Toronto Blue Jays Roster Discussion (2022)

[Terminator]

So we've got 39 guys on the 40 man right now.

 

We have a small squeeze on the bullpen side, with Richards and Merryweather being out of options. I think one of them is going to need to be traded. If we sign another SP, that would push Kikuchi and White (who is also out of options) to the bullpen so we might have to dump both Richards and Merryweather. With Pop (deserves to be up but he has options so I think he's a lock in AAA) and Gage starting off in AAA I think we've got some ok depth to withstand losing those two if we have to.

 

On the positional side, I think the Jays have some room to make something interesting happen on the backend of the roster. We've got 11 out of 13 position players locked in and have decent enough options for the remaining two spots if we choose to go that route (Lopez, Horowitz, Lukes).

 

But if Spring Training nears I think we could see a nifty addition of a big league vet who is merely looking for a guaranteed MLB roster spot for a few million. We've got room on the 40-man and sometimes when the game of musical chairs stop these vets only get MiLB offers so maybe Grossman or Brandon Belt or even a guy like Franmil Reyes we could take a chance on. A lot of guys live in Florida so maybe a vet who resides there would be interested as our Spring Training is there and they would get to play for a contender which would have to be exciting.

[The_DH]

So we've got 39 guys on the 40 man right now.

 

We have a small squeeze on the bullpen side, with Richards and Merryweather being out of options. I think one of them is going to need to be traded. If we sign another SP, that would push Kikuchi and White (who is also out of options) to the bullpen so we might have to dump both Richards and Merryweather. With Pop (deserves to be up but he has options so I think he's a lock in AAA) and Gage starting off in AAA I think we've got some ok depth to withstand losing those two if we have to.

 

On the positional side, I think the Jays have some room to make something interesting happen on the backend of the roster. We've got 11 out of 13 position players locked in and have decent enough options for the remaining two spots if we choose to go that route (Lopez, Horowitz, Lukes).

 

But if Spring Training nears I think we could see a nifty addition of a big league vet who is merely looking for a guaranteed MLB roster spot for a few million. We've got room on the 40-man and sometimes when the game of musical chairs stop these vets only get MiLB offers so maybe Grossman or Brandon Belt or even a guy like Franmil Reyes we could take a chance on. A lot of guys live in Florida so maybe a vet who resides there would be interested as our Spring Training is there and they would get to play for a contender which would have to be exciting.

 

Keep in mind on day 1 of Spring training, we can move Ryu back to the 60 day DL and clear another spot. So that allows for 2 40-man spots which isn't bad. Merryweather probably gets first start and Pearson, if alive, starts in Buffalo.

[Terminator]

Keep in mind on day 1 of Spring training, we can move Ryu back to the 60 day DL and clear another spot. So that allows for 2 40-man spots which isn't bad. Merryweather probably gets first start and Pearson, if alive, starts in Buffalo.

 

Romano, Swanson, Garcia, Bass, Mayza, Cimbers, Richards and White are the 8 that Roster Resource has for us right now.

 

It has Merryweather in AAA but has his options listed at 0. I think that means he needs to be on the 25 man now?

[Dick_Pole]

Sparky, no more disability jokes.

 

Can Spanky still make short and bald jokes though? Those are sort of like disabilities, and are some of his best material.

[Laika]

Can Spanky still make short and bald jokes though? Those are sort of like disabilities, and are some of his best material.

 

Yes, 100%

[WryNGinger]

I can respect crusaders. First take an ax to binary assignments, gender norms, and the pronoun system.

Then it’s time time to take what being a pussy means and turn it on its head lol. Keep at it, man

 

You got me there man...lol. Nice

[Stottlemyres_Bloody_Chin]

You are a pathetic whiner, shut the f*** up. 1100 posts and 200+ are bitching about the forum. Make your own forum for sensitive old pansies if this place bothers you so much

 

But wait, this place is constantly banning "trolls". Shouldn't all you pansies sack up too then?

[Stottlemyres_Bloody_Chin]

Stottlemyres_Fore_Skin... Blow me!

 

If I say the same back to you, I'd be banned.

 

You've got mental issues bud. Out of concern for your well being, seek help.

 

Hope you get the help you need.

[Laika]

If I say the same back to you, I'd be banned.

 

You've got mental issues bud. Out of concern for your well being, seek help.

 

Hope you get the help you need.

 

Lol you definitely have a free pass to tell spanks to blow you all you want

[Stottlemyres_Bloody_Chin]

Lol you definitely have a free pass to tell spanks to blow you all you want

 

Hehe thanks but not necessary.

 

Changing the subject, Baseball America has Moreno as the D-Backs top prospect now, ahead of Caroll.

 

Wish we could have traded for Caroll instead of Varsho.

 

Now that I've had a couple more days to think more about it, I really don't like the trade.

 

Varsho better f***ing turn out to be Devon White.

[Captain Adama]

Hehe thanks but not necessary.

 

Changing the subject, Baseball America has Moreno as the D-Backs top prospect now, ahead of Caroll.

 

Wish we could have traded for Caroll instead of Varsho.

 

Now that I've had a couple more days to think more about it, I really don't like the trade.

 

Varsho better f***ing turn out to be Devon White.

 

Steamer projects Carroll to comfortably out-WAR Moreno next year.

[Stangstag]

Hehe thanks but not necessary.

 

Changing the subject, Baseball America has Moreno as the D-Backs top prospect now, ahead of Caroll.

 

Wish we could have traded for Caroll instead of Varsho.

 

Now that I've had a couple more days to think more about it, I really don't like the trade.

 

Varsho better f***ing turn out to be Devon White.

 

Caroll definitely seems like he could be better than Varsho but I don’t think he was ever on the table. Also we know what Varsho is, and the two actually project for almost the exact same WAR next year.

 

Moreno could bust or could be the next Buster Posey, who knows. We are extremely strong at C and delt from a position of strength so i’m not losing sleep over it. Varsho makes the team better.

[Laika]

I think Varsho was probably barely on the table

 

How many times have we seen a player with four years of control left, coming off a 4.6 WAR season, traded for one prospect and a compliment? Never?

[John_Havok]

Hehe thanks but not necessary.

 

Changing the subject, Baseball America has Moreno as the D-Backs top prospect now, ahead of Caroll.

 

Wish we could have traded for Caroll instead of Varsho.

 

Now that I've had a couple more days to think more about it, I really don't like the trade.

 

Varsho better f***ing turn out to be Devon White.

 

Devon White’s first full season was 4.6 fWAR, 97 wRC+

Varsho’s first full season was last season, 4.6 fWAR, 106 wRC+

 

Kinda already is an early Devon White.

[Terminator]

I hope Moreno flops hard. Something like putting up negative WAR for a few seasons and then getting non-tendered lol.

[Captain_Obvious]

I hope Moreno flops hard. Something like putting up negative WAR for a few seasons and then getting non-tendered lol.

 

Why? I hope he and Varsho become all-stars.

[jaysthebest]

lol what a childish take.

[Stottlemyres_Bloody_Chin]

Devon White’s first full season was 4.6 fWAR, 97 wRC+

Varsho’s first full season was last season, 4.6 fWAR, 106 wRC+

 

Kinda already is an early Devon White.

 

With the stick yep. I meant Devo as in Varsho better be a gold glove caliber CF for us like Devo

[Terminator]

Why? I hope he and Varsho become all-stars.

 

lol what a childish take.

 

Yeah I want to win the trade but I never liked him anyway.

 

He’s a 160 pound slap hitter and he’s going to hit 2 homers a year. Good riddance.

[Krylian]

Yeah I want to win the trade but I never liked him anyway.

 

He’s a 160 pound slap hitter and he’s going to hit 2 homers a year. Good riddance.

 

Did he pound your wife or something? Lots of anger for Moreno.

[The Iceman]

Would Zack Britton be considered an upgrade on Mayza?

Maybe it is just me but I do not want Mayza pitching important innings. i feel he can't handle them. Fine for the 6-7th inning.

 

Britton is still 34 and might be able to pitch some late innings for a team.

[Deadpool]

Would Zack Britton be considered an upgrade on Mayza?

Maybe it is just me but I do not want Mayza pitching important innings. i feel he can't handle them. Fine for the 6-7th inning.

 

Britton is still 34 and might be able to pitch some late innings for a team.

 

He just turned 35, and he has pitched a total of 19 innings in the past two years.

 

Sure, take him on a minor league deal with a spring training invite, but it would be pretty nuts to give him any guaranteed money.

[Krylian]

He just turned 35, and he has pitched a total of 19 innings in the past two years.

 

Sure, take him on a minor league deal with a spring training invite, but it would be pretty nuts to give him any guaranteed money.

 

I'd be surprised if someone didn't give him a guaranteed, incentive laden, major league deal.

[John_Havok]

With the stick yep. I meant Devo as in Varsho better be a gold glove caliber CF for us like Devo

 

He was the best defender in baseball last season. Don’t worry about the D

[jaysblue]

I'd be surprised if someone didn't give him a guaranteed, incentive laden, major league deal.

 

In today's market, he likely will get a guaranteed, incentive laden, major league deal for sure. Heck, Shelby Miller got guaranteed money this offseason.

[Deadpool]

I'd be surprised if someone didn't give him a guaranteed, incentive laden, major league deal.

 

I hope it's not the Jays.

[Terminator]

I hope it's not the Jays.

 

Yeah we've got a surplus of relievers as it is. If we add one it needs to be a late inning guy IMO.

 

Merryweather, Pop and Gage are on the outside of the 25 man looking in and if we add anyone then it pushes Mayza or Richards out too. Some of those guys are out of options.

[glory]

Would Zack Britton be considered an upgrade on Mayza?

Maybe it is just me but I do not want Mayza pitching important innings. i feel he can't handle them. Fine for the 6-7th inning.

 

Britton is still 34 and might be able to pitch some late innings for a team.

 

Schneider managing Mayza is kind of terrifying after last season, so I wouldn't mind an upgrade there, whether Britton or someone else. If Britton can be had on a heavy incentive laden deal then it might be worth pursuing if his velocity/health checks out. Plus he's historically done pretty well against RHB, so that would definitely come in handy.

 

(yes I'm still salty over the Carlos Santana thing).

[John_Havok]

Back to the lineup/ batting order for a sec.

 

Here’s the Jays main 11 players career splits vs lhp/ rhp in wRC+

 

Varsho: 66/112

Bo: 147/121

Springer: 145/130

Kirk: 126/124

Vlad: 115/140

Chapman: 120/119

Jansen: 83/105

Espinal: 125/91

Biggio: 101/106

Merrifield: 115/98

KK: 84/102

 

Didn’t think I’d see Espinal hitting lefties better than Vlad, but there it is.

 

Strictly by This measure vs lefties you’d see a lineup like

 

Bo SS

Springer RF

Kirk C

Espinal (I know he won’t hit cleanup…relax) 2B

Chapman 3b

Vlad 1b

Merrifield LF

Biggio DH

Kiermaier CF

 

This lineup would be very good defensively and only have 1 hitter below average career vs Lefties in Kiermaier. I doubt they’d go this route and they’d probably have Jansen in the DH spot due to recent successes. Last seasons his LHP wRC+ was 136.

 

It looks like they’ll keep Vlad top 3 no matter what so what I suspect the LHP lineup will look like is:

 

Springer

Bo

Vlad

Kirk

Chapman

Jansen

Merrifield

Espinal

KK

 

Could they swap a place here or there, sure. Espinal ahead of Merrifield, Jansen 5th over Chapman…sure.

 

Vs RHP is probably not a big change from the above. Biggio probably swaps out Espinal, Varsho in for Merrifield. Top 6 hitters stay the same, bottom 3 would be Varsho, Biggio, KK, unless they wanted to split the lefties up or just continue using Merrifield at 2b instead of Biggio. I think they’ll probably run with Biggio initially though to see if the shift restrictions ends up being a boon for him. If they do they probably drop Jansen one place and move Varsho to 6th.

[Stangstag]

Back to the lineup/ batting order for a sec.

 

Here’s the Jays main 11 players career splits vs lhp/ rhp in wRC+

 

Varsho: 66/112

Bo: 147/121

Springer: 145/130

Kirk: 126/124

Vlad: 115/140

Chapman: 120/119

Jansen: 83/105

Espinal: 125/91

Biggio: 101/106

Merrifield: 115/98

KK: 84/102

 

Didn’t think I’d see Espinal hitting lefties better than Vlad, but there it is.

 

Strictly by This measure vs lefties you’d see a lineup like

 

Bo SS

Springer RF

Kirk C

Espinal (I know he won’t hit cleanup…relax) 2B

Chapman 3b

Vlad 1b

Merrifield LF

Biggio DH

Kiermaier CF

 

This lineup would be very good defensively and only have 1 hitter below average career vs Lefties in Kiermaier. I doubt they’d go this route and they’d probably have Jansen in the DH spot due to recent successes. Last seasons his LHP wRC+ was 136.

 

It looks like they’ll keep Vlad top 3 no matter what so what I suspect the LHP lineup will look like is:

 

Springer

Bo

Vlad

Kirk

Chapman

Jansen

Merrifield

Espinal

KK

 

Could they swap a place here or there, sure. Espinal ahead of Merrifield, Jansen 5th over Chapman…sure.

 

Vs RHP is probably not a big change from the above. Biggio probably swaps out Espinal, Varsho in for Merrifield. Top 6 hitters stay the same, bottom 3 would be Varsho, Biggio, KK, unless they wanted to split the lefties up or just continue using Merrifield at 2b instead of Biggio. I think they’ll probably run with Biggio initially though to see if the shift restrictions ends up being a boon for him. If they do they probably drop Jansen one place and move Varsho to 6th.

 

Idk man, pretty certain that Varsho will be playing every day.