For those that missed the guidelines I am using for this series of posts, you can find them here.
Team #4: Toronto Blue Jays
General Managers(since 1994)
Pat Gillick (1994): 55-64
Gord Ash (1995-2001): 541-575
J.P. Ricciardi (2002-2009): 642-653
Current GM: Alex Anthopoulos
Team Performance
| Playoffs | Division Finish | ||||||
| WC | League | Playoff App | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Last |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
All information is drawn from Baseball Reference.
| Position | Name | Acquired | Years with Org. |
Stats with Organization |
Left? |
| C | J.P. Arencibia | 2007 – 1st Rd (21) | 3 | 6 gm, .217/.217/.522, 2 HR, 4 RBI | Currently with Org. |
| 1B | Casey Blake | 1996 – 7th Rd | 3 | 14 gm, .256/.293/.385, HR, RBI | Selected off waivers by IN – 5/23/00 |
| 2B | Orlando Hudson |
1997 – 43rd Rd | 8 | 1 Gold Glove 462 gm, .270/.328/.418, 35 HR, 201 RBI, 19 SB |
Traded to ARI – 12/27/05 |
| 3B | Michael Young | 1997 – 5th Rd | 3 | No Major League Appearances with Org. | Traded to TEX – 7/19/00 |
| SS | Felipe Lopez | 1998 – 1st Rd (8) | 4 | 134 gm, .240/.293/.399, 13 HR, 57 RBI, 9 SB | Traded to CIN – 12/15/02 |
| LF | Reed Johnson | 1999 – 17th Rd | 8 | 610 gm, .281/.342/.410, 42 HR, 234 RBI, 28 SB | Released – 3/23/08 |
| CF | Vernon Wells | 1997 – 1st Rd (5) | 13 | 3 All Star Appearances, 3 Gold Gloves, 1 Silver Slugger 1367 gm, .279/.328/.472, 215 HR, 794 RBI, 89 SB |
Currently with Org. |
| RF | Alex Rios |
1999 – 1st Rd (19) | 10 | 2 All Star Appearances 809 gm, .285/.335/.451, 81 HR, 395 RBI, 112 SB |
Selected off waivers by CHW – 8/10/09 |
| DH | Adam Lind | 2004 – 3rd Rd | 6 | 1 Silver Slugger 475 gm, .271/.323/.470, 76 HR, 270 RBI |
Currently with Org. |
| SP | Shaun Marcum | 2003 – 3rd Rd | 7 | 35-24, 3.83 ERA, 559.2 IP, 451 K, 178 BB | Currently with Org. |
| SP | Roy Halladay |
1995 – 1st Rd (17) | 14 | 2003 AL Cy Young Award, 6 All Star Appearances 148-76, 3.43 ERA, 2046.2 IP, 1495 K, 455 BB |
Traded to PHI – 12/16/09 |
| SP | Ricky Romero | 2005 – 1st Rd (6) | 5 | 24-17, 3.95 ERA, 358 IP, 294 K, 148 BB | Currently with Org. |
| SP | Brett Cecil |
2007 – 1st Rd (38) | 3 | 18-11, 4.35 ERA, 240 IP, 105 K, 45 BB | Currently with Org. |
| SP | Chris Carpenter |
1993 – 1st Rd (15) | 9 | 49-50, 4.83 ERA, 870.2 IP, 612 K, 331 BB | Released – 10/9/02 |
| RP | Brandon League | 2001 – 2nd Rd | 8 | 7-10, 4.09 ERA, 202.1 IP, 154 K, 73 BB | Traded to SEA – 12/23/09 |
| RP | Mark Hendrickson | 1997 – 20th Rd | 6 | 12-9, 4.94 ERA, 195 IP, 97 K, 52 BB | Traded to TAM – 12/14/03 |
| RP | Alfredo Aceves | Int’l FA – 2001 | 1 | No Major League Appearances with Org. | Purchased by Mex. League – 4/24/02 |
| RP | Casey Janssen | 2004 – 4th Rd | 6 | 14-19, 4.12 ERA, 268.2 IP, 163 K, 70 BB | Currently with Org. |
| RP | Kelvim Escobar | Int’l FA – 1992 | 11 | 58-55, 4.58 ERA, 58 SV, 849 IP, 744 K, 394 BB | Left via Free Agency – 10/26/03 |
| CL | Brandon Lyon | 1999 – 14th Rd | 3 | 6-8, 5.40 ERA, 125 IP, 65 K, 34 BB | Selected off waivers – 10/9/02 |
| BN | Cesar Izturis |
Int’l FA – 1996 | 5 | 46 gm, .269/.279/.388, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 8 SB | Traded to LA – 12/13/01 |
| BN | Aaron Hill | 2003 – 1st Rd (13) | 7 | 1 All Star Appearance, 1 Silver Slugger 748 gm, .273/.328/.429, 85 HR, 350 RBI, 22 SB, |
Currently with Org. |
| BN | Travis Snider | 2006 – 1st Rd (14) | 4 | 161 gm, .248/.318/.434, 20 HR, 66 RBI, 6 SB | Currently with Org. |
| BN | Gabe Gross | 2001 – 1st Rd (15) | 4 | 84 gm, .226/.316/.326, 4 HR, 23 RBI | Traded to MIL – 12/7/05 |
| BN | Kevin Cash |
Amateur FA – 1999 | 5 | 101 gm, .173/.222/.262, 5 HR, 29 RBI | Traded to TAM – 12/12/04 |
June Amateur Draft
The Blue Jays have done better than just about any team with finding and maintaining first round talent. Last year’s rotation featured 3 first round picks (Halladay, Romero, and Cecil), and this season’s lineup features 3 starters from the first round as well (Hill, Snider, Wells). The only position where they are particularly weak is catcher, simply because J.P. Arencibia has not been called up to stay and start yet for the Jays. The key with the Blue Jays has to be their ability to develop pitching, as shown by Marcum, Halladay, Romero, and Cecil. There were even more pitchers who have been at least serviceable in the Majors who were not included because I simply ran out of room. Clearly, not all the moves have been winners (Carpenter, Lyon, Rios), but the team has done extremely well all the same.
International Free Agency
The Blue Jays have not done a whole lot in the international markets, instead choosing to spend their money on draft picks. That said, there really isn’t a lot to like in terms of international free agents here. Kelvim Escobar is really the only player who has become any kind of success in the Majors, with Aceves limited to middle relief only.
Overall Grade
A. The Blue Jays have done poorly in the international markets, but with the amount of talent they have been getting out of the draft, it wasn’t really necessary to have. They’ve established themselves as one of the premier teams when it comes to identifying and developing pitching talent, but don’t get near enough credit for it. In addition, they have also managed to develop Major league starters at nearly every position on the diamond, with some solid players left in reserve as well. They are clearly head and shoulders above the rest of the teams to this point.
