Quick takes: Why is Ross Atkins still employed by the Blue Jays?

Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins needs a big offseason because fans are tired of his schtick.

It's not a long list but where does Ross Atkins rank when it comes to Toronto Blue Jays general managers? Well aware Gord Ash and J.P. Ricciardi didn't accomplish much during their tenures but at this point, it's difficult for me to have any faith in the direction of this franchise.

I think it's safe to say the Jays will once again strike out when it comes to luring a massive star to Canada - and I lay the blame squarely on the shoulders of management. The Jays tried and failed with Shohei Ohtani last winter (and in hindsight, they had no shot to begin with as he wanted to stay in California) and now, I'm fully expecting the Jays will swing and miss with Juan Soto as well - especially after reading this article from Ken Rosenthal.

Rosenthal had this to say about the Jays in regards to potentially bringing back Teoscar Hernández and how that will impact Vladimir Guerrero's Jr.'s chances of staying long-term.

"If Hernández somehow does not land back with the Dodgers, the Blue Jays might be his most logical destination. The Jays never should have traded Hernández to the Seattle Mariners two years ago for reliever Erik Swanson and pitching prospect Adam Macko. Re-signing him could be a major step toward the Jays retaining Vladimir Guerrero Jr., with whom Hernández is very close. Signing Soto, on the other hand, almost certainly would ensure Guerrero’s departure after next season, unless the Jays are willing to carry two monster contracts."

That last sentence really hits home, doesn't it? How in the holy hell would Soto want to come to Toronto if he's not 100 per cent convinced Vladdy is here to stay long-term? Maybe Atkins should've considered signing their star slugger to a long-term extension years ago?

Also, let's take a step back... Does signing Soto really move the needle enough to where MLB prognosticators are pegging the Jays to not finish in last place in the AL East next season? This club has way too many holes right now to justify signing him anyway. How about focus in-house and figure out what exactly your core is going to look like for the foreseeable future because both Guerrero and Bo Bichette could be walking out the door here relatively soon.

Add in bad drafting/player development (go ahead and google where the Blue Jays farm system ranks league-wide), a high dependency on analytics in key situations (see Berrios playoffs) and not enough accountability (the last two end-of-season press conferences) and you get a GM that many Jays fans would've shipped to the moon if they had the chance.

Here's a few other quick hitters:

-I'd keep Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews on separate lines. If Marner wants to be one of the top paid players in the game, then surely he can drive his own line.

-I know this goes without saying but I'll say it anyway. The Leafs playing as well as they did with all the injuries recently is really a blessing in disguise. Management now has a better understanding of what they have depth-wise in the organization and it'll serve them better as we get into the latter parts of the season.

-I'd really like to see Alex Steeves get a shot on the third line - and not sparingly in a fourth line role. I think there's more there in the 24-year-old but he just needs the opportunity in more offensive situations.

-When is the last time you felt this confident in the Leafs goaltending? I'll take a stab at it. Late 1990s/early 2000s where Curtis Joseph and Ed Belfour manned the pipes.

-The Raptors are exciting to watch again. For a while, it felt a bit stagnant in Raptors land, but RJ Barrett clearly loves playing in his home country and Gradey Dick is really turning heads in Year 2 after a rocky rookie season.