Say Hello to your 2010 Blue Jays

With the 2010 Regular Season starting in 1 week, it seems like an appropriate time to comment on what the opening day 25-man roster should look like.

So here we go...

ROTATION
Marcum
Romero
Rzepczynski
Morrow
Tallet

BULLPEN
Frasor (Closer)
Downs
Gregg
Camp
Janssen
Eveland
Carlson/Valdez

Frasor was recently named the closer by Cito, and Downs and Gregg were the other two locks from the beginning of the spring. Camp has been solid, and Janssen seems to be getting back to his 2007 form. Dana Eveland has been given more of a chance than any other pitcher to show his stuff this spring with 22 innings pitched so far - 5 innings more than both Tallet and Rzepczynski. Eveland has impressed during his audition especially today when he gave up no runs and allowed just 4 hits and one walk over 6 innings while striking out 8! Cito has not ruled out the idea of starting both young pitchers, Cecil and Rzepczynski, in Las Vegas. If that were the case, that would definitely leave room in the rotation for Eveland. Brian Tallet could also move back to his familiar spot in the bullpen as well. Either way, Eveland is making it a very easy decision for management to bring him north for the beginning of the season. As he is out of options, if the Jays wanted to send him down to the minors, he would be exposed to other teams on waivers. In the past Cito has been very partial to Carlson giving him more appearances in 2009 than any other Blue Jays pitcher. So I can only imagine that he will get the call instead of Valdez even though he’s out of options.


BATTING ORDER
Bautista RF
Hill 2B
Lind LF
Wells CF
Overbay 1B
Ruiz DH
Encarnacion 3B
Gonazalez SS
Buck C

BENCH
Snider
McDonald
Molina/Chavez
McCoy/Reed

Neither Jose Molina nor Raul Chavez have impressed offensively. Expect Molina to start the year with the big club until either he gives the Jays a reason he doesn't deserve to be there and/or Chavez gives them a reason that he should be there. Both Mike McCoy and Jeremy Reed have played well enough during the spring to earn themselves a spot on the 25-man roster. Surely the one who doesn’t come north with the team at the beginning of the season will get a shot later on this year.
Ruiz really deserves a shot to be the everyday DH for the club this season. If there's one thing he knows how to do - it's hitting. Especially given the fact that the Jays aren't exactly competing for a playoff spot this year, it's worth giving Ruiz a good hard look to see if this guy can put up some sustained, above-average numbers at the plate in the majors.


Reasonable and rational comments are always welcome.