Thanks to their off-season overhaul, the Toronto Blue Jays have become a popular pick to win the American League East in 2013.
Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com polled 20 executives and scouts around the majors, and 13 of those respondents picked the Blue Jays as the favourite to win the division.
#BlueJays favored to win AL East by MLB scouts/execs. I agree. Here are my “now” picks for entire division: on-msn.com/WmqDvT @mlbonfox — Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 18, 2012
#BlueJays favored to win AL East by MLB scouts/execs. I agree. Here are my “now” picks for entire division: on-msn.com/WmqDvT @mlbonfox
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 18, 2012
The Blue Jays have become a contender in the AL East after adding veterans R.A. Dickey, Josh Johnson, and Mark Buehrle to join Brandon Morrow and Ricky Romero in their rotation.
Toronto has also added former all-stars to the offence in shortstop Jose Reyes and left fielder Melky Cabrera.
The scouts and executives, none of whom are on teams in the AL East, are not big believers of last season’s Wild Card winner, the Baltimore Orioles. Despite winning 93 games in 2012, 50 per cent picked the Orioles to finish last in the division in 2013.
The Boston Red Sox, who have been busy this off-season, were the only team in the division not to receive a first-place vote.
The Blue Jays have not made the playoffs since winning the World Series in 1993.
