30 Teams In 30 Days: The Toronto Blue Jays Remain Very Good And VERY Frustrating

I was talking to a buddy of mine the other day (yes, I have friends) who is a big Toronto Blue Jays fan. I told him that I had the Blue Jays at the eighth spot on my list of 30 teams, but he said that there was a big gap between number seven and number eight. He totally understood why. There is something so fascinating yet simultaneously frustrating about the Toronto Blue Jays. This Blue Jays team will resemble the Blue Jays of the last few years. It's not a talent issue. I think the latter part of their lineup leaves much to be desired, but there are some excellent guys in the top and middle of that order.

I like their rotation, and their bullpen was fine last season. The Toronto Blue Jays' biggest issue is the Toronto Blue Jays. They cannot stay out of their own fucking way sometimes. When the hitting falls off, the pitching is great. When the pitching is great, the hitting falls off. They're always a team that gives off the impression that they have a 10-game winning streak right around the corner, but that 10-game winning streak never comes. They're at something of a crossroads now. There's still a lot of talent, and they'll be in the thick of the wildcard conversation, though I don't know how realistic winning this division will be. But it feels like they're kind of in panic mode. I like the rotation, but those arms have a lot of mileage. They've made moves in free agency, but they failed to make the big splash. I wonder if Shohei Ohtani was stringing them along or if he was ever strongly considering coming to Toronto, but either way, he's not here. 

I hate to put it all on one guy, but I feel like this team will go as far as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. takes them. This is a huge year for him. It seemed like everything was going to plan following the 2021 season, and while he's been fine over the last two years, he has not lived up to the hype of somebody that many people believed was a generational player. He represents how I feel about this team, quite good, but not good enough. The fact that this group has yet to win a playoff game with this core is shocking. This year could decide their legacy. If they don't win anything significant, this Blue Jays group will become one big tease.