UPDATE – *Literally minutes after I hit publish on this blog entry, the Minnesota Twins unveiled their Wild Card roster. It does not have Josh Donaldson on it. He will miss the series with a calf injury. I have adjusted my team accordingly.
By Kevin Glew
Cooperstowners in Canada
Most Canadian baseball fans will focus their attention on the current crop of Toronto Blue Jays who will begin their best-of-three Wild Card Series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field this afternoon.
But this is a Canadian baseball history site and I like to follow former Blue Jays. So I’ve put together a team of ex-Blue Jays players that are on the 40-man rosters of clubs competing in this year’s postseason. I’ve also assembled a coaching staff of ex-Blue Jays.
When you review my team, you’ll notice that the starting rotation and outfield (two utility players and a player not likely to be on his team’s playoff roster) are particular weaknesses, and there is no positional player bench depth. But hey, no team is perfect. And this team was constructed in fun.
So without further ado:
Starting Rotation
LHP J.A. Happ – New York Yankees
LHP Brett Anderson – Milwaukee Brewers
RHP Anthony DeSclafani – Cincinnati Reds – Blue Jays’ sixth-round pick in 2011
RHP Chase De Jong – Houston Astros – Blue Jays’ second-round pick in 2012
Relief Pitchers
Middle Relief
RHP Tyler Clippard – Minnesota Twins
RHP Joe Biagini – Houston Astros – minors*
LHP Aaron Loup – Tampa Bay Rays
RHP Oliver Drake – Tampa Bay Rays
RHP-LHP Pat Venditte – Miami Marlins
RHP Jason Adam – Chicago Cubs
RHP Jeremy Jeffress – Chicago Cubs
RHP Ryan Tepera – Chicago Cubs
Closer
RHP Liam Hendriks – Oakland A’s
Catcher
Travis d’Arnaud – Atlanta Braves (parts of three seasons in Blue Jays’ minors 2010-12)
Erik Kratz – New York Yankees
First Base
Daniel Vogelbach – Milwaukee Brewers
Second Base
Eric Sogard – Milwaukee Brewers
Shortstop
Aledmys Diaz – Houston Astros
Third Base
Gio Urshela – New York Yankees
Outfield
OF Lane Thomas – St. Louis Cardinals – minors* – Blue Jays’ fifth-round pick in 2014
CF Jon Berti – Miami Marlins
RF Billy McKinney – OF – Milwaukee Brewers – minors*
DH
Edwin Encarnacion – Chicago White Sox
Injured List
RHP Roberto Osuna – Houston Astros – 60-day DL
LHP Brian Moran – Miami Marlins – 60-day IL
OF Harold Ramirez – Miami Marlins – 60-day IL (parts of three seasons in Blue Jays’ minors 2016-18)
Josh Donaldson – Minnesota Twins – calf injury
*Indicates on major league team’s 40-man roster, but listed as a minor leaguer
Coaching Staff
Manager: Kevin Cash – Tampa Bay Rays
Bench coach: DeMarlo Hale – Atlanta Braves (current Braves first base coach and former Blue Jays bench coach)
Pitching coach: Steve Karsay – Milwaukee Brewers (current Brewers’ bullpen coach) – (1990 Blue Jays’ first-round pick traded for Rickey Henderson at deadline in 1993)
Hitting coach: Kevin Seitzer – Atlanta Braves (former Blue Jays hitting coach)
Assistant hitting coaches: Frank Menechino – Chicago White Sox hitting coach, Chad Mottola – Tampa Bay Rays hitting coach
Infield/Fielding instructor: John McDonald – Cleveland Indians (current field coordinator with the Indians)
Catching coach: Sal Fasano – Atlanta Braves
Trainer: George Poulis – Atlanta Braves
Thanks for your list of ex blue jays. This must have been a lot researching.
Thanks for reading. Yes, it was a lot of work. Unfortunately a few minutes after I posted it, the Twins announced that Josh Donaldson was not on their Wild Card roster. Then an hour or so after that, the Astros designated Joe Biagini for assignment. So my team kind of blew up. Oh well.
Wow Kevin. That’s awesome. So much information you know. Thanks for sharing. Now can you make the BLue Jays win!
Thanks, Scott. it was a lot of work. Unfortunately a few minutes after I posted it, the Twins announced that Josh Donaldson was not on their Wild Card roster. Then an hour or so after that, the Astros designated Joe Biagini for assignment. So my team kind of blew up. Oh well.