10 in 10: Top offensive Spring Training performances over the past decade

Many hitters start slow out of the gate, but that is not true for everyone. Here is a list of the 10 best individual Spring Training performances for Blue Jays hitters since 2006.

Traditionally, spring training is a time where players dust off the cobwebs and attempt to get back into game shape. In most cases, teams already have a good sense of who will make the team before the March tune-up games even begin. However there is always pressure to perform, as teams will always want the best player on the field, no matter what his pedigree or past says.

For example, the Blue Jays are heading into spring training in 2017 with a few positions that are completely up for grabs. Will veterans Melvin Upton Jr. and Ezequiel Carrera hold down their spots on the team? Or will the young Canadian Dalton Pompey earn a spot? Whoever performs the best in March could most likely have a spot on the team, making spring training production a lot more important then some think.

Due to this pressure, some players crack or are simply not quite physically ready for the toll of playing day in, and day out. Others, however, embrace the spotlight. When their job is on the line, they come to play and make sure nobody outplays them, or steals their spot. In this article we look back over the past ten years, highlighting the Blue Jays players who took advantage of their invitation to spring training, and took nothing for granted.

Melky Cabrera

After struggling with durability issues in 2013, his first season with the Blue Jays, many Jays fans were left questioning Melky Cabrera and his health heading into the 2014 season. However, after stroking the ball during the Blue Jays’ 2014 spring training, Cabrera silenced all the doubters.

During the month of March, Cabrera played in 23 spring training games. Over those games, the switch-hitting outfielder registered 30 hits, 11 of which were doubles. Yes, you read that right – 11 doubles in 23 games. In a full season at that pace, Cabrera would have hit roughly 77 doubles.

To go along with those ridiculous numbers, Cabrera slashed a remarkable .405/.423/.595 while hitting one homerun and driving in 13 RBIs. To go along with his great offensive numbers, Cabrera also stole a base.

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His hot spring training carried into the regular season, as Cabrera simply raked in his second season with the Blue Jays. In 139 games, the Dominican-born slugger slashed a line of .301/.351/.458 while hitting 16 homeruns and driving in 73 RBIs.

While the player affectionately known as “The Melk Man” left the team via free agency in 2015, his 2014 spring training numbers with the Blue Jays will always remain as some of the best in franchise history.

Reed Johnson

Before we get into his 2007 spring training stats, here is a fun fact about Reed Johnson – he has been hit by a pitch three times in a game not once, but twice!

Now, back to the good stuff. Going into spring training in 2007, pretty well every Blue Jays fan was excited for Johnson. After coming off an incredible 2006 season where he hit 12 homeruns, drove in 43 RBIs and slashed an eye-opening .319/.390/.479, the hype was warranted.

Johnson lived up to the hype in spring training, as he continued where he left off from the 2006 season. In 48 at-bats, Johnson had 21 hits and had a slash line of .438/.449/.750. To go along with those numbers, Johnson hit three homeruns, drove in eight RBIs and added six doubles and a stolen base. Johnson was the definition of a leadoff hitter, and he started the regular season in that spot.

Toronto Blue Jays

Unfortunately for the Blue Jays and their fan base, Johnson’s hot spring did not carry into the regular season. During the 2007 season Johnson played in just 79 games, hitting just two homeruns and driving in 14 RBIs. To go along with the lack of production, Johnson slashed an abysmal .236/.305/.320, and was subsequently cut the next season.

While he may have had a rough regular season in 2007, his spring training numbers were far from rough. Johnson, due to his gritty style of play, will always be a fan favourite in Toronto, and rightfully so.

Jose Bautista

As you will see throughout this article, Jose Bautista appears on this list a few times. However it was in 2010 when he really broke on to the scene.

Entering spring training in 2010, Bautista was known as a utility player who came off the bench and had a little bit of pop in his bat. What Blue Jays brass and fans did not know at the time was that there just happened to be more than ‘a little bit’ of pop in that bat.

During spring training in 2010, Bautista surprised pretty well everyone. In 57 at-bats, the bat-flipping, right-handed hitting slugger launched five homeruns while knocking in 11 RBIs. To go along with the great production, Bautista had a slash line of .439/.448/.895 and stole two bases.

While some attributed his great spring training to fluke, those doubters were silenced during the season. Bautista went on to smash 54 homeruns and drive in 124 RBIs, all while slashing .260/.378/.617.

Thankfully for the Blue Jays, the man known as ‘Joey Bats’ built on his 2010 spring training and frankly, never looked back. After all, he gave us one of the greatest moments in Blue Jays history, which can be seen in the video below.

Aaron Hill

Coming off a fantastic 2007 season when he hit 17 homeruns, drove in 78 RBIs and slashed an impressive .291/.333/.459, the expectations were high for second baseman Aaron Hill entering spring training in 2008. It is safe to say he did not disappoint.

The right-handed hitting infielder was red hot in March of 2008, hitting two homeruns and driving in 11 RBIs. To go along with that, Hill had a jaw-dropping slash line of .447/.500/.723 and also stole two bases. Yes, Aaron Hill got on base half of the time he stepped up to the plate in the spring of 2008.

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Unfortunately for Hill he battled injuries during the 2008 regular season, registering only 205 at-bats. However the following season he made up for his lack of production, as he hit 36 homeruns while driving in 108 RBIs.

Aaron Hill will always have spot in the hearts of Jays fans, including my own. A fond memory I have of Hill can be seen in the video below, as I was a twelve-year-old kid who was sitting front row on the third baseline at the game. The 34 year old signed a MiLB deal with the Giants this offseason, and will hope to make their 25 roster this spring.

Jose Bautista

For the second time (but not the last time), Jose Bautista appears on this top ten list. This time, it is for his performance during spring training of 2014.

After cementing himself as one of the premier hitters in all of baseball, Bautista continued to terrorize pitchers, even when the games didn’t matter. Throughout March of 2014, Bautista launched an impressive six homeruns while knocking in 12 RBIs. What makes this even more impressive in the fact that he hit those six homeruns in just 56 at-bats, averaging out to a homerun every 9.3 at-bats.

To go along with his excellent power numbers, Bautista also showed off his contact hitting abilities and eagle-like strike zone vision. The right fielder had a slash line of .375/.455/.786, walking an impressive nine times over the course of the month.

Bautista has already cemented himself as a Blue Jays legend, and plays with fire at all times. The video below shows Bautista popping up in a spring training game, followed by him smashing his bat in frustration. He may not be the most idolized guy outside of Toronto, but the guy flat out loves to win.

Darrell Ceciliani

In spring of 2016, Darrell Ceciliani caught the eyes of Blue Jays fans after putting up some excellent numbers. However, much like Wayne Lydon in 2006, Ceciliani didn’t make the team out of spring training due to a crowded outfield.

Although the fact remains that he didn’t make the team, he did everything in his power to do so. In 36 at-bats, Ceciliani hit four homeruns while driving in ten RBIs. Not only were the power numbers there for the left-handed hitting and throwing outfielder, but the contact statistics were quite solid as well.

Ceciliani slashed an impressive .417/.500/.833, hitting three doubles to go along with his four homeruns. Much like Hill in 2008, Ceciliani was able to get on base half of the times he stepped up to the plate.

It is unfortunate for Ceciliani that he did not make the team straight out of spring training. He was eventually called up and sent back down twice that season, but was unable to make the most of his situation, hitting only .111 with one RBI.

His regular season numbers may have stunk, but his great spring training is one Blue Jays fans will never forget.

Aaron Hill

For the second and final time, Aaron Hill makes an appearance on this list. Coming off a fantastic 2009 regular season, Hill was destined for big things in 2010. It started off well, as over the course of March 2010, Aaron Hill was absolutely unconscious at the plate.

In 48 at-bats, Hill beat the cover off the baseball, slashing an absolutely ridiculous line of .417/.517/.854. to go along with his six homeruns and 15 RBIs. Hill’s 2010 spring training performance was perhaps the best in the past ten years.

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Unfortunately for the team, Blue Jays fans, and Hill himself, his hot bat in spring training quickly cooled off come the regular season.

While he still was able to hit 26 homeruns, but it was the rest of his production that really fell off. Hill was only able to drive in 68 RBIs, and his average hovered around the Mendoza line all season, finishing with a putrid slash line of .205/.271/.394.

In 2011 Hill continued to struggle, and was subsequently traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he went on to have a few good seasons before seeing his production fall off again.

Jose Bautista

For the third and final time, Jose Bautista makes this list. While his spring training stats may have been debatably better in both 2010 and 2014, Joey Bats still raked during March of 2011.

In 60 at-bats Bautista registered 24 hits, an impressive nine of which were doubles. To go along with his nine doubles, Bautista hit three homeruns and knocked home 14 RBIs and had a slash line of .400/.426/.700.

After having a breakout season in 2010, Blue Jays fans were hoping his production would continue to be that of an MVP-caliber player. Much like his spring training numbers, he did not disappoint.

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Bautista went on to have debatably the best year of his career, as he was able to hit for average and power. In 513 at-bats, Bautista hit 43 homeruns while collecting 103 RBIs, all while slashing a very impressive .302/.447/.608

It can only be put one way –  Bautista is a stud. He treats every game as if it is a playoff game, and always has the fire inside him to do his part to pick up a victory. This passion for the game reflects in his spring training numbers, as he consistently puts up great numbers every March.

J.P. Arencibia

Ah, yes. J.P. Arencibia. While his tenure in Toronto saw a mix of both love and hate from the fans (mostly hate), the catcher still showed promise with his raw power. However, he was only able to show flashes of brilliance, teasing Blue Jays fans across the globe. Do you want a perfect example of how he teased Jays fans? Look no further than his 2013 spring training performance.

The former first round pick made quite the impression on the team in Dunedin. Arencibia belted the ball all over the park, hitting five homeruns and driving in 13 RBIs to go along with a magnificent slash line of .439/.477/.902. To go along with his great numbers, Arencibia also added four doubles in his 41 at-bats.

However it was all down hill from there for Arencibia, as his 2013 season was absolutely atrocious. The backstop, to go along with below-average defense, couldn’t even hit his weight. Arencibia finished the season slashing an embarrassing .194/.227/.365, all while striking out 148 times in just 474 at-bats. While he still managed to hit 21 homeruns, it did not make up for his subpar play in every other aspect.

While his production may have lacked on the field, Arencibia definitely gave Blue Jays fans a reason to be excited during spring training in 2013. He was also a class-act off the field, giving long time Blue Jays fan Matt Harvey the opportunity of a lifetime, as seen in the video here.

Next: Roberto Osuna is on pace for greatness

There you have it. Now that you know the details, who had the best spring training of the Blue Jays’ last decade?