Plausible best lineup using this year's stats only:

* 1. RF Springer 93pa, .402obp, 166wrc+, 4.2war/650
* 2. CF Straw 48pa, .370obp, 144wrc+, 6.8war/650
* 3. 1B Guerrero 121pa, .372obp, 125wrc+, 2.7war/650
* 4. SS Bichette 128pa, .328obp, 98wrc+, 1.5war/650
* 5. LF Lukes 44pa, .326obp, 96wrc+, 0.0war/650
* 6. C Kirk 84pa, .274obp, 70wrc+, 3.1war/650
* 7. 2B Gimenez 117pa, .274obp, 71wrc+, 1.1war/650
* 8. DH Santander 119pa, .261obp, 64wrc+, -2.2war/650
* 9. 3B Clement 70pa, .261obp, 52wrc+, 1.9war/650

* B. UT Barger 24pa, .250obp, 69wrc+, 2.7war/650
* B. OF Roden 79pa, .266obp, 59wrc+, 0.8war/650
* B. IF Wagner 68pa, .284obp, 54wrc+, -2.9war/650
* B. C Heineman 30pa, .467obp, 230wrc+, 17.3war/650

* B. UT Schneider 21pa, .333obp, 55wrc+, 0.0war/650
* B. OF Clase 4pa, .000obp, -100wrc+, 0.0war/650



Using Past 1 Calendar Year

* 1. LF Lukes 135pa, .356obp, 120wrc+, 3.4war/650
* 2. 1B Guerrero 695pa, .406obp, 171wrc+, 6.6war/650
* 3. DH Santander 675pa, .302obp, 121wrc+, 2.5war/650
* 4. RF Springer 592pa, .315obp, 105wrc+, 1.6war/650
* 5. C Kirk 399pa, .318obp, 99wrc+, 5.1war/650
* 6. CF Varsho 419pa, .285obp, 90wrc+, 3.4war/650
* 7. 3B Clement 468pa, .281obp, 87wrc+, 2.8war/650
* 8. 2B Gimenez 638pa, .288obp, 79wrc+, 2.4war/650
* 9. SS Bichette 354pa, .299obp, 83wrc+, 1.1war/650

* B. UT Wagner 154pa, .314obp, 94wrc+, 1.3war/650
* B. OF Straw 52pa, .360obp, 136wrc+, 6.3war/650
* B. IF Jimenez 210pa, .329obp, 102wrc+, 1.5war/650
* B. C Heineman 44pa, .409obp, 168wrc+, 11.8war/650

* X. UT Barger 238pa, .262obp, 78wrc+, 0.3war/650
* X. OF Loperfido 262pa, .264obp, 74wrc+, 0.2war/650
* X. IF Schneider 412pa, .277obp, 72wrc+, 0.0war/650
* X. X Bethancourt 116pa, .289obp, 106wrc+, 4.5war/650

* X. OF Clase 45pa, .311obp, 94wrc+, 1.4war/650
* X. OF Roden 79pa, .266obp, 59wrc+, 0.8war/650



Using Fangraphs DepthChart projections:

* 1. SS Bichette 521pa, .326obp, 118wrc+, 3.9war/650
* 2. 3B Wagner 365pa, .344obp, 114wrc+, 2.7war/650
* 3. 1B Guerrero 556pa, .370obp, 148wrc+, 4.2war/650
* 4. DH Santander 562pa, .313obp, 122wrc+, 2.5war/650
* 5. RF Springer 498pa, .326obp, 114wrc+, 2.5war/650
* 6. LF Roden 313pa, .333obp, 110wrc+, 2.3war/650
* 7. C Kirk 355pa, .340obp, 115wrc+, 6.0war/650
* 8. CF Varsho 510pa, .302obp, 108wrc+, 2.8war/650
* 9. 2B Gimenez 527pa, .319obp, 106wrc+, 4.3war/650

* B. UT Barger 93pa, .311obp, 108wrc+, 2.8war/650
* B. OF Lukes 75pa, .333obp, 111wrc+, 2.6war/650
* B. IF Clement 261pa, .299obp, 98wrc+, 3.0war/650
* B. C Heineman 116pa, .315obp, 91wrc+, 3.9war/650

* X. UT Schneider 81pa, .320obp, 109wrc+, 2.4war/650
* X. OF Straw 60pa, .303obp, 81wrc+, 1.9war/650
* X. IF Jimenez 23pa, .332obp, 111wrc+, 2.8war/650
* X. C Bethancourt 64pa, .277obp, 94wrc+, 3.0war/650

* X. UT Martinez 87pa, .277obp, 90wrc+, 1.5war/650
* X. OF Clase 46pa, .297obp, 93wrc+, 1.4war/650
* X. OF Loperfido 29pa, .288obp, 91wrc+, 0.0war/650
* X. OF Berroa 12pa, .295obp, 85wrc+, 0.0war/650

Casey Lawrence is, I believe, the oldest Jays signee still active - we signed him as a non-drafted free agent in 2010 when the draft was 40 rounds. We drafted Pillar the next year in the 32nd round. There's a very good chance that under the current draft system and contracted minor leagues neither would have got into professional baseball at all.

Good catch GabrielSyme. Lawrence signed June 15th, 2010 (draft was 7th-9th). The infamous draft where they took Deck McGuire over Yasmani Grandal and Chris Sale (the next 2 picks), Christian Yelich was also a 1st rounder after McGuire (2 HOF'ers picked before him were Bryce Harper & Manny Machado, so the Jays had no shot at them). The Jays best pick that year was Kris Bryant but he didn't sign (18th round), then Noah Syndergaard (38th overall), drafted but didn't sign Chad Green (37th round), while Aaron Sanchez was the 'so much talent, why did he fail so often' (1 5 WAR season & ERA title at 23, but no other year over 2 WAR, 0 WAR after that year in total, out of majors before his age 30 season - this would be his age 33 season if still playing). Adeiny Hechavarria was the only IFA signed that made the majors (played in Mexico last year, 2020 final ML season).

2009 had Yan Gomes (played last year 18 OPS+, done now), James Paxton (DNS - played for Boston & LAD last year). Before that we get into very weak drafts and I doubt any were active in 2024. 2008 though had IFA Carlos Perez signed who is in AAA with the Cubs (11 games 42 PA at 1B despite being a catcher). 2006 had Henderson Alvarez (played in Mexico the last 2 years but just 21 2/3 IP last year so might be done). Balbino Fuenmayor never made the majors but was still playing in Mexico last year too with a 941 OPS (!).

That was fun, trying to find the furthest back an active player is for the Jays. Surprised to find some guys from 2006 were still active last year.

Game over. Mostly joking.

Francis gave up a homer? I'm shocked, shocked I tell you.

I had in mind guys who were active in MLB, but interesting stuff. I knew Carlos Perez was off to a good start for the Cubs AAA affiliate. I suppose given that the Cubs are giving him playing time at 1B that they have good catching depth, so he'll either have to have a hot streak or see a rash of injuries ahead of him on the depth chart - or both - to get back to the majors.

Clement .219/.261/.266

Bregman .325/.398/.573

Pretty sure someone in the offseason was using WAR/650 to argue that we didn’t really need Bregman.

That’s two off-seasons in a row where the Blue Jays had to settle for the value third base option because the better one didn’t want to sign in Toronto (Chapman two off-seasons ago; Bregman last off-season).

Red Sox are definitely have Bowden’s pitches.

Francis is pumpkining nicely

If the Jays are deadline sellers again (which they should be), then I really don't know how Shapiro and Atkins survive. Shapiro said all the right things when he was hired, and then proceeded to build a team in the exact opposite way. It's a top 5 payroll for a bad MLB team and a bad farm system. If attendance also sinks, which is likely will, then there isn't enough lipstick to put on this pig.

I guess the first domino is going to be firing John Schneider. That's their only lifeline at this point.

I mentioned this a few days ago but I think 1B/DH Ben Rice might outhit and out-WAR Vladdy this year, for a minuscule fraction of the contractual obligation. So far today he's 3/3 with two home runs.

Rice .284/.394/.625 (wRC+ 192)

Vladdy .276/.374/.419 (wRC+ 133)