Quote:
Originally Posted by flambers
For sure they would, for example look at last season... Jays have to play ~ 18 games against each of the Red Sox, Yankees and Rays which were three of the better teams in the American League.
Where as the other division play consistantly against very weak teams. It makes a huge difference.
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Last year was the first year that the Rays were any good. Prior to that it was only the Red Sox and Yankees and in 2006 the Jays were one game better than the Sox so tough to think that they suffered a bunch of loses because of that powerhouse.
The Jays also finished behind 2 central teams a few years so it isn't exactly easy pickings in that division either.
There certainly are some NL divisions (i.e. the West) in which the Jays would have had a shot, but considering that they have consistently been out of it by a number of games and behind a number of teams in the AL it certainly hasn't been only the division that has held them back. They haven't had the top talent needed to make the play-offs.