Rap-athy

Is there ever a point when it’s okay for a fan to not care about wins and losses? Or does that completely undermine what it is to truly be a fan? To be a fan is to be a fanatic, to love a team to the point of near obsession, but there comes a time when even the most diehard fan needs to accept that a team’s best course of action is to lose. This is the case with the Toronto Raptors.

            At 13-32 the Raptors currently sit tied for 13^th in the Eastern Conference. They’ve lost 8 in a row. They’ve lost 21 of their past 26. Now, this was expected. With Chris Bosh leaving Toronto had a void in their line-up that it was widely recognized would not be filled easily. But it’s not as if the team doesn’t have talent to build its future around.

            DeMar DeRozan has taken massive steps in the past 22 games; averaging just under 20 points, even scoring 20+ on 9 of those occasions. He may just be the explosive wing player that the Raptors have lacked since Vince Carter; or at the very least, the first wing that can create for himself that Toronto’s had in a long time. Andrea Bargnani appears to have found a niche as a scorer in the league, averaging 20+ points a game for the first time in his career. Now, the knock on Bargnani is that he doesn’t rebound and he’s below average on defence, but guess what? That’s who he is. He won’t ever average 10 boards a game, but not many centers in the NBA can score like he does in as many ways as he can. At the very least he’s a piece to either build around or trade. Even potential can be seen in young combo guard Jerryd Bayless, who was picked up for basically nothing in a trade earlier this season. He put up his first career double-digit assist total with 11 Monday against Memphis. Maybe nothing; or maybe a small step for a two-guard trapped in a point guard’s body.

            Maybe it seems wrong that to Raptor fans this season has become nothing more than a glorified fantasy team; with stats of the individual meaning more than the success of the club, but a fan needs something to cheer for right? Maybe your average Toronto fan can’t stand to consciously cheer for his team to lose, but they can live with just focusing on the development of DeRozan this season.

            In fact, success isn’t always a good thing when you look at the big picture. I use for example the team that causes me the most pain as a fan: the Miami Dolphins. When Ricky Williams retired unexpectedly, the team plummeted. Then in 2005 there appeared to be hope. The Dolphins went 9-7 behind the steady play of Gus Frerotte at quarterback. Now, as anyone who knows anything about Miami can tell you, the Dolphins haven’t had a franchise QB, let alone a reliable QB since Dan Marino retired in 1999. Now, as anyone who knows anything about the NFL can tell you, Gus Frerotte is not a franchise QB, he is in fact, a QB who injured himself for an entire season by head butting a cement wall while with the Redskins. Essentially, the Dolphins got a little lucky. So when next season rolled around, we had wasted a mid-1^st round pick on Jason Allen; given Daunte Culpepper the keys to the offense, believing we were one piece away from a Super Bowl; and gone an awe inspiring 4-12. The 2010 Dolphins just finished 7-9. Why? Because the team has yet to go through a proper rebuilding process.

            Patience will be the key for Raptors fans. I mean, look at the prospects of the Eastern Conference playoffs anyway. Sure, a team with a below .500 record will make it this year in the East, maybe two. But is getting swept by the Celtics or Heat in the first round of the playoffs really worth giving up a lottery pick?

               Nothing is ever guaranteed in a league where draft selection order is left to chance, but with an above average draft class this year; the Raptors need to take advantage with a top five pick. They need to continue to rebuild. Regardless of the sport, a successful team is structured around home grown talent and Toronto has an opportunity to add to theirs by, well, losing. A true fans’ job is to cheer for and understand their team. Maybe you can’t bring yourself to cheer for losses, but at the very least, an apathetic approach this year is the way to convey your understanding.     

All's Well Without Wells

Even if he does nothing else this season, Jays’ GM Alex Anthopoulos may have just cemented himself as executive of the year in the MLB. The massive, unreasonable, team-crushing contract that was Vernon Wells 7-year, $126 million deal has reportedly been traded to the Angels.

You’ll notice how I didn’t include what he was traded for… How observant of you. Well, the sad truth is, it doesn’t really matter. Apparently C/1B Mike Napoli is part of the package coming back to Toronto, but I doubt he becomes much more than a blip on the Jays’ radar with the wealth of catching talent Toronto has in the minors, and in the majors with J. P. Arencibia; who is not with the big club to be a backup. However the players the Blue Jays get in return are merely an obligation; the real value of this deal of course is the money it clears. Wells was set to make $23 million this season, and $21 million in each of the following 3 seasons. Now, let me get this out of the way, I like Vernon Wells. He’s a well-spoken man, who’s charitable in the community, and, frankly, was a very good player. But he was never worth $126 million. He was going to get that type of money somewhere after batting .303/32/106 in a contract year, but it was obvious the mistake former GM J.P. Ricciardi had made by signing Wells to such a deal within the next few seasons. Vernon’s tenure in Toronto can be pretty much summed up by unattainable expectations. His career numbers were good, but not good enough to be making $20+ a season; he had lost a step in centrefield, but fans needed to see him as the 3-time Gold Glover he used to be; he wasn’t a typical clean-up hitter, but the Jays had no one else to put there. The truth is if Vernon Wells made $13 million a year in Toronto; his name would be included in discussions of “Greatest Jay of All-Time”. But he didn’t. So he wasn’t.

Okay, let’s actually talk about Napoli. Not so much what he brings to the team, but what he’s going to change. The 29-year-old had a career year in 2010. Hitting 26 home runs and driving in 68 runs. Now he only hit .238, but I view him essentially as a trade-off for departed catcher John Buck. The question is; where will he play? Arencibia needs an opportunity to show the franchise whether or not he’s an MLB catcher, so I can’t see Napoli getting too many starts behind the plate. The Jays do have a hole at first base, which is likely where Napoli will end up, but that sets into motion several possible positional changes if John Ferrell wants to keep certain bats in the lineup. Adam Lind appeared to be in line to take over at first, so he’ll now have to either go back to being the everyday DH or start to get more time as a corner outfielder. There is a spot open now in right field with Rajai Davis most likely moving into the centrefielder’s role, so will it be Lind and Travis Snider on the corners? It’s still my belief that Jose Bautista is needed at 3^rd base, so I don’t want to pencil him in as an option in right, but with Edwin Encarnacion and John McDonald on the bench, there’s no reason to think Jose can’t continue his role as the ultimate utility man. The point is this team has positional flexibility. So next season you may want to get to the Rogers Centre before they announce starting lineups to try and avoid some confusion.

            Again, this deal is all about the money saved. To a lesser extent, I compare it to Bryan Colangelo moving Hedo Turkoglu’s contract to Phoenix this summer to reference another Toronto team. For a young Raptors team it was obviously nice to add the veteran scoring presence of Leandro Barbosa, but let’s be honest. When you heard about the deal did you text your buddy “We got Barbosa” or “Thank God Hedo’s gone”? Don’t see the Wells deal for what the Jays are getting in return, but for the opportunities it opens up in the future. Alex Anthopoulos always said the Jays were a few pieces and a few years away from contention; that the 2012 season was the goal. Toronto now has money to burn next off-season and a GM who wants to spend it. It could get very interesting.

3rd Needs To Be His 1st Option

Last season Jose Bautista proved to be one of the best, if not the best, offensive threat in the Blue Jays line-up. He also became their most valuable defensive player, playing both 3^rd base and right field, his preferred position. This season Bautista can again play a key role in Toronto’s success, by playing third base for the Jays instead of the outfield.

            When he was traded to Toronto during the 2008 season, Bautista had played 3^rd base for the Pittsburgh Pirates in all 91 games he had appeared in that year. With the golden glove of Scott Rolen occupying the hot corner for the Jays, Bautista became a utility man for Toronto, finishing the season playing every infield position except shortstop. Then in 2009, when Rolen was traded to the Cincinnati Reds, an everyday spot opened for Bautista, and he took advantage, hitting 10 home runs over the Jays’ final 26 games. In that small frame of time Bautista had done enough to warrant a full time look from Toronto in the 2010 season.

            We all know what happened next. Bautista had a season beyond belief. Clubbing 54 home runs and driving in 124 runs, easily trumping his old career highs of 16 and 63. But what went unnoticed to some was his play with the glove. Bautista made 45 starts at 3^rd and 113 in right field. He even made a start at 1^st. However, Bautista wasn’t just out in the field to keep his bat in the line-up; he made an impact. He made only seven errors all season, moving back and forth from not just the infield and outfield, but across the diamond. His 12 outfield assists tied him for second in the league. But that’s not what Toronto needs most heading into 2011.

            The Jays have lacked a legitimate leadoff hitter for some time. Bautista himself was thrown into the role out of necessity to begin last season. But with the acquisition of Rajai Davis this winter, it would appear Toronto has found someone to fill the role. However, with Vernon Wells an immovable fixture in centerfield and still unproven prospect Travis Snider needing the full-time job, and entire season of playing time, in left, the Jays only have one outfield spot remaining, with two players available to fill it.

            It’s not as if Toronto will lose much defensively if Davis were to get the call. His arm isn’t the greatest, tossing out only 5 men in 157 games last season, but with the speed and range of a centerfielder, Davis can rely on his legs to keep doubles from turning into triples. That centerfield speed also translates to the base paths, which is where the Jays need Davis the most. He stole 50 bases last season. Toronto had 58 as a team. Not surprisingly ranking them last in the American League. With the speed of Davis and projected number two hitter Yunel Escobar’s ability to handle the bat, Bautista may not get to play the position he wants, but his at bats with runners in scoring position should climb dramatically.

            The other thing you have to look at is: if Bautista’s in right field, who’s left to play 3^rd? Edwin Encarnacion split time with Bautista at 3^rd last season, but has always been identified as a liability in the field. On the other end of the spectrum, John McDonald, fan favourite and defensive specialist, doesn’t have near the bat to warrant an everyday spot in the starting nine. There was speculation that 2^nd baseman Aaron Hill, who came up as a 3^rd baseman, could move over, but neither Adeiny Hechavarria or Brett Lawrie is ready to take over in Hill’s place. There just isn’t another Major League option on the Jays’ roster.

            Jose Bautista is an incredible right fielder, this no one can dispute. But by not filling the Jays’ biggest void, 3^rd base, Bautista is hurting his team. Toronto needs Rajai Davis’ bat at the top of their line-up this coming season. In 2010 Jose Bautista had to carry the offense. By switching positions he can assure that he’ll have some assistance in 2011.