NFL
By: Greg Rector
This is the 30th anniversary of the last Toronto Blue Jays team to win the World Series. Generations of Blue Jays fans have fond memories of Joe Carter’s World Series-clinching home run in Game six of the 1993 World Series. I lived in Arkansas then and was inundated with phone calls from drunk friends I grew up with here in Canada celebrating the back-to-back titles. The 2023 Blue Jays sit tied with the New York Mets and San Diego Padres at +900 to win it all. Let’s look at this edition of Canada’s baseball hopes.
John Schneider
Manager John Schneider will be the bench boss for the entire season after taking over in the middle of last season. The biggest factor as to why Schneider was given the job full-time is he relates so well to the players. That really applies to the team’s stars Vladamir Guerrero Jr, and Bo Bichette who were managed by Schneider in the minors as well. Many other homegrown Jays also know him from their time in the system. The one change that Schneider might have had some influence on was moving from happy-go-lucky types in Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Teoscar Hernandez, replacing them with more focused players in Kevin Kiermeir and Daulton Varsho. Make no mistake he allows his guys to have fun and be themselves but also has a win-first mentality.
The Balanced Schedule
If there’s one team that truly might benefit the most from the new balanced schedule and playing fewer games in the AL East it has to be the Toronto Blue Jays. The Jays have long been very good against AL Central and AL West teams. Over the course of inter-league games, the Jays have faced Philadelphia and Washington most often and have excellent records against both. One fewer series a year in that hell hole they call a ballpark in Tampa Bay alone is a win as far as I am concerned.
The Roster
As I wrote about in January this Toronto Blue jays roster is pretty deep. Nothing changed during spring training. The move of Kiermier to center field hopefully keeps the catalyst George Springer healthier than he’s been the last couple of seasons. With Springer, the Jays lineup is far more effective than without him. If the Blue Jays can remain healthy for the most part they should score plenty of runs. I also expect them to run on the basepaths more than last season taking advantage of the new rules and larger bases. If Guerrero Jr returns to his 2021 form and has over 40 home runs this will also help them win several more games and possibly no longer be the wild-card team, but instead the team that sits atop the AL East standings.
The Yankees are who they are but to me, their rotation and bullpen are more of a question mark and Toronto has to take advantage of that. That has to be the clear goal and focus for the 2023 Toronto Blue Jays. The two young guns are primed for big seasons and one reason is pretty simple, contract extensions are afoot for both Bichette and Guerrero Jr. This roster has to be coming at the bit especially the new left-handed hitters to play home games with new dimensions to Rogers Center as well.
The Pitching Staff
Alec Manoah is a stud ace and should continue to be awfully tough on opposing lineups. Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt will give the Blue Jays slid innings. Jose Berrios needs to bounce back from a nightmarish season especially away from Rogers Center. The really important factor so far in spring training has been the much better Yusei Kikuchi who has adapted to the pitching clock beautifully and he’s added a new breaking ball to his repertoire. Last year Kikuchi lost all confidence and was related to long relief which was still a roller coaster of emotions to witness. Mitch White and Hyun Jin Ryu (Tommy John) should be the long relief and spot starters. Hometown favorite Jordan Romano is one of the best closers in the American League and the rest of the bullpen should also be improved over the 2022 group who often cost the Blue jays games they should have won.
Outlook
The changes to the lineup and a much stronger bullpen should see Toronto add more wins, especially in close games than the last two seasons. That’s what has cost the Toronto Blue Jays the opportunity to beat the Yankees in the AL East division race. Knowing Guerrero Jr and Bichette have big paydays coming the jays simply have to buckle down a bit more often than they have been. With the changes and if they are healthy I can see this team winning between 98 and 103 games in 2023 and winning the division.
So starting on Thursday against the St.Louis Cardinals in addition to the best two words heard every spring “Play Ball,” Canadians will be ready for the Toronto Blue Jays intro motto “Ok Blue Jays, Let’s Play Ball” in 2023 as they challenge to win a third World Series.
