Projected batting order - From state of the union

[Xeifrank]

Being left handed helps push Saunders projection up when you are looking at a vs RHP lineup. For the speed, I gave him slightly above average speed. My guess, and it takes a long time to run this, is that vs LHP (keeping him in the lineup) he drops near the bottom in most of the top lineups.

[satyr9]

Being left handed helps push Saunders projection up when you are looking at a vs RHP lineup. For the speed, I gave him slightly above average speed. My guess, and it takes a long time to run this, is that vs LHP (keeping him in the lineup) he drops near the bottom in most of the top lineups.

Thanks, makes sense. It's not like there's this enormous gulf in results between a .325ish OBP and a .340ish OBP. Especially once you factor in handedness splits and some speed.

[kavan]

reyes
jose
ee
donaldson
martin
saunders
navarro
travis/izturis/goins
pompey


I like this and I might get flamed for it but

reyes
Pompey
jose
ee
donaldson
martin
saunders
navarro
travis/izturis/goins

I think his speed and his bat can add to the base paths for the RBI guys. I think Jose at the 2 spot isnt a bad idea but Martin can def fit the 2 hole if he can hit, if he is not the hitter we needed to get on base then you drop him down but once the game starts the line up does not matter as much but ideally a 1st inning of Reyes, Jose, EE and if one get on Donny coming up seems like a tough way to start the game for an opponent.

[Santoki]

We need to see Pompey outside of a short September run before we even contemplate hitting him anywhere but 8th or 9th in the lineup. Hopefully he turns into a #2 at some point but my expectations for him are insanely low right now.

[dballislife]

i dont think martin bats 2nd to start d year, cus who knows how hes gonna perform back in the AL...and if hes 2nd, along with our bottom 7 8 and 9 hitters, like the bottom 3 can look really really ugly cus we have some potential horrible hitters at 2b and outfield, even DH/1b...so i would wanna see jose ee and donaldson that much quicker following the bottom of d order

[baulderdash77]

Gibby loves playing LH/RH platoons. I think you're going to see Navarro will get at least 500 of AB by playing DH against righties and backup catcher. Valencia will be used to get his bat in the lineup as a DH against lefties and Pillar will see a steady diet of lefties as well. Pillar can also be used as a rare pinch runner so he's relatively useful.

If healthy I think Izturis is going to win the job because he can make consistent contact with a decent OBP (career .331). They'll carry Goins because he can play very good defense and backup both SS and 2B

So it looks something like this:
Reyes
Martin / Navarro on days off
Jose
Edwin
Donaldson
Saunders
Navarro vs RHB / Valencia vs LHB
Izturis
Pompey vs RHB / Pillar vs LHB

Bench: Smoak, Goins, Pillar, Valencia

It's certainly the best looking lineup we've fielded in the last 5-10 years. Having a bench that's actually useful for something is nice to have for a change and nobody will like playing the top 5 of our batting order.

[Skin Blues]

If we're going to have a league average hitter in a platoon against righties, I'd rather it be Smoak, who not only costs 20% as much as Navarro, but also offers a defensive upgrade at 1B and allows Edwin to DH. Navarro's only value to this team is as a backup catcher. He is useless as a DH. He's too expensive for what he offers and in my opinion if we can't get a good return for him, we'll dump him for salary relief before the season starts. After Dave Stewart cuts Gerald Laird in spring training they'll realize they don't have a capable #1 catcher and if we're lucky, they'll take Navarro off our hands.

Valencia is a nice guy to have around because he pretty much plays every IF position except SS, and his bat is good enough to platoon with Smoak at 1B. This would allow us to keep a guy who's making the league minimum salary and who's only job is as a backup defensive SS that doesn't require the ability to hit major league pitching; Ryan Goins. Or hell, Kawasaki, if he'll play for the minimum, and leave Goins in Buffalo. So we'd have 1B and utility infield filled with three guys making a total of about $3M. Now, we just have to hope that Devon Travis is worthy of being our starting 2B or it's gonna look really stupid that we passed up on Asdrubal Cabrera.

[Michael Bradley]

The more I think about it, the more I think Navarro does get moved prior to the season. Last season the Jays had a very good framer and back-up catcher in Kratz who spent all Spring catching the Knuckleball, yet he was sent down because Dickey wanted Thole. As much as they have invested in Martin, it doesn't make sense for him to catch every Dickey start (which he would if Navarro was back-up) without a compentent back-up who could catch Dickey as well.

So either the Jays go with three catchers again (which would be stupid even by AA's roster management standards) or they go with Thole as the primary back-up. Hopefully it is the latter, and AA is just waiting out Dave Stewart's stubbornness.