Countdown to Opening Day: #13 Toronto Blue Jays

By Andrew Marcus

Sportswriter for Montgomery Media

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

To help pass the time between now and the start of the 2011 Major League Baseball season I am going to be examining a different team every day. Starting with the Pirates, working toward the Phillies. I will give you my projected starters, breakout and bust players, biggest spring training question and top prospect

PROJECTED LINEUP

CF Rajai Davis

SS Yunel Escobar

DH Adam Lind

3B Jose Bautista

2B Aaron Hill

RF Travis Snider

LF Juan Rivera

1B Edwin Encarnacion

C J.P. Arencibia

PROJECTED ROTATION

Ricky Romero

Brandon Morrow

Brett Cecil

Kyle Drabek

Mark Rzepcynski

PROJECTED BULLPEN
Closer - Frank Francisco
Set-up - Jon Rauch

Top Prospect - Kyle Drabek (RHP)

Breakout

J.P. Arencibia - You hear all the time about up-and-coming gaudy numbers in the minors, but they do not always translate to the bigs. But if Arencibia's 4-for-4 debut in Toronto doesn't put those early talks to rest I don't know what does. I look for this backstop to be in the rookie of the year race in the American League and approach 30 homers.

Bust

Jose Bautista - Bautista may join Arencibia in the 30 homer run club, but if you think he is going to come even close to 54 homers again you are nuts. I think we will see a drop in every single major category. That was Jose's career year and he banked on it with a big long term deal. Good for him, but he's a below average baseball player.

Biggest Spring Training Question

All or Nothing - Last year the Blue Jays fell seven home runs shy of the major league record for dingers by and team and set a club record. The additions of Juan Rivera, JP Arencibia, along with a healthy Encarnacion and Hill should allow them to continue to flirt with the record. Now they just need that team batting average at a more respectable clip.

LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 85-77

Will the Blue Jays and Bautista hit bombs this season?

PROJECTED FINISH: 5th in the American League East

***THANKS FOR READING MY TEAM BY TEAM OUTLOOKS TO HELP PASS THE TIME
 

Check back tomorrow for the St. Louis Cardinals