Quote:
Originally Posted by Gozer
I think Lind/Wells/Rios is a lock for at least '09. Rios' value is too low right now, no way you get value back for him - even if he never will be a 30hr/100rbi man.
I don't mind Overbay at 1b, he gets on base and has doubles power. His contract makes him a non-asset, but also not a liability. He should be a #6 hitter, and he could be if the lineup is playing up to snuff next year.
Catcher next year is Barajas starting and one of the kids - probably Arencebia (sp?) backing him up and maybe taking over in '10.
Rolen is unmovable. At least his contract will be on the team next year, hopefully he can hold down 3b with gold glove defense.
I think they're shutting him down for the season right now so he can contribute next year - probably batting in the 7 hole.
If we have a lineup of:
RF Rios
2B Hill
LF Lind
CF Wells
DH Snider/Cooper
1B Overbay
C Barajas
3B Rolen
SS MacDonald
That's an average batting lineup in the league when healthy, and if we can turn Exstien/Zaun/Thomas' salary space into a SS like Hardy or another offensive contributer from SS (with Rolen and MacDonald helping him out his D at 3rd). That leaves Scoots and Inglett backing up the infield and outfield respectively. If we could pry Young back from Texas I'd be thrilled.
RF Rios
1B Overbay
SS Young
LF Lind
CF Wells
DH Snider
2B Hill
C Arencibia
3B Rolen
The best-case scenario of that lineup is a big upgrade in AVG and SLG.
A Cy Young candidate (winner?) in Halladay at #1 in the rotation, Burnett or Sheets at #2, Marcum at #3, and McGowan/Litstch/Purcey/Cecil/Jannsen/Wolfe at #4 and #5 - we have a competitive team.
Doesn't look much better than this year, but some health, luck, and better use of $20M than X, Zaun, and the Big Hurt - we can still hope.
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Well Young as a shortstop would represent a huge upgrade and be what the team could use. Still would that lineup be good enough to go against the AL East? We're talking the Yankees, Sox, and and up and coming Rays team here. Maybe in the NL West, or the AL Central, but not this Division unless that pitching is lights out all year long.
Really they have to figure out how to get a 550 slugger, 900 OPS in the middle of that lineup as far as I'm concerned. If they added a guy like Texeira (unrealistic...but I'll use him anyways) to hit 4th, than you suddenly could expect the likes of Lind, Rios, Wells, Rolen to have better numbers hitting around a guy like that. But really the Jays will never attract a FA like that...they need to develop their own hitter like that from within their system and hopefully a guy like Snider or Cooper would be that guy one day.