Toronto Blue Jays at the All-Star Break

This post was contributed to FanSided.com from Kyle Franzoni of FanSided’s very own Toronto Blue Jays site, Jays Journal. For more Toronto Blue Jays news, check out JaysJournal.com.

The 2013 season was supposed to be different for the Toronto Blue Jays. It was supposed to be bigger, especially after being crowned the offseason champions after the acquisitions of R.A. Dickey, Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Josh Johnson, Melky Cabrera, Emilio Bonifacio, and Maicer Izturis to complement a roster that already included Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, an emerging Brett Lawrie, and a solid bullpen.

That was supposed to be enough to wrap up the division, a postseason appearance, and the World Series trophy. The parade was already being planned for November.

However, a funny thing happened on the way to that parade; Major League Baseball required the Blue Jays to actually play the games first.

That has made all the difference in the world, crashing down the walls of anticipation and replacing them with the cold crash of reality.

At 45-49 heading into the All-Star Break, the reality of the Toronto Blue Jays season has been one of despair, disappointment, and unrealized potential. It has been written in blood by a multitude of injuries to the pitching staff and the top of the line-up. It has been mired in neutral as those left to hold down the fort cannot seem to get them off the line and get the team on the right path.

But how much failure and injury has characterized this team? You really need to READ MORE to grasp the full extent of the misery that has been the Toronto Blue Jays.

You can check out the complete review of the Blue Jays first half of the season over at JaysJournal.com.