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With Sunday’s session against ace CC Sabathia postponed, the Jays have lost eight of nine games to the Yankees this season, leaving their overall record in the American League East at 9-17.

As a direct consequence, the team had a 0.4-per-cent chance of winning the AL East and a 2.9-per-cent chance of making the playoffs as of Sunday, according to a simulated season projected by Baseball Prospectus (baseballprospectus.com).

Why those odds may distort the prognosis at this point of the season: In the past 31 games, the Jays are 12-19 – Baltimore went through an identical stretch last season and made the playoffs; the Tigers went 11-20 and qualified for the World Series; the A’s went 10-21 and won the AL West; the Cardinals went 11-20 and took World Series champion San Francisco to seven games in the National League Championship Series.

Still, simple math dictates that unless the Blue Jays turn around their divisional record, starting with seven games against Tampa Bay and Baltimore at home this week, general manager Alex Anthopoulos will be fielding many calls as trade talks heat up at the all-star break in two months.

“I haven’t thought about that – we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Anthopoulos said in an interview.

Already, pitchers R.A. Dickey and Mark Buehrle are being rumoured as targets, and Josh Johnson (triceps strain), who is in his free-agent year, should be a hot commodity if he returns forcefully from the disabled list.

“There are no no-trade clauses in any of those contracts,” Anthopoulos said. “It’s organizational policy, to maintain flexibility either way.”

Michael Bradley wrote:I think AA will try to trade some guys (Johnson, Buehrle, Oliver, etc) in an attempt to retool for next season but I highly doubt he will start a rebuilding process so soon.

The_Hater wrote:Is there a single player in the lineup or starting rotation that the Jays wouldn't be "selling low" on right now?

dagger wrote:

Michael Bradley wrote:I think AA will try to trade some guys (Johnson, Buehrle, Oliver, etc) in an attempt to retool for next season but I highly doubt he will start a rebuilding process so soon.

We still have a core that will keep us respectable and possibly provide the basis for a playoff run next season under a new manager. Certainly, Jose Bautista, Jose Reyes, Edwin Encarnacion and Brett Lawrie are keepers. Melky Cabrera is likely a keeper. So that's five solid bats (well, four and Lawrie's potential). I advocate moving Lind, sell high (well, relatively speaking). And I'm not keen on throwing good arb money at Rasmus or Bonifacio when there are cheap replacements at BUF who can probably match their offence.

For me, the issue is pitching. If someone wants Buehrle and will pay most of his salary, I'd certainly move him even though his last two starts were better than his first several. There are so many question marks. Who is in next year's rotation? Do you pay Josh Johnson for his contribution and frequent injuries? I'd be hesitant to do so. If Dickey, Morrow and Happ are back, who fills out the rotation?

-Can Romero rediscover his confidence before next season?
-Is Stroman a future starter or reliever and can he be ready by next season?
-Can Hutchinson make it back to his pre-injury form by next season
-Can Drabek also get back to where he was pre-injury, and improve his control and self-control?
-Can Sean Nolin or Chad Jenkins be the fifth starter for a fraction of the money of a veteran (letting AA put his money elsewhere).

Cross-over wrote:Brett Lawrie has all the tools but I just don't see him putting it all together. His trade value is only going to diminish. He is one young player with possible potential that I think we should let another team worry about.

s e n s i wrote:one of evan gattis/brian mccann has to be expendable by the trade deadline, why not try and swing a deal with the braves

josh johnson + darren oliver + jp arencibia + gose/sierra + more filler

to atlanta for:

brian mccann + alex wood + cory gearrin