Where will the Jays finish this year?

asif9t9 · Post #1 » by **asif9t9** » Thu Apr 3, 2008 12:10 pm

Time to lay out predictions. Let's see who's going into the season with hope, and who's going in already talking about 2009....

kcthekid · Post #2 » by **kcthekid** » Thu Apr 3, 2008 1:58 pm

3rd place maybe 7 games over 500

bloodtoavampire · Post #3 » by **bloodtoavampire** » Thu Apr 3, 2008 2:36 pm

I will call it now. I think that things are going to go well this year, just well enough to get the wildcard.

Post #4 » by **OldNo7** » Thu Apr 3, 2008 5:37 pm

My set in stone prediction is 88 wins. Whether that gets us 2nd or 3rd is yet to be seen.

The_Hater · Post #5 » by **The_Hater** » Thu Apr 3, 2008 7:49 pm

Yeah, I think that we have to win minimum 90 to get the wild card and probably as many as 92-95. And that's pretty much the absolute best case scenerio for this team. Good health across the board career years/bounce back years from many players and a front office that isn't afraid to spend on somebody at the trade deadline.

Of course right now we're already a little snake bit on the injury front.

Post #6 » by **SmallTownJournalist303** » Thu Apr 3, 2008 8:16 pm

I'm trying to be optimistic earlier in the year, but realistically this team is probably no better than a 3rd place finish without a handful of career years at the plate and continued success on the mound.

Post #7 » by **spykelee** » Thu Apr 3, 2008 8:22 pm

being that i gots my 30 ticket voucher pack from the dugouts into home plate, and that includes playoff seats should they come available, wild card baby!!!!! Realistically probably 90 or so wins, but I think if we even have a descent offense this year, our pitching is going to be good enough to hold us in alot of games, with a solid offense I defientely think 90+ is attainable.

risktaker91 · Post #8 » by **risktaker91** » Thu Apr 3, 2008 8:24 pm

AL East Champ!

Post #9 » by **arrpy** » Thu Apr 3, 2008 8:24 pm

Our only chance of the playoffs is the wild card. Were just not good enough yet to finish a top the Red Sox and Yankees. I think we have a good shot at the Wild card, as long as everything goes the way it's planned...

The_Hater · Post #10 » by **The_Hater** » Fri Apr 4, 2008 12:38 am

OK, after watching the first 3 arms in our rotation throw against this powerful Yankee lineup I'm starting to get my hopes up. Our bullpen looks solid. I look at the lineup and see our Catchers hitting 9th (and neither of them have bad sticks). Guys like Scutaro, Stewart/Stairs, Barajas and Mcdonald coming off the bench and we're still getting Rolen and Ryan back soon. This is definitely a better team than we had last season.

That's about as positive as you'll ever see me about the Jays in April.

asif9t9 · Post #11 » by **asif9t9** » Fri Apr 4, 2008 1:37 am

I'm always positive in April and May. I love baseball at this time.

Come June, I find other things to do. Been like this for the last decade.

Post #12 » by **spykelee** » Fri Apr 4, 2008 4:24 am

The_Hater wrote:OK, after watching the first 3 arms in our rotation throw against this powerful Yankee lineup I'm starting to get my hopes up. Our bullpen looks solid. I look at the lineup and see our Catchers hitting 9th (and neither of them have bad sticks). Guys like Scutaro, Stewart/Stairs, Barajas and Mcdonald coming off the bench and we're still getting Rolen and Ryan back soon. This is definitely a better team than we had last season.

That's about as positive as you'll ever see me about the Jays in April.

I know what you mean about the pitching. McGowan and Burnett have both got overpowering stuff. if they're on, they are tough to beat. Should be interesting to see how Marcum starts tomorrow. I doubted Marcum for a long-time, but he has perserved and won me over. He was right beside doc in carryin the jays staff last year. And that list doesn't even include Halladay... I'm definetely not sold on litsch. I think he's in for a tough year... but 4 outta 5 ain't bad. It was a good opening series for the jays.

Michael Bradley · Post #13 » by **Michael Bradley** » Fri Apr 4, 2008 3:09 pm

Somewhere between 85-90 wins. The hitting (especially against RHP) is going to be the downfall, but the talent is there to at least be relevant. With some good breaks, luck, minor league contribution (Purcey/Lind), etc, they have a chance at 90+, but there's very little (if any) margin for error. Holding the Yankees to 8 runs in 3 games but losing the series is unacceptable.

As I've said in the past, I believe 2008 will be the peak of Ricciardi's era. Whether that leads to a playoff berth or more of the same remains to be seen, but this is really the ceiling. Once 2009 comes along and Ricciardi has to find a #2 starter, a starting SS, a starting catcher, a starting LF, and possibly a starting DH, it's not going to look pretty.

asif9t9 · Post #14 » by **asif9t9** » Fri Apr 4, 2008 7:11 pm

Michael Bradley wrote:Somewhere between 85-90 wins. The hitting (especially against RHP) is going to be the downfall, but the talent is there to at least be relevant. With some good breaks, luck, minor league contribution (Purcey/Lind), etc, they have a chance at 90+, but there's very little (if any) margin for error. Holding the Yankees to 8 runs in 3 games but losing the series is unacceptable.

As I've said in the past, I believe 2008 will be the peak of Ricciardi's era. Whether that leads to a playoff berth or more of the same remains to be seen, but this is really the ceiling. Once 2009 comes along and Ricciardi has to find a #2 starter, a starting SS, a starting catcher, a starting LF, and possibly a starting DH, it's not going to look pretty.

Well said!! :clap:

Too many ppl here are happy with losing, as long as we do it in a competitive way.

raps4life~ · Post #15 » by **raps4life~** » Sat Apr 5, 2008 2:08 am

asif9t9 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Well said!! Too many ppl here are happy with losing, as long as we do it in a competitive way.

yes were all happy about the losses :roll:

Anth0ny · Post #16 » by **Anth0ny** » Sun Apr 6, 2008 9:09 pm

Wildcard seems realistic. However, it won't be easy.

SportsWorld · Post #17 » by **SportsWorld** » Sun Apr 6, 2008 10:19 pm

If you guys stay healthy and continue playing like you are now you guys can win the Wild Card.

jamaicamon · Post #18 » by **jamaicamon** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 5:50 pm

Im really impressed with this team, paticularly the pitching staff

stro4swift · Post #19 » by **stro4swift** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 6:47 pm

jamaicamon wrote:Im really impressed with this team, paticularly the pitching staff

The pitching staff should give the Jays a chance to win all year.

I voted AL East Champ because I'd love to see it happen! But I'd be very happy if the Jays would finish the season as the Wild Card. The two first series of the season were a good test for the team, but it's still early to be overexcited.

LLJ · Post #20 » by **LLJ** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 7:20 pm

There really is a certain "it's now or never" buzz around Toronto, though. It's not so much an exciting overhype buzz like it was 2 years ago, but a feeling that if the stars have to align sometime soon, it needs to be this year. It's one of the reasons I'll be following this season more closely than any other Jays season I have in forever.