Despite the disappointment in missing a chance at the playoffs by one game and leaving that to the very last game of the season, there are far more positives that came out of this past season for the Toronto Blue Jays. For starters they have two budding young superstars in Bo and Vlad and blossoming young studs such as Manoah and a solid group of all star veterans such as Springer and Teo. The much maligned pitching staff also rounded into form and was a major strength for the team down the stretch and maintaining it should be the number one goal in the off season.
That means keeping Ray and Matz or finding someone adequate to replace them. Berrios was as advertised and the likes of Romano, Richards and Cimber solidified the bullpen. My last post focused on how if the Jays were to make a push for the playoffs that it would be their offence that would be the main engine that could. However, the offence sputtered a bit in the second half of the season and it was the pitching staff that kept it close to the very last day.
Despite this, I have more faith in the offence because of their youth and oozing talent and the ability of it to continue to grow and get better. The pitching staff as it currently stands to me with the exception of Berrios is a crap shoot. Ryu had an amazing year last year, but this past season put major questions in my head. He can no longer be trusted to be the ace of this staff and Manoah supplanted him in the rotation. Ryu is still a good starting pitcher, but on this staff he is no longer the number one guy and that is kind of a good thing, but it was also sad to see him digress from such a dominant 2020.
A focal point of the off season should also be landing a solution at third base. The likes of Espinal and Biggio are nice bench pieces, but not good enough to play on a everyday basis. Jose Ramirez would be the ideal candidate to fill that spot, and if that happens I would definitely be excited. Gurriel Jr. and prospects will most likely be the cost and as long as they stay away from trading Orelvis and Moreno, I am all in!
There is also the matter of what to do about Semien. Whatever happens with him I am confident that management will do whatever is best for the franchise. The group of short stop free agents in 2021 is well documented but signing one of them would mean another unwanted move of someone to second base. What makes a lot of sense for me is signing someone like Chris Taylor who can play everywhere on the diamond. That might mean less playing time for Espinal who I really like, but this game is about winning and putting the best roster on the field. Jed Lowrie is also a free agent this year and he will be a super cheap alternative if the bigger moves fall through.
I took a vested interest in the Jays this year because of their youth and seeing their talent blossom into all star talents. It was exciting to see players bond and get better and show a genuine joy in the game that is rarely seen. This was led by Vlad, but the entire team showed a youthful exuberance during every game, every celebration and it made the city fall in love with them. If this team were to make a run for the playoffs and ultimately the World Series I believe that the reaction would be something that the country of Canada has never seen before. Let's go Blue Jays!!
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