4 Blue Jays spring training overreactions after first week of action

This is the silly time of spring training. It feels like this is one of the earlier starts to spring training in recent memory and an ideal time for fans to overreact to what they are seeing over such a small sample of games. Typically, none of the results matter and have little predictive effect on the fortunes of a team during the regular season. The 2023 Miami Marlins had the worst record in Grapefruit League play last spring, yet they ended up finishing the year with 84 wins and a wild card spot.

It’s a typical spring atmosphere in which you see lots of different players, pitchers who won’t pitch very long and some players who carry a lot of intrigue. These exhibition games are a chance for fans to learn more about their favorite players. The analysts like to say that pitchers need spring training more than position players. Does that mean pitcher struggles should be more alarming than struggles for position players? Who knows!  

On the other hand, though, it feels like the Blue Jays have been taking their lumps in the first week of contests. Two lopsided losses to the Yankees always leaves a bitter aftertaste. It has felt like the Toronto offense is lifeless and the struggles of a select group of pitchers has raised alarm bells about the upcoming season. Toss in the inevitable spring training injury updates and its got people losing their minds. The bottom line is that it in spring training just about everything is ripe for overreaction.

At the same time, it’s fun to react to this stuff and what else can we do as Opening Day is still almost four weeks away? Let’s analyze (as much as we can) the four overreactions to what has been happening on the west coast of Florida over the past week.