Front Office Issues
The Blue Jays made some questionable offseason moves that failed to address their most pressing needs—hitting, hitting, and more hitting. Instead, they focused on utility players and defense, with Justin Turner as their only offensive-oriented acquisition. Despite last season's struggles at the plate, which contributed to their playoff exit, the front office, led by Ross Atkins, only added one established bat to the lineup, overlooking a range of available power hitters like Jorge Soler, J.D. Martinez, and Cody Bellinger.
Placing their faith in internal resources and dismissing 2023 as "just a blip on the radar" was a gamble for a team seeking a resurgence from its hitters while sustaining a pitching standard that many considered unsustainable. So far, that risk hasn’t paid off in 2024, leaving the front office needing to explain itself. Schneider's position is undoubtedly precarious, whether management believes a new leader could reverse the team’s decline or simply offer a fresh perspective that might translate to wins. Changing managers twice in three seasons could also point to a more systemic issue, but that remains to be seen.
While it’s easy to pin the blame on Schneider, the players need to produce better results on the field, and the front office must either bring in additional talent soon or be held accountable for the organization's persistent struggles dating back to the mid-2010s.
Although it's still early in the season, each day without improvement further reduces their chances of postseason success. The team hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016, and another year of falling short would indicate issues beyond just the manager. If Schneider is replaced, those responsible for the lack of postseason victories should also be scrutinized.
The post by Tyson Shushkewich appeared first on Just Baseball.
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