Lineup Against the Wall: Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays. Remember when they won those two consecutive World Series? Remember Tony Fernandez, Alfredo Griffin, George Bell and Jesse Barfield? Dave Steib and Jimmy Key? Ernie Whitt? Remember how Toronto residents didn't give two squirts and went back to reading about the Maple Leafs?

As a fan of the Cubs, I can only say, wear a shirt made of stinging nettles in Hell, you Canada-based bastards. You've had, over the course of the last three decades, more success than practically any team in the bigs.

But no one cares. Because you are the Toronto Blue Jays.

The '09 possibilities follow after the leap.

Enough time wasted on this boring team. Here's the lineup:

Catcher -- Rod Barajas
First Base -- Lyle Overbay
Second Base -- Aaron Hill
Third Base -- Scott Rolen
Shortstop -- Marco Scutaro
Left Field -- Travis Snider
Center Field -- Vernon Wells
Right Field -- Alex Rios
DH -- Adam Lind

Starting Pitchers:

Roy Halladay (R)
Jesse Litsch (R)
David Purcey (L)
Ricky Romero (L)
Scott Richmond (R)

Relief Pitchers:

Scott Downs (L)
Jesse Carlson (L)
Brian Tallet (L)
Brandon League (R)
Shawn Camp (R)

Closer:

B.J. Ryan (L)

Bottom Line: Yeesh. Not much to get excited about, even though they had a winning record (86-76) in '08. There aren't really any bats that scare anyone outside of maybe Rios and Vernon Wells on a good day. Rolen is history, Overbay is overrated (he isn't rated at all, really, but that just sounded right) and Wells himself, once a seeming superstar in the making, is not the player he was three or four years back. The pitching is where this team rises a little. Halladay is a legitimate ace and Jesse Litsch is an acceptable #2. B.J Ryan had a good '08, but will he keep it up? His head looks like a bullet, for whatever that's worth.

Projected finish: 4th in the AL East.