Toronto Blue Jays - 5 Questions

[The Nac]

I like how Jack was doing this for a bunch of different teams, so I decided to ask the 5 questions I think will surround this squad for this year, and the next few to come.

1. Who takes over as the leader of the rotation?
Everyone seemed ready to just hand the reins to Ricky Romero when Doc left, but it's almost like we forgot about Marcum & McGowan. McGowan is on a conservative comeback trail to the Majors, and is expected to start in the minors. Marcum, also coming back from injury that cost him his 2009, has been named the Opening Day starter. Kyle Drabek comes in as the most anticipated pitching talent we've had since Halladay (in my opinion, anyways) as he was the key cog in Toronto agreeing to let Roy go. Romero is coming off a promising start to his career, posting 13 wins in his rookie campaign. The only issue was his 6-6 record after the All-Star break, posting a 5.54 ERA. That's certainly a fade from his 7-3 record before the break, with a 3.00 ERA. With these 4 making up what should be a solid young pitching staff, the future is very bright indeed for Toronto fans.

2. What impact will AA have?
Jays fans cried for years for J.P. Ricciardi's head, and they finally received after another dismal season in 2009. So what does the new guy do when he takes over? Trades the best pitcher to ever wear a Jays uniform, and arguably the best in baseball right now. The thing that makes Anthopoulos so successful already is the fact that he had a gameplan when he came in, and thus far has stuck to it. It would appear that the issue surrounding the Jays for several years now may finally be resolved. The question remains: with the limited payroll he is given and the legacy of his predecessor (which is not a good one by any means), can AA turn this franchise around?

3. Where's the power?
Jays fans will go on and on about how great last season's offense was thanks in large part to Adam Lind (.305-35-114) & Aaron Hill (.286-36-108) pumping out some very nice and unexpected numbers. But aside from these breakout seasons, where does the HR power come from in this lineup? For years now, the Jays have been lacking that true "slugger", the one guy in the lineup that if a pitcher saw in the 9th with enough runners on to turn the game around, he clutched the ball just a little tighter. Randy Ruiz? He turns 33 this year. J.P. Arencibia? With 3 HR this spring, he may have power potential. But how long will the Jays keep this kid in the minors and tell us he's the "catcher of tomorrow". Vernon Wells? Ever since his contract signing, this guy's play has been suspect. Him & Rios both saw their numbers drop siginificantly, and Alex landed in Chicago via the waivers because of it. Contract or not, Vernon cannot feel confident that his stay in Toronto is going to be much longer. Lyle Overbay? While Lyle has never been a deep threat more than 22 times in a season (his 1st with the Jays in 2006), he's made a career out of being a gap hitter. Travis Snider? The kid needs to find the ball at the plate first. Brett Wallace? He needs Overbay to be traded first.
At the end of the day, the Jays are still lacking that one true "slugger", and this may be the case for awhile, unless someone steps up.

4. Will this still be Canada's team in 5 years?
Say what you want about the Toronto Blue Jays, whether it's good or bad, but you'll never hear them complain that they play in the A.L. East. Why? That's how they make their money. The fans in Toronto care about the Maple Leafs. The last time the Jays had a successful season based on their fan-base was 1992 & 1993, when they won back-to-back World Series titles. Ever since then, the support has been horrible. The only team this club can put asses in the seats is when they play the Red Sox and the Yankees, and most of the fans there are not wearing powder blue. It's a shame, really, because on the whole, the Blue Jays franchise has enjoyed a lot of success over the last 30+ years. 2 Championships, several trips to the playoffs, countless memorable moments from countless great players. But if the lack of support continues, I wonder how long it'll be before Godfrey begins to shop the team around. Which is a shame really. Toronto fans are so retarded about the Leafs, which haven't won ANYTHING since the 60's. The Raptors have made it as far as the Conference Semis (when they lost to the 76er's...Carter vs Iverson...great series). The Argos...blah...CFL. The Jays making some noise in the next few years could really boost the morale of a city that otherwise has nothing to cheer about. Really.

5. Where will the Jays finish this season?
I'm really only ending it this way because that's how Jack did each time, but let's not kid ourselves: the Jays are battling for 4th place. Finishing ahead of Boston, New York or Tampa Bay seems very unlikely this year. Baltimore, however, is very beatable. Player for player, the Orioles actually matchup quite well vs any of the teams in the East, except when it comes to pitching. Their staff isn't that great, and ultimately will be their downfall once again. The Jays just need to battle this year and prove they can survive without Doc.
The Jays are listed at +6000 to win the East and +10000 to win the World Series. Umm, that's because they won't. Save your money. Jays should be happy striving for 73 wins this year. As optimistic as I know I always am about this team to everyone I talk to, I also know we're in a rebuilding mode. It's gonna be a LONG 2010.

[The Nac]

And can a mod move this to the right section plz? I just noticed where I made this lol

[The Nac]

lol ty