In an opinion piece, it's clear that Toronto's sports figurehead, Mark Shapiro, exhibits no intention of leaving his current position.
Toronto Blue Jays' Success in the 2021 American League Season: A Team Effort
The Toronto Blue Jays have made a remarkable comeback in the 2021 American League season, leading the league with a unique blend of strong collective team efforts, defensive excellence, and resilience through adversity.
At the heart of this success are stars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, who have been central figures in the team's performance. However, their 2021 performance was not drastically better than previous seasons, indicating that overperformance came largely from role players and depth contributors. For example, during a key 10-game winning streak, George Springer and Addison Barger led efforts more prominently than Guerrero or Bichette, who ranked lower in fWAR during that stretch.
The Blue Jays have also shown strength in defense metrics such as Statcast's Fielding Run Value, highlighting their defensive prowess as a foundation of their success. This defense, coupled with a team-wide ethos of toughness and putting pressure on opposing pitchers by being tough to strike out, has matured into the team’s core identity over multiple seasons.
The team’s culture emphasizes collective effort over individual heroics, with players demonstrating resilience in bouncing back from adversity, whether rough patches or key player absences. This resilience and cohesion are reinforced by the all-for-one sensibility that permeates the Blue Jays' locker room.
Front office and managerial stability have also contributed to the Blue Jays' success. Despite previous criticism, the long-term investments made by president Mark Shapiro and GM Ross Atkins, such as renovating facilities and hiring manager John Schneider, have begun yielding results by 2021 and beyond, supporting competitive consistency.
Mark Shapiro, the current boss of the Toronto Blue Jays, has a distinct appreciation for the level of empowerment he has in his role, which is unique throughout baseball. He discusses the establishment of young players who have contributed meaningfully to the team and the re-signing of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., which addresses one of the biggest challenges to the Blue Jays' window of opportunity.
Despite the team's recent success, it's important to note that it's been a decade since the Cleveland team came to Toronto, and the Blue Jays have not won a single playoff game since 2016. However, Mark Shapiro expresses his love for the city and the job he is doing, and he does not seem to be itching to decouple from the Rogers juggernaut. He also does not seem interested in the Major League Baseball commissioner's job.
Rosie DiManno, a Toronto-based columnist covering sports and current affairs for the Star, mentions that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was re-signed by the Toronto Blue Jays for half a billion dollars over 14 years, starting next season.
As the Blue Jays continue their strong performances in the 2021 season, it's clear that their success is less about a breakout season from stars and more about a well-rounded, defensively strong, and resilient team culture and identity that emphasizes collective effort, toughness, and consistency. This foundation shaped their identity and has led to continued strong performances in subsequent years.
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