2012 Toronto Blue Jays Predictions

Written by -

The Toronto Blue Jays exceeded expectations in 2011. Their 81 wins marked the sixth time in seven years they had won at least 80 games. Unfortunately, they have only managed to finish better than third one time in the loaded American League East division during this span and haven’t been to the playoffs since 1993 when they won it all. Only the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals and Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals have experienced longer droughts.

Projected Pitching

Starting rotation: Ricky Romero (L) – He’s not as good as former staff ace Roy Halladay, but the team’s top pick in the 2005 draft has developed into one of the better southpaws in the American League. He finished 15-11 with a 2.92 ERA last season after going 14-9 with a 3.73 ERA in 2010.

Brandon Morrow (R) – Consistency is still an issue with him. We saw him toss four games with with at least 10 strikeouts but also saw him take 18-6 and 16-4 losses to Boston and a 12-0 loss to Tampa Bay. Overall, he ended up 11-11 with a 4.72 ERA after going 10-7 with a 4.49 ERA in 2010.

Brett Cecil (L) – The Jays need more from Cecil, who finished 4-11 with a 4.73 ERA last season.

Henderson Alvarez (R) – The youngster showed glimpses in 2011 with a 3.53 ERA in 10 starts. He can hit 96 on the gun and has great command of his pitches. He could be sitting on a breakout season.

Kyle Drabek (R) – The centerpiece of the Halladay deal didn’t meet expectations. He was back in Triple-A by June and ended up 4-5 with a 6.06 ERA.

Closer: Sergio Santos (R) – The former shortstop prospect who came up through the Blue Jays system had 30 saves for the Chicago White Sox last year.

Projected Lineup

J.P. Arencibia (Catcher) – The youngster displayed power in his rookie season with 23 home runs and 78 RBIs. Showing a little more patience at the plate will help him raise his .219 average.

Adam Lind (First Base) – Lind hit .251 with 26 home runs and 87 RBIs despite batting just .203 over the finals three months of the season.

Kelly Johnson (Second Base) – Johnson possesses good power for a second baseman. He blasted 21 round trippers between Arizona and Toronto in 2011.

Brett Lawrie (Third Base) – The Jays like what they have seen so far from Lawrie, who came over from Milwaukee in the Shaun Marcum trade. The organization has raved about his work ethic and athletic ability.

Yunel Escobar (Shortstop) – He’s not a major threat to steal bases but his .366 career on-base percentage makes his a solid option at the top of the order.

Eric Thames (Left Field) – He might be able to find a permanent home in left if he can cut down on his strikeouts. He hit .262 with 12 home runs in 95 games last year.

Colby Rasmus (Center Field) – Rasmus struggled against lefties in St. Louis but is young and talented enough to make a name for himself north of the border. He had 14 jacks and 53 RBIs last season.

Jose Bautista (Right Field) – “Joey Bats” led the majors with 43 round trippers and added 103 RBIs while batting .302 to capture his second consecutive Hank Aaron Award.

Edwin Encarnacion (Designated Hitter) – The big knock on him is that he struggles with breaking pitches. Still, he was solid for Toronto last year, hitting .272 with 17 homers and 55 RBIs in 134 games.

Prediction4th Place AL East: The Jays have managed to remain competitive despite losing key pieces Halladay and Vernon Wells in recent years, but they lack the star power up and down the rotation and lineup to be a serious contenders in what is perhaps baseball’s best division. MLB odds makers have listed the Blue Jays at +800 to win the AL East.

About the Author: Jimmy Boyd is known for his consistency. He's a proven winner in college and pro football, college and pro basketball and pro baseball. He finished as the No. 1 ranked MLB handicapper in 2007 by earning $1,000/game bettors $50,050. He also finished as the No. 1 ranked basketball handicapper in the 2008-09 season, profiting $1,000/game bettors 38,530. His basketball plays have banked $1,000/game bettors nearly $80,000 the last five years. Check out Jimmy's premium picks for tonight!
Connect with the author via: Twitter - Google+
WordPress › Error

There has been a critical error on this website.

Learn more about troubleshooting WordPress.