Toronto Blue Jays: 4 Players with the Most to Prove Between Now and October

It has been another long year for Toronto Blue Jays fans. The team has showed flashes of being a playoff contender, but it seems that as soon as you get your hopes up, they lose a few games in a row.

We are now almost half way through August and the Jays are in the AL East basement with a record of 54-60. There are still 48 games left to play, but at this point, many fans have lost interest.

That said, these final two months are very important for a team like Toronto. They have a lot of young players who could use playing time and a few veterans who are in need of a strong finish.

Here are the four players that have the most to prove over the next 48 games.  

Kelly Johnson

In 2010, Kelly Johnson played in 154 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks, hitting .284 with 26 home runs. Since then, however, he hasn’t had the best of luck.

Johnson spent time with both the Diamondbacks and Blue Jays in 2011, and while he did hit 21 bombs, his average dropped over 60 points from the previous year.

Heading into 2012, the 30-year-old was one of the keys to the Jays' success. I think it is safe to say that he has not delivered. A .234 average and 13 home runs is not what Toronto expected when they traded for him last year.

According to Spotrac, Johnson is making over $6 million this season and is set to become a free agent. His performance over the last two seasons certainly doesn’t warrant his salary and if he wants to make a similar amount going forward, then his play needs to improve down the stretch.

Ricky Romero

Unlike Kelly Johnson, Toronto ace Ricky Romero does not have to step it up for the money. Instead, Romero has to prove to himself, the Jays organization and even the fans that he is still capable of being a top-three starter.

In 24 starts this season, the 27-year-old has struggled mightily. His 5.32 ERA and .471 win-loss percentage are a career worst, while his 1.517 WHIP is nothing to get excited about, either.

Over his past two starts, Romero has pitched a total of 14 innings, allowing only three earned runs. It is outings like these that we are used to seeing from him.

If Romero can keep it up and put together a few more outings like this, it will be a huge confidence booster heading into 2013.

Yan Gomes

Just a few months ago, 25-year-old Yan Gomes became the first ever Brazilian-born player to make it to the big leagues.

He has been called up twice this season to fill in for a suspended Brett Lawrie and a struggling Adam Lind. While this is not the way the Jays would have liked to debut him, it has been nice to see Gomes getting some experience this year.

Despite playing in just 30 games so far this season, Gomes has shown great versatility. He is currently backing up Jeff Mathis at catcher, but he has also played first, third and the outfield for Toronto this season.

As players return from injury, it is likely that Yan Gomes will return to Triple-A Las Vegas. However, his versatility is what you need off of the bench. If he can get his bat going over the next few weeks, then it will leave a good impression in the minds of the coaches. This could buy him a roster spot in 2013.

Carlos Villanueva

One man who has been an absolute stud for the Toronto Blue Jays this season is pitcher Carlos Villanueva. He started the year off in the bullpen, but made his way into the rotation after a handful of injuries.

The 28-year-old has made 29 appearances this year, posting a very respectable 6-2 record. Four of his seven starts came in the month of July. He won all four of those starts, posting an ERA under two in 23.1 innings of work.

Villanueva is in his contract year and will be looking for a new deal this offseason. If he can post a few more quality starts, then he could be in for a nice payday.

We have seen what he can do, and he knows what he is capable of. Now he just has to use the next couple of months to his advantage and earn a new contract.