Why Josh Donaldson Will Be The 2015 American League MVP

Just a few days ago, Blue Jays Central's Gregg Zaun made quite the surprising statement, saying that Josh Donaldson had zero chance of winning the 2015 AL MVP, picking Mike Trout to win the honour with six weeks left in the regular season. Now this isn't a major issue by any means in regards to the Blue Jays as a team, but it shocks me that Zaun didn't even consider the Blue Jays all-star third baseman as a candidate for the Most Valuable Player award. While there's still six weeks left in the Blue Jays' season, not only do I think Donaldson is in the running for the AL MVP, I think he will win the MVP award.

To this point, Josh Donaldson is batting .296 with 33 home runs and an MLB-leading 91 RBI's. Into the more advanced statistics, Donaldson has a .365 on-base percentage and a .940 OPS percentage, ranking 7th in the majors in that stat category. It's without question that Donaldson has been the backbone of the Blue Jays' season to this date, as on both sides of the ball he has been front and center since coming to Toronto in the offseason. Mike Trout is no stranger to being front and center in his young career. Trout is the face of baseball, I get that, but the MVP award isn't a popularity contest. In almost every aspect, Donaldson has had a better season than Mike Trout, with both men leading the way for their respective ball clubs. In comparison, Trout is batting .294 with 33 home runs and 71 RBI's. In the advanced statistics, Trout has a slight advantage over Donaldson with a .391 on-base percentage and a .977 OPS percentage. Trout's speed also gives him a small advantage on the basepaths, as he has stolen 10 bases this season over Donaldson's 4, but that won't be the difference in an MVP race like this one. Donaldson also leads the majors with 63 extra base hits, while Trout sits tied for 5th with 57. It's no doubt a tight race between the two all-stars, but in my opinion, the advantage at the plate goes to Josh Donaldson.

I don't think there's any question in the defensive abilities of Mike Trout in center field. While his raw talent puts him first in putouts from center, and also with the help of advanced statistics, it's clear cut that Trout is the best defensive outfielder in the majors. Josh Donaldson doesn't have the consistency defensively like Trout does, but he's still exceled over at third base for the Jays this season. He's made a handful of unreal grabs and plays from the hot corner, as he also holds onto the most putouts by a third basemen in the majors. While it's clear cut that Trout is the better defensive player of the two, Donaldson has still had a terrific season at third base for the Jays this season.

The deciding factor between the two comes down to the turnaround by the Jays this season, and how much Donaldson has contributed to this team. Trout and the Angels have been postseason contenders for a few years now, with Trout leading the way each and every season. Donaldson came into a brand-new clubhouse this season and from April onwards he lead the way, something that hasn't been highlighted enough in the midst of the Blue Jays' success. If the Blue Jays make the postseason, it'll be the first time the Jays enter the playoffs since they won the World Series back in 1993, that's a 22 year drought, the longest in the majors. It's something statistics can't judge, Josh Donaldson has led the way for the Blue Jays from the beginning of the season and has been the biggest factor in the Jays turning the ship around this year.

While both Mike Trout and Josh Donaldson are all-star caliber players both in the hunt for the AL MVP title, to write off Donaldson with so much time left in the season is ridiculous. I have firm belief that Donaldson can continue at the pace he is hitting right now and win the AL Most Valuable Player award when all is said and done.

Revamped Blue Jays Attempting To Make History

     If you would've told me three weeks ago that the Toronto Blue Jays would go out and acquire all-star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and ace pitcher David Price within 72 hours, I would've called you crazy. However, Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos pulled off just that leading up to the 2015 MLB Trade Deadline, and now has the Blue Jays positioned in the second wild card playoff spot with 53 games remaining in the regular season, with 13 games remaining against the AL East leading New York Yankees. For Blue Jays fans, there hasn't been this much hype around the ball club since the glory days back in the late 80's and early 90's. This season can go one of two ways down the stretch: either the Jays end the MLB-leading 22 year post-season drought with one of the most dangerous teams in the league or they wind up falling just short for another season. Either way, the Blue Jays are geared up for one roller coaster of a finish.

     Let's go back two months, June 3rd. The Jays sit 4th in the AL East with a record of 25-30 and have just a 14% chance of making the postseason. Thanks to a great month of June that saw them bump from 5 games below .500 to 5 games above .500. A mediocre July put the Jays at a crossroads heading into the trade deadline. The team was sitting at 50-51, 7 games behind of the division-leading Yankees on July 28th when they acquired 5-time all-star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki from the Colorado Rockies for Jose Reyes, Miguel Castro and two minor leaguers. While most of the baseball world was shocked at the sight of this deal, most pointed out that the deal didn't address the Jays biggest need, pitching. LaTroy Hawkins is a great veteran out of the bullpen but him alone couldn't resurface the Jays in both the Wild Card and Division playoff hunt. Just under 72 hours later, the Jays acquire another 5-time all-star, David Price from the Detroit Tigers. This trade solidified the Jays rotation by adding something they hadn't had since the departure of Roy Halladay, a bonafide ace that can not only eat up innings but also has the ability to strike out batters with overwhelming power. At the time of the Troy Tulowitzki deal, the Jays had just a 37% chance of making the postseason. Fast forward just a week since the deal and the Blue Jays now sit 4 games above .500 and not only hold onto the second wild card spot but are just 4.5 games back of the Yankees in the division. The addition of Ben Revere also gives the Jays much needed speed at the top of the line-up and a good glove in left field, a piece of the puzzle that should definitely not be overlooked. It's astounding what a couple acquisitions can do to boost a ball club in such little time.

     So here we are, 53 games to go with a grasp on the second wild card spot and a very realistic shot at chasing down the Yankees for the AL East Division title. Alex Anthopoulos was on the hot seat heading into this year's trade deadline, and he delivered to say the least. Even with the offseason acquisitions of Josh Donaldson (who is an AL MVP candidate right now) and Russell Martin, AA was forced to turn good results this season or his tenure as GM of the Jays was likely over. If the Jays don't make the playoffs after the acquisitions, at least it wasn't because of Anthopoulos sitting back and not taking action like last year, and it makes it hard for the Blue Jays management to give him the boot after the work he's done to improve the team this season. However, with a new team president on the way, it'll be interesting to see what happens with Anthopoulos at the end of the year.

      While there's still a long ways to go in the regular season, the Blue Jays have positioned themselves to make history, ending the longest post-season drought in the league thanks to help both on and off the field. With 53 games to go and 13 against the Yankees, one thing is for sure, it's going to be an exciting finish.

*Sorry I haven't posted in so long, I'll try and be less lazy :)*

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.