2007 Toronto Blue Jays Thread

[Pudge714]

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Other than health, I don't think anyone should have any concerns with Halliday, Burnett and Chacin. 4th and 5th starters and the middle relief will define the Jays this year.

I know Boston improved its team in the offseason, but they will be lucky to have the same record as last year. The 1st half of the season the Red Sox had last year saw them having way more than their share or miracle comebacks, and that couldn't last forever.

Yankees 102-60
Jays (WC)98-64
Red Sox 81-81
Tampa 80-82
Orioles 70-92

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Burnett has been a .500 pitcher his whole career. I watched him a lot last year, and he seems like one of those guys that will always make you say "Next year he will be better". I actually have a little more faith in Chacin. If his health stays decent, the kid could be a player. He gives up a lot of runs, but manages to win his fair share (not in the same league, but think of him as a very poor man's Jack Morris).

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It's pretty much been empirically proven that there is no skill in winning games.

[bigt2k4]

losing speier was huge, Jays need a bullpen, if their bullpen does what they did last year, than they will need one of their young guys to step up huge and need a great season out of either Chacin or Burnett to make the playoffs. If their bullpen does better than expected and the rotation is about as expected they can be a borderline playoff team and win about 90-95 games. If their bullpen somehow does awesome(2nd coming of Ward as a setup man- out of nowhere) then they will win the division barring an injury to Halladay.

[samjjones]

You already have the next Duane Ward. His name is Brandon League.

If McGowan can ever get command of his fastball back, he also has good stuff, and can contribute there. This is the final make-or-break Spring for him.

[wisehandpoker]

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You already have the next Duane Ward. His name is Brandon League.

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That's one hell of a statement. I'm not buying it because of K/9, but I hope you're right.

Duane Ward <---have a look at 91-93

Brandon League

[vin17]

Great points 2k4 and sam. The Jays really, really need to have a healthy rotation so there's less pressure on the bullpen, including Gibby not having to run out big 52 in the 8th inning every other week. If League settles down, him and Ryan will be the next lights-out Ward-Henke combo that'll anchor the BP.

Hopefully Halladay doesn't do something to himself in that notorious pre-season training regime of his. Burnett needs to continue the psychological healing so that he doesn't mentally shut down when he 'feels something' when he's pitching. Chacin could be the sleeper pitcher of the AL East. As for 4 and 5, Thompson could be a diamond in the rough and honestly, the 5th spot is Towers's to lose.After all, he IS a $2.5 million pitcher.

[samjjones]

League doesn't K guys at nearly the same rate as Ward (duh!), since he pitches more to contact, but he's an extreme GB kinda guy and his raw stuff is just as good as Ward's. And Ryan compares rather favorably to Henke. I think the Jays are in good shape with those two guys at least.

[samjjones]

Note that Ward was 27-29 during those years, while League will still only be 24 this season. He is only going to get better.

[Pudge714]

I posted this earlier, but League, Accardo, McGowan, Romero, Purcey, etc. will make up for Speier.

[tercet]

One more starter then we can make the playoffs easily.

[Scary_Tiger]

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One more starter then we can make the playoffs in the NL West easily.

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