Very disappointing, this first half of the 2008 baseball season for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Very disappointing, this first half of the 2008 baseball season for the Toronto Blue Jays.
A lot was expected of this team after general manager J.P. Ricciardi resisted any major changes this past off-season, saying he liked his team and thought that they had enough to compete for the post-season. Fair enough, though a little excitement was added when a pair of third basemen changed teams and Scott Rolen, a seven-time Gold Glover with career highs of 34 home runs and 124 RBI just four years ago, came over from the Cardinals for sore-legged Troy Glaus, a better power hitter than Rolen but whose athleticism had eroded because of bad knees and feet.
Unfortunately, it was Rolen's broken finger during fielding drills with spring training almost over that brought back the injury bug that had hounded the team in 2007. Rolen joined closer B.J. Ryan and starter Casey Janssen on the disabled list to start the season and wouldn't make his regular-season debut until the last week of April. Since then, pitcher Brian Wolfe (triceps), infielder John McDonald (ankle), shortstop David Eckstein (hip), outfielder Vernon Wells (wrist), catcher Gregg Zaun (elbow), infielder Aaron Hill (concussion), outfielder Shannon Stewart (ankle), pitcher Shaun Marcum (elbow) and, now, pitcher Dustin McGowan (shoulder) have all spent time on the disabled list.
I mention all the injuries not to make excuses for their poor play, but to remind readers of the hardships the Jays' 25-man roster has had to endure for a second consecutive season. Combined with a flawed offensive approach, this has had a direct effect on an offence that could get on base but couldn't cash anyone in. They were near the bottom of all statistical breakdowns with runners on base, in scoring position - especially with two out - and with the bases loaded.
The offensive shortcomings cancelled out all the good that the pitching staff was doing. During a couple of periods in the first half, the Jays' rotation and bullpen could be considered among the best in all of baseball. Led by steady workhorse ace Roy Halladay, the starters pitched deep into games while youngsters Marcum and Jesse Litsch threw quality start after quality start. A.J. Burnett was equal parts hot and cold, mirroring his career, while struggling to keep his head straight. McGowan could be overpowering at home and then look very average on the road but with the news that he has a torn labrum, some questions are being answered.
With the team basically tethered to the .500 mark and the hitters mired in a three-month slump, the axe finally fell on manager John Gibbons. That was expected. What was not expected was the return of Cito Gaston to the dugout after nearly 11 years. The offence responded initially, but bad habits learned in the first third of the season have returned. The whipping boy du jour is evolving slugger Alex Rios, who almost won the 2007 home run derby at the All-Star Game by hitting 19, but has hit just 11 in 163 regular-season games since. Did he pick bad habits that July evening in San Francisco? Hard to say, seeing as the rest of his Toronto teammates have been equally inept at hitting them over the fence.
Have there been positives? Certainly, just few and far between.
Injuries to middle infielders have given opportunities to reserves Marco Scutaro and Joe Inglett and neither has looked overwhelmed. The catching tandem of Zaun and Rod Barajas have combined to hit 12 home runs and 45 RBI, production that is in the top third in the Majors at that position. And Adam Lind, after getting a laughable audition in left field which lasted all of 19 at-bats, is starting to gain confidence under the tutelage of Gaston and new hitting coach Gene Tenace and could be on the verge of a surprising second half.
Several questions need answering after the all-star break. Can Lyle Overbay rediscover his pre-broken hand form in which he was an extra-base hitting machine? When will we see Aaron Hill again, out since May 29 with a concussion? Will they be able to trade Burnett before the trade deadline, or will they be forced to wait for him to opt out of his current deal? Does it make any sense to not shut down McGowan for the balance of the season if the shoulder is as bad as first reported? Will they be able to resist keeping blue chip prospects Travis Snider and J.P. Arrencibia on the farm to progress at their proper pace? Can the team get back above .500 and stay there? And when all is said and done, will J.P. Ricciardi still be the G.M. when this disappointing season is finally in the books?
With the front office all but saying that this season is lost and the team is looking ahead to 2009, these questions need to be answered before they can move forward. After 15 years of not playing October baseball, the fans at least deserve that.
It's bad enough people in Toronto have to put up with the Maple Leafs the other six months of the year.
