Countdown to Opening Day #24 Toronto Blue Jays

By Andrew Marcus
Sportswriter for Lansdale Reporter

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

#24: Toronto Blue Jays: They better score seven every night

PROJECTED LINEUP
SS Jose Reyes
LF Melky Cabrera
RF Jose Bautista
1B Edwin Encarnacion
DH Adam Lind
3B Brett Lawrie
CF Colby Rasmus
C Dioner Navarro
2B Ryan Goins

PROJECTED ROTATION

R.A. Dickey
Mark Buerhle
Brandon Morrow
Kyle Drabek
Marcus Stroman

PROJECTED BULLPEN

Closer: Casey Jansenn

Set-up: Steve Delabar 

Top Prospect: Aaron Sanchez (RHP)

They were 25th in Major League Baseball in ERA and only the Rockies and Twins had fewer Quality
Starts (6 innings pitched with three runs or less). So with gruesome numbers like that the Blue Jays were bound to bolster their pitching staff. Nope.

RA Dickey

This year the Canadian club has decided to go with what they had in house. That means 39 year old RA Dickey, 34 year old Mark Buerhle, the often injured Brandon Morrow and Kyle Drabek, rounded out with the less than illuminating JA Happ. One-time first round pick and all-star Ricky Romero has lost his mechanics to the point he is not ever in the conversation. Maybe a Liam Hendriks or Todd Redmond get a shot. But it does not look good for a squad that is top ten in payroll.
It's a shame they did not put more attention to the mound, because if Joey Bautista and Brett Lawrie stay healthy, they could be one of the better offenses in the American League. But in the AL, especially the East, it could be another year in the cellar. 

THEY CALL ME MR. SUNSHINE - It is a renaissance year for the wiley veterans for Buerhle and Dickey and they lead the staff from one of the worst to, well not the best, but good enough to let the offense do its damage and win games to contend. Third basemen Brett Lawrie breaks out and Joey Bats stays healthy. The Jays hit the most home runs in the American League.

Brett Lawrie

REAL TALK - I would not be surprised if some players coming off a down year rebound. Lawrie, Reyes, and Morrow to name a few, but I still think in the difficult AL East they are fourth place at best and I am not going to bet on more than a fifth place finish. They are two starters short of being able to contend in this division.

Breakout: Brett Lawrie (3B)

Bust: RA Dickey (RHP)

Fantasy Baseball Sleeper: Brandon Morrow (RHP)

LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 74-88 (5th in AL East)

PROJECTED 2013 FINISH: 73-89 (5th in AL East)

**Check back tomorrow for the Philadelphia Phillies*