Toronto Blue Jays: Who Will Fill the Fifth Rotation Spot?

The injury news of Casey Janssen hit me hard. I have always been a Janssen fan. From the moment he was brought up in 2006 into the rotation to fill in for injuries, I knew he had starting abilities. I was disappointed in 2007 when he was still in the bullpen instead of the rotation to fill up for more injuries. But I quickly became relieved when he showed his ability to become Toronto's primary set up man to strength what has always been a weak bull pen. 

When I originally heard of the race for the 5th spot in the rotation, I rooted for Chacin. I was also always a Chacinfan because from the moment he stepped into the big league he started winning games. To this moment he still has a winning record withthe Jays. With 58 starts he is 25-15. Come on, that is just amazing!!! But given his injury and recovery time, I wasn't that surprised he was optioned to Syracuse.

I also chose Chacinbecause with him in the rotation (originally a number 3 starter) Janssencould continue his role in what has now been considered one of the best bullpens in the major leagues. My original feelings were with a healthy Chacin in the rotation and Janssen continuing his dominancein the pen, the pitching of the Jays is undeniable. Even with Chacin optioned, my next vote went to Janssen, who I said before, always had starting potential. But being a Jays fan, I was not granted that pleasure.

Janssen has a torn ligament in his shoulder and Chacin was optioned off to Syracuse. My hopes for the rotation and pen are lost. Therefore by default, Litsch is the 5th starter (though not officially by the general staff). Litsch has never impressed me. 7-9 is of course a losing record out of 20 starts. Therefore the majority of his starts weren't good enough to win a ball game. 

My opinion of the Blue Jays pitching is as follows... The rotation is decent. Starters 1 through 4 are solid. Halladay is Halladay, no one is ever going to deny that. AJ Burrnet, if healthy, paired up with Doc is a dominating 1-2 punch. Marcumalong with McGowan have proventhemselves that they belong in the rotation and can create solid starts providing the offense can finish it off. But the dominant rotation that people projected was loss with not only the lack of rehabilitation of Chacin, but also the devastating injury to Jassen.

The bullpen is good. However before the injury news, I would've called the bullpen one of the best in baseball. Frasorcan hold his own for the most part. Wolfe and a completely healthy League combined with Frasor would have made solid middle inning relief. Then you throw in the "heroes" of the pen. The ones that can shut own any team. Janssen, Accardo, and Ryan.

Those three are the ones that make the bullpen better than any in the AL if not all of baseball. But take Janssen out of the picture, the Jays have another question mark to answer. Who fills in that spot? Someone who would originally start at AAA? Benitez who the Jays just sign (who has struggled greatly the last two seasons)?

With all that has happened I rate the rotation decent and the bullpen good. I will never tell Jays fans to give up hope because I will always use the Rockies of last year as an example. Unknowns can always do great things. But then again the Rockies aren't in the AL East. And in the AL East, we needed a completely healthy Chacin in the rotation and Janssen in the bullpen. But that is just my opinion. Because I am not a writer, I am a fan just spewing his opinion.