So Jays Fans Are Back At This Fire Shapiro And Atkins Stuff

So Jays fans are back at this Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins need to be tossed in the can kind of talk. And the truth is I really had no intentions of writing another piece about this totally worn out topic. It’s just that this noise has been so loud lately that I can’t help writing about this again. I just really don’t understand any Jays fan who actually believes this. I really don’t.

And I’m not about to go on some dumb rant and explain to all the ‘shatkins’ people out there that they are being nonsensical clowns. I just want to try and understand why certain fickle fans loathe Shapiro and Atkins so much.

What have these two executives done to make certain Jays fans so miserable? I think this is a fair question. And I have many more questions, too. Did they expect them to build a World Series team in 2017 and ’18? And did they forget that Shapiro and Atkins did get us back to the ALCS in ’16? This Jays front office gave the ‘16 ALCS core of players every opportunity in 2017 to play for that Wild Card spot again. But, everything that could go wrong last season did, similar to what’s happening now.

Do these people actually believe that these ‘Cleveland Cronies’ were brought here by big bad Rogers to destroy baseball in Canada? Can they not see the success that Cleveland has had over the past couple of seasons? A Cleveland team that was mostly built by Shapiro. A Cleveland team that went to the World Series in ’16. Made a run in ’17. And will get back to the postseason in ’18. But, Mark Shapiro is shit and Atkins is his yes-man kin.

The truth is that I’m really trying to figure out what Shapiro and Atkins have done which has ruined so many of these people’s lives. What have they done that has had so many people aggressively hammer dumb things on keyboards and finger press these thoughtless comments on smartphones?

Mark Shapiro signed JA Happ and these people howled because he didn’t sign David Price. And if you compare both of those contracts and look at their numbers today, that was a damn good move – a damn good move that a lot of these ‘shatkins’ people refuse to acknowledge. They sure love Happ now, but still hate Shapiro.

Shapiro and Atkins didn’t ink Bautista to a multi-year deal, which would have had this ‘shatkins’ tribe all howling into the wind right now if they did – even though they howled for that to happen. But, they did bring him back for 2017. And because of that, Jays fans got to send off one of the greatest players in franchise history the proper way with a standing ovation and many José…José…José…José chants.

So what are they so upset about? Seriously. Is it the Edwin thing? I dunno. I remember that he was offered a contract better than the one he signed with Cleveland. Is it the Kendrys signing? Because I think that it’s kind of interesting that when the Jays signed Morales, who is represented by Wasserman Media Group, on November 11^th in 2016, that the very next day they signed Lourdes Gurriel Jr., the No. 6 ranked International prospect (at that time,) who is also represented by Wasserman Media Group.

Maybe the Lourdes deal doesn’t get done without the Kendrys deal – or maybe I’ve thought about this too much. If you add the money on Morales’ contract and the 7-years of control at $22 million for Lourdes, it’s worth every penny to have a near MLB ready versatile prospect like Gurriel Jr. Gurriel Jr. could be worth all of that money combined. Maybe these ‘shatkins’ people don’t like Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Who knows? I certainly don’t.

Are these same people smashing plates because Teoscar Hernandez is a Blue Jay? Are they pissed that they traded Joe Smith for a good lefty prospect in Thomas Pannone (and prospect Samad Taylor, too)? Are they bummed out that they didn’t trade Vladdy Jr. to Miami for Christian Yelich this offseason? Are they crying because they drafted Nate Pearson with the pick they received when Edwin signed with Cleveland? Are they up in arms about them picking Bo Bichette in the second-round of the 2016 draft? Are they frustrated because they continue to build the farm with talented young players who will be a part of a future Jays team that will have all of us excited for years to come? Even though it doesn’t feel like it right now, these are exciting times to be Jays fans folks.

I’m really trying to understand all of these ‘shatkins’ people. I really am. They must be angry that they didn’t go out and spend all the cash-rules-everything-around MLB this offseason. That’s what it must be. Even though we all know, Shapiro and Atkins have to work with the budget they are given. And they only had about $20 – 25 million to work with this offseason – so there’s that.

Any reasonable Jays fan knows that they weren’t in a financial *ROGERS* position to sign JD Martinez – or Lorenzo Cain – or an Arrieta. And they actually did a great job spreading out the money, adding depth, and making effective trades. But, howl away for the sake of making noise if that’s your thing. Howl at that lonely moon.

Here’s the thing, most of us Jays fans are hardworking people who make an honest amount of money and have to budget every dime to pay rent as we make ends meet. It would be nice to go out and spend $40 dollars on two steaks, but if you only have $100 dollars in your weekly grocery budget, it’s not possible. And that’s pretty much where Shapiro and Atkins are with how much money is tied up in certain aging players on this roster. And soon that money will be freed up and the Jays will be able to spend to bring in players they need – or re-sign players they want to keep, who will help win the 2022 World Series.

I trust what they will do at the trade deadline, and I believe that they will make sure that there is enough talent around when the Vlad years finally begin. There is no reason not to howl in excitement for what’s around the future corner. This organization isn’t going to be absolute dogshit for the next two decades. This organization might be only a couple seasons away from playing baseball in October again – pretty cool stuff.

So why do these people hate Shapiro and Atkins so much? It’s not their fault that Josh Donaldson has been injured. It’s not their fault that Roberto Osuna is an asshole. It’s not their fault that Aaron Sanchez had blister issues last season and has looked lost out there this year. It’s not their fault that Marcus Stroman is injured. Or that Marco Estrada hasn’t painted the way he usually does. And it’s not John Gibbons’ either.

So, what is it? I honestly would like to know.