January 30, 2008
Team Offense, Toronto Blue Jays
We continue to look at team offenses for 2008 with the Toronto Blue Jays.
David Eckstein
Photo: Icon SMI
In 2007, the Blue Jays scored 4.65 runs per game.
I plugged in a likely lineup to the Lineup Analysis Tool, using the Marcel the Monkey predictions from Tom Tango. The lineups rate as follows:
- Best: 5.15 runs per game
- Given: 5.10 runs per game
- Worst: 4.95 runs per game
Toronto is another team where the lineup is so balanced it doesn't really matter what lineup they use. They show no projected extremes in either OBA or slugging percentage. The two people with low OBAs, Lind and Wells both bring some power to the table. It's a solid, if not spectacular lineup one through nine.
The big offensive boost comes at shortstop, where David Eckstein replaces John McDonald. Last year's starter projected to a .295 OBA this season. Eckstein promises to spend a lot fewer outs.
Like the Orioles and Rays in the two previous posts in this series, the Blue Jays look like they'll have an improved offense in 2008. Despite that, they are way behind the Yankees and Red Sox in this category. To compete in the division these teams are going to need outstanding pitching.
Previous teams covered in the series:
Well... good thing the Jays have some outstanding pitching :)
Just curious... Have you compared the #s of runs predicted by this tool for 2007 against the #s of runs produced in 2007? I think it would be interesting to see the tool's prediction for 2007 next to the actual 2007 results in these posts.
I haven't, but I thought at the end of the series I'd go back and do that.
David
Is there a reason why the Brewers don't appear on your list of previous teams?
I must have forgotten to include the Brewers.
