The Blue Jays thread! - Page 33

Dr Awesomesauce · #**641** Posted **Mar 13, 2014, 12:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrNest

Santana's signed with Atlanta. So there's no need to worry about him being ready to pitch for the Jays now. The question now remains who will be the five starters come April?

I would guess:
Dickey
Buerhle
Morrow
Happ
Hutchinson

As far as the starting rotation is concerned, you can include all those pitchers who are currently in the mix: Dickey, Buehrle, Morrow, Happ, Hutchison, Rogers, Romero, McGowan, Stroman, etc. After Dickey and Buehrle's 65-odd starts, the remaining 100 or so will be done by committee.

They are good offensively. They are good defensively. They have a solid bullpen. The starting rotation is the big question mark. Something everybody has known since, I don't know, the All-Star break last season.

Dr Awesomesauce · #**642** Posted **Mar 14, 2014, 1:00 AM**

I was wondering why we had heard nothing about McGowan this spring. Even when his arm is healthy, there's something else bothering him. Anyway, he's pretty much thrown his chances at cracking the starting rotation away by missing ten days of Spring Training. We'll probably see him make the occasional spot start, however.

If the season started today, this would likely be the starting rotation:
*Dickey
*Buehrle
*Morrow
*Hutchison
*Romero

Interesting. Can you imagine if Ricky Ro returned to his All-Star form?! Improbable but exciting just the same.

Dr Awesomesauce · #**643** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 1:06 AM**

According to some, Redmond has the inside track to break camp as the fifth starter.

Rogers hasn't been great, Happ is injured, Stroman and Sanchez aren't ready yet and it looks like the Jays would prefer to see Romero prove himself in Buffalo before tapping him on the shoulder.

Incidentally, Buffalo's starting rotation looks like it will be fun to watch. Some combination of Romero, Nolin, Stroman, Drabek, Jenkins etc. I'm not sure where Sanchez is going to end up - perhaps AA to start.

DrNest · #**644** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 3:00 AM**

Yeah, can't see Romero starting the season in Toronto, but if his form improves who knows...

Dr Awesomesauce · #**645** Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 12:54 AM**

An interesting article outlining the pitching woes in the AL West. It's a good read for Jays' fans reminding us just how dire the pitching situation is, not only in Toronto, but league-wide.

At the very least, the Jays have two pitchers who are highly unlikely to miss time with significant injury in Dickey and Buehrle. What happens beyond that still remains to be seen but they are certainly ahead of many in the league.

Dr Awesomesauce · #**646** Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 1:09 AM**

Trick question: Who's leading the team this spring in home runs and runs batted in?

Not Bautista.

Not Encarnacion.

Not Lind.

Dan Johnson! He's batting .333 with 3 hr and 9 rbi.

This is not a fluke. Johnson is a good hitter - proven at the MLB level. He would be perfect coming off the bench but because of the pitching woes, particularly the issue with arms out of options, he may start the season at AAA. Ideally they would carry one less arm and have him coming off the bench and starting the occasional game at DH or 1B.

DrNest · #**647** Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 2:03 PM**

I do wonder where they Jays will go re the bullpen and how many they'll carry. You're right, Johnson does seem to be doing well in Spring Training, and would be useful to have on the bench.

Dr Awesomesauce · #**648** Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 2:19 PM**

They need a big, scary bat coming off the bench. Johnson fits the bill. Kawasaki should be the utility infielder as well but Izturis has a big'ish contract, so he gets the job. I think they will start the season with some pitchers on the DL. That will buy them some time to figure out what to do with all those bodies...arms I mean.

DrNest · #**649** Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 10:37 PM**

I think Bautista must have read your post from yesterday. Two more HRs today!
Also good to see Melky putting in solid numbers. He's going to make a good number two hitter between Reyes and Jose.

Dr Awesomesauce · #**650** Posted **Mar 20, 2014, 12:13 AM**

^haha cool.

Cabrera has, very quietly, had a tremendous spring. He's running. He's hitting. He's fielding.

It's been repeated ad nauseam but health is the only thing standing in the way of the Jays having a good season - at least offensively. Reyes-Cabrera-Bautista-Encarnacion et al. That's a pitcher's nightmare.

DrNest · #**651** Posted **Mar 20, 2014, 12:59 AM**

^^ Absolutely!

Dr Awesomesauce · #**652** Posted **Mar 25, 2014, 1:48 AM**

I've got a sinking feeling about this season...

Re Reyes on the DL

While the Jays had an 11-game win streak without him, the lineup and the infield defense will be otherwise quite suspect with Reyes on the bench.

On the pitching side, Morrow has been terrible. It's highly unlikely he'll get through the season without injury, let alone be effective. Hutchison looks great but I have the feeling the Jays will have him on a very conservative pitch count (I could be wrong about that, though). And nobody knows who the fifth man will be yet.

I hope I eat my words.

And I still have no idea where this leaves the team for 2015. If this season becomes a write-off, then Gibbons and AA will get fired. You have to think the team will be blown up as well. I'm getting a little ahead of myself but going forward this club has huge payroll commitments and tonnes of question marks. On the positive side, the 2015 starting rotation could feature Hutchison, Stroman and Sanchez, so that's exciting.

DrNest · #**653** Posted **Mar 26, 2014, 2:04 PM**

Just seen that McGowan will be the starting pitcher for the Jays' home opener. So I guess that puts him at the #4 spot in the rotation. I'm guessing Hutchinson will be the #5 and Happ will be a long reliever.

Dr Awesomesauce · #**654** Posted **Mar 27, 2014, 2:43 AM**

Here is the starting rotation:
1. Dickey
2. Hutchison
3. Buehrle
4. McGowan
5. Morrow

Bullpen (long relief):
Jeffress
Rogers
Redmond

Short:
Janssen
Santos
Cecil
Loup
Delabar

Happ will start the season on the DL.

While this is the pitching roster for opening day, expect many, MANY changes throughout the season.

Dr Awesomesauce · #**655** Posted **Mar 27, 2014, 2:52 AM**

^As an aside, the Jays' bench looks poor. Thole has 'won' the back up catching job. Obviously just keeping Dickey happy there. Utility infielder role goes to Izturis. Lame. And the fourth outfielder is Sierra.

A short and very weak bench heading into the season. That, of course, will likely change depending on what happens with the pitching situation.

Ramako · #**656** Posted **Mar 27, 2014, 4:31 AM**

We're definitely throwing out a thin roster. There's not much in reserve if any of our on-field starters go down.

Dr Awesomesauce · #**657** Posted **Mar 28, 2014, 12:35 AM**

They have flip-flopped McGowan and Morrow.

1. Dickey
2. Hutchison
3. Buehrle
4. Morrow
5. McGowan

That gives McGowan the home opener. He'll get a great reception.

People are suggesting that Happ isn't injured but that he's simply lost the plot. Regardless, he's on the DL and it remains to be seen what will happen with him. It's hard to imagine a scenario where he wouldn't be needed at some point this season.

Ramako · #**658** Posted **Mar 28, 2014, 3:02 AM**

Hutch number 2? Has he pitched that well this spring?

Dr Awesomesauce · #**659** Posted **Mar 28, 2014, 11:05 AM**

^Nearly flawless. The main reason they have him at number two, though, is to break up the two soft-tossers. Ideally, Morrow or McGowan would slot in there but they haven't been good enough or healthy enough to take that spot.

DrNest · #**660** Posted **Mar 28, 2014, 12:44 PM**

That is a strong bullpen, but I agree the bench is weak. Izturis showed good form at the end of last season, if he keeps that up, then he will be ok as a bench player, but Sierra was dreadful for the most part in the field. I would rather have Gose than Sierra. Too bad we couldn't keep Rajai Davis.

Anyways, only a few more days to wait. I am excited to see just how well the Jays will do this year. So long as they stay healthy in all departments, I can see them pushing for the AL East. But then again, I am a biased, loyal fan...