This is the best, most succinct and lucid method of ranking teams that I've seen in quite some time! It would be great to see the same for the starting 5 of each team and the bullpens.
BTW I really enjoyed your chat with Gord Ash and I am putting my hand up for a future 'interview with a fan' session. No-one ever talks to the fans in depth. I feel I am representative and qualify as I was 12 in 1977, got my first ball given to me by Joey McGlaughlin, once had Kevin Malloy re-string my glove and I look like Dave Steib. The fact that I have followed the Jays from Australia since 1993 is a minor technicality, but I have reasonable, well-grounded opinions about the past, present and future of the Jays (Fire Shatkins!). If that doesn't sway you, I have a good Expos story involving Bill Lee coming out of some random door into the stadium concourse at the Big O and asking my friend and I if we could lend him a dime to make a phone call, which we did.
Of course, this comparison does omit what might be the single greatest advantage the Jays have in the division, namely the pitching staff. Admittedly, Baltimore has improved here, but I would still think that in aggregate, Toronto's pitching is the strongest. How does that affect the overall rankings?
Many thanks. Please come back at us with your views on pitching, say, three-quarters of the way through Spring training.
This is the best, most succinct and lucid method of ranking teams that I've seen in quite some time! It would be great to see the same for the starting 5 of each team and the bullpens.
BTW I really enjoyed your chat with Gord Ash and I am putting my hand up for a future 'interview with a fan' session. No-one ever talks to the fans in depth. I feel I am representative and qualify as I was 12 in 1977, got my first ball given to me by Joey McGlaughlin, once had Kevin Malloy re-string my glove and I look like Dave Steib. The fact that I have followed the Jays from Australia since 1993 is a minor technicality, but I have reasonable, well-grounded opinions about the past, present and future of the Jays (Fire Shatkins!). If that doesn't sway you, I have a good Expos story involving Bill Lee coming out of some random door into the stadium concourse at the Big O and asking my friend and I if we could lend him a dime to make a phone call, which we did.
The position not ranked is somewhat relevant to any assessment.
Of course, this comparison does omit what might be the single greatest advantage the Jays have in the division, namely the pitching staff. Admittedly, Baltimore has improved here, but I would still think that in aggregate, Toronto's pitching is the strongest. How does that affect the overall rankings?
The pitching comparison is more important if written later in camp and will be presented as such. Thanks for the feedback.
Agreed. Manoah is key, although I am very intrigued to see what Rodriguez does. Along with Ricky Tiedemann