If the first half of spring training is any indication, the future looks bright for the Blue Jays.
As I sit down to write this, the Toronto Blue Jays are roughly halfway through their 2011 training camp. Some have opened eyes as they make the transition from prospect to major leaguer while others have been slowed by injury.
For rookie manager John Farrell, it has been an excellent opportunity to get to know players, off-field personnel, media, etc. While the team won just four of their first 10 games, there have been some performances worth noting.
Start me up
Not that I'm telling you anything that you don't already know, but the Blue Jays’ young starting pitching corps has performed as advertised. Ricky Romero, Brandon Morrow and Brett Cecil have all put in stellar springs, combining to walk just four hitters while striking 19 over 16.1 innings.
Romero was especially impressive on Rogers Sportsnet's first spring telecast last Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, allowing just a solitary single while striking out six in four innings of work, all the while looking like he was already in mid-season form.
While the top three pitchers in the rotation have pitched according to expectations, the battle for the final two spots is heating up.
Kyle Drabek was slowed by a stiff neck and missed his first start. Jesse Litsch looks to be all the way back from arm and hip surgeries and it would be shocking if he didn't break camp as one of the five starters. Marc Rzepczynski bounced back from a tough start against the Atlanta Braves (five hits, three runs in 2/3 of an inning on March 4) with three scoreless innings against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday.
The wild card in this whole scenario is youngster Zach Stewart, who struck out five in two innings of work in his last outing. While it's a long shot that Stewart, acquired in a 2009 deadline deal from the Cincinnati Reds in the Scott Rolen trade, breaks camp and heads north, he has shown enough to figure into the mix should injuries pop up to the rotation in the regular season.
Many arms, few jobs
The current plan is to have seven relievers fill out the bullpen to start the season. Frank Francisco, Jon Rauch and Octavio Dotel -- all brought in to solidify the back end of the pen -- take up three spots.
Incumbents Jason Frasor and Shawn Camp make it five.
That leaves left-handers David Purcey, Jesse Carlson, Brad Mills, Jo-Jo Reyes and, if he doesn't make the rotation, Rzepczynski, as well as righties Carlos Villanueva and Casey Janssen battling for the final two spots.
This will represent the hottest competition worth watching over the final three weeks of camp.
The kids are alright
Each and every one of the Blue Jays’ prospects, all who where showcased on Sunday's telecast from Bradenton, have shown why the future is so bright after general manager Alex Anthopoulos rebuilt the farm system.
Brett Lawrie, Anthony Gose, Adeiny Hechavarria, Travis d'Arnaud and Eric Thames have all shown flashes of talent that will one day see them patrolling the turf at Rogers Centre.
Of the group, Langley, BC's Lawrie -- acquired in the off-season trade that saw Shaun Marcum go to the Milwaukee Brewers -- looks to have the best shot at making the team. He has impressed manager Farrell with his all-out style and he is not short on confidence.
If Lawrie does come north as the everyday third baseman, it will allow Jose Bautista to return to his rightful spot in right field. But it's all up Lawrie moving forward. Three weeks is a long time at the beginning of a career.
Bouncing back
For Adam Lind and Aaron Hill, who both slumped badly in 2010 after breakout offensive seasons the year prior, it has been a tale of two springs.
Lind is making the transition from full-time DH and part-time left fielder to an everyday first baseman. So far, so good. Fielding guru Brian Butterfield has worked tirelessly with Lind on his footwork and range, and there has been nothing to indicate that he can't make the defensive change. While he's unlikely to make anyone forget about Lyle Overbay, Lind will be a serviceable first baseman.
Can't really comment on where Hill is at this point in the spring, seeing as tightness in his right quadriceps has limited his Grapefruit League action. Hill had better return to action soon, or he'll start the season on the disabled list with John McDonald taking his place at second. He did take part in a simulated game on Tuesday and, if all is well, could see his first action by the weekend.
The new staff
Everyone has been impressed with Farrell and his coaches this spring. The players know exactly what is expected and are getting top-notch instruction from new coaches Don Wakamatsu, Torey Lovullo and Pat Hentgen. The lines of communication have never been better at a Blue Jays spring training camp, something that will hopefully translate into a quicker rise to contention.
Perception is everything
Based upon the 216,000 viewers -- a spring training record for a Rogers Sportsnet telecast -- that tuned into Sunday's game from Bradenton, and the scores of fans that are showing up to the team’s road games in Florida, Blue Jays fans are clearly taking to a team with a lot of upside.
The moves that Anthopoulos have made have, for the most part, been met with approval by the skeptical Toronto sporting public. How this translates into butts in the seats once the regular season begins remains to be seen.
But one thing is for sure: a palpable buzz around this team has returned for the first time in many years. That is never a bad thing.
