2007 Bluejays Predictions
May 22, 2008
After a breakthrough season in 2006 leapfrogging the Red Sox for the number two spot in the AL East, the Blue Jays can expect to occupy the number three spot again in 2007. I’
m sorry to be the barer of bad news for Blue Jays fans, but with the loss of lefty Ted Lilly, the Jays likely lost a spot in the division.
Roy Halladay is of course the ace of all aces in the American League. After going down to injury in 2005, he came back with a 16-5 stellar season in 2006. Every time this guy toes the mound, the Jays will have an excellent shot at winning. With Ted Lilly off to Chicago for a big paycheck, more pressure falls on the shoulders of A.J. Burnett who was just 10-8 last season. When the Jays brought him in, they felt he was a guy with 20-win potential. Toronto will need to see that potential unlocked in 2007 if it hopes to have a chance at a division title.
The moves the Jays made in 2006 paid off as first baseman Lyle Overbay and his partner at the other corner, Troy Glaus, gave the offense a much needed boost. Overbay exceeded expectations with 22 homeruns and 92 RBIs and Glaus slugged 38 round trippers driving in 104 runs. Vernon Wells upped his power numbers yet again in 2006 which was enough for the Jays to give him a big time deal. Hopefully this lofty paycheck won’
t make him complacent in 2007.
Jays backers enjoyed a ton of success in 2006 as Toronto won more games than expected in a top heavy division with the top two spots reserved for the Yankees and the Red Sox. What you need to know is that the Blue Jays have produced profitable seasons for its backers in four of the last five years. 2007 won’t match 2006, as Lilly’s loss will prove to be a bigger one than anticipated by Jays’
management, but it should be a profitable campaign none the less.
I definitely wouldn’t call Toronto’s second place finish in the AL East a shocker in 2006, but I would if the Jays are able to repeat that feat this season. The Blue Jays have made all the right moves to make themselves a contender, but it definitely hurts this team playing in baseball’s elite division and I don’t think they’
ll easily recover from losing Lilly in the starting rotation. The Red Sox addition of another quality starter in Daisuke Matsuzaka gives them the edge over Toronto in the division.
When picking your spots to profit on the Jays this season, keep in mind that they were 50-31 at home last season and just 37-44 on the road. We’ll continue to take the Jays at home even against the elite teams, especially with Halladay hurling. We’
ll also pick against them in the right spots on the road as a solid season in 2006 is sure to have the Jays overvalued by Vegas early on.
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