What Mistakes Has Alex Anthopolous Made as a GM?

[Wally West]

It's hard to believe when AA said during his end of the season interview with the media that he feels that there were mistakes that he made that he wish he could fix. I don't think it was his fault not outbiding Cincinnati for Arodis Chapman because who knew how solid he would be. The also was the factor that he could blow his arm by how ferociously he throws the baseball at 100mph.

Were there any other particular moves that AA missed out on? I don't think it was the fact that he didn't outbid Cleveland Indians for Russell Branyan. I don't think the dude juss wanted to come to T.O. or I could be mistaken.

[Hoopstarr]

Short answer: none. We won't know the result of the Wallace trade for a while, but the others like Morrow, Esco, re-upping Romero and Lind, and Lewis can all be labeled immediate successes. Revamping the scouting system, signing Adeiny, Adonis, and almost every top draft pick are big successes too. Gonzalez and Buck were supposed to be just one year stopgaps but he got enormously lucky with them. Gregg didn't seem necessary but he turned out useful and could net a pick also. Basically, the standard for any Jays GM is perfection and he has been just about perfect in his first year.

Maybe he regrets not pulling the trigger on specific offers for Downs and Jose after the fact. He already admitted regret about not getting Aroldis. Maybe he regrets not getting more for Doc. AA seems like a perfectionist who agonizes over every decisions and ends up regretting every one no matter what.

[DonYon]

One year is wayyyy to early to tell for ANY moves in my opinion. Things are looking good right now, but we'll have a much clearer picture in about 5-10 years, and we'll know if he made zero mistakes for a thousand mistakes.

[Michael Bradley]

Adam Lind's extension is the only thing he has done that looks less than perfect right now (though Lind can still rebound next season).

Outside of that, none.

He turned League, Chavez, Gonzalez, Pastornicky, and Collins into Brandon Morrow and Yunel Escobar. In other words, he got a potential power ace and a two-way SS with all-star potential for an erratic reliever, an aging SS, and a bunch of non-elite prospects. That is highway robbery.

We won't know about his drafting or international eye for a LONG time (that's what happens when you focus on HS talent and teenage int'l signings), but he has gotten good reviews on it. Hechavarria is probably a year or two away. Wallace/Gose is a wait-and-see, but I've never liked Wallace, so I can at least understand why he took that risk even if Gose has more bust potential.

This was an amazing first year for AA. No way around it. He has an eye for talent, buys low, has a good blend of tools and stats, etc. He's not perfect, and he'll make his share of mistakes, but so far I can't complain. For the first time since Gillick the Jays have a GM I have faith in.

[number15]

potential misktake: Cody Rusmus

....... pretty much would end it for Travis Snider in Toronto, if he isent involved in the trade anyway. I mean moving Bautista from RF is a mistake and Wells isent going anywhere untill Anthony Gose is ready for CF.

also im hearing scary propsosals for Cody Rusmus online recently.... imagine this:

- Shaun Marcum + JP Arencipia

or


- Kyle Drabek + Travis Snider

or

- Zach Stewert + JP Arencipia + prospect

----------------------------------------------------------------------

and here I thought St.Louis was being squeezed like Atlanta did with Yunel Escobar. I discruntaled player can demand such a deal?...............

STAY AWAY AA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Nolan]

The Wallace for Gose trade is the only thing mistake he might of made. But we won't know if that was a mistake for a few years.

[-MetA4-]

The Wallace for Gose trade is the only thing mistake he might of made. But we won't know if that was a mistake for a few years.

Wallace's stock is plummeting down the **** faster than Usain Bolt runs the 100m. Gose may be a complete bust, but getting a potential all-star CF for a guy who looks like will be nothing more than an average 1B at best is a steal.

Keith Law just said the other day that a scout told him that Wallace's hips are so wide that it makes it hard for him to rotate them on inside pitches. This would also explain why as a left handed batter he consistently hits much better against LHP: their stuff moves away from him, which plays into his strength of hitting.

[J-Roc]

I find it interesting that AA basically only ever makes moves that everyone here agrees with. Should be interesting over the next few years to see if it all works out. JP was well regarded around here, but he could never win in the AL East. AA has a challenge.

[-MetA4-]

potential misktake: Cody Rusmus

....... pretty much would end it for Travis Snider in Toronto, if he isent involved in the trade anyway.

Would have zero effect on Snider. Rasmus is a true CF, a position which Snider has 0% chance of ever playing.

I mean moving Bautista from RF is a mistake

Bautista at 3B wouldn't be the most optimal, but to get a player of Rasmus' caliber it is a move you make. Besides, who knows what Bautista's future is with the team; he could easily be sold for a very high value if the offer comes.

Wells isent going anywhere untill Anthony Gose is ready for CF.

Why not? Rasmus is a better CF than Wells. Moving Wells to RF is a no-brainer if a trade for Rasmus ever went down. You're approaching the point of Wells' career where he's going to need to be moved to a corner spot anyway.

also im hearing scary propsosals for Cody Rusmus online recently.... imagine this

I'd do Marcum + Arencibia easily. Marcum is a nice piece but is probably the most expendable of the pitchers we have. Arencibia, while having a huge season, is still flawed in some ways and probably isn't even the best catching prospect in our system anyway. I'd move him without thought while his stock is back up for a player like Rasmus.

I wouldn't do Drabek + Snider.

I'd likely do the last trade depending on who the 3rd player is.

The reason why Rasmus holds such a high value is because his upside is both very high (all-star CF who can both field and mash) AND it is extremely achievable. Played only 2 seasons and posted above 2.0 WAR in each; with a 3.6 WAR this year.

[Weems]

Wells is a very poor fielder in CF. Bad jumps, laughable routes, minimal effort with letting balls fall in. Don't let the broadcasters, the gold glove from the early 2000's, or the flashy over the shoulder catches fool you. I'm not a big fan of UZR (ultimate zone rating runs above average), but his UZR is -35.8 over the past 3 seasons. His range is probably -40 or worse over the same span. That's extraordinarily bad.

Marcum is expendable like mentioned and Arencibia is not a prospect of great significance. If we could get Rasmus for Marcum and Arencibia, that would be far and away the most impressive transaction AA will have ever made, or will make. Ever. Rasmus won't be going anywhere, though.

[Hoopstarr]

The Wallace for Gose trade is the only thing mistake he might of made. But we won't know if that was a mistake for a few years.

Wallace's stock is plummeting down the **** faster than Usain Bolt runs the 100m. Gose may be a complete bust, but getting a potential all-star CF for a guy who looks like will be nothing more than an average 1B at best is a steal.

Keith Law just said the other day that a scout told him that Wallace's hips are so wide that it makes it hard for him to rotate them on inside pitches. This would also explain why as a left handed batter he consistently hits much better against LHP: their stuff moves away from him, which plays into his strength of hitting.

If he has the birthing hips of a mother panda then why did no one see that flaw until now? No one threw him inside in the minors?

I was never that high on him but it's still way too early to make a final call on him.

[Hoopstarr]

Wells is a very poor fielder in CF. Bad jumps, laughable routes, minimal effort with letting balls fall in. Don't let the broadcasters, the gold glove from the early 2000's, or the flashy over the shoulder catches fool you. I'm not a big fan of UZR (ultimate zone rating runs above average), but his UZR is -35.8 over the past 3 seasons. His range is probably -40 or worse over the same span. That's extraordinarily bad.

Clever lumping 3 years together. He went from -12.9, -16.6 to -6.3 in UZR. His DRS (Dewan stat) went from -12, -12, to -2. He had two awful years because of injury and he improved greatly this year. He'll probably never get back to where he was but he's not terrible anymore, just below avg. And his GGs weren't in the early 2000s. His 3rd one was 2006 and he had another great fielding year in 2007 too.

[-MetA4-]

No one threw him inside in the minors?

His splits against RHP have always been fairly pedestrian. He hit just .267/.334/.487 against RHP this year in the offense heavy PCL and hitters paradise that is Cashman Field. My belief if that righties probably WERE pitching him inside, which is why year in and year out his splits versus righthanders made no sense. The ridiculous splits vs. LHP are probably present because the common LHP vs. LHB strategy is to throw breaking balls away...for a normal LHB (who mashes against RHP and struggles vs. LHP) this really ties them up, but Wallace seems to be the complete opposite of a normal LHB at the plate and by throwing him pitches that start middle-in or middle and break outside you are probably just playing to his strength as a hitter.

[darth_federer]

The Wallace for Gose trade is the only thing mistake he might of made. But we won't know if that was a mistake for a few years.

Wallace's stock is plummeting down the **** faster than Usain Bolt runs the 100m. Gose may be a complete bust, but getting a potential all-star CF for a guy who looks like will be nothing more than an average 1B at best is a steal.

Keith Law just said the other day that a scout told him that Wallace's hips are so wide that it makes it hard for him to rotate them on inside pitches. This would also explain why as a left handed batter he consistently hits much better against LHP: their stuff moves away from him, which plays into his strength of hitting.

What about Michael Taylor who was the original bat we got in the trade?

[FreeAgent]

I find it interesting that AA basically only ever makes moves that everyone here agrees with. Should be interesting over the next few years to see if it all works out. JP was well regarded around here, but he could never win in the AL East. AA has a challenge.

Wait, what?

[evilRyu]

The Wallace for Gose trade is the only thing mistake he might of made. But we won't know if that was a mistake for a few years.

Wallace's stock is plummeting down the **** faster than Usain Bolt runs the 100m. Gose may be a complete bust, but getting a potential all-star CF for a guy who looks like will be nothing more than an average 1B at best is a steal.

Keith Law just said the other day that a scout told him that Wallace's hips are so wide that it makes it hard for him to rotate them on inside pitches. This would also explain why as a left handed batter he consistently hits much better against LHP: their stuff moves away from him, which plays into his strength of hitting.

I remember Law saying that, and chuckled.. that is kind of funny

[LLJ]

JP was well regarded around here, .

JP now has the egregious rep of being GM of a team that for the bulk of his tenure had the greatest pitcher of his generation during his physical prime years. Not sure many people regard him too well in Toronto...

...except Mike Wilner, but IMO Wilner has become increasingly irrelevant since the Rays rose to power.

[Kurtz]

I really think that his inability to move any of our bullpen arms will cost us assets in the end. I don't believe we'll get good value for all of them this off season. Downs, especially worries me...at his price tag, I imagine that the team that signs him will have already signed a big name starter, and we'll be stuck without a first rounder for him.

[J-Roc]

I find it interesting that AA basically only ever makes moves that everyone here agrees with. Should be interesting over the next few years to see if it all works out. JP was well regarded around here, but he could never win in the AL East. AA has a challenge.

Wait, what?

The tall foreheads on this forum always had JP's back.

[Hoopstarr]

I find it interesting that AA basically only ever makes moves that everyone here agrees with. Should be interesting over the next few years to see if it all works out. JP was well regarded around here, but he could never win in the AL East. AA has a challenge.

Wait, what?

The tall foreheads on this forum always had JP's back.

That's true across the Jays blogosphere too--Tao, Ghostrunner, DJF, Southpaw, BB, everyone defends him to some extent. No one thinks he was great or anything, but we acknowledge that it's not as simple as "FLURGROHFQOFILJLA RETARDI SO IDIOT NO PLAYOFFS GRALKJFALKNFJOIFL", which I think is a pretty accurate depiction of what the avg fan thinks of him.