Toronto Blue Jays 2010 Spring Training Preview

The 2010 baseball season in Toronto will definitely have a new look. Blue Jays fans will have to get used to not seeing Roy Halladay toe the rubber every fifth day. If that wasn't enough they also better get used to seeing young players dominate the scene and the errors that they bring. The Blue Jays will be in full fledged rebuilding mode and I think it's about time.

The Blue Jays were smart to part with Halladay as he certainly wasn't going to sign a long term deal with Toronto when his contract was set to expire after this season. They were able to get some very decent prospects in pitcher Kyle Drabek, first baseman Brett Wallace, and catcher Travis d'Arnaud. Wallace and Drabek could be on the Blue Jays roster later in the year, but I would expect both to start the year in the minors.

It isn't all doom and gloom in Toronto though as Adam Lind and Aaron Hill are still around to lead the offense. Both players surpassed 100 RBI and 35 home runs last season. Familiar face Vernon Wells will be in center field and will try to put a disappointing 2009 season behind him. Wells, who was signed to a seven-year, $126 million extension in 2006, started hearing jeers from the fans last season. There is little doubt that his contract is a huge albatross around the neck of the franchise, but there is no way any other team is going to take that contract off the team's hands.

The pitching rotation is far from set, but the Blue Jays have many candidates to fill two spots. The only certainties seem to be Ricky Romero, Shawn Marcum, and Mark Rzepczynski. Romero was solid last season posting a record of 13-9 with an earned run average of 4.30. Marcum is coming off of an elbow injury which caused him to miss all of the 2009 season, but he had back to back good years in 2007 and 2008. Rzepczynski is just 25 years old but looked good in 11 starts last season. The Blue Jays acquired Brandon Morrow from the Seattle Mariners this off season and he will be given every chance to lock down one of the two open spots in the rotation.

The Blue Jays will probably go with a bullpen by committee again this season. Jason Frasor led the team with just 11 saves in 2009 and he will lead the bullpen again in 2010. Veterans Scott Downs and Shawn Camp will also be back in the mix.

Toronto will wind up taking a step back this season, but another season where the team floats around the .500 mark isn't what the team needed. Instead the Blue Jays need to rebuild and I think that is what management has in mind. It might take a few years, but better days make be coming to Toronto. 2010 prediction 68 wins and last in the American League East.