RealGM

With the season over, what is the off season going to look like for the Blue Jays?

Lineup:

SS: Yunel Escobar or Adeiny Hechavarria
1B: Edwin Encarnacion
2B: Adeiny Hechavarria?/FA 2B
3B: Brett Lawrie
C: JP Arencibia
LF: Anthony Gose/Moises Sierra platoon
CF: Colby Rasmus
RF: Jose Bautista
DH: Travis D'Arnaud

Holes: 2B, LF, DH/1B

As the GM mentioned, D'Arnaud will get time at 1B/C/DH. With an opening at DH due to Lind's deteriorating career and the owner's unwillingness to spend, D'Arnaud makes the most sense. He also has nothing left to prove in the minors after dominating AA and AAA the past two years.

At 2B, there will need to be a decision made on whether to fill it internally (Hechavarria) or externally (Keppinger? Scutaro). Again, this will depend on ownership most likely.

At LF, can the Jays get by with a Gose/Sierra platoon? They likely can't afford both Hech and Gose in the lineup, so this will be interesting. Hamilton is an FA and the Jays will never get him. I don't think there are any other good FA options out there.

The other positions are self-explanatory. Escobar could be moved, but that isn't AA-like to sell low on an asset (though the Snider trade may prove otherwise).

Starting Rotation:

SP1: Morrow
SP2: Romero
SP3: Alvarez
SP4: Happ
SP5: Jenkins

Holes: 2-3 SPs

Clearly there is a problem with the rotation. Besides Morrow, there isn't anyone we can be confident in 2013. Romero is guaranteed a spot. I think Happ gets the 5th spot. He did pretty well for the Jays. I think Carlos V is gone, especially after his last couple starts. That leaves 2 spots that need to be filled. Internally, I don't see any of the double A guys being ready for 2013. Jenkins, Laffey, Cecil, Deck all suck, and should not be starting pitchers in the AL East. Therefore these have to be filled externally. Greinke and Peavy our out there, and Haren possibly as well. There is the trade route, but it's hard for us to know who's available there.

Bullpen:

Brad Lincoln
Steve Delabar
Casey Janssen
Aaron Loup
Sergio Santos?
Luis Perez?
Brandon Lyon?
Darren Oliver?

The question marks mean the player is either FA who may re-sign, or injured and it's unknown when they'll be ready. Santos should be back, Perez I'm not sure. Lyon is an FA, and Oliver may retire. Still the bullpen looks okay, and doesn't really need to be tinkered with.

My ideal offseason:

Trade one of Syndergaard/Nicolino/Sanchez + Gose + 2 B level prospects for Justin Upton

Sign Greinke and Peavy.

Sign J. Gomes to platoon with Lind.

Trade Escobar and Arencibia for prospects.

Sign Scutaro or Keppinger.

Your 2013 Blue Jays

1B: Encarnacion
2B: Keppinger/Scutaro
SS: Hechavarria
3B: Lawrie
C: D'Arnaud
LF: Upton
CF: Rasmus
RF: Bautista
DH: Lind/Gomes

Greinke
Peavy
Morrow
Romero
Happ/Alvarez

Santos
Janssen
Oliver
Delabar
Lincoln
Perez
Lyon

Great ideas everyone!

Call up our superstar prospects because we don't want to spend money even though it would bring us more revenue from fans, Television deals and media.

Let's call up our prized possessions that are so much better than paying for a free agent or trading our prospects for one or two star players. Let's call up our Cole Hamels, Giancarlo Stanton, Jose Reyes, in addition to our Felix Hernandez who we already have. (Alvarez)

That aside, why did not we sign Yoennis Cespedes, and make a move for Gio Gonzalez. One is a center piece for the surprising Athletics, the other is a top Cy Young candidate.
We were apparently interested in both but did not pursue to a) pay for Cespedes who was technically a prospect and b) did not want to give up our prospects for Gio Gonzalez since we'll have 3 CY young winners instead of just one.
And Jorge Soler seems like he'll make more of an impact than Cespdes, we were interested yet did not pursue him either.

Just bump the "Plan for 2012" thread

Nothing has changed

Secueritae wrote:Call up our superstar prospects because we don't want to spend money even though it would bring us more revenue from fans, Television deals and media.

Let's call up our prized possessions that are so much better than paying for a free agent or trading our prospects for one or two star players. Let's call up our Cole Hamels, Giancarlo Stanton, Jose Reyes, in addition to our Felix Hernandez who we already have. (Alvarez)

That aside, why did not we sign Yoennis Cespedes, and make a move for Gio Gonzalez. One is a center piece for the surprising Athletics, the other is a top Cy Young candidate.
We were apparently interested in both but did not pursue to a) pay for Cespedes who was technically a prospect and b) did not want to give up our prospects for Gio Gonzalez since we'll have 3 CY young winners instead of just one.
And Jorge Soler seems like he'll make more of an impact than Cespdes, we were interested yet did not pursue him either.

I'm pretty dissapointed that AA didnt aquire one of Chapman, Darvish, Cespedes or even Chen from BALT.

Griff83 wrote:

Secueritae wrote:Call up our superstar prospects because we don't want to spend money even though it would bring us more revenue from fans, Television deals and media.

Let's call up our prized possessions that are so much better than paying for a free agent or trading our prospects for one or two star players. Let's call up our Cole Hamels, Giancarlo Stanton, Jose Reyes, in addition to our Felix Hernandez who we already have. (Alvarez)

That aside, why did not we sign Yoennis Cespedes, and make a move for Gio Gonzalez. One is a center piece for the surprising Athletics, the other is a top Cy Young candidate.
We were apparently interested in both but did not pursue to a) pay for Cespedes who was technically a prospect and b) did not want to give up our prospects for Gio Gonzalez since we'll have 3 CY young winners instead of just one.
And Jorge Soler seems like he'll make more of an impact than Cespdes, we were interested yet did not pursue him either.

I'm pretty dissapointed that AA didnt aquire one of Chapman, Darvish, Cespedes or even Chen from BALT.

I agree, instead we ended up with Vizquel, Oliver, Cordero. Then signed guys like laffey to a minor league contract.

What makes me the most mad about it is there were a lot of reports that we were in the mix and had offers on Chapman Darvish and Cespedes, and ended up with none of them.

The team probably has 20-25 million to spend in the off season, but they need a lot more money than that to do all the upgrades that are required.

Realistic pitchers for us that will all be looking for $8-15 million each:
Kyle Lohse
Edwin Jackson
Shaun Marcum
Anibal Sanchez
Dempster for a 2 years

Those are all upgrades on what we have, but I wouldn't say that they are the answer to our problems and it certainly doesn't fill multiple positions like we need. We can probably get 1 of those pitchers.

What I see for this team realistically is this: Pick up the option on Rajai Davis for $3 million.

Offer Arb to Colby & JA Happ and Cecil (in the bullpen). The rest of our free agents walk & Oliver retires.

We pencil Hech in as our SS and Escobar moves to 2B.

All of our <3 year relievers make the team again (Perez, Delebar, Lincoln, Loup)

That gives us a committed payroll of 73.1 million with no LF on the roster and only 4 SP's on the roster (Romero, Morrow, Happ, Alvarez).

Then we take a run at BJ Upton to fill our LF spot and sign a guy like Edwin Jackson. The team payroll sits at around 95 million.

That's what I think the grand offseason will look like guys.

If we some how get Profar from the Rangers and add nothing else, I would happy.

baulderdash77 wrote:The team probably has 20-25 million to spend in the off season, but they need a lot more money than that to do all the upgrades that are required.

Realistic pitchers for us that will all be looking for $8-15 million each:
Kyle Lohse
Edwin Jackson
Shaun Marcum
Anibal Sanchez
Dempster for a 2 years

Those are all upgrades on what we have, but I wouldn't say that they are the answer to our problems and it certainly doesn't fill multiple positions like we need. We can probably get 1 of those pitchers.

I would take Sanchez 8 million/year + Jackson at 12 million/year.
Lohse is overrated and Marcum has been horrible since coming back from injury.
I would not look to extend Villanueva unless he's dirt-cheap and accepts a bullpen role.
Escobar could net us a couple relievers or borderline #5 starter.

Starters: Romero, Morrow, EJax, Sanchez, Happ
Long Relievers: C.Villanueva, Alvarez, Hutch
Mid Relievers: Delabar, Lyon, Litsch
Set-up: Janssen
Closer: Healthy Super Glue.

Brandon Lyon is a free agent and he made $5 million last season. He won't be back next year because we won't put that much money into our bullpen.

I'm pretty sure Villanueva is gone too. He wants to start and they don't see him having the stamina for it and you can see the clashes it causes. He expressed his frustrations in the media a bit too much I think.

Litsch is going to retire I think or at the very least will not be offered a major league contract after all of this season and most of last season.

baulderdash77 wrote:Brandon Lyon is a free agent and he made $5 million last season. He won't be back next year because we won't put that much money into our bullpen.

I'm pretty sure Villanueva is gone too. He wants to start and they don't see him having the stamina for it and you can see the clashes it causes. He expressed his frustrations in the media a bit too much I think.

Litsch is going to retire I think or at the very least will not be offered a major league contract after all of this season and most of last season.

What's the status on Lincoln"?
I agree on Villanueva, if he doesn't re-sign then let's just sign free agent relievers as there's many of those around.

Lincoln is still pre-arbitration. We have 5 more years of control over him so he's only costing the league minimum for a few more years. Poor guy is never going to get a free agent contract since he's already 27.

We have could have a credible bullpen with the guys under team control next year. We could have 3 lefties!
Casey 3.9
Santos 2.75
Perez 0.5
Delebar 0.5
Cecil 1.0 (1st year arb eligible)
Lincoln 0.5
Loup 0.5
Jenkins 0.5

I want to see Sanchez signed for 8-9 mill per for 3-5 years.

Is Josh Hamilton a realistic option?

No. Hamilton wouldn't come here and we can't afford him either.

baulderdash77 wrote:No. Hamilton wouldn't come here and we can't afford him either.

Hamilton will go where the $$ is - have said that, we obviously don't have enough of it (like you said)

Don't fall for that Beeston/AA talk where they mentioned it's "hard to sign free agents because we aren't winning" BS! If they pay up - they will come here.

It's going to take close to 200 million to get Josh, and we probably can't spend close to that on one player

can't wait until the 90 page threads about Alex's B/C level starter signings, or maybe that is too optimistic> D/E?

I am stunned that there are people who even want Hamilton. There is a reason why a team that can afford him does not want him anymore. I do not want him anywhere near the Jays.