AA: Jays are seeking a starter, bullpen help, and a big bat

polo007 · Post #1 » by **polo007** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 1:49 am

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2011/12/ ... francisco/

General manager Alex Anthopoulos denied that he grabbed Francisco to set up a bigger trade. Immediately after the deal was announced, San Francisco Chronicle reporter Susan Slusser tweeted: “I hear [starter] Gio Gonzalez is the Blue Jays’ focus, as I’d also heard last week. They have too many outfielders after today’s trade.”

No question that the Jays are awash in outfielders. Anthopoulos insisted his current plan is to keep five, with Francisco and Rajai Davis serving as backups to Jose Bautista in right, Colby Rasmus in centre and either Travis Snider or Eric Thames, who are expected to compete for the left-field spot in spring training.

“We think it’ll work fine,” Anthopoulos said in a conference call with reporters.

At the same time, he acknowledged that the outfield surplus gives him flexibility if a trade opportunity arises. He said he hopes to add “at least one more player” this off-season, and continues to look for a starter, bullpen help and “that big bat.”

“We’re still trying to actively get players in trades. We’re still trying to sign some free agents and exploring some things,” he said with typical ambiguity.

MikeM · Post #2 » by **MikeM** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 1:53 am

No need to look for that big bat AA, it's right there staring you in the face. It's called Prince.

torontoaces04 · Post #3 » by **torontoaces04** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 1:55 am

Polo, enough with the threads already. Every article about the Jays doesn't require it's on thread. Half of the threads could have easily gone in Jays off-season.

You've made the board a mess. LOL!

northernlight · Post #4 » by **northernlight** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 2:04 am

Is the dusty vault possibly creaking open an inch or two or is this just tease?

Randle McMurphy · Post #5 » by **Randle McMurphy** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 2:07 am

Manny?

Myth111 · Post #6 » by **Myth111** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 2:09 am

torontoaces04 wrote:Polo, enough with the threads already. Every article about the Jays doesn't require it's on thread. Half of the threads could have easily gone in Jays off-season.

You've made the board a mess. LOL!

Thank you. I feel the same way and was going to put the Francisco acquisition in the off season thread but it feels like everyone likes new threads.

Homer Jay · Post #7 » by **Homer Jay** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 2:11 am

I have a hard time believing we will keep that much contract money tied up in our fourth and fifth outfielders.

Also I thought the plan was to play EE and Kelly Johnson in LF once in a while, lol.

What happens to Teahen now? I think I feel a waive coming, and if this team will waive a 5.5 million dollar contract for a retread, why won't it pay market value for a Big bat?

Kurtz · Post #8 » by **Kurtz** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 4:42 am

AA says he wants 5 OF, but Baustista, Rasmus, Thames, Snider, Franciso, Raji make 6...because surely they're not sending Snider or Thames back down. So yeah, something has to give here.

jrsmith · Post #9 » by **jrsmith** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 4:54 am

Randle McMurphy wrote:Manny?

All that money spent on constructing a time machine to make manny a "big bat" would be better spent on fielder.

augustine · Post #10 » by **augustine** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 2:44 pm

Kurtz wrote:AA says he wants 5 OF, but Baustista, Rasmus, Thames, Snider, Franciso, Raji make 6...because surely they're not sending Snider or Thames back down. So yeah, something has to give here.

I think he said they are sending the loser of Snider/Thames back to AAA in order to get at bats.

flatjacket1 · Post #11 » by **flatjacket1** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 2:46 pm

augustine wrote:
Kurtz wrote:AA says he wants 5 OF, but Baustista, Rasmus, Thames, Snider, Franciso, Raji make 6...because surely they're not sending Snider or Thames back down. So yeah, something has to give here.

I think he said they are sending the loser of Snider/Thames back to AAA in order to get at bats.

I heard that opinion before somewhere else but I like to believe its for another trade. The only problem is the last time AA needed a starting pitcher to complete a trade (Colby deal), we only had the guy for like 10 minutes.