Blue Jays Fixations...

John Gibbons and Alex Anthopoulous: Now Canada is excited...

I thought this would be the best time to finally write about the Toronto Blue Jays. Yes, I've put this piece off for a number of weeks, but the buzz that surrounds the Blue Jays makes me want to write this piece as soon as possible.

For baseball fans in Canada, whether you live in downtown Toronto, minutes from the Rogers Centre, or out in Halifax, or maybe even in Vancouver, the Toronto Blue Jays are Canada's baseball team.

I've been told and read for myself that the team is awful, but then the events of the past few weeks unfolded. John Farrell left for Boston, Mike Aviles was sent to the Cleveland Indians, the Jays acquired Maicer Izturis... and then the big one.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard about the mammoth 12-player trade between the Blue Jays and the Miami Marlins. On November 14, Toronto acquired pitchers Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle, shortstop José Reyes, utility man Emilio Bonifacio, and catcher John Buck for pitcher Henderson Alvarez, infielders Yunel Escobar and Adeiny Hechavarria and prospects. Miami fans were furious at this seemingly lopsided trade and, on the other side of the spectrum, Jays fans were ecstatic. The team's fan base has also been whipped into a frenzy of excitement after the signing of free agent Melky Cabrera.

Rightly so, because when you look at it from a Canadian perspective, Canada's MLB team finally has a chance to do something in the American League East Division. In a hockey-crazed country, baseball finally has a chance to shine next season. I'm not saying the team will definitely make it to the World Series, nor am I saying I've become a Jays fan overnight, I'm just saying that there is hope at last.

The other big announcement made so far this off-season for the Jays was the hiring – or, rather, the re-hiring – of manager John Gibbons. The hiring of Gibbons by Blue Jays' GM Alex Anthopoulos was seen by fans as a weird one, given the availability of other big name managers on the market.

"I have more conviction in this hiring than I've had in any," Anthopoulos said emphatically during the November 20 media conference announcing Gibbons as manager. "I can sleep like a baby at night because I know it's the right decision." Clearly Anthopoulos is convinced that Gibbons is the right guy to lead the new Jays team next season.

There are two sides to every coin, and some fans question the decision by the Jays' front office. I'm going to remain unbiased, though, and not tell you my stance. Like I mentioned, I'm not a Jays fan and I don't see myself hopping on the bandwagon any time soon. Some of us expected the Los Angeles Angels to be genuine World Series contenders after they added Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, but they never made the playoffs in the post-season.

So really, if you're a Jays fan, you're in for some exciting times. Just hope the team brings the same excitement to the season next year. If they do, Jays fans, you might just have something to cheer about next fall.

Originally Written for the Interrobang:http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.php?storyID=9077&sectionID=4&issueID=217
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