Now that the nonsense of the trading deadline has come and gone, the Blue Jays have two months left to take stock of who they want and who they want to move out.
Next season, by what we’ve been sold by general manager J.P. Ricciardi, was supposed to be the year the team challenged for a post-season berth. But based upon the way 2009 has unfolded, I don’t see any reason to believe that the Jays can supplant the Yankees, Red Sox or Rays as a playoff contender in the East.
With that in mind, the remainder of 2009 should be used to evaluate just what they have on hand, and what they can possibly expect from their prospects and from the pitchers who are currently injured but expected to contribute.
There are clearly far more questions than answers.
WHO’LL BE THE ACE?
Roy Halladay, when not distracted by the ridiculous trade talk, is still one of the best starting pitchers in all of baseball. He was clearly set off by the added attention, which he has never enjoyed.
The fact that no team stepped up and met the high asking price that Ricciardi set was the only good thing to come out of the whole exercise.
In a perfect world, ownership comes forward with the extra funds ($25 million?) to bring the supporting cast to make this team contenders; Halladay agrees to another contract extension and baseball becomes relevant again in a city that is starved for anything with the word ‘playoff’ attached to it.
Unfortunately, this is unlikely to happen unless there’s an overhaul in the front office. The fact that the notion of trading Doc led to such a negative backlash from the fans means that these are precarious times for Canada’s only Major League team.
It says here that Halladay should be allowed to finish out the final year of his deal and then the team will cross that bridge after next season. If he goes this off-season, they have no one to step in as the No. 1 starter.
WHO’S ON THIRD?
By fulfilling Scott Rolen’s request to play closer to his Midwest home, the team was forced to take Edwin Encarnacion back in the deal. The 26-year-old third baseman did hit 26 home runs in 2008, but he also made 23 errors and has been slowed by a wrist injury this season that has him hovering around the Mendoza Line on offence.
The other options are Jose Bautista, used this season in a super-utility role, or John McDonald, who is best served at shortstop and might have to play that position everyday if Marco Scutaro leaves via free agency. The team currently doesn’t have anyone at Triple-A to step in, so they may have to go outside the organization to fill this key spot.
WHO’S THE CLOSER?
With the B.J. Ryan project now shut down, and Scott Downs saddled with a sore toe that probably won’t heal until the off-season, it looks like a bullpen-by-committee in the interim. The obvious choice to take the ball in the ninth is Jason Frasor, who saved 17 games as a rookie in 2004. My hope is that Brandon League will also be given a chance to close out some games and see if his nasty stuff can be harnessed on a consistent basis.
Another pitcher that should be given a look down the stretch is newly acquired Josh Roenicke who did some closing this season with the Reds Triple-A team in Louisville (12 saves in 27 games).
WHAT’S UP WITH WELLS AND RIOS?
Game in and game out, series in and series out, this continues to be the biggest mystery surrounding this team. Wells’ inability to hit with men on base this season (.297 with bases empty vs. .209 with runners on), coupled with a .175 average this season at Rogers Centre, has made the fans turn on the sensitive centre fielder, booing him like he’s Larry Murphy.
For Rios, it’s a continuing series of mental mistakes, whether he’s lost track of how many outs there are or throwing to the wrong base that has fans running out of patience with this superstar-in-waiting. One thing is for sure: the Jays’ offence will never click on all cylinders until they start coming through in key situations. The company line is that they’ll eventually come around, but what if they don’t? A lot of money is tied up in these two ($157.2 million from 2010-14) making them virtually untradeable as long as they continue to scuffle.
WHAT CAN WE REALLY EXPECT?
With 38 of their final 57 games within their division, the Jays will be hard-pressed to finish the season above .500 (they are 12-20 against the A.L. East this season). But the even bigger questions are in regards to the front office, starting at the top.
When will interim CEO Paul Beeston finally reveal his choice to succeed him? What will that mean to the precarious perch that Ricciardi currently sits on? And will the new CEO/president want to remodel the baseball operations side of things and bring in his own people? These are all questions that need to be answered before this franchise, in a perpetual stall since they last made the post-season in 1993, can move forward.
My last question is for the fans: What would you like to see happen the rest of the season to keep you coming to the ballpark and watching on TV?
And let’s go beyond your calls to "FIRE J.P."
We’ve all heard you loud and clear.
