Toronto
Blue Jays
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»Schedule
2000
RECORD: 83-79 (3rd IN AL EAST)
REVIEW
Offense was not the problem for the 2000 Blue Jays. They became the first
team in major league history to have five players with 20+ home runs at
the All-Star break. All told, they went yard 244 times to set a club record
and lead the American League. CARLOS DELGADO took his game to the next
level and a run at the Triple Crown before running out of gas in September.
TONY BATISTA slammed 41 home runs and BRAD FULLMER escaped FELIPE ALOU's
doghouse in Montreal to drive in 104 runs. But their three, young stud
pitchers all faltered and took the team down with them. CHRIS CARPENTER,
KELVIM ESCOBAR and ROY HALLADAY were a combined 24-39 with an ERA of 6.57,
which completely neutralized DAVID WELLS' 20-8, 4.11 season.
LOOKAHEAD
The biggest change in the off-season was the hiring of BUCK MARTINEZ as
manager. His positive, glass is half full attitude will be the polar opposite
of JIM FREGOSI and his old school ways. But his first spring has been
anything but smooth. MIKE SIROTKA, who arrived from the White Sox in exchange
for WELLS, has a torn rotator cuff and will likely miss the entire season.
That leaves the Jays without an ace in the rotation. STEVE PARRIS comes
over from the Reds and with the Jays offense should show better than his
12-17 record of 2000. They were able to keep their high octane offense
intact, so if they get any pitching they should contend for at least the
Wild Card. But that's a big "if".
UNDER
THE MICROSCOPE
After sending his 20-game winning ace to White Sox for damaged goods,
G.M. GORD ASH took a public relations hit. In their first, full season
under the Rogers Communications empire, things have been anything but
smooth. If the Jays fail to make the playoffs in their 25th season, ASH
may have to answer for it.
STATS
MAN SAYS
Not quite ready for Prime Time > 3rd
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