Blue Jays making moves and more
The Toronto Blue Jays are trying to win it all. After shocking the world and trading oft-injured shortstop Jose Reyes and some prospects for another oft-injured shortstop in Troy Tulowitzki, the Blue Jays sent some more minor league prospects to the Detroit Tigers to land ace pitcher David Price.
Toronto has been mired in a cluster behind the New York Yankees in the American League East, fighting with the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles for some space in second place. Entering Saturday night, the Blue Jays are in third place, 6.5 games behind the Yankees and a half-game behind the offensively-heavy Orioles.
Before the season began, many believed Toronto could make a run at the postseason, but after ace Marcus Stroman went down with a torn ACL in spring training, those expectations were hastily revised. Suddenly, this is a team that despite being 53-52, is looked upon as a favorite not only to make the playoffs, but perhaps reach the World Series.
Those who are playing a parade in downtown Toronto may want to wait on making a down payment. The Blue Jays have a ridiculously talented middle of the order with Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Tulowitzki. There is not another team that can match the type of firepower Toronto brings to the table. The problem remains in the rotation, where there is not much behind Price.
Price gives the Blue Jays an anchor to their staff that the team has not enjoyed since the days of Roy Halladay. Every five days, there is a very good chance Toronto will be adding to the win column. Unfortunately for the fine folks of Canada, it is those pesky other four days that cause the derailment on the way to October.
The good news is while this version of the Blue Jays won’t win the World Series, the team is much closer. Stroman should return at full health for 2016, and if Price can be re-signed, Toronto has a dominant duo at the top. Add in the fearsome foursome in the middle of the lineup, and this is a group that only needs to supplement the core in free agency to make a serious run.
Orioles stayed quiet, doomed season
Last year, Baltimore reached the American League Championship Series for the first time since 1996. Unfortunately for the Orioles, they were swept at the hands of the red-hot Kansas City Royals. Still, the campaign provided promise for a group looking to win a World Series for the first time since 1983.
Coming up on the trading deadline, many believed the Orioles would try to bolster their rotation in hopes of catching the Yankees or at least nabbing one of the two wild card spots. Instead, the front office stayed quiet, much as it did in the free agency period last winter.
The result is an angry fan base, and justifiably so. When you have a great lineup and a Hall of Fame-caliber manager, you go for the ring. Baltimore failed its team and fans.
