Team Identity, Do we have one?

[whysoserious]

Over the last few year's we've seen this team on paper to be atleast somewhat of a team that should contend for a playoff spot but in the end always comes up short.

My question is what is this team's identity. One year we're told we're going to be an offensive powerhouse and then we go out and don't hit and pitching comes up big inspite the injuries. The year before we were supposed to be a solid pitching team with some offensive punch and the opposite happens again.

We lack a true leader on either side (Doc is the closest thing but injuries slowed him down the past few years and he's not a vocal leader). Offensively, no one has been a leader on this team for year's. Hopefully Rolen coming in can take charge of the everyday guy's and Doc is back to form.

But again, what is the identity of this team?

[risktaker91]

If we were in the NBA...

Toronto Blue Jays: Where Mediocrity Happens...

[OldNo7]

We're dirtbags.

[Schad]

The White Jays.

Does anyone else find it remarkable that the Jays transitioned from an offense-heavy squad with poor pitching to the exact opposite without ever having both? I suppose that the 2006 squad was relatively balanced, but if that's the high-water mark, we're in for a long half-decade.

[Geddy]

We're dirtbags.

you mean 'Injury prone dirtbags'

[OldNo7]

I like The Frail Jays better.

[squeekysneakers]

Yeah we're a pretty injury prone team as we've already had two (possibly three) major injuries this Spring. We're also dirtbags although with the loss of Reed we're a lot less dirty.

I think with the addition of players like Exstein and Roen who have actually won and played on good teams, this team has the potential to forge an identity.

As for the remarks about us being a goo pitching team and not a ood hitting team. I think that will change this year. I see Wells bouncing back and Overbay as well. Exstein is the best hitting SS we've had in a long, long time maybe ever. Rolen eill be good as well, if and when he is healthy.

With the exception of Zaun, I don't think we have an easy out on our team.

[SmallTownJournalist303]

As for the remarks about us being a goo pitching team and not a ood hitting team. I think that will change this year. I see Wells bouncing back and Overbay as well. Exstein is the best hitting SS we've had in a long, long time maybe ever. Rolen eill be good as well, if and when he is healthy.

With the exception of Zaun, I don't think we have an easy out on our team.

I think that last comment is the problem. While we don't necessarily have an easy out on this team, we also don't really have that hitter who's going to scare pitchers. Even if we're assuming Wells bounces back somewhat, Thomas and Stairs will probably experience at least a bit of age-related decline/injury problems, and with Rolen's finger injury my expectations for his bat this season have been diminished considerably. Essentially, we've put together a lineup completely filled with good (some maybe even very good) but not great bats.
This is my problem with this year's (and past years) team. In a recent interview Ricciardi stated we would need to "get lucky" to compete, which is completely true; for us to be in contention we need to have very few injuries (we already see how that's going), get a handful of career years at the plate, and experience little-to-no regression in the pitching staff. While I'm not ruling all of this out as a possibilty, when one is depending on luck to have a good team then the GM hasn't done his job.

[Dr Octagon]

Whiners.

[arrpy]

Were just a Jay that can't fly...