Jays 08 Season Discussion

[PJ-34]

The official thread for the Blue Jays 2008 season. We can start discussing spring training if anybody else besides me desides to post in this forum...

[Big_Mac]

sorry i haven't been around lately, haven't had much time to come here lately.

i know i'm jacked up for the start of the season! anyone know if sportsnet is broadcasting any spring training games this year?

[Jayme]

I just saw a listing for March 28th (pre-season)

the season opener vs NY

and the home opener vs Boston


those are the only games they listed on SNETO


They said that they will broadcast 100 games this season.

Thats all I got for an answer

[gojays]

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/schedule/index.jsp?c_id=tor&m=3&y=2008

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

Check this out...

sched.bmp

Looks like there's a game March 2nd on CityTV! Sweet!

And, there's a couple on RSN/TSN in Philly before the season opener.

[Jayme]

that is good of CityTV, must be a first for them.

Can't wait.

[PJ-34]

City TV? lol. Is it only City TV Toronto because I think I have City Ottawa. I don't even know if they'd show it in my region but I guess we'll see.

[Jayme]

Here is my persoanl opinion of how a 25 man roster should look once Spring Training is over. I like the Shannon Stewart pick up and would like to see him replace Reed Johnson, not sure what Reed could get on the trade market but I just am not a fan of his. The Planter Fastitis (sp?) does scare me a bit with Stewart. Also in the line up I could easily switch Overbay and Rios. I dont like the fact that there is no lefty in the starting rotation but have no faith in Chacin in the rotation. Anything you guys would do differently? (I know the Johnson/Stewart debate will come up.)

C - Greg Zaun
1st - Lyle Overbay
2nd - Aaron Hill
SS - David Eckstein
3rd - Scott Rolen
LF - Matt Stairs
CF - Vernon Wells
RF - Alex Rios
DH - Frank Thomas

Lineup:

Eckstein
Overbay
Wells
Thomas
Rolen
Rios
Stairs
Hill
Zaun

Starters:

1 - Roy Halladay
2 - AJ Burnett
3 - Dustin McGowan
4 - Shaun Marcum
5 - Jesse Litsch

Relief:

LRP - Gustavo Chacin
MRP - Scott Downs
MRP - Casey Janssen
MRP - Jason Frasor
SU - Brandon League
SU - Jeremy Accardo
CL - BJ Ryan

Bench:

John MacDonald
Shannon Stewart
Adam Lind
Curtis Thigpen

[PJ-34]

Positions to keep an eye on...

Catcher - Zaun, Barajas, Fasano, Thigpen are the most qualified for the job

5th starter - Litsch, Chacin, are the most qualified

Left Field - Johnson, Stairs, Stewart are the most qualified.

[PJ-34]

This is the thing about baseball games. Everything on paper is not what it turns out to be. Our hitting should be top notched but it isn't in real life, and our defence is 21st while in real life i would consider it top 5 with Wells, Eckstein, Rios, well pretty much everyone except for Gregg.

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

Nice list, but I highly doubt that Lind or Thigpen will be with the big club to start the year, if at all. Rod Barajas will backup Zaunie, and they'll hold on to Johnson before they call up Lind. In fact, I think that it will be Stewart starting the year off the 25-man. They'll have to send one of the three LF'ers down to make room for Marco Scutaro (who can play LF himself in a pinch). Additionally, I would say that Bryan Tallet gets the nod in the pen as long relief, and I would start Johnson over Stairs in left.

(EDIT: I hear that Russ Adams may also have a case to state for being on the roster to start the year. He's come back stronger and more motivated, so who knows...)

I'm with you on the rotation though, and the only thing I might change to do with the lineup is that I would bat either Overbay, Rios or Wells 2nd, depending on who is doing the best out of ST.

[PJ-34]

Off the top of my head I think Overbay or Rios are the right guys. Overbay can get onbase anytime while Rios can as well, he is more of a five hitter because of his power.

1. Eckstein
2. Overbay
3. Wells
4. Thomas
5. Rios
6. Rolen
7. Hill
8. Zaun
9. Stewart

i think the 7, 8 and 9 guys are the question marks or spring.

Rotation

1. Halladay
2. Burnett
3. Mcgowan
4. Marcum
5. Chacin

[PJ-34]

Rich can you sticky this?

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

Doneskies.

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

SPECIAL REMINDER:

BLUE JAYS GAME TOMORROW ON CITYTV (Toronto) AT 12:30 pm EST.