The panic button.
It’s in the office of the owner of every professional sports franchise in North America.
For some it’s always within easy reach while others have it behind doors of thick steel just in case the urge to push it becomes strong – too strong to resist.
The button for the Toronto Blue Jays franchise is within reach but there is a screen door blocking the way. At least for now.
It’s still early but the Jays are not the team the experts were picking to win the World Series back in March when the huge trade brought in the tools the Jays brass felt were needed into order to build a champion.
The early returns of the Jays investment would seem to indicate a call to renovation specialist Mike Holmes might be one course of action the fans would choose right now.
But maybe a call to Dr. Phil would be money better spent because the problem with the Blue Jays is not the foundation, it’s in the wiring of this team.
Those who swing a bat need way more more plate discipline than has been shown for the majority of the games to this point. Far too many cuts at ball four are instead strike three and rallies which show promise die at the plate.
Jose Bautista needs to stop worrying about called strikes which may or may not be borderline and just play ball. He’s getting a reputation with the umpires and when it’s close, the call is not going to go Joey Bats way if he keeps showing up the umps. As a leader on this team his antics can rub off on the others easy enough and the slide down the slippery slope begins.
The Jays pitching staff needs to just start throwing the ball instead of trying to be perfect with each pitch. Each time the strike zone is missed the hole gets deeper and the confidence wears thin.
Being too cute on the mound is quickly turning very ugly for this talented but seemingly fragile staff and relying on the defense would do wonders for so many pitchers wearing the blue jay.
This team has to stop thinking they are the team everyone picked to run away with the league.
They aren’t right now but if they stop making the mental errors, forget about making the perfect pitch and be a lot more disciplined at the plate, they can still be a force to be reckoned with.
If not, then the door is open and the panic button just might push itself.
sports@reddeerexpress.com
