As Kevin Glew of CBC wrote, Toronto has become a more attractive place for a prospective manager. I suppose that a free agent might be more likely to sign here as well, although AA seems to have blown the bankroll as a result of the trade.
Is Reyes Coming To Toronto?
- Thread starter Rockslinger
- Start date
It's trying to limit risk with Johnson. He has had to battle shoulder problems in recent years where as Buehrle has been a model of consistency over the years. If Johnson has a great year and he wants to get paid, so be it...he deserves it then. Right now, he is a 13mil gamble that if it takes the Jays to the promise land it'll be all worth it. If not, he's off the books next year. This potentially can be a very interesting rotation next year if everyone is healthy and pitches up to potential. You know what you'll get from Buehrle. Johnson and Morrow both have potentially Cy Young winner type stuff. Romero if he can bounce back is a solid 1 or 2 in a rotation where he now maybe 3 or 4. If Happ if the 5th guy, he's another one with a lot of upside back from his rookie days. Looks like both the rotation and bullpen is now set. Just wondering if AA is done or whether more exciting moves are still in the works.
There is definitely risk with Johnson's durability and ability to walk after 2013, as well as Reyes long-term on turf, but what was the alternative? Paying Grienke $140 mil? Sanchez $90? Or Jackson $60? This was the most viable route to take.
G
GlavaMan
There's likely still a few more moves to come.
The Jays have a surplus of catchers now. JPA is likely on the move leaving Buck (@ $6m in 2013) as the starter and Bobby Wilson as the backup. D'Arnaud might start in AAA but they could bring him up as a bench guy and ease him in slowly.
Right now Bonifacio is the starting LF and Davis on the bench as the 4th Outfielder and pinch runner (unless he moves as well). Bonifacio is more of a 4th outfielder and is controllable for the next 3 years.
I can see the Jays packaging JPA along with Lind and one of the outfielders for a young, inexpensive controllable guy. A LH power hitting LF or 1B would be nice followed by either a true 2B or young starter in the 5th spot with a couple of years of experience and lots of upside (moving Happ into a long-relief role)
I'd expect the lineup and bench to look like the following (assuming JPA and Lind are traded and no-one else):
SS Reyes S
LF Bonifacio S
RF Bautista R
1B Encarnacion R
CF Rasmus L
3B Lawrie R
DH Cooper L
C Buck R
2B Izturis S
Bench:
C Wilson, OF Davis, IF McCoy, TBD (assuming a revolving door for D'Arnaud, Gose, Sierra as they all have options)
There's still some room for improvement but with the Switch-hitters and speed acquired, this is looking like a versatile and scary offense with lots of tools to play both the small-ball and long-ball game in a season that will have more interleague play. If Gose is also up for any significant period of time it's scary to think of how many stolen bases this team can rack up.
The Jays have a surplus of catchers now. JPA is likely on the move leaving Buck (@ $6m in 2013) as the starter and Bobby Wilson as the backup. D'Arnaud might start in AAA but they could bring him up as a bench guy and ease him in slowly.
Right now Bonifacio is the starting LF and Davis on the bench as the 4th Outfielder and pinch runner (unless he moves as well). Bonifacio is more of a 4th outfielder and is controllable for the next 3 years.
I can see the Jays packaging JPA along with Lind and one of the outfielders for a young, inexpensive controllable guy. A LH power hitting LF or 1B would be nice followed by either a true 2B or young starter in the 5th spot with a couple of years of experience and lots of upside (moving Happ into a long-relief role)
I'd expect the lineup and bench to look like the following (assuming JPA and Lind are traded and no-one else):
SS Reyes S
LF Bonifacio S
RF Bautista R
1B Encarnacion R
CF Rasmus L
3B Lawrie R
DH Cooper L
C Buck R
2B Izturis S
Bench:
C Wilson, OF Davis, IF McCoy, TBD (assuming a revolving door for D'Arnaud, Gose, Sierra as they all have options)
There's still some room for improvement but with the Switch-hitters and speed acquired, this is looking like a versatile and scary offense with lots of tools to play both the small-ball and long-ball game in a season that will have more interleague play. If Gose is also up for any significant period of time it's scary to think of how many stolen bases this team can rack up.
So with this trade are the Jays a legitimate contender in the AL East? Are we talking '92, '93 good?
Bookies seem to think so; before the trade, the Jays odds to win the WS were as high as 100:1 - since news of the trade those odds have jumped to 14:1, leaving only eight teams with better odds....if that means anything.
That alone says a lot, doesn't it? This is such a massive trade it's hard to imagine how this came together. AA had one of those moments in life when you've gotta say to yourself, "Just take it when you can get it." Good for him. If the Jays get as much good luck too, as they had bad luck this past year it could be one to remember. Let's hope.
'92/'93 good was better than now. Back then the Jays were the cream of the crop heading into the season. Now they have just greatly improved a so-so team.
Maybe the Jays will be a wild card team this year with a first round playoff exit? That would be huge and exciting, this is a team that literally hasn't made the playoffs in 20 years.
Not even close. Jays had the highest payroll in baseball those two years. They also had the top three hitters for average. I always remember John Kruk's quote after Philly lost the 93 series. "I looked over at their bench and the AL batting champ (Olerud) couldn't get in the starting line up, we really had no chance".
Bud Selig aware of 'anger' over trade, will review it
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/marlins/2012/11/15/bud-selig-marlins-trade-review/1706987/
What horse shit! Did the league office take into consideration Red Sox fans' "feelings" when Boston unloaded Gonzalez, Beckett, and Crawford to the Dodgers last summer?
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/marlins/2012/11/15/bud-selig-marlins-trade-review/1706987/
What horse shit! Did the league office take into consideration Red Sox fans' "feelings" when Boston unloaded Gonzalez, Beckett, and Crawford to the Dodgers last summer?
