TBG Staff - April 4, 2005
Jim Turner:
As we stand on the cusp of the 2005 season, we have a revamped bullpen with a newly anointed closer. The greatest power hitter in club history is gone, replaced by the best Canadian player ever to suit up. We've got full seasons of David Bush and Alex Rios, the return of a healthy Doc Halladay, and the unknown quantities of Russ Adams and Gustavo Chacin. Plus, a little more budget to work with, which could mean key mid-season acquisitions for the first time in a long time.
Add it all up, and how many games will the 2005 version of the Blue Jays win?
Christopher James:
83 Wins. I see a big turn around.
Pen is stronger. SS is stronger. 3B is stronger.
A full season of Rios and Wells and Doc. and Cat.
Batista for a full season at closer will be better than last year's mess of Frasor, Lopez, etc.
Young guys in the pen have defined jobs.
Delgado will be missed, no doubt, but Koskie and Hillenbrand should pick up the slack a bit.
This is a different team than the last few we've had. They look scrappy. I think they'll win.
Joel Williams:
In order for the Jays to get even that mediocre win total of 83, everything will have to go according to plan. And we all know how often things happen that way.
Yes, the Jays are grittier, more raw and more team-focused than they have been for the last decade, but if one domino in their precarious set-up falls, so too will the rest of the team. Face it, the Jays are not a deep team. Two "rookies" in the rotation, 3 youngins in the pen and Eric Hinske playing first base, does not a winning team make.
Remember, another bad thing about being in the same division as the Yankees and Bosox is the fact that you have to play them. If the Jays win 77 games I'll be happy.
Sean Doyle:
In the AL East
You just can't fit the Orioles into seventeen syllables.
I hate to fall back on the tough-division excuse but I think we have to temper our expectations. The beauty of opening day is that every team (outside of Colorado) can be optimistic we have to take a cold, hard look at what this team can do... Halladay and Wells should both be healthy which is a huge boost, but the lineup could range from good to awful:
Out of nine positions we figure to be above average at maybe 4 or 5, tops, but there is more potential to crash and burn than to break out. Even if the pitching holds up .500 is an optimisitic goal. I'll go in for 80 wins thanks to a late season surge.
JT: Well, my number was already chosen - the downside in going last in one of these things. So am I more or less optimistic than when we started? It's true that the Jays will need just about everything to go right if they want a shot at the playoffs. Halladay will have to be an ace, Lilly will have to repeat 2004, Bush will have to challenge for the ROY, and Batista will have to go Gagne on the league. And that's just the pitching.
Then again, the Jays are exactly the type of team, with young players of unknown ceilings, that could be a surprise team. For that to happen, not only will everything have to go right in Toronto, but one of New York or Boston will have to stumble. It's not likely, but it does provide some hope for the season.
The biggest concern the Jays face right now is Ted Lilly's health. A sound Halladay, Lilly and Bush could be a very strong front three, but as Joel points out, this is not a team with the depth to survive if they lose a rotation anchor. In the end I'll say that more things go right than wrong, and the team climbs back to .500.
81 wins.
With the Yankess and Red Sox
This team will struggle
