Blue Jays Series Preview: Home Opener Edition

It’s home opener time again. Time to settle in and watch the pomp and circumstance of Toronto welcoming home its AL East Champion Blue Jays who have not been seen in these parts since October of last year.

The bands will play, the lights will go down and your team will be presented en mass to let you give out that cheer you have been saving for them since they bowed out of the World Series race against Kansas City. For now they will welcome back their two-month pitching leader, from last year, David Price and his new team of choice, the hated Red Sox from Boston.

Across the Diamond: Boston Red Sox

They were pretty awful at times last year, those pesky Red Sox. Last in the division and a lot of growing pains, including a cancer scare for manager John Farrell away from the field. It was not a good year for the Bostonians.

Thing is with the Red Sox, they are able to retool quickly. Bullpen killing you? Go out and get the best closer available in Craig Kimbrel via trade. Starting rotation got you down? Sign the biggest free agent out there away from your hated rival Blue Jays in the form of David Price. Kids in crucial positions? Well they are a year older and a year better. Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. wll cause fits for the opposition, ’cause they sure came into their own last season.

Boston can always buy their way into the equation, but aside from the pitching upgrades they are relying mostly on the home grown talent to take them to the next level. After David Price, though there are a whole lot of question marks. Would you bank your season on the inconsistent Clay Buchholz or the young Joe Kelly? The arm of Rick Porcello, who always seems to be a bit behind where he should? I sure wouldn’t, but the potential is there…hmm potential…sounds like the Blue Jays rotation doesn’t it?

Next: Game 1: The Stro Show gets the nod in both openers