Roster Stuff

Thanks to Gregor Chisolm, we're getting some info about what the Jays' roster should look like for at least the first few days of the season, but there's obviously still quite a bit of speculation to be done.

First, Adam Lind should be good to go for the start of the season, despite a recurrence of the back troubles he had last year; those very same back troubles that supposedly made him terrible (and here I was thinking that it was because he swings at literally everything).  Anyway, that spot is pretty well set, barring any further setbacks, and we shouldn't need anybody to come fill a gap.

Second,

Sounds like #BlueJays will make a decision on their utility infielder spot later today. Fully expect it to be Vizquel.
— Gregor Chisholm (@gregorMLB) March 28, 2012

Me too.  That leaves the question of what to do with Mike Mccoy and Luis Valbuena.  Valbuena is out of options, and Mccoy still has one left, as far as I know, but I've been wrong before.  Either way, I don't think either will be brought north with the big club, and could be traded for cash or a D-level prospect to a team who needs a backup infielder, like Philadelphia.  Ben Francisco seems to be a lock for the 5th OF/super bench spot, but Mccoy would probably be the next option is Francisco is still hurt (hamstring strain).

Third,

#BlueJays not expecting McGowan to be ready for the start of the regular season. Drabek and Cecil's spots appear safe for now.
— Gregor Chisholm (@gregorMLB) March 28, 2012

So this means that we're going to get some version of Romero, Morrow, Alvarez, Cecil and Drabek, at least for a while until Mcgowan returns, since he's been all but guaranteed a rotation spot if he can stay healthy.

Once Mcgowan returns, the most likely candidate to be sent down is Drabek, but if they really wanted Drabek to go back down to AAA anyway, they could swing it.  The Jays have three offdays in their first 10 days of the schedule, so they could theoretically do something like:

CLE series
Romero Apr 5., Offday, Morrow Apr7., Alvarez Apr 8.

BOS Series
Cecil Apr 9., Romero Apr 10., Morrow Apr 11., Offday

BAL series
Alvarez Apr 13, Cecil Apr 14, Mcgowan Apr 15

And then return to a regular 5-man rotation.  This would allow the Jays to DL Mcgowan and let him do some rehab starts against minor league teams, meanwhile giving that roster spot to an extra bullpen arm or bench player.

That gives us:

Arencibia
Lind
Encarnacion
Johnson
Escobar
Lawrie
Thames
Rasmus
Bautista

Vizquel
Mathis
Francisco
Davis

Romero
Morrow
Alvarez
Cecil

Villanueva
Perez
Oliver
Cordero
Janssen
Frasor
Santos

And then one of Valbuena, Mccoy, Cooper, or Mcdade if it's a bench player or Laffey, Crawford, Beck, Magnusson, Carreno or Farquhar if it's a pitcher until Mcgowan comes back.