this sport is ever as good or as bad as it seems, the Jays could sure use things seeming better—and fast—lest they actually find themselves as buried as half the fan base is already convinced they are. And as they now stare down a mid-week two-gamer against the team with the most wins in baseball, this doesn't feel quite like the moment when things are going to start looking up.
But it definitely does feel like a moment in which folks are going to have some big picture stuff on their minds. I guess we'd better talk about it.
So leave me your best thoughts and questions about any and all things Jays in the comments on this post!
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When I look at this team, I see a collection of free-agent signings surrounding a failed player development system. The result is an older team, highly paid, unable to reach the highs that were expected—as the older free agents decline and the core does not reach its ceiling.
Despite coming from a player development background, Shapiro and Atkins have not been able to deliver on their vision of "waves after waves of talent." Consistently, players drafted and developed - those considered to have a high ceiling have yet to materialize or sustain that ceiling (Manoah, Bo, Vlad). Below this layer is a litany of draft failures (Brandon Barriera, Gunnar Hogland, Austin Martin, Jordan Groshans, Logan Warmoth...wow, that is a horrible draft record!) that have left the minors barren to aid any quick reboot.
How does a leadership team miss processes that are supposedly their strength? Nine years in, these vaunted processes are not yielding results; how does one dissect these player scouting and development processes to root out the rot?
Since the Blue Jays are pretty tough to watch right now (and really what else is there to say about them?) I wanted to get your take on something more frivolous.
When I look around baseball, I see teams everywhere having fun with home run celebrations. Personally, I enjoy this; it is nice to see teams having fun in a long baseball season, and some of them are quite funny. I know it isn't for everyone, but I'm all for it. I mean, come on, the trident in Seattle is good stuff.
Now, I realize that the Blue Jays are a SERIOUS team full of Rex Banners who would never allow themselves to have fun at all (you all know what laughter sounds like!), but have you seen any around the league that you enjoy? Maybe a top 3?