Looking at the 2012 Toronto Blue Jays, it certainly can be considered a disappointment. A team that was expected to contend for the AL East has not done so. As they currently sit at 67-86, they have had little bright spots. One has definitely been the production of designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion. He has hit .282, 41, 105 kind of coming out of nowhere to produce as well as any power hitter in the American League. His season has resembled the 2010 breakout season of fellow slugger Jose Bautista.
Coming into this season, Encarnacion's best homerun season was 26 in 2008 with the Cincinnati Reds. After a down season in 2009 where he was traded to Toronto in the Scott Rolen trade, he hit 21 HR in 96 games, followed by his 17 in 2011 in 134 games. He has played in more games to this point (145) than any season since 2008 (146) as he is obviously set to pass that easily. Do the Jays have another Bautista story? Bautista never hit more than 16 HRs in a season before he hit 54 in 2010, followed by his 47 HR season last year. Injuries have held Joey Bats to just 92 games played to this with 27 HRs. There is every reason to believe he will perform at the 2010-2011 level in 2013.
Could Encarnacion duplicate Bautista's success? There is a chance that Edwin's power numbers increased in accordance with Bautista missing time. I think that has to be considered when putting together the team for next season. He certainly deserves credit as well as possible AL comeback player of the year. But Adam Lind hit 35 HRs in 2009 only to drop off since. Putting Lind, Bautista and Encarnacion together, its safe to say playing their home games in the Rogers Centre may have an impact in the numbers. But if you are Toronto, Encarnacion has to be in the plans for the middle of the Jays order. Congrats on a very good season.
Coming into this season, Encarnacion's best homerun season was 26 in 2008 with the Cincinnati Reds. After a down season in 2009 where he was traded to Toronto in the Scott Rolen trade, he hit 21 HR in 96 games, followed by his 17 in 2011 in 134 games. He has played in more games to this point (145) than any season since 2008 (146) as he is obviously set to pass that easily. Do the Jays have another Bautista story? Bautista never hit more than 16 HRs in a season before he hit 54 in 2010, followed by his 47 HR season last year. Injuries have held Joey Bats to just 92 games played to this with 27 HRs. There is every reason to believe he will perform at the 2010-2011 level in 2013.
Could Encarnacion duplicate Bautista's success? There is a chance that Edwin's power numbers increased in accordance with Bautista missing time. I think that has to be considered when putting together the team for next season. He certainly deserves credit as well as possible AL comeback player of the year. But Adam Lind hit 35 HRs in 2009 only to drop off since. Putting Lind, Bautista and Encarnacion together, its safe to say playing their home games in the Rogers Centre may have an impact in the numbers. But if you are Toronto, Encarnacion has to be in the plans for the middle of the Jays order. Congrats on a very good season.
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