Well, that only took three weeks.
I mean, even the Toronto Maple Leafs waited a month before they started getting jumpy (it could have been more, it could have been less—as with every losing season, however, the "minor details" were chased from my mind immediately after the season ended).
I was looking forward to this season for the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Red Sox, albeit defending World Champions, looked like they could be had for a few games, while the Yankees appeared to be an unbalanced mix of over-the-hill guys, and inexperience.
The timing seemed perfect for the Jays to launch themselves from third into a second (or God forbid) first seed in the division.
Now? I'll be happy if we can get out of the season at .500.
Don't get me wrong, we're only one month into the season, which means a lot can turn around. Just looking at the standings, the Jays aren't even the worst off record-wise of the teams that were expected to be at or near the top of the league.
Minnesota and Detroit sit in the basement of the AL Central (6-12 and 7-10 respectively), while teams like Seattle and Philadelphia (who some chose to have decisive impacts on the outcome of their respective divisions) have looked fairly average.
There's a difference with those teams though:
All of those other teams are battling an early season case of the hiccups, while the Blue Jays are battling themselves.
The most recent issue is the benching of Frank Thomas.
As always, there are two sides to this story. The Jays' brass is saying that it's because the "Big Hurt" has suffered through some offensive struggles recently.
Although that is true (Thomas is 4-for-35 with only one RBI over his past nine games), the Jays' offense has only been able to muster more than four runs four times in the past 11 games.
To put that in perspective, the Tampa Bay Rays have scored more than four runs six times in that same span (April 9-19), and they haven't even played their game on the 19th yet.
But then we get to Big Frank's theory on why his playing time is getting cut: To avoid the bonus stipulated in his contract.
You see, the contract he signed before last season states that if Frank accumulates 1,050 plate appearances (or 525 this season) he is ensured to become a Blue Jay next season.
This proves two things:
1) J.P. Ricciardi never thought that Frank Thomas could stay healthy (if indeed they are benching him so that he doesn't reach either milestone) for this long over the course of two seasons, and
2) Who would want a 41 year-old DH in 2009? That's the question I asked when he signed this deal.
Side note (and not a comical one this time): Just so you know, Frank currently has 591 Blue Jay at-bats in his year-and-a-month here. He's already had 60 this season, which puts him on pace for 600. I love Toronto.
So now what does Ricciardi do?
He has a disgruntled home run hitter on his bench who could cause a scene at any moment. We already heard his grumblings after today's 3-2 win over the Tigers.
Is there anyone in the league who's going to want to trade for Frank, knowing that if he stays healthy and gets at-bats (whether or not he gets hits) he'll be playing for them next year?
Aside from the notable career and the fact that he's head and shoulders better, I'd almost compare this to the Shea Hillenbrand situation a few years ago—meaning I don't think this can turn out well.
But for the sake of my sanity, we'll keep going. Next up is the fact that our manager makes Grady Little look like Sparky Anderson.
Seriously, for the Red Sox fans out there—if you thought Grady leaving Pedro in too long was nuts, we've got a guy that would probably remove Nolan Ryan three outs away from a no-hitter.
Pinch-hit for David Ortiz in the bottom of the 11th? You bet, it's John Gibbons!
Maybe it's the fact that he decided to throw Marco Scutaro into the outfield, after he's been our starting third baseman the entire season.
I know he was brought on because he's a quality utility guy who can play all over the field, but when you've been entrenched at third base for the entire season, to go and switch him for just one game is ludicrous. Did anyone think he looked comfortable out there at all?
Then we get the ingenious decision of throwing our closer out in the top of the ninth with a tie ball game back on Thursday.
Now, if it were any other time, I'd be fine with it, but the game was tied. B.J. Ryan was throwing with less-than-stellar stuff with an elbow that's not at full strength yet.
The other thing I don't get, is how the San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies were able to get through 22 innings without taxing their starting rotation, but (aside from Litsch) the only other pitcher that we threw on the mound that game that can go more than one inning is Jesse Carlson?
But after all, Gibby is J.P.'s guy, and no matter how many fights he picks with the players, he's staying.
But wait, we couldn't have possibly stumbled onto the root of the problem, could we? Toronto couldn't have a lame-duck coach AND a lame-duck GM, right? Especially after we just got rid of JFJ?
A few weeks ago, Sean MC and I were discussing the Red Sox and their lackluster showing to start the season. He kept repeating the words "It's only April...it's only April."
I'm starting to wish it were November again.
comments (11) write a comment »
write a new comment
2 months ago
It's only April...It's only April...
Think about this: If the Jays didn't get to play the Red Sox, and vice-versa, the Jays would be in the basement and the Red Sox would only have four losses.
The Blue Jays need to pretend every team is the Red Sox. They KILL the Red Sox.
2 months ago
Go Blue Jays and just beat the Tigers in the next two games.
2 months ago
A few things, Bryan:
First, of all, this is the first article of yours that I've read, and I have to say, I really like your writing style.
Second, I don't know why Jays fans were so optimistic. You have three other great teams in your division in Boston, NYY, and Tampa, and didn't make a ton of improvements over the offseason.
Ricciardi, of all the "stathead" GMs, has proven to be the worst. I guarantee you, call up Chip Cannon from AAA and he can be Frank Thomas right now. They're the same player, only Cannon is younger and less temperamental while costing 2% of Thomas. You won't see him bitching about his contract.
All Ricciardi has done is sign Eckstein, who doesn't improve on the current SS in anything but salary wasted, and just filled his lineup with a bunch of average players while hoping Halladay and Burnett put them over the top. It won't happen. Eckstein at short? Inglett at third? Scutaro anywhere but 2B or SS? Playing guys like Inglett at all, let alone at demanding offensive positions, is a big handicap to a team, and it's not like the Jays have a real slugger to balance the deficiencies out.
What can you blame Gibbons for? Sure, he's not a good personality guy, but the Jays haven't really underachieved. The bottom line is that the players on the field are flawed, and that falls squarely on Ricciardi.
Keep up your good work.
from 2 months ago
Whoa there, friend. Did you just call Tampa a great team?
Jumping the gun a little, I think. Not sure anyone outside the Red Sox in the AL East is great, and I'm still not fully convinced the Red Sox are great.
But Tampa is not great. Better, yes. Great? Not really.
from 2 months ago
The Rays a "great" team?? They're supposed to be decent a couple years from now, but no way are they going to be factors this year.
I normally root for underdogs but hope to see the Rays lose as many games as possible... I hate all teams that don't sign Barry Bonds.
Hooray LaRussa for at least trying to get Cardinals management to consider the home run king.
from 2 months ago
Well, PECOTA projects the Rays for 89 wins this year, so I'm not alone.
Do you realize how much young talent that organization is accumulating? It's incredible. Will it gel this year? Debatable. But I see the Rays' quickly coming together as a more likely scenario than a Jays team of mediocrity surprising people.
If the Rays were in the NL Central, they'd take it.
Sean, if the Red Sox aren't great, then who in baseball is?
And KP, I think that while Bonds -> Tampa makes some degree of sense, I think ultimately they made the right move to not bring him in. I don't know what Seattle is waiting for, however.
The Rays discussed Bonds as much as the Cards did--give them credit for that.
from 2 months ago
Thanks for the feedback, Nathaniel.
I'm going a bit off topic here, but...
I stand by what I said before the start of the season [in terms of laughing at the AL contender(s) that fail(s) to make the post-season]:
Boston, New York, Cleveland, and Detroit are expected to challenge for the three non-AL West post-season spots (AL East, Central, and Wild Card), while the Angels are the favorites to win the West.
So, basically, five teams battling for four spots.
If one or more of the Yanks, Indians, and Tigers don't make it, OR if the Angels somehow fall to the Mariners in the West, I'm going to be laughing at them.
I don't see how a contender can just let Barry Bonds sit on the sidelines - you put him in a good lineup, he'll a) get on base and b) hit.
(Though the Angels have an excuse cuz they signed Torii Hunter...)
So, there is some incentive for me to see the BJs kick the Tigers, though Toronto lost on Monday.
But, every time the Tigers lose, it puts a smile on my face for sure, not going to lie.
Heck, go Rays! I'd be happy if they finish ahead of the Yankees!
And I mis-read that earlier, but Nathaniel is right: Sean, what are you thinking about when you say the Red Sox aren't great?
from 2 months ago
You have to consider who Bonds would be replacing though. If he's going to DH, how much of an improvement is he on the current DH? Is the current DH worth bumping from the lineup? For example, why does DET needs Bonds when they have Sheffield? Why does LA need him when they have six good OFs rotating through there? Seattle makes the most sense because Bonds is an obvious improvement on Vidro, who could go back to second and displace underachieving Jose Lopez.
I've never been one to care about Bonds' "clubhouse presence" but I do think the Rays are a special case given their young players. Do you really want your young players exposed to the negativity, the asterisks, the syringes, etc upon their first go in MLB? I'd say no, whether it would increase both winning and attendance or not. I think in that case it might sort of help this year, but hurt thereafter, and Tampa, while they may well win this year like I said before, is much more concerned with 09, 10, 11 and 12 than 08.
2 months ago
Nice article and I can see the effort you put in it.
That being said I do feel you are being a tad bit harsh on the Jays in a number of areas, there are a lot of games left and I think this ball club barring injuries to key players is well places to make the playoffs and perhaps further.
If the Jays needed to dump Thomas for his slow start then everyone will sympathize with that since this is the time the Jays need to sprint, they are only a couple of games back and are doing well [relatively].
Everyone everywhere will have issues with the manager, but at the end of the day its the batter that steps up to the plate and its the pitcher who has to make the outs.
from 2 months ago
See I'm more targeting how dysfunctional the Jays are. As Sean and I have said, it is only April and if this team were to get it's head in the right spot, then definitely they can challenge.
That being said, they seem to lack a "fire" in them. As I told KP, they just seem to be coasting right now, which bothers me.
As far as Gibby goes, the offensive comparison to the Rays was just to prove that the offensive woes are throughout Toronto's lineup—not just with Frank Thomas. However, Thomas is merely a DH and he offers nothing to the team in terms of other tangible qualities. When you look at the fact that some of these guys are slumping, but they can at least play defense, that makes the benching of Thomas a little more realistic. The point I was trying to make with Gibby is that he's not the brightest baseball mind in the box. I've never been on his bandwagon because he just seems to make his decisions out of left field...literally.
Having a smart manager is where a winning team starts, whether he makes outs or not. If Gibby gets a world series ring I'll be as horrified as I was when Eric Hinske got one (although he's kind of turning it around in Tampa Bay).
from 2 months ago
I don't understand the rationale behind the release of Thomas - unless it's mainly due to the fact he was becoming a Hillenbrand situation waiting to happen as Bryan alluded to.
As I wrote yesterday in my piece, there are guys on other "contenders" too that aren't deserving of being in the everyday lineup (ie. Sheffield and his .192 average, and Giambi with his silly .116).
Then again, after the comments from the "Big Hurt" on Saturday, the move doesn't come as a surprise.
write a new comment