What, me worry? GM confident bats will awaken
Throughout most of last year’s offensive struggles, the messaging from the Blue Jays front office and coaching staff sounded like a broken record. Media and fans alike were told over and over that these guys have hit before and they’ll hit again.
Except it never happened. In 2022, the Jays ranked fourth with 775 runs. By the end of last season, they had slipped into a tie for 14th. Seemingly overnight, one of the best lineups in the major leagues had become perfectly average.
Aside from a handful of games, including Monday night’s home opener that resulted in a 5-2 win, it appears little has changed in 2024. The roster wasn’t altered much during the winter as the front office stuck with the status quo and the same can be said about the talking points that defend poor play.
“We certainly understand that any fan, just like myself, just like John Schneider, would like to see us start off 10-0, and would like to see us score eight runs every day,” Jays general manager Ross Atkins said of an offence that entered Monday ranked 22nd in the majors in runs scored.
“I can empathize with that frustration, that it isn’t happening on a nightly basis, but we see so many reasons to believe that it will.
“I have an unbelievable amount of confidence in this team and the group that’s here, the veteran leadership that’s influenced our young players already and continues to. The interactions that they’re all having is extremely encouraging. Our confidence stems from our process, it stems from the work that we get to see happening.”
Well, that behind-the-scenes work has yet to translate into much of anything on the field. The Jays entered the series opener against Seattle ranked near the bottom of almost every major offensive category. They were 28th in average (.193), 24th in on-base plus slugging (.626) and tied for 16th in home runs (nine).
The most optimistic thing anybody can say about the lineup is that there have been some encouraging signs of late.
After scoring just two runs in three games against the Astros, the Jays were limited to three during a series opener against the Yankees before breaking out for eight runs on Saturday. Two days later, they scored five on five extra-base hits in a win vs. Seattle.
For a team that has produced three runs or fewer in seven of its 11 games, that’s considered progress, but it’s going to take a lot more consistent offensive firepower than that to contend in the American League East.
“At the end of the day, I was pretty bad for the first part too until those last two games,” said shortstop Bo Bichette, who went 1-for-4 with a double against Seattle. “We’re just looking to be better everyday. I think if we’re worried about the start of a season after 10 games, then we lack an incredible amount of confidence and I don’t think that’s the case.”
The Jays themselves might not lack faith, but many of their supporters do. Despite the hoopla surrounding the latest renovations to Rogers Centre, which cost ownership an estimated $400 million, there was a noticeable lack of buzz in the hours leading up to Monday’s first pitch and there were even some boos for hitting coach Guillermo Martinez during the pregame introductions.
Fans eventually got excited when Justin Turner led off the second with a double, sparking an early rally, but they did so with trepida- tion.
During most games, social media has become a cesspool of complaints. There are still believers, just not nearly as many as there used to be, especially following an off-season that was almost entirely void of significant additions.
The Jays, however, claim to have the same internal belief they have been holding onto for awhile. The one that will see Vladimir Guerrero Jr. regain his form from 2021 and the one that will see others like Alejandro Kirk, Daulton Varsho and George Springer bounce back from a disappointing 2023.
“I’m really encouraged by the work done this off-season,” Atkins said.
“Spring training we felt was extremely productive, not just the results but the interactions, the reactions players had to different days and different performances ... We’re exceptionally confident that this group is going to score plenty of runs.”
The Jays might be able to talk themselves into adopting that glass-half-full mentality but winning over their fan base won’t be as easy. Outside of signing Turner, the front office did nothing to make this team noticeably better than it was last season.
That means there’s going to be a level of skepticism surrounding this team until it proves itself with the bats. That hasn’t happened often enough during the first 11 games of 2024, and last year it rarely occurred at all.
The Jays have been saying they’re going to hit since the start of last season. More than 12 months later, the wait continues and the public’s patience is already starting to wane.
I think if we’re worried about the start of a season after 10 games, then we lack an incredible amount of confidence and I don’t think that’s the case.
BO BICHETTE