Blue Jays Series Preview: Jays Need to Harpoon the Mariners

May 21, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays manager

(5) talks with the media during batting practice before a game against the Los Angeles Angels at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

It’s getting dire already kids. If you think the old adage that it’s still early rings true with the Blue Jays languishing in last place in the AL East then you are definitely drinking the Kool-Aid that I have been drinking….until now. This team is not built for the playoffs. The starting pitching is atrocious and prone to the big inning. The bullpen, aside from the phenom Roberto Osuna, is a toss up whether they are going to shut the opposition down or give up a key hit to blow the game open and surrender any lead given to them.

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Management should be wary. Is riding the current regime really the best way to go? The Blue Jays in 1989 tossed Jimy “one M” Williams was dismissed after a 12-24 start and that team came back to win the division. How long is too long to wait out Gibbons wonky managing and moreso Pete Walker‘s ineffectiveness as pitching coach. This division is still ripe for the picking and yet the Blue Jays sit idly by and miss out on guys like Cole Hamels…though he apparently won’t come to Toronto anyway…at least according to Jon Heyman of cbssports.com.

And then there are the Mariners. They started off slow but have slowly begun to pick up steam. They are right where they want to be going in to Toronto. They have a winning record on the road and an abysmal record (6-13) at home. With the potent lineup they have this is probably just a blip on the radar but for now they are a strong team coming in to Toronto. With Roenis Elias picking up the slack for a struggling Taijuan Walker their rotation is in great shape…even ex-Jay J.A. Happ has been pitching very well. This series has the potential to get ugly…