The American League East has been dominated by the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox for as long as we can remember, both financially and talent wise.
However, J.P. Ricardi has put together a nice looking ball club that, if not taken seriously, could make some niose in the toughest division in baseball. With a couple key experienced pick ups and a healthy B.J. Ryan, this team is as good as any in the American League.
David Eckstein who was a walk on at the University of Florida brings a career best .309 average and a sure handed glove to the middle of the Blue Jays infield. Eckstein will also bring some deep playoff experience to a team that hasn't been since 1993. Eckstein has two World Series rings and was the most valuble player of the 2006 World Series.
He is nicknamed "the pest" and it's the perfect way to describe the way Eckstein plays the game. He does everything that you preach to young kids trying to learn the fundementals of the game, and has a work ethic has rubbed off on players in the past.
Giving up Troy Glaus in return for Scott Rolen was as about as even a trade as you will ever see. Glaus hit .262, Rolen .265. Glaus drove in 62, Rolen 58. Both numbers are not great, but sometimes in baseball trades like this will jump start guys careers and work out for both teams.
With one of the best one, two punches in the bigs, this is a staff that can win some games. Opening day starter Roy Halladay will look to lead the way once again, but will need A.J. Burnett, who yes has been dealing with injuries since arriving in Toronto to step up as the number two guy and give this team some quality starts.
Dustin Mc Gowan and Shaun Marcum, both 12 game winners will have to give more of the same if this is to be a winning staff. Those two guys are very important as your third and fourth starters if Halladay and Burnett handle business. B.J. Ryan looked good during the week in a ten-minute side session that reveiled him hitting his spots and having no ill effects from the Tommy John surgery that he underwent last May.
Vernon Wells, who seems as though he can turn it on and off like a light switch, will have to produce in the middle of the lineup for this team to get going. A year after hitting .303, with 32 homeruns and 106 batted in and an All Star appearnce the organization tagged Wells as their franchise player signing him to a 10 year $126 million dollar deal only to see him hit a career low .245, with 16 homeruns and 80 runs batted in. Numbers that will not cut it for a guy making $12 million a year.
Rod Barajas may stir up the catching duties as teams ran all over Gregg Zaun last year. This is one position that manager John Gibbons will be flexible with and both guys will see plenty of playing time, but will have to undersatnd their paticular roles. Alex Rios brings some serious pop to the batters box with 24 bombs and 85 driven in 2007, and is only getting better in the field with a plus arm that has woodbee baserunners second guessing extra bases.
David Ecksein will patrol the middle with Aaron Hill who opened some eyes last year with his highlite real plays from week after week. Lyle Overbay who is coming off injury will have to improve on his power numbers and will most likely hit in the sixth or seventh spot. With a healthy Reed Johnson out in left, look for John Gibbons to have an aggresive top of the lineup and keep things interesting by getting runners going early in ball games.
With some serious changes in the Yankee organization this could be the perfect chance for this team to give the Red Sox a run or possibly hang around during the summer a grab a wild card birth and get this team back to the post season for the first time since 1993. Great paper teams can be just like great cage hitters, but when I look at this 2008 Toronto Blue Jays ball club I see a great deal of experience that might be able to put together just enough chemistry to take this team on a run that could very well be a season to remember!
