ESPN.com - Major League Baseball - Toronto Blue Jays preview


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Thursday, April 5
Toronto Blue Jays preview

ESPN.com

POWER RANKINGS


	Carlos Delgado had a monster season in 2000, finishing second in the AL in slugging and on-base.

Strength of schedule
.497, 13th in AL
Lineup ranking
4th in AL
Pitching ranking
10th in AL
Prediction
3rd in AL East

The lowdown
2000 record: 83-79 (3rd in AL East)
Runs scored: 861, 8th in AL
Runs allowed: 908, 11th in AL

Three key issues for 2001
1. How will the rotation shape up, particularly the health of Mike Sirotka and a better season from Chris Carpenter.

2. Will the team keep Jose Cruz Jr. or trade him for pitching and move rookie Vernon Wells into center field?

3. Will they show more patience at the plate? Despite league-leading home run total, finished just eight in league in runs scored.

Three key facts
1. Led by Carlos Delgado, the Blue Jays hit a team-record 244 homers last season, including a streak of 23 straight games with at least one.

2. After struggling in 1999, Jose Cruz Jr. played in all 162 games last season and set career highs in doubles, triples, hits, homers and stolen bases.

3. Blue Jays pitchers gave up the fourth-most earned runs in the AL last season (847) and posted a 5.14 ERA.

RETURNING 2000 STATISTICAL LEADERS

AVG	C. Delgado	.344
HR	C. Delgado T. Batista	41
RBI	C. Delgado	137
RUN	C. Delgado	115
SB	R. Mondesi	22
WIN	C. Carpenter K. Escobar	10
SV	B. Koch	33
ERA	K. Escobar	5.35
Complete 2000 Statistics: Batting \| Pitching

Tim Kurkjian's scenarios
Best case: The young pitching, including a healthy Mike Sirotka, finally comes around, the Jays hit 240 homers and win the wild card.

Worst: Sirotka is no factor, Chris Carpenter and the rest of the young pitchers still can't find it and the Jays are done by the All-Star break.

ESPN.com's lineup analysis
Player	Comment	Pos. rank*
S. Stewart, LF	Has added power, needs more walks	2
H. Bush, 2B	Killed Jays with .270 OBP in No. 2 hole last year	12
R. Mondesi, RF	Overrated: Still seeking first 100-RBI year	9
C. Delgado, 1B	Best smile in the game; best hitter in the game?	2
B. Fullmer, DH	Hit .311 vs. RH, just .226 vs. LH	5
T. Batista, 3B	Did he get homer-happy? Hit just .234 in second half	6
J. Cruz, CF	Despite strikeouts, would fill No. 2 hole better than Bush	7
D. Fletcher, C	Had higher OPS than Batista	3
A. Gonzalez, SS	Another Jay with OBP problems (.313)	9
ESPN.com's pitching staff analysis
E. Loaiza, RHP	Had 3.62 ERA with Toronto	34
S. Parris, RHP	Will struggle to keep ERA under 5.00	43
J. Hamilton, RHP	Has only gotten worse since rookie year	47
C. Carpenter, RHP	Led AL with 130 runs allowed	33
Middle relief	Escobar returns to bullpen	8
Billy Koch, CL	Can he take it to the next level?	4

	Position average (AL rank):	6.11 (T3rd)
	Pitching index (AL rank):	9.00 (10th)

* Position rank, compiled by ESPN.com's baseball staff, compares each AL team's strength at that position, including platoons, based on players' total projected value (offense, defense, durability) for the 2001 season.

AL position players and bullpens ranked on a 1-14 basis, with 1 being best.
AL starting pitchers ranked on 1-56 basis, with 1 being best. Cumulative rankings of starting pitchers are combined with bullpen and closer for overall pitching index, with more weight given to starters.
In both rankings, 1.00 is the best possible score, 14.00 the worst.

Click here for AL position-by-position rankings.

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