It’s happy times for Andrew Tinnish.
The former Brock Badger, and current Vice-President of International Scouring & Baseball Operations, has worked for the Toronto Blue Jays since 2001 when he started as an intern.
The Blue Jays have never been this good at this point of the season.
The Jays sit at (55-41) entering the unofficial second half of the season which begins at home against the San Francisco Giants.
“It’s contributions up and down the lineup, it’s contributions from different parts of the pitching staff, it’s not relying on one or two guys which is obviously very difficult to this in this game,” said Tinnish/
“There was a bit of a struggle offensively early in the season, and as we got into May we really started to turn it around.
Certainly the emergence of Addison Barger as a middle of lineup bat really kind of helped us, and of course (George) Springer swinging as well as he has.
This isn’t something that happens with one or two guys, this is a total team effort, from a 26-man roster that’s contributing.”
Tinnish mentioned ‘one or two guys’ twice there. Obviously referring to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette.
He also spoke of Springer and Barger.
Springer, who leads the team with 16 home runs, is tops in slugging-percentage at .490 and on base/slugging-percentage at .853, should have been named an all-star.
Barger, who started the season with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, is second in home runs with 13 and second in doubles with 21.
And let’s not forget about American League all-star, catcher Alejandro Kirk, who sports a team-best .303 batting average.
The last time the Blue Jays were in this position, this far into the season, was 1993 – the last time they made and eventually won the World Series.
Tinnish feels the Jays now have the depth to make moves to bolster the lineup in the coming weeks.
“The best way I can put this is – we’re a good team but we want to be a great team,” Tinnish said.
“We certainly know we’re not a perfect team, and know we have to add some pieces.
I think the other thing that is important is that we have a much stronger farm system then we’ve had the past few years. It stings to have to trade a prospect, but we know what the ultimate goal is.
We like the team we have, but we know it’s our job – it’s Ross’s (General Manager Atkins) job, it’s Mark’s (President Shapiro) job, and the supporting cast to get where we want to get to.”
Toronto took its biggest deadline swing back in 2015 when then general manager Alex Anthopolous acquired David Price and Troy Tulowitzki.
The Major League Baseball trade deadline is July 31.
Stay tuned.
Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.
