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4. Adam Lind- Toronto Blue Jays: Lind’s career has been in a tailspin ever since he hit 35 home runs back in 2009 and 2012 was just the latest chapter. For the third straight year, he put up excessively lackluster numbers with a .255/.314/.414 slash line to go with 11 home runs and 45 RBIs. With relatively average defense and average peripheral stats, Lind is basically an average player. Unfortunately, first base is just about the worst position to have an average hitter and that’s why Lind is no more than a replacement player.

4. Maicer Izturis- Toronto Blue Jays: The first acquisition of a momentous Blue Jays’ offseason, Izturis signed for 3 years and $9 million to be the Blue Jays’ starting second baseman. It’s a bit surprising that he merited a three year contract after a season where he batted only .256/.320/.315 for the Angels, but he does provide stability at an unstable position. The 32 year old Izturis will also bring a little bit of speed and defense to the table for the Blue Jays. He won’t be a star, but he may be a solid role player on the first good Blue Jays team in quite a while.

2. Brett Lawrie- Toronto Blue Jays: It was a very tough decision deciding whether Lawrie or Middlebrooks would occupy the second best third baseman in the AL East. Eventually I decided upon Lawrie simply because he’s already experienced his sophomore slump as he failed to live up to hype, batting .273/.324/.405 with 11 home runs and 48 RBIs as a 23 year old. With over a year of major league experience under his belt, Lawrie should be better in 2013. That, along with his superior defense, places him ahead of Middlebrooks in my opinion.

1. Jose Reyes- Toronto Blue Jays: When Reyes is healthy, he might be the best shortstop in baseball and when he was healthy in 2012, he was the best shortstop in baseball. He batted .287/.347/.433 with 11 home runs, 57 RBIs, and 40 stolen bases after signing a huge deal with the Marlins the winter before. After the Marlins failed to contend, Reyes was traded along with Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, and others to the Blue Jays in what remains the biggest trade of the offseason. Reyes will add an excellent leadoff hitter with speed and on-base skills to an already formidable Blue Jays lineup.

4. Josh Thole- Toronto Blue Jays: Like several others on this list, Thole was a once highly rated prospect who never really panned out. Although he’s shown the ability to hit for average and play decent defense behind the plate before, it was never on display in 2012. In 104 games for the Mets, he batted .234/.294/.290 with average defense before being traded to the Blue Jays with R.A. Dickey. It appears that Thole will have to channel all of his potential in 2013 to even keep the starting catching job though.

beckham23 wrote:I agree with all of them except the catcher. JPA is going to start, not Thole.

SCF99 wrote:I like these type of articles BUT....its obvious the guy didnt do much homework,leaving out JPA, Adam Lind at first base i am pretty sure EE would be considered our starting 1st baseman, so its hard to take as what he has written to have any thing worth reading. Two mistakes and thats just on our lineup

flatjacket1 wrote:

beckham23 wrote:I agree with all of them except the catcher. JPA is going to start, not Thole.

I'd rather Thole. If you compare their careers to date, Thole is better. And that's even with his concussion.

beckham23 wrote:

flatjacket1 wrote:

beckham23 wrote:I agree with all of them except the catcher. JPA is going to start, not Thole.

I'd rather Thole. If you compare their careers to date, Thole is better. And that's even with his concussion.

We all know for a fact that JPA will be the starter, not Thole. Thole might even start the season in AAA.

beckham23 wrote:

flatjacket1 wrote:

beckham23 wrote:I agree with all of them except the catcher. JPA is going to start, not Thole.

I'd rather Thole. If you compare their careers to date, Thole is better. And that's even with his concussion.

We all know for a fact that JPA will be the starter, not Thole. Thole might even start the season in AAA.

CapeCrusader wrote:

beckham23 wrote:

flatjacket1 wrote:I'd rather Thole. If you compare their careers to date, Thole is better. And that's even with his concussion.

We all know for a fact that JPA will be the starter, not Thole. Thole might even start the season in AAA.

JP will start, but there's no way Thole will be in AAA. He was in the deal for one reason and that was to catch for Dickey.

flatjacket1 wrote:

beckham23 wrote:I agree with all of them except the catcher. JPA is going to start, not Thole.

I'd rather Thole. If you compare their careers to date, Thole is better. And that's even with his concussion.

flatjacket1 wrote:We all know Ben Francisco sucks but yet he continues getting invites to ST.

JPA may be the starter, but even if he is, it's not necessarily a good idea. Thole has been better to date, and can catch the knuckleball.

If they played Moises Sierra over Bautista and try and release Bautista, doesn't make Moises a better player.

1. Melky Cabrera- Toronto Blue Jays: It will be very interesting to see how Cabrera plays after serving a 50-game suspension for performance-enhacing drugs this past season. Before being injured, he was one of the best in the game though– as he was hitting .346/.390/.516 with 11 home runs and 60 RBIs through 113 games with the Giants. He’ll still be only 28 years old on Opening Day, and if he can remember how to hit without the use of steroids, the Blue Jays may have found themselves a bargain at 2 years and $16 million.

Randle McMurphy wrote:

flatjacket1 wrote:

beckham23 wrote:I agree with all of them except the catcher. JPA is going to start, not Thole.

I'd rather Thole. If you compare their careers to date, Thole is better. And that's even with his concussion.

JP Arencibia career wRC+: 89 (2012: 89)
Josh Thole career wRC+: 85 (2012: 60)

JP Arencibia career rWAR: 2.2 (2012: 1.4)
Josh Thole career rWAR: 1.1 (2012: -0.1)

Yeah, not seeing it. Thole was just awful last season.

flatjacket1 wrote:Lets give JPA a concussion and see how he plays.

WAR is not a good stat for catchers.

Thole can catch the knuckleball.

flatjacket1 wrote:2012 he slumped, and happened to have a concussion. Take that year out and he's better offensively than JPA. Not bad for a defensive catcher.

Randle McMurphy wrote:

flatjacket1 wrote:2012 he slumped, and happened to have a concussion. Take that year out and he's better offensively than JPA. Not bad for a defensive catcher.

If you take every player's worst season out (or make injury excuses for them), it makes them look a lot better, yes. You could very easily make the same rationalization for Arencibia with his broken hand and finger over the last two seasons. In the end, you can only use the numbers that are available and they point to Arencibia being the better option.