Opening Day is almost here! Is there anything greater than
the optimism that abounds at the beginning of a Major League Baseball season?
Thankfully, this long, cold hellscape of ice and snow is beginning to thaw,
just in time to enjoy a few cold ones while watching the Blue Jays play.
Okay, let’s be honest: there aren’t a lot of reasons to be
optimistic about the 2019 Toronto Blue Jays. Yes, yes, “anything can happen”,
“we still have to play the games”, and whatever other platitudes you feel like
throwing out there about every team having a chance, but the sad reality is
that there’s virtually no chance of a Blue Jays playoff berth this season, and
if it wasn’t for the woeful Baltimore Orioles, it’s likely that the Jays would
be staring a last-place finish right, straight square in the eyes.
Aside from Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s impending callup – set for
sometime after his recovery from an oblique strain and when the Blue Jays’
brass decides his defence is up to snuff (which will, in a near-miraculous
coincidence, happen within a few days of when the Blue Jays gain another year
of control of the 20-year-old wunderkind) – what is there to look forward to
ahead of this woebegone season?
That preamble isn’t to say it’s all doom and gloom though! There
are a few things on which we should keep our eyes, a couple glimmers of hope
for this season and beyond. And maybe – just maybe – a reason or two to head
out to the ballpark amid mounting losses. Here are a few of them:
Vladdy
OMG Vladdy. Our baby boy is almost ready. Well, he is ready
– has been for awhile! When he’s finally in The Show, just sit back and enjoy
the sounds produced (from his bat and from the fans) when he hits dingers.
 |
| Stroman posted this on Instagram today. Is Strochez back? |
Can the Blue Jays’
“aces” regain their form?
With all due respect to reclamation projects Clayton
Richard, Matt Shoemaker, and Clay Buchholz, the Blue Jays’ aces, by default
more or less, are Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez, both of whom have had their
past couple seasons decimated by a combination of injury and ineffectiveness. Is
the duo over their respective blister issues? Do the former bestest buds still
hate each other? We’ll have to wait and see.
Will any of the next
wave of players cement their places on the team?
Danny Jansen. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Rowdy Tellez. Teoscar
Hernandez. Dalton Pompey. Billy McKinney. Anthony Alford. Brandon Drury. A slew
of young pitchers.
The Blue Jays rebuild is in full effect, as evident by the
large number of young, unproven players strewn throughout the lineup. In order
for the Jays to compete in the near future, more than one member of that group will
have to claim a regular spot based on high-quality play, not based on a lack of
better options. They all won’t pan out, but hopefully more than a couple will. The
Blue Jays may not play “good” baseball all the time, but it will at least be
entertaining to watch them try to acclimate.
Will Bichette get
called up?
Wunderkind #2 is middle infielder-in-training Bo Bichette,
who was drafted a year after Guerrero was signed. So, based on the Blue Jays manipulating
Vladdy’s service time, you shouldn’t hold your breath in regard to Bichette’s
callup anytime soon, but it’s at least remotely possible.
In an act of PR
desperation, will the Jays sign Jose Bautista?
LOLZ. That would actually be awesome – assuming he’s not
taking away playing time from one of the younger guys. But it won’t happen,
unless it’s a one-day contract for Joey Bats to retire as a Blue Jay.
Who will the Jays
acquire during their third-straight trade-deadline fire sale?
If the past two trade deadlines have been any indication, don’t
expect much. That’s not to say Atkins and Shapiro haven’t done well in their previous
trades, it’s more so that the days of huge deadline hauls are a thing of the
past. Who could they trade? Will there be any market for Justin Smoak or Kendrys
Morales? Kevin Pillar? The aforementioned Richard and Buchholz? Ken Giles? Basically
anyone signed to one-year deals, like Freddy Galvis or Daniel Hudson? One would
assume that any player set for free agency is fair game, and Shapiro and Co.
would obviously have to listen if a team asked about players with a year or two
of control left (such as Sanchez, Stroman, and Shoemaker).
Well. That’s about it. Enjoy the season everybody!
#Vladdy4Life
No comments:
Post a Comment