Blue Jays unveil 2015 Opening Day 25-Man Roster

[TwistedLogic]

C: Russell Martin

1B: Justin Smoak

2B: Devon Travis

3B: Josh Donaldson

SS: Jose Reyes

RF: Jose Bautista

CF: Dalton Pompey

LF: Kevin Pillar

DH: Edwin Encarnacion

 

BN1: Danny Valencia

BN2: Steve Tolleson

BN3: Dioner Navarro

 

SP1: Drew Hutchison

SP2: RA Dickey

SP3: Daniel Norris

SP4: Mark Buehrle

SP5: Aaron Sanchez

 

RP1: Brett Cecil

RP2: Aaron Loup

RP3: Marco Estrada

RP4: Colt Hynes

RP5: Miguel Castro

RP6: Roberto Osuna

RP7: Todd Redmond

RP8: Liam Hendriks

 

http://jaysjournal.com/2015/03/31/blue-jays-reveal-25-man-roster-opening-day-starter/

[TwistedLogic]

Bitch all you want about the 8-man bullpen or the early callups on Castro and Osuna, there is so much to like about this roster, and so many of the concerns and doubts people had about the Jays ability to put together the best possible roster have been answered. Smoak is starting at 1B, Travis at 2B, Viciedo has been released, Drabek wasn't kept simply because he had options, neither of Izturis or Goins are on the starting roster, Martin's catching the knuckleball, Thole's been demoted, Hynes made the cut, and Hutchison is starting on opening day.

 

The 8-man bullpen will likely go down to seven when Saunders comes off the DL.

[baloojayz]

Sanchez weakens the rotation but seems to strengthen the pen. Everything else seems to have come together really nicely.

[TwistedLogic]

This was not official. Bullpen has not been revealed.

 

Based on whatever I've read, it appears that the bullpen does look to be Cecil, Loup, Estrada, Redmond, Osuna, Castro and Hynes for now, unless/until they bring someone in from other teams' roster cuts. Hendriks looks to be on the bubble, where he'll make the team if they go with an 8-man pen, and Goins will probably make the team if they don't.

[BTS]

A backup catcher who can't catch, no 4th OF, no platoon partner for Pillar, no second IF who can play short, and an 8-man pen that includes two 20-year olds that should be starting in A+. After the amazing offseason moves, the final product should be more cohesive than this.

[Angrioter]

Based on whatever I've read, it appears that the bullpen does look to be Cecil, Loup, Estrada, Redmond, Osuna, Castro and Hynes for now, unless/until they bring someone in from other teams' roster cuts. Hendriks looks to be on the bubble, where he'll make the team if they go with an 8-man pen, and Goins will probably make the team if they don't.

 

Last spot is for Goins or Osuna

[Stangstag]

A backup catcher who can't catch, no 4th OF, no platoon partner for Pillar, no second IF who can play short, and an 8-man pen that includes two 20-year olds that should be starting in A+. After the amazing offseason moves, the final product should be more cohesive than this.

 

I feel like AA just has no idea how to finish off the last 3-4 players on a roster. Its been like this every year. Its like he doesn't think about the bench at all.

[TwistedLogic]

A backup catcher who can't catch, no 4th OF, no platoon partner for Pillar, no second IF who can play short, and an 8-man pen that includes two 20-year olds that should be starting in A+. After the amazing offseason moves, the final product should be more cohesive than this.

 

What moves do you propose they should make, given the players currently in the organization, to make this roster more ideal?

[BTS]

I feel like AA just has no idea how to finish off the last 3-4 players on a roster. Its been like this every year. Its like he doesn't think about the bench at all.

 

It's a shame. The foundation was laid early in the offseason for a great team after some legitimately excellent moves, then he just kind of stopped. We go through the same thing every March though.

[Dr. Dinger]

I'll be really surprised to see both Castro and Osuna make the team, if that does in fact happen.

[Laika]

Bitch all you want about the 8-man bullpen or the early callups on Castro and Osuna, there is so much to like about this roster, and so many of the concerns and doubts people had about the Jays ability to put together the best possible roster have been answered. Smoak is starting at 1B, Travis at 2B, Viciedo has been released, Drabek wasn't kept simply because he had options, neither of Izturis or Goins are on the starting roster, Martin's catching the knuckleball, Thole's been demoted, Hynes made the cut, and Hutchison is starting on opening day.

 

The 8-man bullpen will likely go down to seven when Saunders comes off the DL.

 

A backup catcher who can't catch, no 4th OF, no platoon partner for Pillar, no second IF who can play short, and an 8-man pen that includes two 20-year olds that should be starting in A+. After the amazing offseason moves, the final product should be more cohesive than this.

 

You both make good points.

 

BTS, all of those gripes could be dealt with very quickly if Navarro gets dealt early, Saunders comes back early (Tolleson out), and they sneak Hendriks through waivers and bring up Goins (when Saunders comes back).

[Stangstag]

You both make good points.

 

BTS, all of those gripes could be dealt with very quickly if Navarro gets dealt early, Saunders comes back early (Tolleson out), and they sneak Hendriks through waivers and bring up Goins (when Saunders comes back).

 

You're right. But there is still the problem of AA caring too much about losing s*** players with no options left

[Angrioter]

I'd be really surprised if that doesn't happen.

But will not happen

[Laika]

You're right. But there is still the problem of AA caring too much about losing s*** players with no options left

 

I think not

[TwistedLogic]

You're right. But there is still the problem of AA caring too much about losing s*** players with no options left

 

How? He just got rid of Drabek and Viciedo.

[BTS]

Given what's currently in house, Kawasaki makes a lot of sense. He can cover short without embarrassing himself, and start at 2B against tougher RHP. If you're concerned about losing Tolleson, platoon him and Kawasaki at 2B and have Travis waiting at AAA.

[Laika]

Given what's currently in house, Kawasaki makes a lot of sense. He can cover short without embarrassing himself, and start at 2B against tougher RHP. If you're concerned about losing Tolleson, platoon him and Kawasaki at 2B and have Travis waiting at AAA.

 

I'd just roll with Travis. He looks pretty legit on both sides of the ball.

[BTS]

I'd just roll with Travis. He looks pretty legit on both sides of the ball.

 

I don't disagree. Just not really sure where Tolleson fits in. As a RH 3B, he's blocked by Valencia, 2B by Travis, and LF by Pillar. I feel like Travis making the team makes Tolleson completely redundant.

[BTS]

Holy crap, Sanchez walked 6 guys today? Can anyone tell me how competitive they were?

[Gorlak]

Given what's currently in house, Kawasaki makes a lot of sense. He can cover short without embarrassing himself, and start at 2B against tougher RHP. If you're concerned about losing Tolleson, platoon him and Kawasaki at 2B and have Travis waiting at AAA.

 

I'm never a fan of demoting a good player to keep two replacement level players. Don't need them to hit and if Reyes goes down for a significant amount of time, they don't have a replacement player that would help the team in the org anyway, so they should just go with Goins as a defensive replacement.

[reedjohnsonfan]

Given what's currently in house, Kawasaki makes a lot of sense. He can cover short without embarrassing himself, and start at 2B against tougher RHP. If you're concerned about losing Tolleson, platoon him and Kawasaki at 2B and have Travis waiting at AAA.

 

This is what made the most sense to me. Nothing against Tolleson, but they need someone a little more capable of covering short, especially when you consider that Reyes is one of those "day to day" candidates who has to sit out 3-4 games randomly without going on the DL.

[fireballW]

Given what's currently in house, Kawasaki makes a lot of sense. He can cover short without embarrassing himself, and start at 2B against tougher RHP. If you're concerned about losing Tolleson, platoon him and Kawasaki at 2B and have Travis waiting at AAA.

 

Good thing you aren't making the decisions. Tolleson/Kawasaki platoon instead of Travis sounds pretty depressing. No thank you to that idea. The team was put together fairly well. This is the AL with DHs and our lineup is full of guys who can handle their own pretty well against pitching from either side. There really isn't going to be much need for pinch hitters or late inning defensive replacements (since they wouldn't do that for Reyes anyway), so the bench is fine. If there is an injury then Gibbons patches things up for half a game and they call someone up for the next, not a big deal.

[Governator]

Did they confirm that Goins was sent down?

[Laika]

I don't disagree. Just not really sure where Tolleson fits in. As a RH 3B, he's blocked by Valencia, 2B by Travis, and LF by Pillar. I feel like Travis making the team makes Tolleson completely redundant.

 

Well I'm OK with that consequence!

 

I like Tolleson if the fit is right, but it ain't so his utility is gone.

[KingKat]

I don't disagree. Just not really sure where Tolleson fits in. As a RH 3B, he's blocked by Valencia, 2B by Travis, and LF by Pillar. I feel like Travis making the team makes Tolleson completely redundant.

 

Tolleson is a good guy for such a short bench. He can cover everything. The solution would be to shorten the bullpen and replace him with two guys, a proper 4th OF (Gindl I guess) and a good defensive SS (Goins) or a left-handed one (Kawasaki). Burning options in order to go with an 8 man bullpen and a short bench is pretty surreal but in such a context Tolleson makes sense.

[BTS]

Good thing you aren't making the decisions. Tolleson/Kawasaki platoon instead of Travis sounds pretty depressing. No thank you to that idea. The team was put together fairly well. This is the AL with DHs and our lineup is full of guys who can handle their own pretty well against pitching from either side. There really isn't going to be much need for pinch hitters or late inning defensive replacements (since they wouldn't do that for Reyes anyway), so the bench is fine. If there is an injury then Gibbons patches things up for half a game and they call someone up for the next, not a big deal.

 

I didn't say that's what I'd do, but I wouldn't have criticized the team for going in that direction. You could probably scrape an 85 wRC+ and league average defense out of a Tolleson/Kawasaki platoon at the cost of your 8th reliever. Travis is probably better than that, but maybe not.

[tercet]

Holy crap, Sanchez walked 6 guys today? Can anyone tell me how competitive they were?

 

Ryan Howard twice, on 5, and 4 pitches lol

[Laika]

Just had a wonderful thought - what is throwing Osuna and Castro onto the big league club is all part of the long game?

 

In this summer's international free agent signing period we already know that the Blue Jays and Dodgers are both planning to spend past the limit. Vlad Jr. alone will take the Jays over theirs and prohibit them from signing any big players in the next two seasons, but beyond him it will be hard (impossible) for Toronto to compete with LA on any other players unless the Jays already have some verbal agreement with them.

 

Toronto just can't offer these kids nearly as much money as the Dodgers can. BUT, maybe they can offer them the hope that they will reach the big leagues 2-3 years before they would if they sign with LA. The quicker a kid reaches the big leagues, the quicker they reach free agency. Osuna and Castro, if they stick, will both reach free agency at around 26 years old - an almost unheard of age to be a free agent, and a factor that would definitely boost their market value by a large amount. They would be marketing their entire physical prime!

 

Maybe the quick Osuna and Castro promotions are on one hand about competing this year, but on another hand about trying to attract a f***ing boat load of 16/17 year old Latin American talent this summer. Especially for the kids who are in the moderate to small bonus range, the glimmer of hope that your signing organization might push you up to The Show quicker than any other team could be a big difference maker. And for this to happen at the same time as Kris Bryant is getting CBA'd in the face by his huge market team - to show international free agents that the Blue Jays don't f*** around with service time or twiddle their thumbs and let you ride a bus for 6 years - it could be a big deal.

[Gorlak]

I didn't say that's what I'd do, but I wouldn't have criticized the team for going in that direction. You could probably scrape an 85 wRC+ and league average defense out of a Tolleson/Kawasaki platoon at the cost of your 8th reliever. Travis is probably better than that, but maybe not.

 

Both scouts and projections think Travis will be better, Pretty bold to bet against that.

[guylaroche5]

honestly it feels like a compromise of what the board wanted and didn't want lol

 

not too bad though, a platoon partner for pillar isn't really a concern for me unless saunders can't come back until like may.

 

the bench is a bit light but i'd imagine when saunders comes back we'll see something pillar/navarro/valencia/goins or kawasaki with whichever reliever plays like s*** getting sent down