The 2007 roster is beginning to take shape, but its final construction is likely to depend on what actually happens in Florida this spring. Which isn't something we saw last year...
In 2006, the identities of 24 of the 25 players who would make the Opening Day roster were known to one and all before anyone even arrived in Dunedin. The sole question was whether the Jays would carry Guillermo Quiroz as a third catcher (he was out of options) or try to slip him through waivers at the end of the spring so they could add Pete Walker to the roster. As it turned out, that is exactly what they tried and they ended up losing Quiroz to the Mariners.
But this spring... jobs will be at stake!
So what do we know so far?
We know the nine everyday starters will be Zaun, Overbay, Hill, Clayton, Glaus, Rios, Wells, Johnson, and Thomas. We know Phillips, McDonald, and Stairs will be on the bench.
That's 12 players, and assuming the teams goes with the now standard seven man bullpen, there's only room for one more. What is needed, and who can fill the role?
Is Matt Stairs, at this stage of his career, really going to be the fourth outfielder? The only backup for Troy Glaus is John McDonald, who is also backing up the two middle infield spots. (And oh yes, on these small modern rosters, the versatility of players like Hinske and Hillenbrand is an extremely useful thing to have around.) Is there a backup for Lyle Overbay at all? There's Jason Phillips (129 games at 1B) and Matt Stairs (242 games at 1B). And the prospect of Stairs at 1B frightens me - the man is 5 foot 9. Plus both men have fairly important roles as the only extra catcher and outfielder on the team.
So who is the 13th man? John Hattig? He's a switch-hitter, he can play third. Could he learn to play first? How about Russ Adams? He brings a lefty bat, a bit of foot speed. (I'd think about giving Adams an outfielder's glove and have him shag some fly balls while we're at it.)
Other suggestions?
As for the pitchers...
Barring injury (wow, there's one big assumption), we can expect Halladay, Burnett, Chacin, and Thomson in the rotation. Fighting over the fifth job will be Towers, Janssen, and Marcum.
Dustin McGowan, much to my surprise, was granted a fourth option year by MLB. I very much hope the Jays stick him in the Syracuse rotation and forget about him. Just leave him alone until September. No bouncing back and forth between AAA and the majors, between the pen and the rotation. Let the kid pitch.
I actually expect Towers to win a starting job outright in the spring. Josh can be pretty formidable when he has his back to the wall and something to prove. Besides, he's had worse years than 2006 and bounced back. (I also think the most experienced of the candidates is the best bet to get his act together and have an impressive spring, and the job is really going to go to the guy who looks best in March.)
Ryan, Frasor, League, and Downs are obvious locks in the pen. I would assume that Rosario is a very good bet as well. Rosario was granted a fourth option year in 2006, but he's out of them now. He either makes the team or they have to risk losing him on a waiver claim. I'm sure that factor alone will be enough to at least get him as far as Opening Day.
Which leaves two more spots in the pen. The front-runners would be Accardo, Tallet, and Romero. I'm not sold on Accardo myself, but he does have a lively arm and he's had some success at the major league level. Tallet is the only guy who looks like a true LOOGY to me (Downs is the Long Man and emergency starter - Pete Walker's old job. Romero is still... uh, forming. Taking shape. In the process of becoming whatever he is to be.)
So these are the questions and they'll be answered in Florida. Who will be the 13th man, the 5th starter, the 6th and 7th relievers? We really don't know!
But I say it's going to be Hattig, Towers, Accardo, Tallet.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20070113050700656