Fox Sports: Blue Jays are

polo007 · Post #1 » by **polo007** » Tue Jun 5, 2012 2:17 pm

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/trad ... ves-060312

For all the talk of the Blue Jays making a big trade, the team is just 28-26 and tied for last in the AL East – though their plus-22 run differential is exceeded only by the Yankees, who are plus-23.

Some executives say that the Jays need to seize the moment while the Yankees and Red Sox seemingly are down, reasoning, “If not now, when?” But the Jays are not a team with one hole, and frankly might be more ready to win next season than they are right now.

By then, three Jays prospects at Triple-A Las Vegas – center fielder Anthony Gose, shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria and catcher Travis D’Arnaud – could play prominent roles.

Gose, a speedster, is batting .302 with an .814 OPS with 24 stolen bases in 29 attempts for Las Vegas. Hechavarria, another brilliant defender, leads the team with 39 RBIs. D’Arnaud, batting .322 with a .956 OPS, might be the best prospect of all.

Meanwhile, the Jays are short at least one hitter and one starting pitcher. Right-handers Kyle Drabek and Henderson Alvarez appear to be cooling off, though righty Drew Hutchison looks like a keeper, touching 95 mph in each of his last two starts with good command and an above-average breaking ball.

So, as my colleague Jon Paul Morosi recently wrote, Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos faces a number of interesting decisions as the deadline approaches, the biggest being the direction of his team.

One rival executive reports that the Jays are “sniffing all over” Cubs right-hander Matt Garza – a move that would make some sense, considering that Garza is under club control through 2013. But the Jays also have needs in first base and left field, and a long-term question at second base, with Kelly Johnson only on a one-year deal.

Post #2 » by **LittleOzzy** » Tue Jun 5, 2012 2:24 pm

Sounds gross...

dballislife · Post #3 » by **dballislife** » Tue Jun 5, 2012 2:53 pm

with gose nearly ready and rasmus, cf and lf are set and 2nd is looking decent with hech and esco...we really just need a big bat at 1st and better starting pitching

Holmes · Post #4 » by **Holmes** » Tue Jun 5, 2012 3:06 pm

dballislife wrote:with gose nearly ready and rasmus, cf and lf are set and 2nd is looking decent with hech and esco...we really just need a big bat at 1st and better starting pitching

Our team average would be like .230

Mattd97 · Post #5 » by **Mattd97** » Tue Jun 5, 2012 6:49 pm

even with garza were not making the playoffs. might as well give drabek and alvarez the starts. its not like we dont have other arms to take over when they reach their limits. mcgowan will come back at some point.. possibly.

Blessed · Post #6 » by **Blessed** » Tue Jun 5, 2012 7:08 pm

Usually with AA when theres a rumour, its not true.

Michael Bradley · Post #7 » by **Michael Bradley** » Tue Jun 5, 2012 7:12 pm

Hopefully Garza showered.

tecumseh18 · Post #8 » by **tecumseh18** » Tue Jun 5, 2012 7:24 pm

Blessed wrote:Usually with AA when theres a rumour, its not true.

As usual, the Jays are being used to pump up someone's trade value. But the blurb makes the point that cannot be overemphasized - the Jays have too many holes to plug. Unless of course, AA plans to empty the farm system in making a simultaneous series of trades for Adam Dunn, King Felix and Garza and pay whatever it takes for Soler. It would like the baptism scene toward the end of Godfather I.

But the draft strategy now being employed would not suggest this.