Blue Jays Morning Brew: Several Silver Linings, AA addresses issues and 2014 Draft

Sep 29, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A general view of Rogers Centre prior to a game between Tampa Bay Rays and the Toronto Blue Jays. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Toronto Blue Jays News

After giving us top ten mistakes yesterday, Brenden Kennedy at the Star brings us some offseason optimism with a list of top ten silver linings.

Kennedy also writes that upgrading the starting rotation remains Blue Jays’ GM Alex Anthopoulos’ priority.

But Shi Davidi at Sportsnet says that AA needs to look beyond the rotation to fix next year’s team.

Davidi also tweets about the team’s upcoming option decisions regarding Adam Lind, Mark DeRosa and Casey Janssen. Janssen, he says, is a no-brainer.

More AA with a video from MLB.com and he talks about potential flexibility to upgrade the team this winter.

Yahoo Sports writes about Brett Lawrie‘s defense and the ongoing quest to quantify defense. It gives a bit of background explaining UZR and DRS for those who are unfamiliar.

Bob Elliott at the Sun says to blame the Blue Jays starters. Elliott also writes about Darren Oliver‘s retirement.

Mike Wilner at Sportsnet has his Blue Jays awards part one and two.

Jeff Blair at the Globe and Mail gives us more silver linings.

Tom Maloney also at the Globe talks about the decisions the Blue Jays will need to make this offseason.

Steve Buffrey at the Sun writes that the Blue Jays fans did their part this season.

Steve Simmons also at the Sun says this is Anthopoulos’ last chance to build a winner.

Baseball America writes that other than the result of today’s play-in game between the Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays the 2014 draft order has been set.

If you’ve been following the Draftboard updates here at Jays Journal you already know that the Blue Jays clinched a protected pick with their loss to the Rays yesterday.

Evan Peaslee at BlueJays.com writes about DeRosa’s upcoming decision about possibly retiring.

This one is from the weekend but John Lott at the National Post writes about John Gibbons “roasting” Emilio Bonifacio and Maicer Izturis without mentioning their names.