The Blue Jays are 51-40 at the all-star break, the first time they have reached 50 or more wins at the break since 1992.

And we all know what happened that year.

The following is an all-star break report card, based on the Jays players and their pre-season expectations.

For instance, Ezequiel Carrera has a higher grade than Jose Bautista, not because he is a better player, but because he has exceeded what was expected of him.

If a player has met expectations, his grade is a B. Exceeding predictions grades up to an A+; anything below can pull a D, which is considered failure.

There also is a similar letter grade for each team category with a B if it met with the experts’ pre-season expectations.

Starters — A+

Marcus Stroman, C+: The young right-hander was touted as a legitimate AL East starting ace even though he had just 24 career starts. He’s not even an ace on his own team. He has made some necessary and welcomed adjustments and looks for a strong finish.

Marco Estrada, A: The right-hander who broke through in 2015 has continued his strong finish and October into this season, with a microscopic opponents’ batting average of .173, which leads the majors. But his back issues, missing two starts, make consistent second-half effectiveness an iffy proposition.

Aaron Sanchez, A+: He began spring training as Stroman’s little buddy tagging along seeking a starting role. He has since surpassed his workout mentor earning an all-star berth as a 1 or 1A Jays starter. The club-mandated innings limit hangs over his head like the Sword of Damocles.

J.A. Happ, A+: Analytics fans will tell you Happ’s 12 wins mean little, but tell that to the Toronto clubhouse with its 11 games above .500 record. His pace and efficiency have both picked up since he last was a Jay. His turnaround with the Pirates at the end of last year has proven to be no fluke.

R.A. Dickey, B: The 41-year-old knuckleballer is exactly what we expected; starting slowly and coming on strong in July when the elements tend to favour his capricious specialty pitch. His grade will stay the same even with a solid second half because that’s just who he is.

Others: Drew Hutchison.

Bullpen — C

Roberto Osuna, B: The 21-year-old is consistent, sometimes overpowering, but after last season’s breakout this is what was expected of the Jays’ bullpen closer.

Drew Storen, D: The Jays dealt last year’s leadoff hitter Ben Revere to acquire a pitcher they believed would compete for the closer’s role. His solid outings have been in low-leverage situations, thus the failing grade. He is headed to free agency with no chance of closer-type money.

Jesse Chavez, B-: The former A’s swingman is starting insurance should the moment arrive Sanchez is moved to the bullpen. His early season stumbles move him down a letter.

Joe Biagini, A: The Rule 5 pick from the Giants needed to be kept on the 25-man roster or offered back in return, but his fastball/curve combo have earned him a key middle relief role.

Gavin Floyd, B: The former White Sox starter made the team on a guaranteed contract, coming out of the ’pen for the first career year. After some good efforts, his injury history caught up with him.

Brett Cecil, C-: There were extenuating circumstances contributing to his bad first half, but after not allowing an earned run for the final three months of last season, he was expected to play a key eighth-inning role. He needs to be more than a one-batter lefty specialist in the second half.

Jason Grilli, A-: The ’pen, other than Osuna, was foundering badly when the Jays reached out to the Braves for the 39-year-old Grilli, less than a year removed from Achilles surgery. He has taken on the responsibilities off the field of a LaTroy Hawkins or Darren Oliver. This was a good move.

Bo Schultz, B: Returning from hip surgery, the hard-throwing right-hander has filled a role that was missing in the first-third of the season. His responsibilities and workload will increase.

Others: Chad Girodo, Aaron Loup, Pat Venditte, Ryan Tepera, Arnold Leon, Dustin Antolin, Scott Diamond.

Catching — B-

Russell Martin, B-: Normally a slow starter offensively, his slump crept well into May but he has been swinging the bat better lately. His inability to throw out base-stealers can be blamed on his pitchers, but is alarming nonetheless. His leadership with the pitchers is a constant.

Josh Thole, C+: One might ask why his grade is almost the same as Martin’s. Expectations were far less as Dickey’s personal catcher. With a horrible average (.141) and three RBIs, he has almost met them.

Middle infield — B+

Troy Tulowitzki, B-: The five-time all-star is one of the best defenders in the game, making awkward somehow look graceful. His bat is coming around — still not up to his all-star capabilities, but his glove is key to the success of Jays starting pitchers.

Devon Travis, B+: Last year’s AL rookie-of-the-month for April began this season in recovery mode. His bat was slow to warm up upon his return at the end of May, but his presence gives a stronger, deeper order. He is still not as good a defender as Ryan Goins or Darwin Barney, but he is the Jays’ future at second base.

Ryan Goins, C: The best defensive infielder showed great progress with the bat at the end of 2015, but lost his starting role because of an inability to maintain offensively when others also struggled.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Darwin Barney, A+: Receives the highest grade possible, because the expectation was that his signing was as a fill-in until Travis returned, but his hitting (.296 BA) and glove moved him ahead of Goins.

Others: Jimmy Paredes.

Corner infield/DH — A

Edwin Encarnacion, A+: Another with a maximum grade. Encarnacion had zero spring training at-bats, then began slowly and now leads the majors in RBIs with 80 as he heads towards free agency. His replacing David Ortiz in the all-star game (as a pinch runner) has Red Sox fans salivating over what could be.

Josh Donaldson, A+: The new face of the Jays organization has had a similar first-half this year as he had in his MVP season, but he is surrounded by better offensive talent this time. He leads the AL in walks, showing the respect the league has for him. He plays every day and his defence continues to amaze.

Justin Smoak, C+: Smoak’s offensive role needed to expand after Chris Colabello was suspended but his offence hasn’t measured up to 2015. His role as a defender still looms large.

Chris Colabello, D: This is a failing grade even if the disgraced first baseman’s excuse that the dog ate his homework is actually true. His offence in the spring was affected by the pending suspension even when he was on the active roster. When eligible to return late in July, will he be welcomed back?

Others: Matt Dominguez, Andy Burns.

Outfield — B-

Kevin Pillar, B: The expectations of Pillar were that he would supply highlight reel catches, a little bit of speed, a little power and few bases-on-balls. It’s exactly what he’s offered. He is on pace for 12 homers and 12 steals, but has just 10 walks in 91 games after 28 a year ago. His catches are fun.

Michael Saunders, A+: Hey now, he’s an all-star. There were spring doubters even among Jays brass who tried to replace him with Jay Bruce in March. But despite the missing meniscus and a winter of rehab, the B.C. native has provided an RBI left-handed bat in the middle of the order.

Jose Bautista, C: This has probably been the worst-case scenario for the soon-to-be-free-agent Bautista, who wanted another five years from the Jays at spring training. Not only has the toe injury given potential buyers the impression he is injury-prone, but the Jays are proving they can win without him. His offence when he returns is still valuable and he likely will return to leadoff.

Ezequiel Carrera, A: Little was expected of Carrera other than to be an occasional starter for one of the three regular outfielders and as insurance for Saunders. He has replaced Bautista in leadoff and handled left-handers as well, with a .390 on-base mark and reliable defence. He is not as fast or defensively talented as his reputation has you believe.

Others: Junior Lake, Darrell Ceciliani.

Manager

John Gibbons, A-: The 54-year-old Gibbons has found a team for which he has the perfect personality. Not one for giving fiery clubhouse speeches, this roster has internal leadership with Martin, Donaldson, Tulowitzki and Bautista. Gibbons does not look beyond the walls of his own clubhouse and the 25 active players. Don’t ask him what’s going on with his injured players or top prospects on the farm. They are not his players that day. He has managed some games to win and ended up losing because of lack of bullpen consistency. He’s good for this roster.

General manager

Ross Atkins, C: Still finding his way in a new role, the Grilli acquisition was necessary to bolster the bullpen, but the rotation that has been assembled, minus David Price, was accomplished mostly before Atkins was hired. Unless left-handed pitcher Franklin Morales is a second-half contributor, it seems agent Scott Boras got the better of the Jays. Floyd was an injury risk and is injured. Atkins’ grade can improve with pitching moves at the deadline.

Related:

Blue Jays’ Chris Colabello to begin comeback Wednesday

Read more about: