Travis Snider
Photo: Icon SMI
The series on team offense continues with the Toronto Blue Jays. I plug the probable lineup from CBSSportsLine into the Lineup Analysis Tool, and fill in the numbers with Marcel the Monkey projections. The results:
- Best lineup: 4.95 runs per game
- Probable lineup: 4.85 runs per game
- Worst lineup: 4.71 runs per game
- Regressed lineup: 4.56 runs per game
The Blue Jays scored 4.41 runs per game in 2008.
There’s not much of a spread between the best and worst Toronto lineups. That generally means the lineup is pretty consistent, and that’s what we see here. There are no predictions for outstanding seasons, but only a couple of players are expected to post really poor OBAs. I do like the way the order is arranged by decreasing power in the three through eight slots.
The biggest difference between the probable lineup and the best lineup is the Lineup Analysis Tool puts two of the bottom order hitters at the top, with Travis Snider and Lyle Overbay batting first and second. The current order appears to set Snider up as a second leadoff man. If he does post an OBA that high, he should get the lead job later in the season. Of course, Cito Gaston thought Devon White was the best leadoff man on the championship Blue Jays teams of the 1990s, so Travis might be stuck in the nine hole for a while.
All in all, the Jays have a chance to be a decent offensive team. Even with Burnett gone they have a very solid pitching staff. If this offense can play near the top of their range, they could come out of the season in contention.
Other teams in this series:
- Texas Rangers (see this entry for a full explanation of this system).
- Chicago Cubs
- Boston Red Sox
- Minnesota Twins
- Detroit Tigers
- Chicago White Sox
- Cleveland Indians
- New York Mets
- Philadelphia Phillies
- New York Yankees
- Baltimore Orioles
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Florida Marlins
- Tampa Bay Rays
- Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
- Atlanta Braves
- Milwaukee Brewers
- Colorado Rockies
- Pittsburgh Pirates
- Arizona Diamondbacks
- Houston Astros
Please donate to the Baseball Musings Pledge Drive.
Buy Blue Jays opening day tickets.