Since we've been through our prospect list I thought it might be a fun exercise to guess at who might be playing for the Jays in five years. Of course, there will be a lot of trades and drafts between now and then, so, likely, this won't be anywhere near right.
So our 2014 starting line up:
Catcher: Travis D'arnaud/Carlos Perez
Sort of cheating right off the start, D'arnaud will be 25 and Perez will be 23 so I'm figuring Perez will be in his rookie year, trying to work his way into the starting nine.
First Base: Brett Wallace
We be 27 and hitting in the middle of the line up.
Second Base: Brad Emaus
He would be 28 and likely will have to pay dues by being a utility guy for a bit
Shortstop: Tyler Pastornicky
Will be 25 and stealing bases. Might only get a couple years to establish himself before Gustavo Pierre runs him off the position. The other way it could work is Pastornicky could move to second and Jackson could be SS, if they move Hill to third.
Third Base: Aaron Hill
Moved him mostly because we don't have an obvious 3B coming up in the system and part because if he continues filling out, third might be a better spot by the time he's 32.
Left Field: Travis Snider
Still just 26 in 2014.
Center Field: Vernon Wells/Darin Mastroianni
The last year of Vernon's contract and yeah he'll still be here. Much as I'd like him moved out of center before then there is no one in the system that can really push him off the position until Jake Marisnick. Marisnick will be 23 in 2014. Mastroianni will be 28 at the start of 2014.
Right Field: Moises Sierra
There are about a dozen ways the outfield could look by then, not even figuring on trades, but Moises has a fair bit of upside, so I'm giving him RF. If he could play CF life would be perfect, we could move Vernon to right. But in 2015 an outfield of Snider/Marisnick/Sierra might be pretty good.
DH: Adam Lind
Will turn 31 in 2014.
Starting Pitchers:
Kyle Drabek, 27
Zach Stewart, 27
Brett Cecil, 27
Brandon Morrow, 29
Marc Rzepczynski, 28
Chad Jenkins 27
Yeah, not all of them will turn out but it would be a good group of guys all going into their primes at the same time. Ricky Romero would only be 30 then, so he could be in the mix too. You could take 2 of them and guess they will be in the pen. Or, you know, figure a random two for shoulder surgery.
Relievers:
Josh Roenicke, 32
Tim Collins, 25
Daniel Farquhar, 27
And some others....
So how do you see the Jays in 5 years?