Poll Time: Biggest Blue Jays Story Of 2012

Leaflover4ever (we gotta get her a new name) has a great Year in Review post, but I thought we'd have a poll to see what was the biggest Blue Jays story of the year. We had a few interesting story lines this year. I'm going to skip the Yu Darvish one, figuring that was stupidity from last year.

Stories from 2012, with links for most of them. The ones in bold will be on the poll for 'Top Blue Jay Story of the Year'.

January: We signed Omar Visquel and also signed Francisco Cordero. Neither turned out great. Brandon Morrow signed a 3 year, plus team option contract, we traded with the White Sox to get Jason Frasor back. We signed Darren Oliver and we released Mark Teahen.

Paul Beeston promises 3 playoff appearances in the next 5 years.

February: Dirk Hayhurst's second book came out. Gary Carter passed away. Casey Janssen signed for 2 years. We sold out our home opener and Colby Rasmus had a good attitude.

March: Jesse Litsch hit the DL, Travis Snider and Eric Thames battled for the the left field job. We argued who should lead off Yunel or Kelly (both wrong). Minor Leaguer thought that the MLB should punish players that drive impaired. Snider was sent to Vegas. We signed Dustin McGowan to a 2-year contract.

The Blue Jays won 24 spring training games.

April: Brett Cecil was optioned to New Hampshire. We won our season opener in 16 innings and won game two in extra innings (to be remembered as the high point in the season, it went down hill fast after that). We turned a triple play, the same game Sergio Santos had his second (and last) save game of the season. Peter Gammons figured that Henderson Alvarez would win more games than Yu Darvish after 5 years. I'd bet against it. Jays announce Dustin McGowan has 'shoulder inflammation' and 'will be shut down for 2 weeks. Edwin Encarncion homered in 4 straight games.

Sergio Santos blows out shoulder. This turned out an even bigger deal because Farrell went with Francisco Cordero as closer, and he was awful. He finally realized that Casey Janssen would be a better choice.

May: Adam Lind got sent down to the minors and then was outrighted. Eric Thames got sent down. Jays sign Vlad Guerrero. Chad Beck and Jesse Chavez were called up.

Brett Lawrie went nuts and got suspended.

June: We picked D.J. Davis, Marcus Stroman, Matt Smoral, Mitch Nay and Tyler Gonzalez with our first 5 draft picks. Colby Rasmus had a 5 hit game, Chad Beck came up. Vlad Guerrero was released. Jesse Chavez was called up, Mike McCoy went down. We had 2 sets of back-to-back homers in one game. Joel Carreno came up to make a start. Andrew Tinnish got a promotion. We traded for Sean O'Sullivan. Adam Lind was called back up. Travis d'Arnaud tore his knee ligament. We signed (but he never made it to Toronto) Jamie Moyer. Brett Cecil made it back to the Jays.

Brandon Morrow, Drew Hutchison and Kyle Drabek go on DL the same week. It was almost impossible to believe. We lost 3/5's of our starting rotation, over the span of 4 starts. The air went out of out season. And yeah, this was the week I choose to be in Toronto to see some live games.

July: We called up Sam Dyson, he would pitch twice, 12 days apart. Luiz Perez joined the long list on the DL, he'd end up getting Tommy John. Aaron Loup gets called up (and did a good job for us). Edwin Encarnacion signed a 3 year, plus option, extension. Anthony Gose got called up. We made a 10 player trade with Houston (getting up J.A. Happ and Brandon Lyon) and Travis Snider was called up. Jason Frasor went on the DL. Moises Sierra got called up.

Jose Bautista injures his wrist. He'd only play 2 more games the rest of the way.

J.P. Arencibia broke his hand. This, with Travis d'Arnaud's injury game us the fun of watching Jeff Mathis play everyday.

In separate deals, we trade Travis Snider and Eric Thames for relievers Brad Lincoln and Steve Delabar.

August: We extended our player development deal with Lansing. We had more injuries, I'm not going to try to list them all, but Brett Lawrie was one to them. Adeiny Hechavarria got called up. Chad Jenkins got called up. Rajai Davis made one of the best catches you'll ever see. We sign Jeff Mathis to a 2-year extension. Gose and Hechavarria get sent back down. Marcus Stroman gets suspended for PED. Moises Sierra made an amazing throw to win us a game.

September: Gose and Beck return. More injuries (J.A. Happ this time). Anthony Gose homered and drove in 5 to win us a game. Vancouver Canadians won the Northwest League Championship. Omar Vizquel passed Babe Ruth in career hits.We trade Yorvit Torrealba to Brewers. Shawn Hill ad Bobby Korecky were added to roster.

Yunel Escobar puts insult on eyeblack.

Jays Triple-A team moves from Vegas to Buffalo.

October: Season finally ends (all bad things must come to an end too).

Ricky Romero terrible season.

Edwin Encarnacion has breakout season.

John Farrell gets his %$^&%$ dream job. Unfortunately he takes Brian Butterfield with him.

November: We trade Yan Gomes and Mike Aviles to Indians for Esmil Rogers. We sign free agent Maicer Izturis. We trade for Jeremy Jeffress. Marty Brown named manager of Bisons. DeMarlo Hale named bench coach.

Jays make huge trade with Marlins. We get Josh Johnson, Jose Reyes, Mark Buerhle, Emilio Bonifacio and John Buck. Going away are Yunel Escobar, Adeiny Hechavarria, Henderson Alvarez, Justin Nicolino, Jake Marisnick, Jeff Mathis and Anthony DeSclafani.

Jays sign free agent Melky Cabrera.

Jays name John Gibbons manager.

December: Bobby Wilson leaves via free agency. Joel Carreno was hit by a line drive in the Dominican. Jays claim and let go of Eli Whiteside. Carlos Delgado to go on Level of Excellence. Pat Hentgen named bullpen coach. Jays claim Mickey Storey (then DFA him) and Russ Canzler (not DFAed yet).

Tom Cheek wins Ford C. Frick Award.

Jays trade for R.A. Dickey. Top prospect Travis d'Arnaud, Noah Syndergaard, John Buck and Wuilmer Becera went to the Mets. Catchers Josh Thole and Mike Nickeas came north.

So which was the biggest story of the year?