Jays sign SS Alex Gonzalez

Raptors Realtor · Post #1 » by **Raptors Realtor** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 4:25 pm

Guess we're going with defense rather than offense at the SS spot.

Between Gonzalez and McDonald, don't expect a lot of offensive production!

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=299986

Post #2 » by **Schad** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 5:17 pm

Over $4m for two no-hit, all-defense aging shortstops. Just as with Torrealba, I ask: why not Angel Sanchez and Mike McCoy? Surely, they can suck just as much as Gonzalez and McDonald for a fraction of the cost.

I was really hoping that AA wouldn't share JP's (and for that matter, Ash's) fetish for useless veteran stopgaps, but here we are.

kelso · Post #3 » by **kelso** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 5:22 pm

Agreed. I don`t understand this signing at all unless McDonald is going to be playing 3rd more then we think, and backing up Hill at 2nd in place of other options. Still, not enough at bats to pass around if you were to now add a bonafide SS.

I`m sure Russ Adams was cheaper... lol.

Modern_epic · Post #4 » by **Modern_epic** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 5:22 pm

Well, the John McDonald signing sure makes sense now. For the 50 games Alex will be injured, you get an inferior version of him!

I want to watch for guys who sign for around $3.85 mil (1.5+2.75-.4 for the ML minimum) to see what we could have had instead.

Post #5 » by **Schad** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 5:35 pm

Although there is this...

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/r ... nzale.html

According to one source, the Red Sox were prepared to offer Gonzalez a 1-year contract in the vicinity of $3 million, but the club wanted to first explore other options on the trade and free-agent markets. Rather than wait for the situation with Boston to resolve itself, Gonzalez opted to sign with the Blue Jays for approximately $2.75 million.

With Gonzalez out of the picture, the Red Sox are expected to be among the primary suitors for free-agent shortstop Marco Scutaro, who played with the Blue Jays last season.

I joked about it with Torrealba, but it looks like we've actually gone and done it with Gonzalez (though not intentionally, I'm sure)...now the Red Sox have to sign Scutaro and fork over their draft picks!

Relentless88 · Post #6 » by **Relentless88** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 5:36 pm

Schadenfreude wrote:Over $4m for two no-hit, all-defense aging shortstops. Just as with Torrealba, I ask: why not Angel Sanchez and Mike McCoy? Surely, they can suck just as much as Gonzalez and McDonald for a fraction of the cost.

I was really hoping that AA wouldn't share JP's (and for that matter, Ash's) fetish for useless veteran stopgaps, but here we are.

Exactly what I thought, useless veterans, especially Gonzalez who has no offense, and is injury prone.

Post #7 » by **YogiStewart** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 5:55 pm

anyone want a good laugh?

answer this question:

who will be our lead-off man this year?

hahahaaa

s e n s i · Post #8 » by **s e n s i** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 6:14 pm

YogiStewart wrote:anyone want a good laugh?

answer this question:

who will be our lead-off man this year?

hahahaaa

Alex Rios

Post #9 » by **Schad** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 6:15 pm

chocolateSensi wrote:
YogiStewart wrote:anyone want a good laugh?

answer this question:

who will be our lead-off man this year?

hahahaaa

Alex Rios

Kevin Millar.

Raptors Realtor · Post #10 » by **Raptors Realtor** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 6:22 pm

chocolateSensi wrote:
YogiStewart wrote:anyone want a good laugh?

answer this question:

who will be our lead-off man this year?

hahahaaa

Alex Rios

I'll assume this response was sarcasm, howerver, just to clarify Rios is on the White Sox.

s e n s i · Post #11 » by **s e n s i** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 6:56 pm

Raptors Realtor wrote:
chocolateSensi wrote:
YogiStewart wrote:anyone want a good laugh?

answer this question:

who will be our lead-off man this year?

hahahaaa

Alex Rios

I'll assume this response was sarcasm, howerver, just to clarify Rios is on the White Sox.

Oops.

s e n s i · Post #12 » by **s e n s i** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 7:03 pm

As for the signing,

Relentless88 · Post #13 » by **Relentless88** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 7:04 pm

YogiStewart wrote:anyone want a good laugh?

answer this question:

who will be our lead-off man this year?

hahahaaa

JP.

LieCheatSteal · Post #14 » by **LieCheatSteal** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 8:05 pm

I think AA is thinking more long term than short term in this deal. This signing is more or less a bridge to the SS prospect AA will either pick up in the eventual Halladay deal or develop within the organization. It's not a good idea to play prospect at the MLB level when they are clearly not ready. Also, a short contract like Gonzalez, with a team option, is easily moved either this year or next year at the trading deadline when one of these prospects is deemed to be ready. The Macdonald signing is for a utility defensive specialist. He won't be starting, or even batting now. Just a late inning defensive specialist.

Who's batting leadoff? I don't see anyone in the current lineup. However, we do still have to wait for the eventual Halladay and Overbay trades to go down. When Overbay is traded, I can see Lind moving to first and the leadoff hitter to be either the CF (with Wells moved to the corners) or a corner outfielder.

Holmes · Post #15 » by **Holmes** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 8:33 pm

Yes! My Alex Gonzalez jersey becomes useful again.

-MetA4- · Post #16 » by **-MetA4-** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 8:38 pm

Schadenfreude wrote:I ask: why not Angel Sanchez

FWIW, Angel Sanchez really isn't an option and I dont see why people keep talking him up as if he were a serious option.

Post #17 » by **Schad** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 9:03 pm

-MetA4- wrote:
Schadenfreude wrote:I ask: why not Angel Sanchez

FWIW, Angel Sanchez really isn't an option and I dont see why people keep talking him up as if he were a serious option.

It's not because he's good...it's because I would rather that the team didn't commit money at this time to re-treads. There's nothing wrong with the value in signing Gonzalez (he'll outperform his contract pretty easily), I just go apoplectic when the team adds salary for veterans who aren't going to take us anywhere, yet has balked at ponying up the cash to rebuild the farm system through the draft. Gonzalez probably adds two to three wins over a replacement-level guy like Sanchez, but we're a further 20 wins away from that making the slightest bit of difference.

Post #18 » by **Morris_Shatford** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 9:26 pm

That is a lot of green for two shortstops who have great gloves, and no bats.

While we could look at this as a "bridge" signing, I have been fed this chocolate Ice Cream before with the whole David Eckstein situation.

I would imagine that this signing means that the SS prospects (if any) that he is looking at in return for Doc is going to be a ways away from being MLB ready (IE not Aybar)

youngLion · Post #19 » by **youngLion** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 9:29 pm

Well this is underwhelming. I get that the team is rebuilding, but it doesn't look like they're going to give us much to watch at all next season.

zilby · Post #20 » by **zilby** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 9:58 pm

well gonzalez is a good defensive player, which means johny mac will be playin 3rd and 2nd.

but we need a good shortstop.