Via BBTF, the Blue Jays want to improve their scoring by manufacturing more runs. At least, that’s the opinion of Vernon Wells:

If the Blue Jays didn’t score via the home run, they generally didn’t score.

Farrell has stated his desire to manufacture more runs in 2011 without having to rely so heavily on the homer, and Wells believes more emphasis on team speed will help achieve that goal.

“If you look at the offensive year that we had, I think if we were able to manufacture a few more runs we could have had a few more wins,” Wells said. “That comes with speed, that comes with taking extra bases, that comes with hitting and running a little more. But you have to have the people in place to do that.”

Hitting lots of home runs is a great way to score runs. The team simply needs to put more runners on base. Just getting their OBP up to league average would bring great benefits to the offense. Not only would the Jays score more per home run, but the expanded offense would mean their home run hitters would get more plate appearances to hit home runs. OBP does more than just put a runner on base. Downstream, the conserved out means more offensive opportunities for the rest of the team. Remember all those times David Ortiz hit game winning home runs in the ninth? That doesn’t happen if the Red Sox don’t get on base enough to give him that extra PA.