AL East Round Up: A Quick Look at the Numbers

Jun 10, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman

(20) celebrates as he crosses home plate after hitting a home run against Miami Marlins in the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Toronto Blue Jays

How the Blue Jays got to be where they are today is well known to fans of the club. A pretty intense 10 game winning streak has helped them climb a bit in the standings. What is exciting about this current streak is that the games have shown some grit and determination. They haven’t all been cake walks. This team has had to fight for some victories. It has people buzzing about what could be.

Toronto Blue Jays

It just so happens that the win streak came at the same time as other teams are winning quite a few games as well. So, in those 10 games, the Blue Jays have only managed to make up 3.5 games. But, that’s nit picking. It’s been a fun ride regardless. It has some of us excited about that 1st place spot. If you figure that that it might take 85 wins to claim the pennant, the Blue Jays would have to go 55-44 the rest of the way. Very doable. If it takes 89 wins, they’ll need to go 59-40. That’s a little more daunting, but still doable. The point is, this win streak has made things a little easier for them to make a run at the division.

Leading the charge is the early AL MVP candidate Josh Donaldson. This might be a difficult label to put on him since this offense is currently the highest scoring one in all of baseball. Their 343 runs has them out in front by 57 runs. If you figure that the average run total per game is 5 or 6, that’s a lead of 11 games or so. And Donaldson is leading the way. In the American League, he sits in 1st place with 51 runs scored, 3rd in hits (79), tied for 4th in HR (3 are tied for first with 18), 2nd in RBI (45) and 3rd in slugging (580). Who’s Brett Lawrie, again?

This season could be much different if the pitching staff had started the season the way they are capable of, or the way they are playing right now. Thanks to a terrible start, they sit in 14th spot in the AL with a 4.28 ERA. They’re 10 in quality starts (27) thanks to some good outings lately. But, here’s the kicker: they’ve allowed 280 runs (263 earned).

Now, it isn’t all bad. The pitching is coming around. And, we’re seeing what happens if the pitching keeps this team in games long enough for the offense to strike.

Next: Remember the Baltimore Orioles?