Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
The MLB offseason has been very long for the front office of the Toronto Blue Jays, and this has overshadowed the hard work that the players are putting in for the upcoming season. That said, Jose Bautista has been quite vocal over various social media outlets about him and his training partner Melky Cabrera as they embark on their quest to enter 2014 ripped and ready to play. This is great news for Blue Jays fans all over.
The two sluggers have been on a vigorous daily training schedule put together by well-known fitness guru John Rutledge down in Tampa Bay, FL. Rutledge’s work ethic, along with Bautista’s, is something that Cabrera will ultimately benefit from as he tries to get on the path back to greatness after being suspended in 2012 and after having a disappointing first season with the Blue Jays in 2013.
By training on a day-to-day basis alongside each other, Bautista and Cabrera are forming a bond that not many no. 2 and no. 3 players around the league have. It’s a portion of many lineups throughout the MLB that can lack stability throughout the season. If Bautista and Cabrera can both stay healthy, it won’t be a surprise to anyone if the Blue Jays are flying high right out of the gate.
After 2013′s debacle of a season, many people around the baseball world have forgotten just how potent the Blue Jays’ lineup really is if and when everyone is healthy. The top of the order for Toronto is second to none, at least on paper.
Sandwiched in between Jose Reyes at leadoff and Edwin Encarnacion hitting cleanup, Cabrera and Bautista have the potential to solidify this lineup as one of baseball’s most dynamic. The combination of speed and power throughout the top to middle of the order won’t make it easy for any starting pitcher to get past without giving up any damage.
Despite last year’s misfortunes for the Blue Jays and the slow offseason for Alex Anthopoulos‘ front office, Blue Jays fans may very well have a lot to be excited about. With Bautista and Cabrera working hard to ensure that they both for their ball club right from the start, maybe this upcoming baseball season north of the border won’t be as rough as most think it will be.
Jonny Adornetto is a Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @jonnyrants, “Like” him on Facebook and add him to your Google network.
