10 Reasons To Start Watching The Blue Jays

BlogTo has compiled a pretty great list on the 10 Reaons to Start Watching The Blue Jays.

Highlights include:

6. Who’s That on the Mound?

It doesn’t seem to matter… The Jays have possibly the most unbelievable pitching staff in the majors. Fans have seen the last couple years that our bullpen is top notch, but we’d also been fortunate enough to have starters like Roy Halladay, AJ Burnett, Shawn Marcum and Dustin McGowan 4 out of every 5 games.

The current 5-man starting rotation (after Halladay) had a combined 17 starts last year. AJ took up disappointing Yankees fans, Marcum and McGowan are on long-term injured leave and bright lights Jesse Litsch and Ricky Romero as well as closer BJ Ryan have also gone down to injuries already this month. The Jays staff is still top-3 in most of the American League’s major pitching categories

(this was written before the Jays called up Brian Burres, obviously)

and

9. The Suits Have Left the Building

Hey, remember when the Jays won all the time and everyone wanted to go to the game, but no one could get good seats because all those dudes in suits would sit there on their cell phones over the dugout for the entire game? Well, those guys have gone to the Leafs games now and it has left behind some very pleasant and knowledgeable baseball fans that this city doesn’t get enough credit for.

Talking to strangers and eavesdropping on conversations about teams past and players current is acceptable and encouraged and makes the game that much more pleasant to watch. The shortage of casual fans makes the game much quieter than one at, say, Fenway, but if the fans ever came back en masse, the city would remember that back in the early 90s, it wasn’t the Jays that they loved, it was baseball itself.

Another reason is the chance to see the prodigal son, AJ Burnett, return to play Toronto as a member of the New York Yankees.  Last year tensions rose between the two teams when A-Rod (now A-Roid) behaved in a bush league manner and drew the ire of Matt Stairs.  Plunkings ensured, retribution was promised and perhaps the bad blood will boil over into this season.

Oh yeah, the Blue Jays also have the fun gimmick day of “bring your dog to the park”. You never know who you are going to see there….

As good as list as this is, BlogTO misses the most convincing reason of all. If people actually show up at the ballpark, then the team makes money that they can actually reinvest in the team in the form of player salaries!  The result of this is (in theory) better players on the team, more entertaining baseball and a better chance for a winning ballclub! So go out and support the Jays during this hot streak and even if they cool down, because that is when they need your support most.