The Major League Baseball season is upon us and already on most major sports websites, talk shows and blogs there is talk about this up coming season and what to expect from each team. This happens every year at the beginning of every sports season. Who's going to be the best, who will be status qou, who will rise from the basement and make a run for the playoffs. And every year us die hard fans we fall for it, we raise our expectations, start to believe "we have a chance this year." But it's all for not, well for Toronto fans anyways. There is a motto I have coined a phrase for Toronto Sports fans; There's Always Next Year. At seasons end no matter what, we always seem to have to wait until next year. What has miffed me to such a degree that I am ranting you ask? This article on TSN's website http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=356987. This article (if you choose not to read it), basically talks about what the Jays need to make the MLB postseason. The article is well written and makes some very valid points, points that again would make a fan of the Jays start to really think; "we have a chance." The very big detail that this article seems to miss is that fact that the Jays have a limited pitching staff in terms of big league experience or success. Another thing this article doesn't take into account is that we are now missing 31 home runs from Vernon Wells and who knows if Jose Bautista will crush another 54 home runs! I know that sports writers, bloggers and talk shows need material to talk, write and discuss, but I'm just saying why can't they be more realistic. Now the article I reference is from a Canadian media outlet, based in Toronto, so of course they are trying to show fans the optimistic view from the top and I'm sure larger media outlets such as ESPN or the Baseball News won't be so kind when predictions are made in the next couple of weeks, but that's not the point. I would say that it's likely that only a small percentage of Toronto sports fans would look at what ESPN or the Baseball News is saying, because again, articles such as the one on TSN give us such hope that we choose to ignore reality. I'm not trying to be pessimistic, I am simply being a realist. I love my hometown teams, but I also know what expectations should really be. Do I hope I am wrong and that the Jays win 100 games and make the playoffs, sure I do! But it's not going to happen. The positives that come out of a season like last year, or even the previous 2 or 3 is that we are making progress. We are winning 80 plus games a year, being competitive and the future looks bright, but to put such pressure on a young team in a city that doesn't really support them except for Opening Night or when Boston or New York comes to town. You want my prediction, Jays will finish 4th in the East behind New York (3), Boston (2), Tampa Bay (1) and only 2 or 3 games ahead of the new look Orioles and in the Wild Card, we won't even be on the board at the end of the year when it shows the top 5 teams in the hunt. Sorry my beloved Jays, I hope you prove me wrong, but realism is the way to go, I'm not blowing smoke up any ones ass, because where there is smoke there is fire and the Jays don't need any other help to burn themselves.
Dear Toronto Media,
Just tell it like it is. We only have so many sports channels to watch, so if you rag on our favorite team we don't really have a whole lot of other options to watch, so stop kissing ass and give us the raw truth.
Dear American Media,
Do us a favor, don't even mention the Jays in your preview shows, just tell your viewers/listeners that the MLB reduced the American League East by one team, I don't really think anyone in America knows we exist.
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