The Blue Jays offence was a mixed bag this season. The team ranked fifth in the American League in home runs, but fifth to last in batting average.
Here's a Blue Jays 2011 Report Card from a fantasy professor:
Catcher: JP Arencibia, B+
The Blue Jays backstop certainly lived up to expectations when it comes to his power. His 23 home runs were an impressive feat, not just for a catcher, but more impressively, for a rookie.
The .221 average leaves plenty to be desired, not to mention the paltry 33 walks, but Arencibia enjoyed a full season of Major League service and his power was by no means just a product of the Rogers Centre.
First Base: Adam Lind, B-
For a portion of the season, Adam Lind was keeping up with Jose Bautista, creating a lethal duo for opposing pitchers. Unfortunately, Lind's production collapsed following the All-Star break, as his batting average plunged from .300 to .204. Lind still offered some power, but he no longer drew walks, and struggled to make contact on a consistent basis.
Sadly, the poor second half will once again raise questions as to whether Lind is a building block for the Blue Jays franchise. At 28-years-old, the left-handed slugger still has promise, but the Blue Jays have not seen much consistency from Lind for two seasons now.
Second Base: Kelly Johnson, B
In his limited stay with the Blue Jays, Johnson has impressed most with his patience. Considering he is a bit of an all-or-nothing free swinger, it is certainly advantageous that Johnson maintains a high OBP that leads to greater opportunities for the hitters behind him in the lineup. As the film Moneyball reminds us, a walk is as good as a hit.
Shortstop: Yunel Escobar, B+
Though injuries ended his season prematurely, you have to be impressed with what Yunel Escobar brought to the Blue Jays offence this season. He drew plenty of walks, boasted 11 home runs, and lived up to his career batting average with a .290 batting clip. Escobar bounced back from a down season and proved capable as the Blue Jays shortstop of the present and the future.
Third Base: Brett Lawrie, A+
The best prospect to hit the Blue Jays system in quite some time, Brett Lawrie lived up to expectations with nine home runs and seven steals while batting .293 in 150 at-bats before his season came to a sudden end due to a fractured finger.
It is way too early to have concerns with the injury-bug biting Lawrie, but it is worth noting that Lawrie would have joined the Blue Jays even sooner than he did if not for an injury he sustained by getting hit by a pitch.
For now Lawrie is a solid bat added to a solid stable of veterans but don't be mistaken. Lawrie is expected to one day be the leader of the bunch in a role similar to Evan Longoria in Tampa Bay.
Left Field: Eric Thames, B
You may think that a B is a pretty low grade for Eric Thames, the 40th round pick out of Pepperdine who has evolved into a pretty solid Major League player. However, for Thames to stick in the Major Leagues as a productive bat, there are still many areas that require improvement.
First let's focus on the positive, and for certain, that has been Thames' power. He not only boasts 12 home runs through 92 games, but also 23 doubles, and five triples. The power seems to be real, and it makes for some really exciting power potential in the Blue Jays lineup. The cause for concern has to be the 4:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Thames has to learn from teammates such as Kelly Johnson and Jose Bautista that a walk is as good as a hit and a .315 on base percentage simply won't cut it.
Again, Blue Jays fans have a lot to be excited about since Thames has exceeded expectations and has the ability to be a legitimate Major League outfielder for years to come. However, to become the full package, he'll have to become a more disciplined batter and maybe then we'll be able to see him add some aggressiveness on the base paths as well.
Center Field: Colby Ramsus, F
The good news is that Colby Rasmus is just 25-years-old and stacked with potential. The bad news is that the Blue Jays barely saw any of that potential in motion this season and Rasmus has yet to overcome his reputation as something of an uncoachable talent.
In his little more than 30 games with the Blue Jays, Rasmus did reveal some power with three home runs and 10 doubles. However, his average sank well below the Mendoza line to .187 and he only drew five walks.
Considering Rasmus has showcased the ability to draw walks and hit for a higher average earlier in his career, I would not call this a panic situation. However, the Blue Jays do have a stack full of high potential, but volatile performers and what they need most right now is some consistency.
Right Field: Jose Bautista, A+
Though he likely won't receive an MVP award for his efforts since the Blue Jays were not in contention, Jose Bautista was the best hitter in baseball this season. He followed a breakout 2010 season with 43 home runs, a significantly improved batting average that is sure to finish above .300, and an incredible 128 walks that had him on base in about 45% of his plate appearances.
The real-life Roy Hobbs is turning 31-years old next month and does not appear to be slowing down. Bautista has now posted two of the finest seasons the Blue Jays organization has ever witnessed.
Designated Hitter: Edwin Encarnacion, B-
Edwin Encarnacion lived up to his reputation as one of the streakiest hitters in baseball. After a ho-hum first half of the season that likely had his job in jeopardy, Encarnacion put together a second-half that consisted of a 400% improvement in his walk total.
The reason why the Blue Jays have not lost patience in their designated hitter is that he is just 28-years-old and still has the potential to breakout in a manner similar to Bautista. Yes, that's a very bold statement to make, but if you look at what Encarnacion did from July 7 to August 31, you're talking about a 47-game stretch that included nine home runs, 41 runs, a .331 average, and a .422 on base average.
The fact that Encarnacion can never sustain these streaks is disappointing, but again, he's still young enough to put it all together. As Brooklyn Dodgers fans used to say, there's always next year.
Bench:
Rajai Davis, F
Considering he never was known for drawing walks, the Blue Jays knew that he would have to bat right around .280 to enjoy a fine season. His average is currently .238, which explains why he was demoted to a spot on the bench.
Travis Snider, F
The nine stolen bases were a nice surprise, but Travis Snider started the season in the Major Leagues for his big bat. That bat ended up looking like a tooth pick as Snider racked up more strikeouts than home runs, RBI, and runs combined.
Mike McCoy, C
Mike McCoy is on the active roster because of his versatility in the infield. As a part-time player he offers some speed and a good eye at the plate. Anything more is asking too much from the 30-year-old veteran.
Jose Molina, A
Even as he enters his late-30s, Jose Molina has found a way to stay relevant in the game of baseball. He was a great tutor to rookie JP Arencibia, and he even hit a bit too. Molina's .277 average is his finest of his career and his 15 walks were a career-high as well.
David Cooper, C-
After a fine Ted Williams impersonation in the Minor Leagues, David Cooper struggled to stay afloat in the Majors. The former first round pick did have his moments, with two home runs and a couple of clutch performances, but he will have to show dramatic improvement in the spring in order to earn a starting role with the Big League team next season. It also wouldn't hurt for Cooper to bulk up during the off-season to add some power to his bat.