How many games will the Jays win? Why that number?
What will happen to Ryan Goins, John Gibbons or Brett Lawrie?
Who will have a great year, who will disappoint?
Get it on the record now so you can say "I told you so".
Lets see someone be more optimistic than that :)
Mylegacy is still out there. This could be there year that Travis Snider wins the first of his many MVP awards.
How many games will the Jays win? Why that number?
I predicted 80, because the starting pitching is likely to be an ongoing experiment and the depth on this team everywhere but the bullpen is terrible. I assume the injuries will continue to some extent, making the lack of depth a problem. Is there a worse "2nd starting lineup" team than this in the majors (who is the second middle infield backup???)? I actually think the rotation depth is fine, it just happens to be mostly young. I'd rather have young starting depth than replacement veteran depth. 80 wins is also something close to a worst-case scenario for the franchise - hard to figure out what to do. Huge margin of error on my guess of 80 - wouldn't be surprised by 12 wins on either side.
What will happen to Ryan Goins, John Gibbons or Brett Lawrie?
Goins, due to a lack of competition, will fill the Manny Lee role I not so fondly recall. Defense + terrible hitting. Hopefully he doesn't become Arencibia part 2 (terrible player who absorbs hate from fanbase), and fades into the background.
Gibbons, I guess, will get fired by AA at season's end.
Lawrie will be a borderline all-star, with above average hitting and defense.
Who will have a great year, who will disappoint?
Putting the great year line around all-star worthy+better than expected, I think Lawrie, Bautista, and (choose random 3 guys from bullpen) will have a great year. Encarnacion will disappoint (especially if he can't stop getting hit on the hands/wrist). It's hard to figure out what disapppointing even looks like for a lot of guys - most of the starting pitching, Cabrera, Goins, Lind,
I predict the Jays will win 88 games this season, 3 games out of a wildcard birth. Brett Lawrie will have a breakout season with the bat. I could see him hitting .280 with an OPS of 890. Hit for power and making his first all-star game while winning a gold glove. Ryan Goins will be goins back to the minors after 6 weeks where in time, we will either see Stephen Drew sign a prorated 1-year deal or the call up of Andy Burns. Gibby will continue to manage the bullpen flawlessly but will have to deal with a lack of depth in the batting order, that's on AA.
Suprises: Santos, Lawrie, McGowen (Healthy all year).
Disappointments: Janssen, Cecil, Navarro & Lind.
GO JAYS GO! errrr GO VANCOUVER CANADIANS GO!
How many games will the Jays win? Why that number?
84. Better than league-average offence. League average pitching. Don't outperform Pythagoras. Routine number of injuries, biting just enough to prevent them from getting a playoff spot.
What will happen to Ryan Goins, John Gibbons or Brett Lawrie?
Goins platoons with Maicer Izturis. He hits a little better than expected, but is not a Gold Glover. Second base is a weakness of the club. John Gibbons is signed to a two year contract after the season because of the "surprising success" of the club- this does not turn out well in the long run. Brett Lawrie matures and is a fine player for many years beginning in 2014.
Who will have a great year, who will disappoint?
Lawrie and Hutchison have great years. Jose Reyes disappoints due to lingering injuries. Colby Rasmus ends up with a poorer slash line, but not by much thanks to increased power and more walks. In the long run, the greatest disappointment will be management.
91. The Jays will get surprisingly good starting pitching, as the minor injuries don't happen until there are capable reinforcements from the minors available.
What will happen to Ryan Goins, John Gibbons or Brett Lawrie?Goins ends up in a platoon. He's the worst contributor to any playoff team. Gibbons gonna Gib, but he'll come around to shifting and platooning, and will excel at managing the pitching staff. Lawrie outperforms Machado on offence and isn't far behind him on defence.
Who will have a great year, who will disappoint?Jose Bautista hits 62 HR. The bullpen as a whole will disappoint, but only relative to last year. They'll settle in as a solid bullpen.
How many games will the Jays win? Why that number?
82. Because the Jays are better than some people think, but some things are going to go wrong. They always do.
What will happen to Ryan Goins, John Gibbons or Brett Lawrie?
Goins will be hitting .171 on May 1st, and will likely be sent back to Buffalo. Gibbons will stay on, unless AA is fired. Lawrie will miss 30 games due to injury, and show yet more signs of improvement in his hitting. And he'll also win a Gold Glove, if there is any justice at all. (Unless Gibbons tries him at second again.)
Who will have a great year, who will disappoint?
I'll go with Hutchison too for the great year. I don't know who will disappoint - maybe Santos. McGowan will probably become injured again. Lind is a perennial candidate to disappoint, though I think that beard will get him a few hits in April if he doesn't shave it off. (Pitchers will look at him, go WTF, and miss their spots.)
How many games will the Jays win? Why that number?
88. The team's health will be improved to a point where we don't have to debate the merits of the #10 vs. #11 in the starting pitching depth chart or the over/under in errors committed by an infield of Encarnacion/Kawasaki/Izturis/Sierra, but we can look forward to 20-25 games missing a piece from Bautista/Lawrie for trying too hard (to impress). Ironically, the starting pitching will be top 10 with 25-30 starts, mostly of the Quality variety, from each of Dickey/Buehrle/Morrow/Hutchison (McGowan will run out of arms and/or gas, with Rogers/Redmond/kids picking up the slack), but the bullpen will be bottom 10 because they were good last year; relievers are like that, this is known. Offence will be fine 1 through 7, with good platooning through the C/DH/1B positions, and regular rest for Cabrera/Reyes keeps them producing.
What will happen to Ryan Goins, John Gibbons or Brett Lawrie?
Goins won't hit enough, defence will slip enough that he'll lose his job. Gibbons will get tossed from a game for taking too long to strut out to argue a call, get criticized by media and fans for anything and everything, but will be unaffecting. Lawrie will hit well before and after missing time for running into a brick wall.. because it was there.
Who will have a great year, who will disappoint?
Disappointing year for: Happ (won't start again for the Jays, ends up traded for a bucket of balls or released); Loup/Cecil/Delabar/Janssen (injuries and ineffectiveness); Rasmus (BABIP and bad habit regression will lead to smaller free agent payout)
Great year for: Hutchison; Cabrera (generates 2 WAR in 120-130 games, sets up for another decent free agent contract); Jeffress (collects ML paycheck and service time); Rogers (not the pitcher) and their shareholders.
Jays, prove me wrong (or right).
79 wins. The team doesn't experience as many injuries this year and generally has better luck, but age will start to catch up with some of the key players.
What will happen to Ryan Goins, John Gibbons or Brett Lawrie?
Goins' struggles at the plate and he's sent to Buffalo in May. He's replaced on the roster with a pitcher.
Gibbons survives the year and comes back for 2015.
Lawrie is frustratingly inconsistent and injured.
Who will have a great year, who will disappoint?
Melky Cabrera rebounds nicely, but Mark Buehrle suddenly falls victim to the age bug. Dickey pitches okay, but doesn't regain his Cy Young form.
I have two thoughts on the Jays season:
1. If the Jays are healthy they can challenge for a wild card playoff spot
2. I don't think the Jays can stay healthy
The Jays have too many players with extended injury histories, from Morrow to McGowan, from Bautista to Lawrie, and Reyes.
How many games will the Jays win? Why that number?
78. Or less.
I don't understand the optimism. I think this looks like a very bad team.
What will happen to Ryan Goins, John Gibbons or Brett Lawrie?
Goins will play at replacement level. Not good enough for a good team, but holding on with this team.
Gibbons will stay until AA gets fired. That may be before the season is up, but I doubt it. I have a feelign that neither will be around come 2015.
Lawrie will be the bright spot of the organization. I think by the end of the season he will be seen as the best player on the squad: Bautista who?
Who will have a great year, who will disappoint?
Lawrie will have a great year... and maybe nobody else (though I don't expect Lind to crater like some do.)
As for disappoint, we already saw why I put Reyes on this list.The entrie rotation will continue to disappoint. I think even Bautista and Encarnacion will disappoint, but only compared to high expectations.
How many games will the Jays win? Why that number?
If Reyes/Bautista/Lawrie/Edwin/Rasmus play 120+ games each, 85. If they don't, 75. The starting pitching could add or subtract 10 wins from either of those.
What will happen to Ryan Goins, John Gibbons or Brett Lawrie?
Goins will struggle to hit .200 but will keep the job unless somebody better comes along. Gibbons will survive the year unless the team completely craters again. Brett Lawrie stays off the DL for most of the year and hits .305 with 40+ doubles.
Who will have a great year, who will disappoint?
Lawrie, if healthy. Hutchison will be the second best starter by July. Rasmus will take a step back, Navarro will scuffle around .240 but keep his OBP over .300, unlike his predecessor.
