30 Teams in 30 Days: Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays had a fairly quiet off season. The big change made to this team was the departure of first baseman and clubhouse leader Carlos Delgado. The loss of Delgado was inevitable and it will hurt the middle of an already non-threatening lineup. The Jays changed their corner infielders, and are allowing two young guys to play everyday now in the outfield and at short. The pitching staff looks the same as it did last year, and a familiar face was added to the bullpen. All in all this looks like a pretty boring team to cover, and will once again finish at the bottom half of the AL East.

Offensively the Jays lost their leader in Carlos Delgado. Delgado had a bit of a down year last year, mainly due to lingering injuries, but still batted in 99 runs while homering 32 times. Replacing Delgado at first is former starting third baseman Eric Hinske. Hinske struggled much of last year, batting only .246 with 15 home runs and 69 RBI. To fill the void left at third by Hinskes move to first, the Jays signed Corey Koskie from the Twins. Koskie’s numbers last year were nearly identical to Hinske’s, batting .251 with 25 bombs and 71 batted in. The other new face in the lineup is former Red Sock and Diamondback Shea Hillenbrand. Hillenbrand will likely serve as the DH and bat in the 5 hole. A lot of pressure will be on Hillenbrand to duplicate the numbers he put up in Arizona last year when he batted .310 with 15 home runs and 80 RBI.

Reed Johnson is back as the club’s leftfielder and lead off hitter, Orlando Hudson is back at second, and the backstop is still Greg Zaun. Their returning big bat comes from Vernon Wells. Wells will be expected to take over the void left by Carlos Delgado as the clubs best hitter and leader. The two new young faces on this club are shortstop Russ Adams and right fielder Alex Rios. Rios played in over 100 games last year so he isn’t all that new, but he will be expected to play nearly everyday this year. Adams appeared in just 22 games last year but collected 22 hits and batted .310.

The Jays bench is pretty thin. Ken Huckaby, better know for being the guy who sidelined Derek Jeter for most of the 2003 season than anything he has done offensively, Guillermo Quiroz and Greg Myers will all compete for the backup catcher job. Quiroz is only 23 years old, but unless he has a “Bobby Hill” spring (Matt Gaddis) will probably win the job. Infield utility guys John McDonald and Frank Menechino will compete for one job, and outfielders Frank Catalanotto and Gabe Gross round out the bench.

The pitching staff returns all five starters from last year. Roy Halladay had an injury plagued disappointing year, going 8-8 with a 4.20 era in 2004. Halladay will be followed by Ted Lilly, Miguel Bautista, Josh Towers and Justin Miller. The Jays also added former White Sock and Angel Scott Schoenweis. Schoenweis could possibly win a job in the rotation, but will probably serve as long relief and a spot-starter.

Toronto tried a closer by committee last year, really for no other reason than no one on that squad could close. Terry Adams, Jason Frasor, Justin Speier, Vinny Chulk and Kerry Ligtenberg all had a shot at it, and with the exception of Frasor all failed miserably. Frasor did save 17 games for this team and struck out 54 batters in 68 1/3 inning pitched with an era of 4.08. Frasor will get a chance at closing again this spring, but will be in competition with Billy Koch. Koch pitched well in his first go-round in Toronto, but has never been the same pitcher since then. He split time last year in Chicago and Florida and went 2-3 with 8 saves and an era of 4.41 while striking out 50 batters in 49 innings. The Jays better hope the offense clicks, because the starting rotation and bullpen do nothing to strike fear in opposing hitters.

5 Burning Questions

5. Billy Koch
Can Billy Koch be the pitcher he was four years ago? If he can the Blue Jays have finally found a closer. The only problem being he may not get a chance to close if his setup men blow leads of staff doesn’t give him a lead.

4. Hinske on the Brain
Was last year a bad year, or did Eric Hinske overachieve in 2003? Hinske will be heavily relied on to provide some offense to this lineup, if he can’t even more pressure gets put on Shea Hillenbrand and Corey Koskie, and Vernon Wells won’t see anything to hit.

3. Who’s Next?
After Roy Halladay, who scares you? Can Ted Lilly and Miguel Bautista take steps towards becoming a formidable 2-3 punch in the rotation, much like Milwaukee got out of Doug Davis and Victor Santos last year?

2. Going to the Wells
Can Vernon Wells step up and become the leader of this team? He had a great year in 2003 when hitting in a lineup protected by a healthy Carlos Delgado, but last year with Delgado hurt for much of the year Wells batted only.272 with 23 homers and 67 RBI. If Wells turns in another campaign like he did last year then Shea Hillenbrand, Eric Hinske, Corey Koskie and the Blue Jays offense as a whole are in trouble.

1. Gone on Halladay
If Roy Halladay comes back from arm injuries and turns in another year like he did in 2003 it will alleviate pressure form Lilly and Bautista. When 100% Halladay is one of the best pitchers in baseball. His success helps out the guys in the rotation behind him, and the bullpen. Needless to say the Jays need a totally healthy Roy Halladay this year.

Fearless Predictions

Roy Halladay will turn in a solid 2005 season, winning 18 games.
Billy Koch will save 30 games while compiling high strike out totals and era.
Vernon Wells will bounce back and put together a season somewhere in between the stats he had last year and in 2003.
Ted Lilly will win 12+ games.
Gillermo Quiroz will take over the starting catcher’s job from Greg Zaun midway through the year.
Jason Frasor will prove to be a good set up man for Billy Koch.
The Blue Jays will once again finish towards the bottom of the AL East.