The Toronto Blue Jays won’t be playing baseball in October this fall, but they do have a chance to prolong the Red Sox’ postseason berth party over the next three days in Boston.
With the Red Sox’ magic number down to two to clinch the wild card, all the Blue Jays can do at this point is hope the Red Sox don’t have a chance to celebrate on their behalf.
Tom Dakers of Bluebird Banter joined us to answer a few questions about the Blue Jays, as they finish up their season series against the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
NESN.com: What is the biggest change the Blue Jays need to make before the start of the 2010 season?
Tom Dakers: I think the biggest change will be that the Jays will have a new team president and likely a new general manager by next season. J.P. Riccardi is talking
more and more like a man who figures to be gone and Paul Beeston has
been the interim team president for two years now. The team needs someone
that considers it a permanent job, and Pat Gillick’s name has been
mentioned a lot in rumors the last few days. After those things happen, a lot more could change.
NESN.com: Which, if any, free agents should the Blue Jays target this offseason?
Tom Dakers: I’d like the Jays to look at Chone Figgins, as he would add a speed we don’t have. I know there is a lot of talk about the Red Sox’ Jason Bay because he is Canadian, but I think we have enough poor fielding left fielders at the moment. I also hope we re-sign Marco Scutaro. He’s as good a shortstop as there is in the AL, minus Derek Jeter.
NESN.com: Will Roy Halladay be a Blue Jay on Opening Day 2010?
Tom Dakers: I don’t know, I go back and forth on the idea. I do have the feeling
when new management comes in they’ll want to make a big splash. Maybe a
big trade or two and possibly sign a big free agent. Then maybe
they’ll try to sign Doc to make good with the fans. Or maybe
they’ll make the trade Riccardi couldn’t.
NESN.com: What do you think the rotation will look like entering next season?
Tom Dakers: Well, Halladay is the wild card, but if he stays: Halladay, Shaun Marcum, Ricky Romero, Marc Rzepczynski and David Purcey. If Halladay is traded, likely someone that we got in return for Doc would slide into one of the spots.
NESN.com: Who was the biggest surprise and who was the biggest disappointment for the Blue Jays this year?
Tom Dakers: Biggest surprise? Romero was the poster child for bad Blue Jay draft picks before spring training. He was a huge long shot to make the rotation and turned out to be someone that will get some Rookie of the Year votes. I guess equally surprising would be Aaron Hill returning after missing most of a season with a concussion to double his career high in homers and drive in more than 100 runs.
Disappointment? Vernon Wells and Alex Rios were our best bats last year. Rios was so bad this year that the Jays allowed the White Sox to take him on a waiver claim (and he’s even been worse for them) and Wells….well let’s just say he’s answering to a new nickname in Toronto: Boo. He has been swinging the bat better lately, which might give us hope for next year.
NESN.com: What are the keys for the Blue Jays to winning the series against the Red Sox?
Tom Dakers: As always, starting pitching. Scott Richmond pitches the first game, he was AL Rookie Pitcher of the Month in April, but he’s had a tough time of it lately and his ERA is over five now. Romero starts Tuesday and he may be tiring a little at the end of his first major league season, but is still keeping us in games. Doc is to start Wednesday, and he, as always, is great.
Thanks again to Tom Dakers for sharing his insight on the Blue Jays. Don’t forget to check out his blog, Bluebird Banter.
Stay tuned Thursday for a series preview of the Cleveland Indians, as the Red Sox wrap up the 2009 regular season with a four-game series against the Tribe.
