The 2012 Toronto Blue Jays: The sporting equivalent of your girlfriend
If you wanted to epitomise the 2012 Toronto Blue Jays, the Boston Red Sox series pretty much nails it: Taking early leads, bullpen implosions, (mostly) showing determination regardless of the outcome. Oh, and let’s not forget another pitcher leaving a game due to injury?!?! (Although mercifully this time Henderson Alvarez should be ready for his next start.)
Following this team has become the sporting equivalent of having a bipolar girlfriend; moments of joy and ecstasy compounded by periods of anger and despair. You just never know where you stand with them.
Obviously having a decimated pitching rotation doesn’t help. About the only positive to take from this ridiculous situation is a dramatically improved medical knowledge (one of the underrated advantages of following sports, along with an ability to pronounce complicated foreign surnames.) I’m sure most of us were googling the term ‘oblique strain’ as soon as we knew what was wrong with Brandon Morrow.
At least the offence is doing its best to keep the Blue Jays in contention, led by a revitalised Jose Bautista. The statistics make for impressive reading with 367 runs scored, 343 RBIs’ (both 5th in the Majors) and 109 home runs (2nd).
John Farrell also pulled off a master stoke by moving Brett Lawrie and Colby Rasmus to the top of the order. They are potentially the most explosive duo since Ike and Tina Turner (although the only things being battered are baseballs).
However, this team still needs to show more consistency in general. If the Jays don’t resolve their pitching situation soon (sorry, but Jamie Moyer is NOT the answer), I fear they’ll struggle to stay above .500, never mind contend for a wild-card spot. And let’s be honest, most men prefer more stability in their relationships, whether it’s sports teams or women.
- By paul.taylor
- June 28, 2012
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2 Comments about this article: The 2012 Toronto Blue Jays: The sporting equivalent of your girlfriend
Hahahaha good stuff bro! The Lawrie and Rasmus combination at the top has certainly been a stroke of genius by Farrell. Starting pitching is such a massive blow and whats happened to the Jays this year is unheard of. The pressure on the bullpen is massive obviously and when ur starters can’t get ya through 6 innings the bullpen becomes worn thin and ours is hanging by a thread. At least Moyer could get through 6 innings, if he gets a shot, he will throw strikes being a ground ball pitcher and the Jays def could back him up. We need healthy starters plain and simple. Jays offence has been sick! Bautista and Encarnacion are the most productive 1-2 punch in the 3-4 spots in the majors and the top 4 with Law Ras Bau and Encar are deadly. It just seems that not all parts of the machine are working at once. Got to lube it up and get in gear with whatever spare parts they can! Peace bro Keep up the good work!
More of the same last night hey? The bat’s were smoking for the Jays but unfortunately Mr Cecil was also smoked. (I feel bad for him as have rooted for him ever since we spoke to him in the locker room and you interviewed him. He seems like one of the good guys.) Does seem like a vicious circle with the pitching. At the start of the season, the starters gave the team good innings but the bullpen would keep blowing saves. Now, as you say, the starters aren’t lasting as long in games and the bullpen is worn out from all the extra innings, thus more blown saves. I can honestly say I will now be happy for a 81-81 season as I think we WILL contend in 2013. However, even .500 may be a stretch this year now.