Upcoming Blue Jays / Mariners Series Could Seal Jays' Fate

     With a pivotal series loss to the Baltimore Orioles earlier this month, the Toronto Blue Jays have dug a substantial hole for themselves in terms of playoff contention. Losing three of four games against the underwhelming Houston Astros didn't help the Jays' cause, but dropping two of three to their division rival in the Baltimore Orioles dropped Toronto well out of contention for 1st in the AL East, at least for the time being. However, some late rallies over the Detroit Tigers have put them back in a position to regain a wild card spot by the middle of the week if they can take the majority of a three-game set against another team fighting for that second wild card spot, the Seattle Mariners.

     Both the M's and the Jays are 1.5 games back of the Kansas City Royals for the 2nd wild card spot, but the Mariners have 2 games in hand over Toronto, making their series this week that much more

important for the Blue Jays. A 19-inning marathon prior to the series opener doesn't give Toronto the best jump out of the gates, but the Jays' starting pitching staff has been outstanding as of late, something the boys in blue and white haven't had the luxury of having for the majority of the 2014 campaign. After Toronto failed to capitalize on a quality outing from J.A. Happ earlier in the week, it took some late-game rallies in order for the Jays to reward their starters with a win. The Blue Jays can't depend on strong pitching night in and night out, so the bats are going to have to get going if the Jays want to contend for a playoff spot down the stretch.

     The Jays aren't going to have an easy task on their hand, as the Seattle Mariners are coming into this series red hot. The M's have won five of their last six games, and the addition of leadoff man Austin Jackson has really boosted Seattle's offence all-around. Not to mention, the Jays have to face the 1-2-3 starters in Felix Hernandez, Chris Young and Hisashi Iwakuma. Let's face it, Felix Hernandez vs. Drew Hutchison is a little lopsided, but if the Jays bats can solve "The King" in the series opener, it will only boost their morale heading into the latter two games of the series. Nonetheless, the Mariners will be fielding their A-game, as this series means as much to them as it does for Toronto.

     If the Jays can manage to take at least two of the three games against the Mariners, that would put Toronto at a record of 65-57, meaning although the KC Royals have three games in hand on the Jays, it

means Kansas City needs to win two of the four game set against arguably the AL's best in the Oakland Athletics. Not to mention, the Jays are neck-and-neck with the Mariners for the 2nd spot in the wild card, meaning a win against Seattle is a game ahead of the competitors fighting to dethrone the Royals. Don't forget, the New York Yankees, are also breathing down the neck of Toronto, so this series not only seperates the Jays from the M's, but it also sets them apart from the Yanks. Not to mention, Toronto also has two more three-game sets against the Baltimore Orioles down the stretch, which could turn the tables on the AL East standings.

     Although the odds are piled up against the Toronto Blue Jays, this series against a wild card rival in the Seattle Mariners could just open the window for Toronto to make a push for the 2nd wild card spot. Even though there's still over 40 games remaining in the season, there's only so many banana peels you can slip on down the stretch. With the roster their fielding and the star power Toronto is missing, the room for error is becoming more and more narrow as the days pass. Any way you look at it, if you're either a Blue Jays fan or a Mariners fan, this three-game set in Seattle is a pivotal series for both ball clubs, and the victor of the series has a leg up on the opposing squad heading into the final stretch of the season.

Blue Jays Returning Players to Make Bigger Impact Than Trade

     It's not hard to be dissapointed that the Toronto Blue Jays failed to make any moves at the MLB trade deadline, but you have to look at the bigger picture to see why Alex Anthopoulous held back on making a splash (or even a ripple) at the deadline. With many key players out of the line-up and set to return in the near future, the return of the Jays' star players will make much a bigger impact than any trade could make.

     Sure, the Blue Jays missed out on a quality stater in both Jon Lester and David Price, but at what cost? The Oakland Athletics gave up back-to-back home run derby champion Yoenis Cespedes to acquire Lester, and Lester's contract expires at the end of the season, meaning the A's could be trading away Cespedes for a pitcher they could only have for the next two months. For the Blue Jays, landing either Price or Lester would've meant trading away the shallow prospect pool they have and then some, ruining the chance at a future pennant-winning team. So why take a chance on a pitcher who could leave your organization in the next handful of months for your entire future? It simply doesn't make sense for the Blue Jays at their state and it's a good thing Anthopoulous didn't budge at the deadline.

     When you look at the Blue Jays starting infield right now, it seems like a AAA team is being fielded by manager John Gibbons. Aside from Jose Reyes, you have Ryan Goins, Munenori Kawasaki, Danny Valencia, Juan Francisco and Steve Tolleson taking turns at various positions on the infield. Without Edwin Encarnacion and Brett Lawrie on the corners and Adam Lind at first, the team loses a lot of defensive liability, and it shouldn't even have to be mentioned how much it hurts their offensive game as well.

     And while the Blue Jays are just 2.5 games back of the Baltimore Orioles for the lead in the AL East, there's still 41 games left to play, which is ample time for Encarnacion and Lawrie to contribute and contend for a division title. Not to mention, the Blue Jays still have a 3-game lead with the second wildcard spot in the American League, which would face them off against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in a one game showdown to see who takes on the best of the AL in the ALDS.

     It's too bad the Blue Jays couldn't rack in an all-star pitcher or a go-to second baseman at the MLB Trade Deadline, but it's not the end of the world by any means. When the Blue Jays are healthy, they have one of the most potent line-ups in the American League. As long as the current roster stays healthy for the majority of the remaining season and Encarnacion and Lawrie return on time, the Blue Jays still have an excellent chance at contending for a division title.

   

A Streak to Remember

      Behind the insane offence from Edwin Encarnacion and some stellar defence, the Toronto Blue Jays are having a month to remember. The Blue Jays are the winners of nine straight and fifteen of their last twenty games, taking over 1st in the AL East and becoming arguably the hottest team in the Majors. The month of May has been one that Blue Jays fans have been craving for a long time, and if the Jays can keep getting the same production and defence as they're getting now, we could finally see some October baseball north of the border once again.

     The Blue Jays have been gifted with an explosive core of offence for the last four seasons, lead by their two main power hitters, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion. While Joey Bats has had an average start to his 2014 campaign, Encarnacion had a relatively slow start to the season before May

Encarnacion has been locked in this month.

came around. However, Edwin turned on beast mode once the calendar flipped to May. Encarnacion has hit a team record 14 home runs in the month of may thus far, and there's still a couple of games left before the month is over to try and tack on a few more bombs. The offence has surged while Edwin has lead the way, with breakout months from Anthony Gose, Brett Lawrie, Juan Francisco and Jose Reyes. It's been a collective effort for the Blue Jays' offence, but Encarnacion has been the spark that has ignited the team.

     Adding onto the ridiculous offence, the Jays' defence has also played a contributing role to the streak the Blue Jays are enjoying. With a collection of outstanding plays from Anthony Gose, Brett Lawrie and Melky Cabrera in just the last game, the Jays' position players have bailed out the pitching staff multiple times during this run. It shouldn't be ignored that even some of the below-average defensive players in Adam Lind, Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista have also chipped in with some uncharacteristic plays to keep the opponents off the scoreboard.

     Whether it has been Edwin blasting the ball into deep left field or Anthony Gose climbing the wall to make a spectacular catch, the Toronto Blue Jays are on a roll. Behind some solid pitching from Mark Buehrle and R.A. Dickey being sufficient enough to get the job done, the Blue Jays have been able to topple some of the MLB's finest, including the sweep of the Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays. There's still a long season ahead, but the Blue Jays are giving fans some promise, something this organization hasn't seen in a long time.

The Bulldog Comes Up Big

     After a close 4-2 victory last night, the Toronto Blue Jays got another quality performance from their starting pitcher in a characteristic 3-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, putting the team over.500 for the first time since Carlos Delgado's departure (kidding). Mark Buehrle froze the Tampa Bay Rays' batters numerous times, striking out 9 of his 11 victims while the bat lay on their shoulders. Jose Bautista hit his first bomb of the season, and the Blue Jays played a rock solid defensive game behind a stellar pitching performance. Unlike the season opener, this was a game that the Blue Jays want to remember.

     The MVP for the Blue Jays was without a doubt their starting pitcher, Mark Buehrle. Buehrle went 8 and 2/3 innings, striking out 11 batters while only allowing 4 hits and 1 walk. Buehrle was a

Mark Buehrle had a performance to remember.

machine, as he used his veteran pitching knowledge to his advantage, striking out 9 of his 11 victims looking. Buehrle didn't overwhelm any batters with his mid-80 speed, but his pitch selection and placement was perfect. It should also be noted that Buehrle and newly acquired catcher Dioner Navarro created some great chemistry throughout the game, as the two were both on the same page the whole way through. For Buehrle, who is usually a slow starter with a 6.35 ERA in April last season and a 4.35 ERA career in April, it was a breath of fresh air for Mark Buehrle to get the season off on the right foot.

     The Jays' defence was also critical in the victory, as the team behind Buehrle made some stellar defensive plays and never commited an error in the victory. In particular, Jonathan Diaz was lights out at short stop, making some nice stabs at hot ground balls to make the hard plays look easy. Colby Rasmus also played very well in the game, tracking down some difficult balls that originally looked like trouble. It should also be noted that the Blue Jays are having all of this success without the services of all-star short stop Jose Reyes, who is on the 15-day DL with hamstring tightness. If the Jays could have a defensive game like that night in and night out, maybe the Blue Jays can become contenders again.

     The Blue Jays' offence wasn't dynamite, but they cashed in when they were given the opportunity much more often than they have in the games prior. Jose Bautista led things off in the 4th inning with a

Joey Bats had 2 solo bombs in the 3-0 victory.

bomb to left field off a hanging curve ball from Matt Moore, giving the Jays the 1-0 lead. After a clutch double from Edwin Encarnacion, Dioner Navarro would deliver, cashing in Edwin from 2nd to give the Jays a 2-0 lead. Joey Bats would cap off the night with his second dinger of the night, taking Josh Leuke deep to left in the 7th to give the Jays a commanding 3-0 lead. From there on, Buehrle took over and secured the victory for the Jays. If there is any concern on the offensive side thus far, it's Brett Lawrie. Lawrie is now 0/10 on the season and is still awaiting his first hit in the young season. It seems like Lawrie has changed his swing, slowing down his movement and planting his feet a bit more in his stance, which has caused some speed bumps for the 24 year old. Lawrie just needs to settle down and get back to his game, but his defensive play has been top notch thus far, so it's not like it's a pressing matter at the moment.

     The Blue Jays close out the series tomorrow, with Brandon Morrow taking the mound to take on Chris Archer in the series finale. After a horrendus start to the series, the Blue Jays have outscored the Rays 7-2 in the past two games and have tamed the Rays' offence. Mark Buehrle might have been the star, but the Toronto Blue Jays should be feeling confident with their progress since the disastrous season opener. The Blue Jays will exit the opening series with a .500 record at the least, and that has to be assuring for a team that has had troubles against the Rays in the past. Last season, starting pitching was the biggest question mark on the team, but with the stellar performances from both Hutchison and Buehrle, Jays fans are finally being assured of some solid starting pitching. R.A. Dickey on the other hand, still has some explaining to do. Regardless, the Blue Jays happily take the 3-0 victory on the back of a red hot Mark Buehrle, and hope to keep the momentum rolling heading into the series finale tomorrow night.

Same Old, Same Old in Toronto

     After a horrendus season that had the Blue Jays as World Series contenders, the Toronto Blue Jays looked to put a dark season behind them and start fresh for the 2014 season in their season opener in

Tampa Bay. However, nothing has changed in Toronto. Alex Anthopoulous (don't check my spelling on that one) made little to no moves in the offseason, and it showed on Monday afternoon. R.A. Dickey had a rough outing, allowing six walks and six earned runs in just five innings of work in an eventual loss. Dickey couldn't throw strikes consistently, and when he did, he got knocked around by the eager Rays. Not to mention, Jose Reyes left after just half an inning with a left hamstring injury, one that he aggravated in spring training. It's the start all Jays fans feared, and it's coming in the worse way.

     R.A. Dickey is quite the odd character. To be thirty-nine years old and be the only knuckleballer in the MLB and the #1 pitcher of the Toronto Blue Jays. Dickey was coming off a Cy Young season

R.A. Dickey had a rough outing to start the 2014 season.

when he was traded to the Blue Jays, in return for top prospect Travis D'Arnaud and much more of the Jays bright future. Although he had a better second half of 2013, Dickey's season was still nowhere up to snub. Dickey was announced the opening day starter for the second straight season, and for the second straight season, the Jays lost. Dickey got shelled in his five innings of work, with the bullpen warming up as early as the third inning to relieve the #1 pitcher. Dickey struggled to find the strike zone all game, as he walked six, yes, six batters in just five innings of work. When Dickey did find the zone, he got knocked around for five hits and six earned runs before being chased out of the mound. It was a rocky start to the season for the knuckleballer, to say the least.

     Although Dickey had a bad outing, his offence didn't back him up. The Blue Jays had two runners on base with none out twice in the first three innings, and failed to generate any runs both times. The Blue Jays were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, something that will need to be fixed if the Blue Jays want to have a successful season. Pinch hitter Erick Kratz was the only Blue Jay to get on the board, as he knocked a 2-run homer off of David Price in the eighth inning, ending Price's shutout. It's alarming when Maicer Izturis, Josh Thole and Erick Kratz are your most productive hitters at the plate over guys like Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Brett Lawrie. Despite Dickey's failure on the mound, the Jays should also be held accountable at the plate.

     Although there are still 161 games remaining in the 2014 season, the Toronto Blue Jays did not get off on the right foot against the Rays in their season opener. The pitching was bad, the hitting was bad, the team was bad. All Jays fans are hoping for a bounceback game from the boys in blue and white, as Drew Hutchison takes the mound to face-off against Alex Cobb. Opening day may not be a foreshadowing for the rest of the season, but it was an opportunity missed to get the 2014 season headed in the right direction.