The Toronto Blue Jays made Canadian baseball fun again with their trips to the 2015 and 2016 American League Championship Series, but they fell short of reaching the World Series both years and are now mired in mediocrity.

Toronto finished fourth in the AL East last season after compiling a porous 76-86 record. This team will be fortunate if they top that record in 2018, and the Jays should simply be content if they finish third in the division by season's end.

There's plenty of blame to go all around in the organization. Rogers is loaded with financial resources, but they don't let the front office maximize on spending. Instead, they watch AL East rivals in the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees drive up their payrolls. And oh, both are about to make the playoffs in 2018. You know, kind of like what they both did in 2017.

Then again, president and CEO Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins have refused to do much in the trade market, and the bulk of their free agent signings (Steve Pearce, Jaime Garcia and Kendrys Morales), have flopped miserably.

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Letting David Price walk for $217 million may have looked smart for a financial standpoint, but he's about to guide Boston to a third consecutive playoff year. Fan favorite Edwin Encarnacion is leading the Cleveland Indians to another AL Central title. How are the Blue Jays doing now?

Sorry, Mr. Shapiro and Mr. Atkins. That goal of trying "to bring a world championship back to Canada," looks more like a rebuilding project that you refuse to acknowledge as such. We know ownership isn't committed to spending money to win, and the Blue Jays know they stand to lose Josh Donaldson in free agency this winner.

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So why are the Blue Jays keeping together this coaching staff and roster, when they have no hope of the postseason at this point? We fans would love to know.

I know the players love Gibbons. He's funny with the media, always looks to protect his players and is always good for entertaining press conferences. But it may be time for the Blue Jays to bring a new leader aboard, because Gibby's message to the players doesn't seem to be going through anymore. Maybe it's time to let go of pitching coach Pete Walker and hitting coach Brook Jacoby, too.

This is only the third year for Shapiro and Atkins at the helm, and they have built up a very strong farm system. It's logical to believe they're safe for at least a couple of more years, so don't expect the front office to be involved in a shake-up.

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But if Donaldson - the 2015 AL MVP - is sure to leave in free agency, why not trade him? Sure, he's been hampered with a shoulder injury and isn't having his best season, but lots of contenders will overpay for his services. The Blue Jays should have no problem getting at least a couple of high-level prospects for him.

Ace pitcher J.A. Happ is having a phenomenal season, as the lefty already has nine wins, a 3.56 ERA and 102 strikeouts thus far. Pretty much every playoff team will want a guy like him in the rotation. The Blue Jays need to trade him and get more prospects for the farm system. And why not deal fellow starter Marco Estrada while you're at it?

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The Blue Jays already own one of baseball's top farm systems, led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. Imagine how many more young talents they can get simply by admitting it's time to sell. The Jays will get a lot for Donaldson, Happ and Estrada, so enough convincing themselves they can make a run and push for the postseason. It's not happening.

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Now is the time for the Blue Jays to realize a rebuild is in order. Start changing up the coaching staff and begin fielding trade offers for your veteran trade bait. The Blue Jays aren't even close to challenging the AL heavyweight in Boston, New York, Cleveland, Seattle or Houston.

The definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. The Blue Jays haven't really established a direction they want to go down, and it has them in the AL basement.

Fans deserve to see something better, and better doesn't happen without changes. Leading up to the trade deadline, it's time for this team to start making necessary moves.

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