All that bad?

For almost all of 2010, sports reporters have been using Toronto as an example of a city where the market share and size are there, but the winning simply is not. I believe that this situation really is becoming falsified! On the heels of seasons where the city’s NBA and NHL teams falling a game short and an extremely long-shot away, respectively, from postseason play - I think that this summer could be the start of a good fall in the province’s capital.

The Jays, the team I have loved for years, is full of amazing and up-and-coming young talent to fill the voids of the Roy Holladay’s and Joe Carters that brought so much excitement and winning of championships. The team is legitimately in the mix for the AL Wildcard spot at the end of the season and is holding ground in the most serious division in sports today: the AL East (Yankees, Sox, Rays). The team is on track for 85 wins and a winning record in the toughest division in their league, and has shown much progress in the now-obvious rebuilding phase from the second Doc left the office.

Raptors, eerily the Blue Jays down the road, have lost their perennial stars Bosh and Turkoglu, who are now hated beyond the likes of Vince Carter around the area - but have a young core ready to run for the postseason.  Although ESPN projects they fall extremely far from a seeding position in April, there is much anticipation that this team should provide the most exciting style of play seen in recent years. Should the team, based on pride and sheer athletic power (Johnson, DeRozan, Weems) hold the 2nd spot in the Atlantic without the stars of last year, it would make for an interesting tweet to @chrisbosh.

The Maple Leafs seem to have the team put together to make a serious run this year with the likes of Phaneuf as captain, Burke making huge moves (catching Versteeg, Armstrong) and Kaberle set to return. This team could be the wildcard of the East and surprise in the Playoffs for the first time in too-many years as the league’s most valuable team.

In other notes, the Argos? and TFC could be in the playoffs this year, so with so many Toronto teams with the right signs, why all the pessimism?

The Blue Jays Trade Dealine

This point in time, a few weeks ago, was projected to be the end of Roy Halladay’s tenure as a much-loved Toronto Blue Jays ace…not so much Scott Rolen. The Jays elected to keep Halladay (most likely by Rogers’ executive orders) and trade veteran gold-glover 3B Scott Rolen.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS acquire:

3B EDWIN ENCARNACION, RHP ZACHARY STEWARTand RHP JOSH ROENICKE

CINCINNATI REDS trade for:

3B SCOTT ROLEN.

The Jays recieve a 3rd baseman who is hitting well since the All-Star break, since being out for a period of time with an injury, and two solid pitchers, with Roenicke making his debut yesterday by pitching a shut-out, two strikeout inning. The Jays part way with Rolen, a gold-glover who is having a great season defensively and on offense is in the top tier for the team, posting: .320 with 29 doubles, eight home runs and 43 RBI in 88 games. On the other hand, the Jays KEEP their ace in Halladay, and will make his next schedule start tomorrow against the Yankees.  Jays fans are thankful, as their teams plans to be competitive come 2010 when their pitching staff is fully able to perform: with Halladay hopefully still at the helm and the team hitting to their potential.

A 2010 rotation that may look something like: Halladay - Marcum - McGowan - Litcsh - Romero.

Thoughts after the MLB All Star 09 Break

All-Star game was a great game, with the AL winning 4-3. We saw some Blue Jays in action for the first time since 2004 when Vernon Wells came into a game to pinch run - and continue the game on defence.

A start by Halladay, who allowed every NL run posted.

And Hill went 0-3, in his All-Star game debut.

Now as for the season thus far, after the Jays have played 90 games going 44-46, two things are clear: they were hot, now their not and the whole Riccardi statement-Halladay-Jays thing is really just depressing.

my predicted Breakout stars (forecasted April 6th, 2009) are as follows: Snider, Romero, Lind, Hill

As i predicted, Hill is clearly the breakout star, so much that he was named AL Starting 2B, of this season for the Jays. He is without a doubt the club MVP, will he stay? Hope so. Has hit 20 homeruns already this season, breaking a club record and has been the driving force of the Jays’ offence since the initial series.

Romero, could shape up to be a MLB rookie of the year season, and I can see him becoming an established 3-4 starter for this Jays team in 2010. In 12 starts, is going 7-3 with a 2.96 ERA.

And as for Lind, not over acheiving and did miss out on the MLB Final Vote, but in tendem with Hill - is still a strong offensive contibutor. Synder, still developing his consistency in AAA - might not earn a Rookie award of any sort this year in MLB.

Injury Report

This list has probably taken a toll on the Jays of about 10-20 losses. With the full list being:

PlayerStatusPossible ReturnInjuryNotesMichael Barret (C)15 Day DLEarly JulyRight Shoulder TearCould Return This MonthScott Richmond (P)15-Day DLIndefiniteRight shoulder tendinitisFirst DL trip of his careerCasey Janssen (P)15 Day DLIndefiniteRight Shoulder InflammationCould return to bullpen or starting rotationJesse Litsch (P)Out for Season2010Torn Right Elbow LigamentHopes to throw in 2010 Spring Training.Shawn Marcum (P)60 Day DL2010Torn Elbow LigamentThrew 2 inning simulated game June 24Dustin McGowan (P)15 Day DLLikley out for seasonFrayed LaybrumHasn’t progressed beyond catch sessionsRobert Ray (P)15 Day DLIndefiniteRight ShoulderAble to throw, but not from mound

Pitching:

HALLADAY: I’ll say one thing to J.P., Build this team around Roy! He loves the city, but just wants to win, seems as though anywhere the owners will let him work - the public statement J.P., all it did was encourage teams to bring attention to Halladay, causing him to have to release a statement to the media - which was blown out of proportion, at hopefully the lowest point of this team’s season. So J.P. use your head, we do not need another dump off! The start of the season proved he could build a solid team, now lets see a professional GM work with it.

The Latest on Halladay

Stats : 10-3, 2.85 ERA, 3 Complete-Games, 106 K

The season continues Tomorrow night, as the Blue Jays commence a much needed 9-game homestand: Boston - Cleveland - Tampa Bay. Rookie Romero is set to start vs. Boston.

Jays at Yankees

Tonight. Jays open a 10-game AL East road swing (New York/Tampa Bay/Baltimore), and play their first games in the new Yankee Stadium.

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