Provincial Bird Talk

As we make our way into the 2012 season, let us take a moment to look back on 2011.

It all starts one moment when Tony Reagins decided that he wanted to have Vernon Wells on his team. "The Silent Assassin" said, well I think I can do some sort of trade. BAM 2011 in a nut shell.

Well I am sure you all know by now the Jays finished 4th in the AL East with a 81-81 record, best for 14th overall in the majors. I'd call that record a success given the up and down season the Jays had. I ain't gonna go game-by-game and give you a run down, instead I'll do this by chanelling my favouite western The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

The Good
Brett Lawrie: .293 / .373 / .580

43 games thats all that was needed for Brett take the title. Yeah, I could have gone with Jose here, but I went with a kid that's doing it in another fashion. In fact lets get a little personal here.

It was a Monday night game in Seattle, and there were more Jays fans than Mariners. The kid from B.C. has created "Maple Boners" for all, and rejuvenated a bit of baseball love in Canada. Toronto's new focus of making their team, "Canadas" team can gain a lot of steam having Lawrie as a pin-up boy for their brand.

The Bad
The Bullpen

There was not much to love from the back end of the pitching staff this season. There was Octavio Dotel pitching to lefties, and the combination of John Rauch and Frank Francisco closing games. In the as-fore-mentioned game in Seattle, Lawrie helps the Jays get a lead, only to see it dissapear in the bottom half of the inning. This was a continuing trend for the Jays in 2011, one that I would help to be corrected in 2012

The Ugly
Jose Bautista. Just filthy.