What does the rest of the AL East think of the 2010 Jays?(Part 2 of 5)

February 5th, 2010 | by jays1992 |

Today we hear from Fanball's Baltimore Oriole correspondent

In the second installment of this series, Dan Moroz, Fanball’s Baltimore blogger, who covers the Orioles at www.camdencrazies.com, takes his stab at our questions about the Blue Jays.

1. Who will be the predominant leadoff batter for Toronto this season?

The team doesn’t seem to have a prototypical lead-off batter, so I might be inclined to put Lyle Overbay in the spot since he’s the guy with a decent OBP but not a lot of power.

2. Adam Lind and Aaron Hill were both Silver Slugger winners last year. Do you see a drop in production from either of them this season?

Hill had a 14.9% HR/FB rate that was way out of line with his previous career high (just 9% in his rookie season), and so I think the power production is going to take a step back. Lind similarly had a tremendous 19.8% HR/FB rate, and while he certainly has quite a bit of power, I don’t think that will repeat itself. I do think both will be above average hitters, but not to the degree they were in 2009.

3. Should the Jays resign Carlos Delgado as their likely DH or should they look at internal options?

With Travis Snider and Adam Lind on board, I think Delgdo becomes largely superfluous. Maybe a minor league deal with an invite to spring training if he’s open to it, but given what Jim Thome signed for and the lack of a real need, I wouldn’t really go after him.
4. Brendan Morrow has been a starter/reliever throughout his time is Seattle . Where would he be most valuable to the Jays?

He’d be far more valuable if he can actually start, but there are questions about his ability to do so. I’d give him every opportunity to try, knowing that there are worse back-up plans than having a power arm in the back of the bullpen.

5 Where would you bat Vernon Wells and where should he play in the field?

Is somebody else’s line-up an OK answer? That’s more on his contract than his ability though.

Really, Wells is an OK hitter. You could bat him third (since that spot isn’t quite as good as you’d think), or somewhere in the lower half of the line-up. When Alex Rios was on the team it would have made sense to shift Wells to a corner, but now I don’t know that he isn’t the best center-fielder on the team.

6. What do you expect out of Edwin Encarnacion this season offensively?

CHONE has him at .255/.335/.428, and that seems pretty fair – moving from the NL Central to the AL East makes things a little tougher for him. That’s still an above average bat, but the issue with Edwin is his fielding.

7. Who will be the Jays MVP this season?

I’ll go with Aaron Hill, because he can hit AND play a solid second-base. Even with closer to 20 HR than 36, that kind of offensive production is just more valuable form a middle-infielder than a corner outfielder or DH.
8. Who is the sleeper pick, from this roster and why?

I’ve never been good at recognizing who does or doesn’t count as a “sleeper”. I guess I’ll say Travis Snider, who had a bit of a rough start in his rookie season, but has a chance to really mash if he can get his strike-outs down a little.

9. Let’s say, on Opening Day, the Jays lead by a run in the top of the ninth. The reliever who comes on to close will be ________.

Either Scott Downs or Jason Frasor, depending on who was used in the game previously and who’s coming to the plate. It’s a bit of a cop-out, but either one would be fine. I guess it depends on if you’re trying to build up one of their values as the Closer, so that he can be traded. In that case, pick who you want to trade and bring that guy in.