Are the Blue Jays finally ready for conquest the East Division Title of American League?

The Canadian team hopes to reap better results next season.

Russell Martin happy with 'great deal' from Blue JaysToronto's newest Blue Jay is introduced.Nov 20, 2014.

Written by Jorge Jiménez-Maria.

In 2013 they tried. In 2014 they came to be on top of his division briefly. But ultimately collapsed and once again left out of the postseason. But the Blue Jays do not give up and hope that this 2015 can finally return to the postseason, something not achieved since 1993 and that becomes the any professional sports team in the United States as long without playing postseason.

Following the participation of Kansas City in recent playoffs, the Missouri, they would not postseason since 1985 (29 years) left in the hands of tenants Rogers Centre negative honor of being the team with more years without go to MLB postseason (21 seasons). The Jays are as much as his closest in that category are the Mariners, who are not going to playoffs since 2000 (14 seasons), 7 seasons unless the Canadian team, the only non-American MLB team.

Jorge Jiménez-María

To try to change things, the Jays brought Josh Donaldson from the Athletics in exchange for Brett Lawrie, and won the Canadian Russell Martin, who played for the Pirates, who signed for US$80 million.

The team got rid of Juan Francisco, Adam Lind went to Brewers and Melky Cabrera went to the White Sox, but still in the team's hitters Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista, and the versatile Jose Reyes.

The Blue Jays officially open their spring-training camp next week in Dunedin, Florida, and while the bulk of attention will be rightfully paid to the club’s marquee offseason additions, Russell Martin and Josh Donaldson, the major story lines are far more familiar.

Despite improving both the offensively and defensively with Martin and Donaldson, the Jays’ most glaring soft spots — second base, centre field and their overall pitching depth — persist. They should be better than they were a year ago, but will they be good enough? We won’t know the answer to that question for several months still, but here are five smaller questions the Jays will need to answer before opening day.

Josh Donaldson, third baseman adquired from A's. 

Who’s on second?

In theory, the Jays have as many as six players competing for both the starting job at second as well as backup infielder. Maicer Izturis, who missed almost all of last season with a knee injury, is the frontrunner to win the everyday position, but it remains to be seen how the 34-year-old bounces back from the most serious injury of his career. Competing with Izturis are Ryan Goins and Devon Travis. Goins, the all-glove-no-bat youngster who was handed the starting job last year, promptly lost it when the Jays grew tired of his limited offence. A natural shortstop, he may serve better off the bench as a late-inning defensive replacement. Travis is more of a wild card. A minor-league prospect acquired from the Detroit Tigers for Anthony Gose, Travis has yet to play a game above Double-A and will have to make a big impression at camp to unseat the veteran Izturis. Also fighting for a spot are veteran utility infielders Steve Tolleson, Munenori Kawasaki and Ramon Santiago.

Is Dalton Pompey ready?

Mississauga’s favourite son made an exciting big-league cameo last September and looks poised to crack the opening-day lineup as the starting centre fielder, if for no other reason than a lack of competition. But this is the 22-year-old’s first major-league spring training and he still has to prove he’s prepared for an everyday job. Kevin Pillar, who has yet to establish himself as a bona fide big leaguer since making his debut in 2013, will be Pompey’s biggest competition. Defensively sound, Pillar’s lack of plate discipline and inconsistent offence likely destine him to a bench role as fourth outfielder. Andy Dirks, meanwhile, is still rehabbing from last year’s back surgery and isn’t likely to figure much in the competition.

Can Russell Martin catch R.A. Dickey’s knuckleball?

He says he wants to and the Jays would love if he could because then they can send Josh Thole to the minors and keep incumbent backstop Dioner Navarro as the backup catcher and occasional DH. Thole has been worse than replacement level since arriving with Dickey from the New York Mets, posting a brutal .550 OPS over the last two seasons. But the 28-year-old has caught three-quarters of Dickey’s starts since 2010 and shares a special bond with the quirky pitcher. Martin, however, is known for his athleticism, his ability to block pitches and his elite receiving, so the general feeling among Jays’ brass is that if anybody can figure out how to corral the knuckleball, it’s him.

Who’ll be the closer?

There’s no doubt Aaron Sanchez will be in the big leagues next season. The question is whether the hard-throwing 22-year-old — whose 97 m.p.h. average fastball velocity was the hardest in the American League — will work as a starter or a reliever. The team plans to stretch him out as a starter in spring training and the organization sees him as a starter long term, but since general manager Alex Anthopoulos did not sign or trade for a veteran reliever to replace Casey Janssen in the closer’s role, Sanchez — who posted a stingy 1.09 ERA in 24 relief appearances last year — is likely needed to fortify the back end of the bullpen. If not Sanchez, the Jays could turn to lefty Brett Cecil, who struck out nearly a third of the batters he faced last season. The debate over where to put Sanchez in many ways speaks to the lack of depth in both the Jays’ rotation and bullpen, because really, they need him in both spots.

Will Daniel Norris make the team?

The highly touted left-hander will be given a chance to make the big-league rotation and will compete for the fifth starting spot with veteran swingman Marco Estrada and Sanchez, if Sanchez isn’t in the bullpen. But the wistful 22-year-old — who is once again living in his Volkswagen camper van during spring training — has just four Triple-A starts under his belt and may start the season in Buffalo to refine his game before earning a call-up later in the season.

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