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2011 Blue Jays/MLB Thread

Potvin29 said:
Is Edwin Jackson worth it?  Someone with more knowledge of him help me out here.

His bWar seems decent?

Depends on the contract. He's a #3/#4 guy, really. He is among the better free agent options, I guess.
 
Potvin29 said:
Is Edwin Jackson worth it?  Someone with more knowledge of him help me out here.

His bWar seems decent?

He had a pretty good year with a decent xFIP so it's a good bet he'll provide some value next year. As Busta says, the issue is really that he'll probably be looking for multiple years at a pretty good salary. He's not a huge improvement and he hasn't been super consistent so it may not be a great long term investment.
 
Thanks guys.  Yeah, I figured as a 3/4 guy, and brought it up because there was an article on SI.com that listed the best FA pitchers left and mentioned the Jays as the best fit for Jackson.
 
Potvin29 said:
Thanks guys.  Yeah, I figured as a 3/4 guy, and brought it up because there was an article on SI.com that listed the best FA pitchers left and mentioned the Jays as the best fit for Jackson.

On a 1 or 2 year deal, yeah, sure, but, longer than that? Not so much.
 
Busta Reims said:
Potvin29 said:
Thanks guys.  Yeah, I figured as a 3/4 guy, and brought it up because there was an article on SI.com that listed the best FA pitchers left and mentioned the Jays as the best fit for Jackson.

I kind of think the problem with both Jackson and Oswalt is that, realistically, they don't make the Jays contenders so the question becomes if it's worth it to get starts from them and not a younger guy if they won't be in the mix anyway.

One argument that I like for either Jackson or Oswalt is that if you sign them and they end up pitching well they could be flipped at the deadline.

On a 1 or 2 year deal, yeah, sure, but, longer than that? Not so much.
 
Saint Nik said:
I kind of think the problem with both Jackson and Oswalt is that, realistically, they don't make the Jays contenders so the question becomes if it's worth it to get starts from them and not a younger guy if they won't be in the mix anyway.

One argument that I like for either Jackson or Oswalt is that if you sign them and they end up pitching well they could be flipped at the deadline.

While that's true, what is potentially appealing about them if they're willing to sign shorter term deals (and, as I posted earlier, Oswalt has made it known that he is) is that they allow the Jays that extra amount of patience with some of the high ceiling pitching prospects in the system. They won't feel the extra pressure to throw a Drabek or a McGuire into the rotation this season, and they can let them have the extra year or two in the minors or in the bullpen as a swingman or whatever. Barring some major shakeups, the Jays aren't likely to be contenders this season as it is, so, at this point, the onus should be on putting together a roster that allows them to take the best course of action in developing all of their prospects/young players without feeling the pressure to put them in situations they don't appear to be 100% ready for.
 
Busta Reims said:
While that's true, what is potentially appealing about them if they're willing to sign shorter term deals (and, as I posted earlier, Oswalt has made it known that he is) is that they allow the Jays that extra amount of patience with some of the high ceiling pitching prospects in the system. They won't feel the extra pressure to throw a Drabek or a McGuire into the rotation this season, and they can let them have the extra year or two in the minors or in the bullpen as a swingman or whatever.

I think, though, this front office has proven that they're more than willing to take a relaxed attitude towards their prospects advancement. The pressure you're talking about doesn't need a good pitcher to abrogate it, it can be done with anyone who isn't a trainwreck on the Jo Jo Reyes level.

Personally, I'd be fine with leaving the #5 spot open for now.
 
Saint Nik said:
I think, though, this front office has proven that they're more than willing to take a relaxed attitude towards their prospects advancement. The pressure you're talking about doesn't need a good pitcher to abrogate it, it can be done with anyone who isn't a trainwreck on the Jo Jo Reyes level.

Personally, I'd be fine with leaving the #5 spot open for now.

Fair enough, and that's good reason to hesitate on Jackson, for sure. Oswalt, on the other hand, I'd say is more likely to have strong appeal at the deadline, and, if a deal can't be made then, is more likely to be a realistic option for compensation under the new structure. Right now, he'd be near the top of my list, while Jackson would be much closer to the bottom.
 
Personally, I feel we need (among a couple other things) another decent starter... A middle of the rotation inning eater will do. What if Morrow's progress continues to stall? What if Alvarez just isn't ready yet? Our #4 and #5 is Cecil and McGowan? That scares the heck out of me. I've loved that fact the Jays have built a strong farm and are flush on decent prospects but you have to start spinning some of them into guys who can help you now (like he's begun to do with Santos I suppose.) I mean, isn't that in some way the point of collecting these guys? I mean sure, some of them you'll keep and will become part of your core but my fear is waiting too long in spinning some of them off. At the end of the day, I don't want to waste any more of Bautista's real good years... Let's get him some protection, let's get some arms and let's get this thing going... That's where I'm with this team right now anyway.
 
We'll never know what the true number was but John Heyman of cbssports.com reports that the Jays (and Yankees for that matter) were "routed" on the Darvish bid by the Rangers.

Texas won in rout on Darvish bid; Jays not close

"While stories have suggested that the Toronto Blue Jays bid was $50 million, meaning less than $2 million separated them and Texas, there is no evidence to support these claims... The Blue Jays' exact bid isn't known, but word is that Texas easily won. The Yankees' bid is believed to have been somewehere in the range of $15-to-17 million but isn't exactly know, either. Reports suggested the Cubs also bid, and perhaps other teams did, too."

link: http://jon-heyman.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/33714192/33985328
 
Two players the Jays were said to be in the mix for went elsewhere today. Gio Gonzalez got dealt to the Nationals for four prospects and Carlos Beltran signed a two year deal with the Cardinals.

Also, I'd like to complain about the new Blue Jays commericials. I'm fine with the concept. A bunch of Jays in the new uniforms with The Heavy's "How You Like Me Now" playing. Problem is that they run out Lawrie, Romero, Arencibia, Escobar and then...Lind. Lind? Really? The one guy the team is mulling a crazy offer to Prince Fielder to try and replace? I mean, even if you needed the one extra guy in there, why wouldn't you put him near the beginning?

Nothing gets me quite so unexcited for the Jays' upcoming season like seeing Adam Lind at first.
 
Saint Nik said:
Two players the Jays were said to be in the mix for went elsewhere today. Gio Gonzalez got dealt to the Nationals for four prospects and Carlos Beltran signed a two year deal with the Cardinals.

Also, I'd like to complain about the new Blue Jays commericials. I'm fine with the concept. A bunch of Jays in the new uniforms with The Heavy's "How You Like Me Now" playing. Problem is that they run out Lawrie, Romero, Arencibia, Escobar and then...Lind. Lind? Really? The one guy the team is mulling a crazy offer to Prince Fielder to try and replace? I mean, even if you needed the one extra guy in there, why wouldn't you put him near the beginning?

Nothing gets me quite so unexcited for the Jays' upcoming season like seeing Adam Lind at first.

EE at DH provides me with my unexcitedness.
 
Deebo said:
EE at DH provides me with my unexcitedness.

That doesn't set my shoes on fire either but at least EE hit pretty well at DH last year(OPS of .855). Not DH good, but good. Either way, I agree, E5 is not someone I'd use in the team's advertising either.

Lind, though, OPS'd .718 as a 1B. Reminding me that Lind is the everyday starter in their own commercials is like a big reminder that "Hey, the team sucks. Buy MLB's Season Pass again".
 
Nothing gets fans in the seats like a team made up of completely "controllable" players.  ::) Thanks Rogers, I'm glad to know you've selling 2012 entirely on the fact you've got your budget in line. - A budget I might add that is a complete joke based on your revenue streams and the size of this market.
 
I don't know... Last year (in my mind) was about AA putting the bullets in the gun... I was down with that and mission accomplished it seems... Time to start firing, no?
 
Sarge said:
I don't know... Last year (in my mind) was about AA putting the bullets in the gun... I was down with that and mission accomplished it seems... Time to start firing, no?

Well, the argument would be that he started that during the season what with the trades for guys like Rasmus and Johnson and then it's continued into this off-season with Santos.

Right now, the line-up rotation looks like, I assume

SS Escobar
LF Thames/Snider
RF Bautista
DH Encarnacion
3B Lawrie
1B Lind
C Arencibia
CF Rasmus
2B Johnson

SP: Romero, Morrow, Cecil, Alvarez, Drabek

That's probably an improvement, and not an insignificant one, over last year's starting lineup and more or less the same rotation. Rasmus, Johnson, Lawrie in and Davis, Hill and Juan Rivera out. AA has talked about how he's more inclined to deal prospects for players in season.

But, hey, that's not the argument I'd make. If you'll recall, I didn't feel that a very good SP should be dealt last year because he only had two more controllable years.
 
We won 81 games last year... I can't see going much past 85 with this group. It's an improvement but not much of one I don't think. I'm just a little frustrated with the  off-season to date... I'm sure there will be more to come... at least I hope. Garza?
 
Well, scratch a lefty reliever off the list potentially. Apparently we're close to signing Fergie Oliver, oops... I mean Darren. I get confused, they're about the same age. Kidding aside, we needed a lefty arm and it looks like he's got a bit left in the tank. 
 

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