Blue Jays quick hits
03/02/2006DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Toronto's busy winter has made for some high expectations for 2006.
The Blue Jays signed free agents A.J. Burnett, B.J. Ryan and Bengie Molina, while trading for slugger Troy Glaus and Lyle Overbay. Those new additions complement a talented, young cast that won 80 games a year ago.
If the upgrades pay off, the American League East standings could get a slight shake up. The Jays could wind up in the thick of the division race, which might amount to their first trip back to the postseason since winning the World Series in 1993.
Team strength: Pitching. Toronto's starting rotation and its bullpen were tops in the division in ERA last year, and that was before strengthening the front end with Burnett and adding an All-Star closer in Ryan. Last year, staff ace Roy Halladay and Ted Lilly missed significant time due to injuries, but Josh Towers and Gustavo Chacin put together strong performances to fill the void. With Halladay and Lilly back at full strength, the Blue Jays' rotation could be one of the best from top-to-bottom in baseball.
Achilles heel: Left and right field. Toronto hasn't identified an every day starter for either of those spots, yet. As of right now, Frank Catalanotto and Reed Johnson would platoon in left and Alex Rios and Eric Hinske would split time in right. Johnson and Rios are the better defenders, but the Blue Jays want Catalanotto and Hinske in the lineup for their offense. Toronto also still thinks Rios could develop into an every day player, which will be tough if he isn't getting consistent playint time.
Top newcomer: Glaus. Toronto traded second baseman Orlando Hudson, who won the AL Gold Glove award last year, and pitcher Miguel Batista to Arizona in exchange for Glaus and Minor Leaguer Sergio Santos. Glaus is the first player with legitimate 30-40 home run power to put on a Jays' jersey since Carlos Delgado left the club. Having Glaus in the middle of the order adds some missing pop, and it should also allow Vernon Wells to see better pitches to hit in the No. 3 spot in the order.
Ready to make the leap: Aaron Hill. The 23-year-old infielder was called up to help fill in for an injured Corey Koskie last season. All he did was hit .354 in his first 39 games and earned a spot on the roster when Koskie returned. Hill, who played shortstop in the Minors, split time between third base, short and second last season. This year, he is starting Opening Day as the new second baseman -- a transition that Toronto is very confident that he can make smoothly.
On the hot seat: Hinske and Rios. Hinske is making a move to the outfield for the first time in the Majors. If that transition doesn't go well or he falters at the plate, it could mean more playing time for Rios -- a player who has yet to consistently tap into the high potential that Toronto still believes he has. If Rios struggles with his bat again this year, that will mean more time in right field for Hinske. If one or both of them struggle, it could make for some interesting trade rumors at the deadline.
You can bank on: Wells. Through Toronto's ups and downs, Wells has been there in the heart of the order and in center field. He led the Blue Jays last year with 28 home runs and 97 RBIs, not to mention his second-straight Gold Glove Award. With Glaus hitting behind him, his numbers could head north. Wells has typically had slow starts in his career, but he hopes that playing in the World Baseball Classic's competitive atmosphere could give his early-season offense a boost.
Litmus test: If Toronto avoids the injury bug this year, there's no reason that this group of players can't wind up in the middle of the playoff race. If Halladay avoids freak line drives and the bullpen can build on the success it had last year, Toronto's pitching staff can be the best in the division again. Come September, if the Jays are in range of New York and Boston, they could make the push to end their 12-year playoff drought.
Source: http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/
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