Just a few years ago, the Blue Jays looked like a team on the rise and ready to contend for years to come. Guerrero and Bichette were leading the charge and the front office seemed to add impact players every offseason. However, the payoff has yet to materialize and Toronto's farm system now ranks in the bottom third of the league on most lists.
The Blue Jays hoped to model what the Dodgers have done by churning out prospects year after year to replenish the farm system and graduate some to help the team. Atkins has failed at that, with only a handful of homegrown players making a significant impact at the big-league level over the past few seasons.
If the team doesn't find a way to start racking up some postseason victories, it's fair to wonder if ownership might look to curb spending to a degree. The saving grace might be the recent renovations at Rogers Centre, which could force ownership's hand to remain aggressive as it looks to keep fans engaged and shelling out money to come to the ballpark.
Sizing up a crucial Blue Jays season
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