Overview
The Blue Jays went from contending, to rebuilding, back to contending
within a matter of weeks. They have moved more players than almost any team in
the league without a home in Minnesota and now look to take a run at the AL East
crown. With an amazing offense, GM Garrett White can only hope that the O can
carry the pitching staff, a weak one, to a .500 record and hopefully greater
things if the right pieces fall into place.
Catcher
Starter: Wiki Gonzalez
Backup(s): Craig Wilson
Gonzalez will get the start here to begin the year, but the Jays haven't yet
settled in to finding a guy who can give them good quality innings. Actually
there's a slew of candidates for the job on the roster, including Eddie Perez
and Shawn Wooten in AAA, two guys who can swing the bat very well also. Look for
serious platooning to go on here. You can't expect much from the position, but
hitting .270 would be nice from whoever settles in here. They'll probably hit
ninth the entire year unfortunatly, unless injuries come up. With the trade of
Victor Martinez and Miguel Olivo, the four are the only catchers on the team,
and will have to carry success into the future somehow.
First Base
Starter: Jim Thome
Backup(s): Fred McGriff
Thome is obviously the focal point of the Jays offense and should add some nice punch to compliment Vernon Wells who will hit third. McGriff is still very capable, and will split time with Reggie Sanders at the DH position. Either one could eventually see a trade out of Toronto, with the remaining player taking sole posession of the DH slot. The future of the team is very bright at this position, with young first basemen Walter Young and Jason Stokes in the minor leagues. Both have tremendous lightpole power, and should see Toronto eventually down the line.
Second Base
Starter: Todd Walker
Backup(s): Dave Berg, Brandon Phillips
Walker was a late addition from Los Angeles, solving a big problem in the middle infield. The Blue Jays have wanted to add a quality bat here for quite some time and Walker can definatly fill that position. Berg is a good slap contact hitter who can come in and play occassionally, but isn't a good every day solution. He'll do nicely though backing up the entire middle infield. Phillips has good speed and will eventually be an impact player. However for now the Blue Jays plan to bring him along slowly by having him play occassional innings on the infield. He has played
Third Base
Starter: Vinny Castilla
Backup(s): Dave Berg
Castilla was coveted by White for quite some time to fill the job at third. The Jays finally aquired him on a draft day deal, and will expect some good numbers from the 35-year old. While his power has fallen off ever since leaving Colorado, he still can put up a good average, draws walks, and can hit for decent power if not great. Berg will also be backing up this position.
Third Base
Starter: David Eckstein
Backup(s): Chris Woodward
Woodward was the planned starter until a deal with Anahiem brought Eckstein north of the border. He's got a great bat, and while lacks power, makes up for it with great speed and contact. He'll rarely strike out and has some true grit for a shortstop, something White has mentioned he likes in him. Woodward is still more than capabale, and will be a pinch hitting extrodonaire, coming off the bench in tough situations. Woodward can also be used as a pinch runner. Phillips and Berg could also get minimal time here.
Leftfield
Starter: Geoff Jenkins
Backup(s): Marty Cordova, Reggie Sanders
Jenkins will get the start in left field, and should give the Jays a good bat to compliment Thome as the power punch in the lineup. He's been off and on injured when in Milwaukee, but the Jays will hope those days are over for the talented outfielder. Cordova was aquired from Baltimore, and could mean the end of the line for Sanders in Toronto as he's expected to take the fourth outfielder job, and could challange McGriff and Burnitz for at bats.
Centerfield
Starter: Vernon Wells
Backup(s): Reggie Sanders
The cornerstone of the franchise, and virtually the only remaining piece from the original Jays, Wells is a rock in center. He's a great power bat, hits for great average, and can steal bases as well. He's also got a lot of room to grow, and should eventually be one of the franchises' best players. Sanders can play a bit of center.
Rightfield
Starter: Jeromy Burnitz
Backup(s): Marty Cordova
Burnitz hopes to ressurect his career in Toronto, and White believes that he can. He has a great lift to his swing and should generate a good number of homeruns in the Jays lineup. He's also sound defensivly and should make for a solid addition to the team. Again, expect Cordova to get a good number of at-bats as well.
Pitching Staff
S1: Rick Reed
S2: Omar Daal
S3: John Rauch
S4: John Lackey
S5: Todd Richie
There's some worry about the reliability of the pitching staff in Toronto, but the Jays are optimistic that a few guys can break through and give them quality innings to succeed in the tough hitting AL East. Daal is a big question mark, but could turn out to give the Jays some very good numbers. Rauch and Lackey are two other question marks, both very young but throw very hard as well. Control could be an issue with them. Reed and Richie are the veterans of the staff, Reed will be expected to throw a lot this year, give the Jays 200 innings, and give the bullpen an occassional rest.
Bullpen
The pen is another question mark, and outside of LaTroy Hawkins, nothing is very solidified. Josias Manzanillo is a 35-year old rookie who throws very hard but has yet to harness any control at all. Troy Brohawn has great control but is still learning to throw a bit, he could see a few starts throughout the year though.
In Summary...
Obviously the Jays aren't done dealing yet. They still plan on making quite a few deals before its all said and done, so don't be suprised to see a slew of pitching to eventually find its way to the SkyDome. The bullpen is the biggest project mark for the Jays, and trading Reggie Sanders, Fred McGriff, or Marty Cordova could bring back the pitching the Jays need.