Jays - how I'd bat 'em

In honour of the first spring training game, here's how I would bat the Jays' current lineup, and some reasons why.

1. Yunel Escobar, SS
2. Kelly Johnson, 2B
3. Jose Bautista, RF
4. Adam Lind, 1B
5. Brett Lawrie, 3B
6. Edwin Encarnacion, DH
7. Colby Rasmus, CF
8. Eric Thames, LF
9. J.P. Arencibia, C

Escobar bats leadoff by default - apart from Lawrie and Bautista, he's the only legit OBP threat on the team. It really deprives the Jays of a SB threat at the top of the order, which is OK if Johnson can step up. Johnson and Lind are both players who need to show good things early this year. Johnson would be a good second hitter if he can get on base and show he can hit strategically - without a lot of power, he drops way down the order if he can't do that. Lind bats behind Bautista to get that righty/lefty sequence working, but he has to at least show enough power early on to merit that - if both he and Lawrie repeat last year, there's no way not to move Lawrie to fourth and Lind's job has to be in question overall.

Encarnacion is a hard call. I like him behind Lawrie because of Lawrie's speed, but he needs to hit like the end of 2011 consistently to stay up in sixth. Right now, Encarnacion, Thames and Rasmus could bat in any order depending on situation and how the spring looks. JPA has to bat ninth as things sit, but hopefully continues to develop as a hitter and starts to challenge that - the flashes have definitely been there.

Overall, this exercise creates some good excitement going into the spring - this could be a very good lineup. It's a nice balance of players, and lots of them could do well. As always, there will be surprises good and bad! Go Jays.