RealGM

Similar to the way I conducted “Summits” on the NBA and NFL boards last year, I’d like to do the same on RealGM’s MLB boards as we prepare to for the beginning of Spring Training and the 2009 season.

The process, for those of you who may have taken part in the NBA or NFL versions, will be exactly the same. I’ll post questions on each of the individual team message boards, and ask that posters, and specifically fans of each team, answer each question.

Ideally, I’d like each answer to be roughly one or two sentences, but I realize that it is very hard to convey your opinions and feelings in just a few words. All I ask is that you try not to reply with more than a paragraph.

With that I wish you and your team of choice the best of luck in the coming season.

Please reply within this thread.

1. How would you rate the team’s offseason thus far?

2. What move do you wish the team made? (i.e. signing, trade)

3. Who do you feel will have a breakout season?

4. Who do you see regressing after a strong 2008?

5. What is the best case scenario for the club in 2009?

6. What is the worst case scenario for the club in 2009?

For me, every answer is just "meh". I have never paid less attention to a Jays offseason than this one. I think for me, the biggest issue was when they said JP would be back.

1. How would you rate the team’s offseason thus far?

0 out of 5

2. What move do you wish the team made? (i.e. signing, trade)

Firing JP.

3. Who do you feel will have a breakout season?

Alex Rios?

4. Who do you see regressing after a strong 2008?

No one aside from Doc had a good enough season to regress this year.

5. What is the best case scenario for the club in 2009?

4th in the AL East. .500 at the end of the season.

6. What is the worst case scenario for the club in 2009?

Last in the AL East. 90+ losses.

1. How would you rate the team’s offseason thus far?
Hmmmm..... we didn't add anyone, and lost our #2... so it was a pretty disappointing off-season to say the least... a big fat F.

2. What move do you wish the team made? (i.e. signing, trade)
Done something to shore up the pitching staff. But hard to compete when you have owners with deep pockets.

3. Who do you feel will have a breakout season?
I would have said McGowan.. but I guess Rios (for the 2nd or 3rd straight year)... or maybe Travis Snider.

4. Who do you see regressing after a strong 2008?
Even though he didn't have a strong 2008, I can see Litsch having a regressing year.

5. What is the best case scenario for the club in 2009?
3rd in East

6. What is the worst case scenario for the club in 2009?
Last in the L.

1. How would you rate the team’s offseason thus far?
Poorly, the ownership wasn't willing to spend any money.

2. What move do you wish the team made? (i.e. signing, trade)
Signing Manny Ramirez.

3. Who do you feel will have a breakout season?
Alex Rios might break out and do something special this season with Cito's guidance.

4. Who do you see regressing after a strong 2008?
Scott Downs, but he'll still be a decent reliever for the team.

5. What is the best case scenario for the club in 2009?
1st place in the AL East if everything comes together and they get lucky.

6. What is the worst case scenario for the club in 2009?
4th place in the AL East if they play as expected.

Everybody else said Rios, too. Maybe we're just hoping for something that will never happen, but man that guy has a whole lot of talent.

evilRyu wrote:Even though he didn't have a strong 2008, I can see Litsch having a regressing year.

A 3.58 ERA is poor, nowadays?

1. How would you rate the team’s offseason thus far?

0/5, probably one of the worst off seasons ever. We signed nobody of any significance and all the player we signed were to minor league deals. Matt Clement, Michael Barrett, Mike Maroth and maybe Kevin Millar?


2. What move do you wish the team made? (i.e. signing, trade)

I want them to get rid of the big contracts, if possible trade Wells for anything, Overybay's contract also would be nice to have moved. And as much as I love Doc, he deserves a winning team, and we can get some great prospects for Doc, so JP should maybe start thinking about putting Doc out there.

3. Who do you feel will have a breakout season?

Matt Clement. Nah I'm kidding, not only is he low risk, but he is also low reward, there isn't anything left in that arm. I really hope Snider or Lind breakout. Snider was great in the last 24 games or so to finish the season, and Lind was pretty good the entire season as well.

4. Who do you see regressing after a strong 2008?

Who as in what I see regressing is the pitching in general. We had a great pitching staff last season. However, we enter 09 with Burnett gone, Marcum and McGowan gone down with injuries and Jesse Litsch as our #2 starter!

5. What is the best case scenario for the club in 2009?

5th in AL East, get high draft pick, unload Wells and Overbay.

6. What is the worst case scenario for the club in 2009?

3rd in AL East. If this happens we are officially the most mediocre team in sports history.

1. How would you rate the team’s offseason thus far?
F - Failed to do anything of significance.

2. What move do you wish the team made? (i.e. signing, trade)
Fire Richardi, not give Wells fatass contract

3. Who do you feel will have a breakout season?
Travis Snider?

4. Who do you see regressing after a strong 2008?
The relief pitchers.

5. What is the best case scenario for the club in 2009?
4th in AL East ahead of the Orioles

6. What is the worst case scenario for the club in 2009?
Last in AL East and AL getting beat downs from the Yanks, Sox and Rays.

1. How would you rate the team’s offseason thus far?
I would give the Jays a big ol C- for the offseason. The rating could be worse, but I'll give JP credit for signing has beens to minor league deals and not shelling out multi million dollar deals to the likes of Clement, Barrett, and soon to be Cowboy Up Kevin Millar

2. What move do you wish the team made? (i.e. signing, trade)
Pretty Simple, resigning AJ Burnett or another capable #2 starter to solidfy our starting rotation

3. Who do you feel will have a breakout season?
Although he had a break thru year kind of 2 years ago, I really believe this is Aaron Hill's year to go 20/80 .290 and get the allstar nod. Another guy to look out for, Casey Janssen.

4. Who do you see regressing after a strong 2008?
Rod Barajas, with a better backup in the wings (Arencibia and Barrett), I think he'll feel the pressure to perform more.

5. What is the best case scenario for the club in 2009?
4th Place in the East with a .500 record and the treadmill continues for another year.

6. What is the worst case scenario for the club in 2009?
5th place in the AL East, under .500, and Roy Halladay demands to get traded.

1. How would you rate the team’s offseason thus far?
Very disappointing...

2. What move do you wish the team made? (i.e. signing, trade)
Basically anything, nothing really has happened this off-season besides a few small changes.

3. Who do you feel will have a breakout season?
Same as everyone else, Alex Rios

4. Who do you see regressing after a strong 2008?
Nobody, drastically.

5. What is the best case scenario for the club in 2009?
We make the post-season :O

6. What is the worst case scenario for the club in 2009?
We miss the post-season again, and finish last.