About this time last year we took a look at what the team might look like in 2014. A lot has changed since then, 3 of the 9 players I had in the starting lineup are no longer in the organization and 2 of the bullpen pitcher have been traded as well. There will be a lot more trades and a bunch of draft picks come before 2015, but it is fun to look at who could be playing for our Jays in the future.
Our 2015 starting line up:
Catcher: J.P. Arencibia/Travis d'Arnaud
Right off the top we have a position with a lot of possibilities. JP will 29 going into 2015, d'Arnaud 26. Perez will be 24 and pushing to get onto the team by then. Somebody will be traded off by then. I like Perez in the long run.
First Base: Adam Lind
The only position player we have signed through the 2015 season and even that is a team option.
Second base: Yunel Escobar
Aaron Hill's contract runs out in 2014 (if we pick up all the options). Right now no one on our top 40 prospects list is listed at 2B. Lawrie does play second but I think he'll be moving over to third. Dickie Thon, Jr might move to second but he will only be 23 going into 2015. John Tolisano was on Hugo's 'just missed list' and is young enough he could find his batting stroke and make it to the majors but I wouldn't bet on it. He would be 27 in 2015. So Yunel is a placeholder until we see how things shake out. Yunel would be 33.
Third Base: Brett Lawrie
He'd be 25. He might stay at second.
Shortstop: Adeiny Hechavarria
He would be 26.
Left field: Travis Snider
Just 27 in 2015.
Center Field: Anthony Gose
Will turn 25 in August of 2015. Vernon's contract will have finally run out. If Gose flames out somewhere along the way, Jake Marisnick could be in this spot, but with Gose's speed, defense and arm in the outfield, he could be a valuable major leaguer even if he doesn't hit .275.
Right Field: Jose Bautista
I'm thinking he gets a long term sometime this year. If not, write in Jake Marisnick's name here. Jose would be 34.
DH: Eric Thames
It really could be any of a dozen guys. They could resign Vernon (to a much different contract), they could put one of the younger guys in the outfield and put Bautista here. Or maybe Adam Loewen or KC Hobson or Marcus Knecht will fill the spot. Thames would be 28.
Starting Pitchers:
Kyle Drabek, 28
Ricky Romero, 30
Brandon Morrow, 30
Deck McGuire, 26
Zach Stewart, 28
Asher Wojciechowski, 26
We have a lot of pitching prospects, so this could shake out dozens of different ways. Romero is the only pitcher that is signed through 2015. Morrow I love watching so I hope he is still with the team. Stewart (or really any of the others) could end up in the bullpen if the starting rotation is too crowded. Others with a shot: Cecil, Scrabble, Chad Jenkins, Henderson Alvarez and about 10 other guys.
Bullpen:
David Purcey, 33
Josh Roenicke, 33
Marc Rzepczynski, 29
Nestor Molina, 26
And some other guys.
The title is a song George Harrison covered back in the 80's, written by Rudy Clark. I wanted to use the line: 'It's gonna take patience and time to do it right child', but it seemed a little long.