With Cito Gaston retired, new manager John Farrell takes over a Toronto Blue Jays team that hit a lot of home runs last season but did not get on base enough. The teams 85-77 finish was respectable but good for just fourth place behind the Rays, Yankees and Red Sox in the competitive American League East Division. The team hopes that the addition of speed and an improved bullpen will give them a better chance to compete in 2011.
Gaston, the quiet former manager who won back-to-back World Series titles with Toronto in 1992-93, managed the team from 1989 to 1997. He then took 11 years off from managing but returned in 2008 for the last three years of his 46 year career in professional baseball. Gaston played for the Atlanta Braves in the late 1960s and even made an all star team, but his career fizzled soon after. He then got into coaching and eventually was named manager of the Jays.
Jon Rauch comes to the Toronto bull pen after pitching for the Minnesota Twins last season. With Twins stopper Joe Nathan sidelined due to Tommy John surgery, Rauch served as closer until mid season when Minnesota traded for Matt Capps from the Nationals. The Blue Jays signed free agent Octavio Dotel who finished last year with the Rockies. He also pitched for Pittsburgh and Los Angeles last year and is a journeyman, having also pitched for the Astros, White Sox and Royals in his career. He is effective when healthy however and adds a veteran presence to the Jays relief corps.
If Hill falters again, Brett Lawrie could press him for playing time. Lawrie came over from the Brewers in an off season trade for pitcher Shaun Marcum. Lawrie is considered a potential future all star and a possible rookie of the year candidate if he can find a spot in the lineup. He might have to play some outfield, but it is also possible that Hill could hit in the designated hitter spot with Lawrie playing some at second base.
With a few all or nothing hitters in the lineup, the Blue Jays made some moves in hopes of getting more contact hitters who can get on base ahead of their big sluggers. Rajai Davis was brought in after hitting . 284 last season with the Oakland Athletics. Davis stole 50 bases while providing speed in the outfield and he could hit lead off for Toronto. Another lead off candidate is Scott Podsednik, a key member of the 2005 World Champion Chicago White Sox. Last year while playing for the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Dodgers, Podsednik hit . 297 while stealing 35 bases.
While providing plenty of power, second baseman Aaron Hill and first baseman Adam Lind struggled with low batting averages. In an attempt to add more balance with speed and higher on base percentages, the Blue Jays traded away Vernon Wells while they brought in Rajai Davis and Scott Podsednik. Podsednik stole 35 bases last season while with Kansas City and Los Angeles. Davis stole 50 basses and hit . 284 with the Athletics. The veteran outfielders will add speed to the top of the Toronto order and will try to get on base for the big sluggers hitting behind them to drive them in. If this happens consistently, the Jays should score even more runs than last year.
At just 23, outfielder Travis Snider is already entering his third major league season. Injuries plagued Snider last year, but he still hit . 255 with 14 homers and 32 RBIs, but he finished the season strong, hitting six homers in September. If he puts it all together as expected, Snider is seen as easily a 30 homer, 100 RBI hitter.
Even with the loss of Marcum, Toronto still has plenty of pitching. Kyle Drabek, son of former all star pitcher Doug Drabek, is a Rookie of the Year candidate going into 2011. Ricky Romero, Brett Cecil, and Brandon Morrow are impressive young pitchers who will be counted on to anchor the starting rotation. The Blue Jays also feel they improved their bullpen, giving them a chance to compete with the Yankees and Red Sox for the division.
