The Blue Jays are "on pace for only slightly better attendance" at Rogers Centre than last season, when they finished 26th in MLB, and the "idea that Toronto is a small-market team has settled into baseball's collective consciousness," according to Chris Jones of GRANTLAND.com. The truth, however, is that the city of Toronto is the "fourth largest in the majors, after only New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago." Team Owner Rogers Communications "has virtually limitless resources, as well as a national sports TV network, a string of radio stations, and a soon-to-be-launched national sports magazine." Rogers Centre "isn't a beautiful ballpark, but it's clean and safe and accessible," and even the Canadian dollar, "once the ready excuse for every struggling sports franchise up here, has eclipsed its American cousin." Yet the Blue Jays, "once again occupying their customary fourth-place spot" in the AL East, are 23rd in MLB in payroll and "still struggling to reach the .500 mark, let alone thinking about making a run at the post-season." Blue Jays P Jon Rauch said, "You can tell that baseball isn't a very popular sport here." Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos "has embarked on an ambitious plan, a kind of hybrid between Tampa Bay's self-sustaining architecture and the free spending of the Yankees and Red Sox." Jones wrote, "He's built the biggest scouting staff in the game. He's signing more international players. He's focusing intensely on the draft, especially pitchers." As the Blue Jays "build toward something better, and the fans start to return, Rogers has promised that the money will come rushing in." Blue Jays 1B Adam Lind: "I think you'll see a difference when we're playing big games in September. It'll take a playoff run -- maybe two, to really fill this place back up" (GRANTLAND.com, 6/30).
