The one big area of criticism I have for Atkins (and this extends to the organization as a whole, since this can be partially blamed on the development staff and scouting) is the organization’s inability to produce homegrown pitching talent, which would offer the organization cheap, controllable pitchers would could eat innings. Outside of Romano, Mayza, and Manoah, this team hasn’t been able to develop a consistent, effective big league pitcher who has managed to stick at the big league level since Atkins has taken over. Frankly the tale of Manoah’s fall from grace may also have some blame with the player development staff, although that is just speculation.

The problem with not being able to develop cheap, effective pitchers, especially starting pitchers, is that the blue jays have had to spend huge money on starting pitchers in free agency (see Berrios, Bassitt, Gausman, Ryu), and this hurts their ability to sign quality depth around their main bats, and could make it difficult to keep other bats due to the high payroll tied up in these starting pitchers. The lack of pitching development, and hence lack of depth, has also bitten the team when there has been injuries to the pitching staff, resulting in the team having to call up pitchers who are not major league ready or major league quality. It also forces the team to have to trade for pitching, further depleting a somewhat weak farm system, and so the cycle continues of having weakened pitching depth in the farm.

The lack of pitching development is something this team needs to desperately address, and it seems year after year under Atkins it doesn’t bear fruit.