It’s time to hit the panic button.
I know what you’re going to say. I’m a downer. It’s early. It’s a small sample size. It’s only April. This team has the ability to get hot at any time.
Maybe.
Then again, maybe not.
Consider that the Jays are, as of writing this, 8.5 games behind the red hot Red Sox. And those Red Sox are playing the Huston Astros, a bona fide Triple A club that exists purely so other teams can say, “well, at least we aren’t the Astros.”
The Sox will most likely sweep the Astros, while the Jays, comfortably in the basement in almost all offensive categories, will take on the Yankees.
The Jays still have yet to face Pettitte during this trip. Note that, while the Jays are struggling against all pitchers at the moment, they have been dominated by lefties. Batting .192 BA .222 OBP .269 SLG .491 OPS
If the Jays get swept by the Yankees, that puts them 9.5 games behind the sweeping Red Sox.
9.5 games in the AL East is a major deficit. It would mean the Jays have to play 23 games above .500 to win the 90 or so games needed to clinch the AL East, or have a shot at a Wild Card situation.
(And really, forget about the Wild Card since that will most likely be handed to a team that gets to beat on the Mariners and the Astros out in the AL West).
Now, consider that those red hot Red Sox come to Toronto next week and will feature talented lefties Lester and Doubront (and Bucholtz, who isn’t left-handed, but might as well be because he’s carving up the league).
Also consider that the Jays leader in OBP, Adam Lind, typically gets platooned against strong lefty opponents, while Colby Rasmus, one of the teams leaders in slugging and OPS, is essentially an out versus lefties.
Oh, and it gets worse. The Jays will get a break from things when they match up against the Mariners, but then it’s 4 against the Rays (Moore and Price are super nasty lefties, in case you live under a rock) and then off to face he Red Sox again at Fenway.
It’s not a matter of whether or not the Blue Jays can get hot and turn things around. It’s that THEY MUST get hot and turn things around, right now, in a less than favorable situation, with cold bats.
I’m not saying the Jays don’t have chance, I’m just saying it’s a bad one. Panic, to me, means you still have a chance , just a bad a one…
Therefore, panic.