The Blue Jays are this year's Rays?
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 6:22 pm
Stepping into the breach are the Toronto Blue Jays, holders of first place in the AL East and owners of the biggest positive run differential (40 more runs scored than allowed) in the junior circuit heading into Wednesday's games. Writing for NBC Sports, Bert Blyleven tagged the Jays as possessing a potent enough offense to overcome the team's litany of pitching injuries and make a run at the division crown.
You'll find few bigger advocates for Blyleven's candidacy than yours truly (this guy's certainly one of 'em), but circle me this, Bert: Have you seen these players' track records? Marco Scutaro has hit four homers with a .415 on-base percentage so far this season (he has never hit double-digit homers in a season and owns a career OBP of .328); Aaron Hill's hitting .371 (career average: .288); Adam Lind's hitting .314 (.277); Lyle Overbay's slugging 89 points better than his career average; journeymen Jose Bautista and Kevin Millar have gone nuts in 69 part-time at-bats. Only Alex Rios (.237/.298/.355) is hitting substantially below expectations. It's theoretically possible that a team of established veterans, mixed with a couple of promising kids, suddenly hits like the '95 Indians for a full season. Just don't bet on it. The Blue Jays have gotten fat on a soft schedule; in fact they've yet to play a single game against an AL East foe.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/b ... ml?eref=T1