Short is a big issue for 2010. Scutaro cannot be counted on we'd have
to assume (the Jays would do full medicals to know a lot better than us
I hope) so what do they do?
A strong #1 or #2 shortstop is needed. With this staff it has to be a
league average or better defensive one too (ala Scutaro & McDonald)
but ideally also an offensive force (as good or better than Scutaro in
2009).
Checking Fangraphs I found there were 6 SS's in the majors with 300+PA and an 800+ OPS. Hanley Ramirez, Troy Tulowitzki, Jason Bartlett, Derek Jeter, Juan Uribe and Yunel Escobar. Another 5 were in the 750-799 range - Asdrubal Cabrera, Miguel Tejada, Maicer Izturis, Marco Scutaro, and Erick Aybar.
For guys with 300+ innings in the field we had 3 with a UZR/150 over 10 - Paul Janish, Jack Wilson, and Brendan Ryan. 4 more were over 8 - Adam Everett, Cesar Izturis, Alex Gonzalez, and Elvis Andrus. 7 more over 5 - Rafael Furcal, Jhonny Peralta, Erick Aybar, J.J. Hardy, Nick Green, Robert Andino and Derek Jeter (!). Ryan Theriot was the only one in the 4's, Nick Punto in the 3's, Stephen Drew, Alexei Ramirez, and Jimmy Rollins in the 2's, and just over average (between 0 and .3) were Troy Tulowitzki, Marco Scutaro and Hanley Ramirez.
I'd say that 2nd list (300+ innings and UZR that was positive) is the
list the Jays have to stick to. Especially with the outfield we're
looking at :P
So, which of those guys is temping and available? Not too much crossover between the lists - just Jeter (yeah right), Scutaro (we know who he is), Tulowitzki (sigh), and Hanley Ramirez (he is in line for 10:$7M, 11:$11M, 12:$15M, 13:$15.5M, 14:$16M and is the only Marlin with a significant contract past this season).
If the Jays are really, really, really wanting to do something big they'd find a way to take Ramirez from Florida - it would take a boatload of prospects but they always seem to be cutting payroll and if the Jays can take that on short would be set for the rest of the 2010-2014 window that JP was setting up earlier (Hill & Wells signed for that period). However, you'd be looking at draining the farm and even then Florida might not go for it (I'm talking a package starting with Cecil, Rzep, and another high level prospect then some more added in and they still might demand Snider as well). It is a pipe dream, but it is fun to think about.
More realistically guys like Jack Wilson, Adam Everett, Peralta, Hardy are who the Jays have as possibilities depending on what risks (healthy, salary, lack of bat, etc.) they want to take on.
So, how does everyone else feel on this issue? Any names I skipped that should be part of the discussion?
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20091023131848593