Should the Toronto Blue Jays change the Shapiro and Atkins duo sooner than later?

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

 

By Eduardo Harari

 

TORONTO. - It seems that the Toronto Blue Jays are in a stage of self destruction or a rebuild as the management would like the Canadian baseball world to believe. 

 

Since the arrival of the dynamic duo of Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins to Toronto in the winter of 2015, some would say that the dark cloud that covered the Cleveland sports scene moved north as Toronto has not been the same.

 

During the winter of 2015, the Blue Jays saw the departure of Alex Anthopoulos, who made significant changes that carried the organization into the playoffs in 2015 and 2016.

 

In the 2016 season there weren't significant changes to the core of the team only small additions to help the team return to the post season. 

 

As the 2016 season was winding up talks of what was coming started to be heard in the hallways of the Rogers Centre. As soon as the team finished their post-season run, the management team started their reconstruction of a family oriented organization. 

 

That winter they made various plays of deception including their offers to the power hitting duo of Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion. 

 

Lets take a close look at the systematic dismemberment of the organization,

 

2016 -2017 

 

Granted Free agency to Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, Joaquin Benoit, Brett Cecil, R.A. Dickey, Scott Feldman, Gavin Floyd, Dioner Navarro, Michael Saunders, Chris Colabello, 

Lost Edwin Encarnacion, Chris Colabello, Dioner to Cleveland Indians, Josh Thole to Arizona Diamondbacks, Michael Saunders to Pittsburg Pirates, Scott Feldman to Cincinnati Reds, R.A. Dickey to Atlanta Braves, Brett Cecil to St. Louis Cardinals, Joaquín Benoit to Philadelphia Phillies, 

Released C.A.J. Jimenez, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Chris Coghlan, Taylor Cole, Norichika Aoki,   

Traded cash and Jason Grilli to Texas Rangers for Eduard Pinto, Lane Thomas to St. Louis Cardinals for Other Considerations, Miguel Montero to Toronto Blue Jays for Player To Be Named Later, Jonathan Diaz to New York Yankees, Ryan McBroom to New York Yankees for Rob Refsnyder, cash to Minnesota Twins for RHP Nick Tepesch, Francisco Liriano to Houston Astros for Norichika Aoki and Teoscar Hernandez, Joe Smith to Cleveland Indians for Thomas Pannone and Samad Taylor

 

2017 - 2018

 

Granted Free agency to Brett Anderson, Michael Saunders, Miguel Montero, Darwin Barney, Jose Bautista, Tom Koehler, Ryan Goins, 

Lost Brett Anderson to Oakland A's, Michael Saunders, Ryan Goins to Kansas City Royals, Darwin Barney to Texas Rangers, Jose Bautista to Atlanta Braves, Tom Koehler to L.A. Dodgers, 

Released Ezequiel Carrera,  Jaime Garcia, 

Traded Gio Urshela to Toronto Blue Jays for Player To Be Named Later, Steve Pearce and cash to Boston Red Sox for Santiago Espinal, J.A. Happ to New York Yankees for Billy McKinney and Brandon Drury, Seunghwan Oh to Colorado Rockies for Chad Spanberger and Forrest Wall, Roberto Osuna to Houston Astros for David Paulino, Hector Perez and Ken Giles, John Axford to Los Angeles Dodgers for Corey Copping,  Aaron Loup to Philadelphia Phillies for Jacob Waguespack,  Gio Urshela to New York Yankees,  Nick Tepesch to Detroit Tigers for cash, Curtis Granderson to Milwaukee Brewers for Demi Orimoloye, Josh Donaldson to Cleveland Indians for  Julian Merryweather, 

 

2018 -2019

 

Granted Free agency to Tyler Clippard, Marco Estrada, Yangervis Solarte, 

Lost Tyler Clippard to Cleveland Indians, Marco Estrada to Oakland Athletics, Yangervis Solarte to San Francisco Giants, 

Traded Trent Thornton to Toronto Blue Jays for  Aledmys Diaz,  Oliver Drake to Tampa Bay Rays for cash, Andrew Sopko and Ronny Brito to Toronto Blue Jays for cash and  Russell Martin, Dwight Smith Jr. to Baltimore Orioles for Future Considerations, Jason Adam to Toronto Blue Jays for cash, Kendrys Morales and cash to Oakland Athletics for Jesus Lopez and Future Considerations, Kevin Pillar to San Francisco Giants for Alen Hanson, Derek Law and Juan De Paula,  Socrates Brito to Toronto Blue Jays for Rodrigo Orozco, Edwin Jackson to Toronto Blue Jays for cash, 

Released Troy Tulowitzki

 

The issue is not how many players you give up to improve the team but the quality of the return on that investment. So far The dynamic duo has struck out on the majority of the talent they have acquired. It's time to change the approach as the story is getting old and the Toronto fan base will not support this agony any longer, as the gates are showing when you can't fill the stadium on a Red Sox or Yankees Series.

 

How much more damage does Mr. Rogers has to take before a change is required? Maybe he should ask his TV audience and Ballpark attendees when it's enough?