NFL
By: Greg Rector
While the Los Angeles Dodgers seem to be the clear favorites to win the World Series at +475, the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees at +900 are tied as the betting world’s next favorites. The Blue Jays like their basketball brethren spent last season with multiple home fields from Dunedin to Buffalo, before finally returning to their real home. They missed the wild card by one game in 2021. Let’s look at why the oddsmakers are high on this edition of the Blue Jays.
Pitching
The Blue Jays are getting high marks for their moves this off-season despite losing the reigning Cy Young winner in Rob Ray who departed for Seattle in free agency. Enter Kevin Gausman and Yusei Kikuchi to go along with Jose Berrios, Hyun- Jin Ryu and last year’s standout rookie Alex Manoah to form what many analysts are saying is the best rotation in the American League. On paper it certainly is a strong group, however, they will have to go out and prove it. The bullpen is very deep with a mixture of right and left-handers who can especially early on shut down opposing lineups while the starters get stretched out after the shortened spring training. This might be the biggest difference from 2021, early on last year the bullpen for the Jays was an absolute mess. Entering this year the bullpen arms appear to be a major strength. Closer Jordan Romano will be counted on to continue his second-half form and shut the door when called upon. Nate Pearson and Ross Stripling will be the key long relievers, Pearson appears to have finally returned from his numerous injuries and if a starter goes down he is likely the first to take over a spot in the rotation. The early struggles last season proved very costly and the Blue Jays were very cognizant of that fact heading into 2022. If this group remains healthy the Blue Jays will have success.
Hitting
The 2022 Blue Jays batting order is loaded, to say the least, For me, the health of George Springer is the key factor to making this group succeed. Springer only played in 78 games last season but had 22 home runs and 50 RBIs. When he was healthy this lineup was torching opposing pitchers. He sets the table and the rest of this young roster fed off his leadership. The next huge contract in baseball is coming for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. If not for this century’s version of Babe Ruth in Shohei Ohtani (Yes kids it’s been done before) Guerrero Jr would have easily been the AL MVP. After racking up plenty of runs last year the Jays went out and got even stronger with the acquisition of the third baseman Matt Chapman from Oakland. The likes of Bo Bichette, Teoscar Hernandez, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr, give the Blue Jays a formidable lineup that will put up plenty of runs.
Batting Order
Projected
George Springer – OF
Valdimir Guererro Jr – 1st Base
Teoscar Hernandez – OF
Bo Bichette – SS
Alejandro Kirk- DH
Lourdes Gurriel Jr- OF
Matt Chapman- 3rd Base
Cavan Baggio – 2nd Base
Danny Jansen – Catcher
Prediction
This version of the Blue Jays has been built to succeed in the always tough AL East. The pitching is much deeper, the team defense has been improved especially with Chapman’s addition at third base, and the team is going to hit plenty of home runs. This roster of healthy is deeper than anyone else in the division. There won’t be any falling short of a playoff position as being acceptable. With no more being baseball nomads, the time is now for the Blue Jays. The players aren’t arrogant about their chances, they are however confident. No one fears going to Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park on this team. In fact, they look forward to it. After all the “what if’s,” from 2021 (Bullpen woes early and missing Springer) this group will challenge for the division title. On paper, I can see this roster winning between 95 to 100 games as long as they remain healthy. [pickup_prop id=”22551″]
