MLB Team by Team: 2008 Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays are coming off a 83-79 season, and that's impressive considering all the problems they had with injury last season. They lost their closer to Tommy John surgery, and his was only the most serious injury among the 12 Jays who found themselves on the disabled list throughout 2007. So, yes, four games over .500 is impressive, all things considered.

This season, the Jays look to continue their climb in the uber-competitive American League East, and with the young pitching that stepped up and came into their own, the presence of a rising star in right field and the (hopeful) pain-free return of a mainstay in center among the big stories, you can't count them out of the picture in any way.

OFFENSE: B-

A good way to describe the Blue Jays' offense is solid all around, exceptional in right field. Alex Rios continues to emerge, having a banner year (.297, career highs with 24 home runs, 85 RBI and 17 steals) which, if the trend continues, will only result in better numbers for 2008. Add to that a true, pesky leadoff man in shortstop David Eckstein from St. Louis to get on base ahead of him, the continued rise of Aaron Hill at second base, and, if his shoulder surgery was successful, a return to his All-Star form by Vernon Wells, and you've got the makings of a lineup that will give anyone fits. Oh, yeah, and a still effective 500-homer man in "Big Hurt" Frank Thomas doesn't hurt, either.

PROJECTED LINEUP: 1 Eckstein SS 2 Hill 2B 3 Rios RF 4 Wells CF 5 Thomas DH 6 Stairs LF 7 Overbay 1B 8 Rolen 3B 9 Zaun C

STARTING PITCHING: B+

Ready for a possible surprise? If it wasn't for the Boston Red Sox, the Blue Jays would have the best starting rotation in the AL East. And, considering Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling's injuries, it's even closer now. You start with Roy Halladay, former Cy Young Award winner and a candidate every year (16-7, 3.71 ERA in '07), then add A.J. Burnett (10-8, 3.75), Dustin McGowan (12-10, 4.08), and Shawn Marcum (12-7, 4.13). When you're looking at a rotation where the weak link is Jesse Litsch, who went 7-9, but put up a 3.81 ERA while only walking 36 in 111 innings, it's going to be a nightmare for any manager to prepare for a series with the Jays.

PROJECTED ROTATION: Halladay, Burnett, McGowan, Marcum, Litsch

BULLPEN: B-

And the bullpen is nothing to sneeze at, either. When B.J. Ryan went down to that dreaded Tommy John scenario last year, it would've been very easy for the Jays to pack it in and go home. But Jeremy Accardo stepped up, converting 30 out of 35 save opportunities, and he'll still have a shot at that role should Ryan's progress continue to be slow, and the Jays will still be OK. And they match up well with anyone elsewhere in the 'pen, with super lefties Scott Downs and Brian Tallet, Jason Frasor as a decent bridgeman to whomever closes, and the probable return to form of Brandon League after shoulder woes last year. It could be a smooth, deadly sweep from beginning to end on the mound most nights for the Jays.

CONCLUSION

The New York Yankees are facing starting pitching issues, bullpen issues, and owner mouth-shooting issues, and look to be ripe for the picking this year for the Blue Jays to leapfrog them to claim second place, knocking the Bombers from the playoffs for the first time since 1993. As for their own playoff hopes? They still don't have quite enough to take out the Red Sox yet, but the Sox should definitely keep an eye out for these young, hungry, talented Jays in the very near future.

PREDICTION: 88-74, second in American League East