Last Updated on: 1st August 2014, 03:43 pm
This goes out to not only the usual doom and gloom people, but also to some current players, from the sounds of it.
In a sense, I get it. There were some pretty big moves made yesterday and in a season where it feels like the Jays could seriously be considered a contender, maybe it sucks to have not been a part of it. I especially get it from the players’ point of view because dealing to make the team better is a vote of confidence from management. But in all the anger or disappointment or whatever we’re calling it, I think we’re missing a couple of things.
1. Look at some of the deals made yesterday. I won’t run them all down because it would take too long, but what doesn’t take long is figuring out that most of the significant ones weren’t headlined by prospects. A lot of current, valuable major league pieces were heading back and forth with some farm guys tossed in as gravy, basically. On the Jays’ main roster, who are you ok parting with and why? It’s a pretty short list when you start thinking about it, no? And with injured guys getting healthy and returns around the corner, where do you put them while fitting the new pieces in? And while we’re at it, what pieces do you really need? Maybe a starter, but like I said, nobody seemed to be looking for prospect filled deals yesterday, so at what cost? To do anything of “substance” you’re blowing up a pretty good baseball team, which is exactly what the Jays should not be doing if this run is serious. Or to put it another way, if the Jays make the sorts of deals that let’s say Oakland’s been making, there’s a chance that at least some of the clubhouse complainers aren’t going to be around to enjoy it.
2. At the end of the day, the Jays are pretty good as they are. Are there some depth issues? Sure. But that slump in June and part of July aside, things have gone well. Without some of their best hitters and defenders, they’re still right in it and kicking some serious ass since the break. And if you want to talk things that weren’t so great, with most of those guys in the lineup April didn’t go so well either, so that kind of shoots down any of the big arguments about absolutely needing this or that. The baseball season is long. Struggles happen. But right now it’s August and I still think the Jays are a playoff threat. We haven’t been able to say that for what, a decade? I’m pretty much fine with this team as it is, something I didn’t expect to be saying at the start of this season. And given what they’ve been able to do even with all the trouble they’ve had, you all should be, too. They might not win it all, but this year has been a rare fun one. Enjoy it.