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The Economist is biased when it comes to some of those rankings such as Top Ranking Cities of 2021 and I take them with a grain of salt most of the time. A lot of those cities are ranked high because of free health care, green policies, and other politically motivated aspects. Tokyo and Singapore IMO are much better than Toronto, safer, cleaner, way better infrastructure and more thriving in terms of night life, entertainment etc. Sydney and Melbourne are also nice cities. Copenhagen never been but heard its really nice. Expensive and most people there are very well off and a smaller population in comparison to other bigger cities so which makes social and healthcare services more accessible. Toronto's infrastructure in comparison to Tokyo or Seoul or other major cities is really far behind. As well, Toronto's population is growing at a high rate, which is driving up real estate and renting prices, alongside we're already seeing a strain on social and health care services across the GTA and Ontario. More money needs to be invested in infrastructure here and health care (Provincial government), because it is lagging. Yeah like I said, Toronto is relatively safe still for a big city in comparison to other major cities. LA, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Baltimore, St. Louis, Detroit, Miami, Minneapolis, Cleveland, Washington DC etc. are worse when it comes to overall violence. Still a little worrisome though how Toronto has been heading in the wrong direction since it's pretty easy for a city to be a thriving safe metropolis and then all of sudden have a complete 180. Also, depends on the area in the GTA. Some areas are obviously safer than others, though even still gun violence has reached the suburbs and what are considered safe areas. I remember last summer there was a shooting at Sherway right outside the Joey's. I was there the day before as well. Scary to think something like that would happen in broad daylight out in the west end. Montreal I find is worse than Toronto. Vancouver I find is better though they have a huge homeless and drug problem. At the end of the day, each big city isn't perfect.

NBA season doesn't start until mid-to-late October.

You're worse than Mike Wilner.

I said it has started to "become" a s*** hole. Toronto was a great city to live in 5-10 years ago. In terms of safety, yes its still relatively a safe city but gun violence, stabbings and car jackings have been increasing every year since 2015. Heading in the wrong direction which is worrisome. Those are the facts. As well, a lot more drug problems in the city now than 5-10 years ago. You walk in some areas or even in some underground parking lots and you see people shooting up or used needles on the street which is scary. Like every big city, there are good areas and bad areas.

The Blue Jays best window to win a World Series is over the next two-three years. The Blue Jays should be fielding the best teams possible over these next two-three years, no excuses. You can't let this roster go to waste by cheapening on other areas such as the bullpen or roster depth. Vladdy and Bo become FA's in 2026 and will start becoming expensive through arbitration 2023 onwards or if they sign an extension which will tie up the payroll from the Blue Jays spending on other players. Teoscar Hernandez is a FA in 2024. George Springer is getting older and want to take advantage of his so called prime years before he declines. You want to capitalize on Gausman in the early part of his contract because who knows how he pitches at an elite level when he's 34 or 35 years of age. Manoah is pitching fantastic and showing he's healthy - want to take advantage of that as we know with some young pitchers how injuries can pop up and they're MIA for a good year or two possibly.

I don't have high expectations for them to go far into the Postseason if it started today, but who knows come end of September. If this team is playing hot, everyone is healthy and Berrios figures it out, then they have a chance in a short series.

The Blue Jays were overrated this season, though that doesn't mean they still can't make the Postseason and possibly move on to the ALDS or ALCS. This is still a solid core who have underachieved thus far. There are a lot of homers and FO apologists on this board who still think this team is perfectly fine and nothing needs to be added. Some posters care so much about saving $ on the bullpen or transforming Kikuchi from a No. 5 into a No.3, they're missing the bigger picture here.

If anyone ever wants Bills tickets, let me know. Have seasons in Sec 337, Row 9.

Chicago, Detroit, Baltimore, LA, San Fran, New York, St. Louis, Minnesota are a couple of s*** hole cities in the US. Toronto has started to become a s*** hole. It's not the same city it was 5-10 years ago. A lot of cities have bad parts and nice parts including Toronto. Like even San Fran, some parts are nice and outside of the city in Northern California is nice, but some parts of San Fran downtown is filled with homeless and drug addicts. In comparison to some big US cities though, Toronto is still pretty decent. Still, there are some better US cities to play in for sure.

I don't really have an issue with any of these contracts, other than maybe Kikuchi, and even that one doesn't bother me. Springer was the top FA that offseason and the Blue Jays signing him showed the rest of the baseball they were serious. Also, showed other FAs that the Blue Jays were willing to spend and make significant improvements to the team. If he's healthy, he can be a 5-6 WAR player. That's why it's best the Blue Jays take advantage of putting together the best team possible during the earlier years of the Springer contract, because likely the latter years are when he'll be declining. Same with the Ryu contract the offseason prior. He was one of the top SPs on the market. Also at the time they signed Ryu, Blue Jays pitching at the MLB level was pretty depleted. They pretty much just had Trent Thornton. Berrios can be a solid No. 2 starter, proven to be durable and was under 30 when they traded and signed him to an extension. I think he's a better pitcher than his 2022 numbers indicate. As for Kikuchi, I'm not a fan of the 3 years. I think signing him to a one-year contract + with a club option would have been a fine gamble. I don't know why they want to try turning him from a No. 5 starter into a No. 3 starter over three years. Just pay a couple extra more bucks for a No. 3 starter to slot in the No. 4 or 5 slots at this point given where the team is. Also, wasn't a fan of the Roark contract or the Morales contract as well. Don't understand again why they went multiple years on veterans over 30 and on the downturn in their careers, who likely would only get one-year contracts from the 29 other teams.

Blue Jays were still a World Series contender in 2016 after AA left. They had a bad start to 2017 with some major injuries. As well, this current FO rather than trading Donaldson at his high point, wasted that opportunity. Plus giving some questionable players like Kendrys Morales multiple years, which was very mind boggling. I'm not suggesting the Blue Jays go all in and trade every top prospect. They don't need to. They have a very strong core intact and all they need to do is spend some money in the offseason on some areas to improve the team such as the bullpen which is easer in the offseason than trading top prospects for guys at the deadline. If you're so concerned about the farm system, wouldn't you agree? I just would hate seeing all this talent and roster go to waste because the Blue Jays were too cheap on adding a bullpen arm or two in the offseason. Like I said, I'm all for this team handing an elite reliever BJ Ryan money at this stage.

Love yours and Brownie19s optimism surrounding every player on the Blue Jays! You both love investing so much time on a 5th starter!

3 years at $12. If it was one year at $12-15M with a club option, fine. The money they spent on Kikuchi could have been used on the bullpen.

AA took over after the 2009 season and put together a World Series contender in 2015. It's unfortunate that he couldn't stay around longer past 2015. Atkins took over after 2015 and while the Jays were World Series contenders in 2016, a lot of that was left over from AA's tenure. We'll see what the Blue Jays do this season, though don't think they're World Series contenders thus far. 2023 and 2024 are the real test IMO and like you said, Atkins is in year 7 already and likely won't be until year 8 or 9 until the Blue Jays win a World Series.

Probably yes, though a lot could change still over the last 1.5 months. In the AL, I wouldn't forget about Dylan Cease who has pretty much been even with Verlander till this point, minus 3 wins. Gasuman could be in the conversation, but voters would never vote for him given his 8-8 record. In the NL, Rodon and Fried are deserving as well, though Alcantara with his sub-2 ERA likely makes him the front runner at this moment.

Mariners are going to be a dangerous team down the stretch and in the Postseason. They won't be a walk-over.

Yes, but you can't be riding everything on Pearson and Merryweather becoming elite relievers to save the pen. They definitely have the stuff and potential to be. Even still, the Blue Jays can still add or upgrade to the pen, even with Pearson and Merryweather in the fold still. What is stopping them? To be honest, I'm in favour of the Blue Jays handing out a BJ Ryan contract to an elite pen arm given this teams position and window. Let's be realistic here - the Blue Jays best window for a World Series is 2023 and 2024. After that, the window starts to close. Once guys like Teo and Lourdes walk, Vladdy, Bo, Kirk, Manoah become very expensive, Springer gets older, if Gausman has some regression near the end of his contract, it's going to make chasing a World Series a lot tougher. And never count out the Yankees or Red Sox from spending money and putting together a super team. And you can never count out the Rays any given season as well.

100% on board with this. Pearson as a lights out BP arm is more valuable to the Blue Jays right now and in 2023 and 2024. Given the Blue Jays rotation at the top (Gausman, Manoah, Berrios) and window to contend for a World Series, hoping Pearson makes it as a starter won't help this organization during that timeframe. Yes if the Blue Jays were still rebuilding, you can be more patient with Pearson as a starter, though given the Jays position right now and for the next two/three years, Pearson is more valuable as an elite reliever on this team.

Calling me a doomscroller? Yes I was willing to roll the dice on Pearson or Merryweather becoming an elite arm in the bullpen and still am even for next season as well. Though when the plan fails a second and third time, what next? How long does the organization wait for Pearson to become an elite bullpen arm? 3 to 4 years?

I agree that one of Pearson or Merryweather can really make a big difference in the pen. I've said at the beginning of the season if Pearson can pull an Aaron Sanchez 2015, that would be a huge boost for the Blue Jays. How long do we wait for that to happen though? Also, why should that stop the Jays from looking to upgrade the bullpen in the offseason? As well, the names you listed above, while solid arms, we both know bullpen arms can be volatile. What happens if one or two of those arms regress big time next season or suffer a serious injury? You always need pitching depth and arms that you can call upon during a season. Look at elite organizations like the Dodgers, Astros, and Rays as examples. At some point in time, the Blue Jays FO can't be rolling out mediocre bullpens every season with this elite core of players and starting pitchers they have. You can't be wasting the 2023 or 2024 season in hoping that you can cheaply build an elite bullpen. It's definitely possible as we've seen previous Blue Jays FO's building elite pens and other organizations as well, but even most of those organizations like the Rays, A's, Royals had payroll constraints so its understandable.

I also agree that the Blue Jays shouldn't trade elite prospects just for a top reliever or closer. Like you said, there is definitely a lot of luck involved and even signing a top FA closer doesn't always work out since relievers can be very volatile, even the best ones. Still, the Blue Jays will eventually need to spend on the pen, whether its with cash or through trade, and get lucky developing some BP arms as well (failed starters, high upside guys who have shown high K rates in the minors or majors, reclamation projects etc.). If this team expects to contend for a World Series in 2023 or 2024, they can't do it with a mediocre pen every season. You can't waste the window you have with this core intact. Eventually if they can't get lucky with developing or finding guys on the cheap, then they need to sign a top reliever FA or trade for one in the offseason. Not saying they go crazy and pay an enormous price of prospects or dollars for a reliever, though they definitely will need to spend some money on upgrading bullpen if the team expects to be World Series contenders in 2023 and 2024.

Yeah definitely will have to ride the Teo and Gurriel contracts out. Unless it's a favourable extension for both parties, though I'm sure if Teo has a monster 2023 season, he'll want to cash in after on a big deal. That's why I've been saying, lets hope the Blue Jays can take advantage of these next couple of seasons when they have guys like Teo under control, along with Vlad, Bo, Kirk at very reasonable contracts because the Blue Jays won't be able to afford all of them once their expensive arbitration years come around or when they hit free agency. Replacing a bat like Teo in free agency won't be easy. That's why these next two-three years are so important for the Blue Jays.

Yeah I can't really see any major difference from last season to this season. Pretty similar results thus far.

128 wRC+ and an .819 OPS this season still despite it being considered a "down year" for him compared to 2021. If he goes on a hot streak, his stats will look better. Don't see much of a difference between the 2021 and 2022 Teoscar.

The psychological aspects definitely play a big role in baseball or any sports. Orioles have no pressure really and are playing loose. Blue Jays feel the pressure since they have had high expectations since Day 1.