If the season started next week the Blue Jays would have a huge problem trying to score runs. This is what the line-up would look like:

C-John Buck
1B-Lyle Overbay
2B-Aaron Hill
SS-Alex Gonzalez
3B-Edwin Encarnacion
LF-Adam Lind
CF-Vernon Wells
RF-Travis Snider
DH-Randy Ruiz/Jose Bautista

This is a scary bad looking starting line-up. The worst part of it is that the Blue Jays are trying to trade Lyle Overbay who is the teams’ best contact hitter. If they move him they would replace him with Brett Wallace who came to them from the A’s in a trade. The Blue Jays should really look into signing a veteran to man the DH spot if they can get a deal on a free agent. Carlos Delgado, Hank Blalock, Mike Jacobs, Ryan Garko, Jim Thome, Aubrey Huff, Jason Giambi, Jack Cust, Jonny Gomes and Marcus Thames all make sense to the Jays. It they go into the season with this starting line-up they will likely finish last in the league in runs scored.

The Blue Jays have acquired 25-year old starter/reliever Brandon Morrow from the Mariners for 26-year old righty reliever Brandon League and a prospect to be named later. The Mariners could never really decide which role to use Morrow in but I’m thinking he will be a starter with the Jays. Morrow pitched in 26 games (10 starts) for the Mariners last season and he was 2-4 with 6 saves, a 4.39 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. He has now pitched in 131 games (15 starts) in his three years in the majors and he is 8-12 with 16 saves, a 3.96 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. Morrow has only allowed 162 hits in 197 2/3 innings in his major league career while whiffing 204 batters showing just how nasty his stuff is. The Jays’ coaching staff will have to work on his control with him as he has walked 128 batters in his major league career. Brandon League never really lived up to his promise with the Jays. He pitched in 67 games (0 starts) for the Blue Jays last season and he was 3-6 with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. League pitched in 168 games (0 starts) in his six years with the Blue Jays and he was 7-10 with 2 saves, a 4.09 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. The prospect the Blue Jays will be sending the Mariners will likely be a good one as Morrow is a much better pitcher than League is. I really like this trade for the Jays.

UPDATE: The Blue Jays have sent 20-year old righty swinging outfielder Johermyn Chavez to the Mariners to complete this trade. He was not considered one of the top 30 prospects on the Jays heading into 2009 according to Baseball America. He did have by far his best year in the minors for the Jays as he played in 134 games in A-ball in which he was 144 for 508 (.283 avg, .820 OPS) with 87 runs scored, 21 homers, 89 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. He played four years in the minors for the Blue Jays playing in 335 games in which he was 311 for 1,191 (.261 avg, .747 OPS) with 175 runs scored, 34 homers, 167 RBIs and 27 stolen bases. The Blue Jays have other outfielders they like in their system better than Chavez so I like the deal even more than I did yesterday.

The Blue Jays have signed 26-year old righty starter/reliever Lance Broadway to a minor league deal. Broadway pitched in 16 games (0 starts) for the White Sox and Mets last season and he was 0-1 with a 5.87 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP. He has now pitched in 27 games (2 starts) in his major league career and he is 2-2 with a 5.24 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP. Broadway was once one of the better prospects in the White Sox’ minor league system so it’s a nice little risk for the Blue Jays to take as he still has some upside.

The Blue Jays have sent 32-year old righty starting pitcher Roy Halladay to the Phillies for 22-year old right starting pitcher Kyle Drabek, 20-year old righty swinging catcher Travis D’Arnaud and 24-year old righty swinging OF Michael Taylor. Taylor was then sent to the Oakland A’s for 23-year old lefty swinging 1B/3B Brett Wallace. Halladay pitched in 32 games (all starts) for the Blue Jays last season and he was 17-10 with a 2.79 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. He pitched in 313 games (287 starts) in his 12 years with the Blue Jays and he was 148-76 with a 3.43 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. The Blue Jays won’t be able to replace Halladay as he is one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. 22-year old righty starting pitcher Kyle Drabek was the Phillies’ #5 prospect heading into last season according to Baseball America. Drabek pitched in 25 games (23 starts) in A+AA ball last season and he was 12-3 with a 3.19 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. He has now pitched in 50 games (47 starts) in his four years in the minors and he is 19-10 with a 3.70 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. Travis D’Arnaud will be the catcher of the future for the Blue Jays. He was the Phillies’ #7 rated prospect heading into last season according to Baseball America. D’Arnaud played in 126 games in A-ball last season and he was 123 for 482 (.255 avg, .738 OPS) with 71 runs scored, 13 homers, 71 RBIs and 8 stolen bases. He has now played three years in the minors appearing in 231 games in which he was 230 for 862 (.267 avg, .746 OPS) with 122 runs scored, 23 homers, 121 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. Brett Wallace was the Cardinals #2 rated prospect heading into last season according to Baseball America. Wallace played in 138 games in AA+AAA ball last season and he was 156 for 532 (.293 avg, .822 OPS) with 76 runs scored, 20 homers and 63 RBIs. He has now played in 192 games in his two years in the minors and he is 224 for 734 (.305 avg, .859 OPS) with 117 runs scored, 28 homers and 99 RBIs. Drabek and D’Arnaud will need more time in the minors but the Blue Jays will likely look at using Wallace at 1B next season if he has a good spring. It just seems to me that the Blue Jays got short changed in this deal as Halladay is one of the best pitchers in all of baseball.

The Blue Jays have signed 29-year old righty swinging catcher John Buck to a 1-year, $2 million dollar contract. Buck played in 59 games for the Royals last season and he was 46 for 186 (.247 avg, .782 OPS) with 16 runs scored, 8 homers and 36 RBIs. Buck has now played in 584 games in his six years in the majors and he is 450 for 1,913 (.235 avg, .705 OPS) with 218 runs scored, 70 homers and 259 RBIs. Personally, I think the Blue Jays would have been better off to bring back Rod Barajas.