Cybulski: Jays GM wants a 5th starter and a big contract

[polo007]

http://twitter.com/#!/jamescybulski/sta ... 6429620224

James Cybulski‏

@jamescybulski

If you missed it, Jays Alex Anthopoulos hints at trading for a 5th starter & adding a contract bigger than Bautista's http://bit.ly/Iqjrsg

3:20 PM - 19 Apr 12 via Twitter for BlackBerry®·

[kcthekid]

AA is a smart guy.
To me it just sounds like he's feeding the Jays Hype machine with trade speculation.
I'm thinking its Chavez who starts, but who knows.

[number15]

i think he's still looking at Floyd from the White Sox..... just a feeling that will evenutally fall in. AA has a thing for going after guys he likes and the sox might in a sell seituation anyway...maybe they finally are starting to agree on the price tag

Floyed could be a #4 or #3 starter on this team..... possibly even #2 if Morrow cant be consistant

[Avp115]

We definitely need a 5th starter and a better option in LF. You may argue that we also need a 1B, but so far Lind is looking more like the one in 2009 than the one in 2011, and I don't think we should give up on him. What we really need though is a consistent #2 starter. I'm not sure who exactly, but I have to believe that with how stacked our farm is, we could give a team whatever they need (along with maybe Cecil). We can easily replace one big trade of prospects in this years upcoming draft since we have 2 first round picks as well as 3 first "sandwich" round picks.

[dagger]

Well, it boils down to this: Tampa Bay currently has four batters bunched up in the 3-6 slots all hitting .300 or better. Our two best hitters are averaging .277 and .278.

[Waylon Mercy]

5th Starter?

We need a 2nd starter

[Skin Blues]

Big contract, eh... maybe he's talking about himself.

[UN-Owen]

I've never understood why teams target 4th and 5th starters

If your aim is to bring in mediocrity...then that's what you'll get


AA should be saving his assets for when the time comes to deal for a legit ace

[Yosemite Dan]

5th Starter?

We need a 2nd starter

Truer words have never been spoken. Anyone who thinks Morrow is a #2 starter loves seeing the Jays finish 4th every year. In fact we seem to have an abundance of 4th and 5th starters on this staff. Last thing we need is one more.

[youreachiteach]

I think the problem with the "get a second starter" idea is that Morrow is unfortunately considered an "ongoing project" guy. They have very patient expectations of him because of his limited starting experience (I don't buy this excuse, he's had several years of pitching, bullpen or not).

They are willing to let him pitch the full year regardless of outcome so they can make a further determination as to his talent. Of course, giving opportunities to talent is never a bad thing, the only question is the length of rope. It is my contention he's had enough by now to know what kind of pitcher he is (a thrower) but the Jay's want as long a look as possible.

Listening to Wilner the other night (I know, I know, i never learn) he was at great pains to explain how he really only had ONE bad start this year and this was it--of course that is patently ridiculous. He could have given up over 20 homers literally the last two starts--that not all landed in the seats is merely an example of statistical probability, not a veneration of Morrow's talents.

He went on to say how he'll get a mulligan tonight and many other nights and for people not to expect his progress be linear. Wilner actually called him a project and intimated better starters would take his spot soon anyway even if he didn't work out. Of course, even if that's true (Nicolino, Sanchez, Snydergaard) that is beside the point as regards Morrow himself and his production. Again, that's Wilner and his circular argumentation.

As much as a mouthpiece of Rogers as Wilner is, it's pretty clear this is the company line. He will not be criticized by them and he will get as many free passes as he wants because of his stuff. This is AA's project and he isn't going anywhere for a while unless he completely implodes.

To make a long post short: getting another pitcher to replace him would make it more difficult for Morrow to grow the way they want him to.

Edit** And, of course, this is a financially risk averse way to avoid having to pay someone what the actual going rate is (the horror)

[youreachiteach]

Well, it boils down to this: Tampa Bay currently has four batters bunched up in the 3-6 slots all hitting .300 or better. Our two best hitters are averaging .277 and .278.

Well, it's not as if AA said all the positions were filled and he accomplished all he wanted: He clearly stated the prices were too high (in terms of money in free agency or talent in trades) . So you knew he was going to go shopping. As others have intimated, the time for this kind of shopping is probably going to come too late for this season--unless something else happens that precipitates a team to get involved sooner.

Morneau might be our best option if we are shopping right now--I don't think Minny is contending this year and they could use the savings of a bought out Lind contract.

Let's hope so. I want a legit hitter to help out JBau (or, for those Bill James enthusiasts who pooh pooh "protection" --to help the entire team's offense )out.

[youreachiteach]

I've never understood why teams target 4th and 5th starters

If your aim is to bring in mediocrity...then that's what you'll get


AA should be saving his assets for when the time comes to deal for a legit ace

Teams need people to fill innings. Given the amount of teams in major league baseball there is a disparity in pitching talent--it's why Andy Petitte just won't die and keeps "making a comeback". There aren't enough "1s or 2s" around, so teams must of course sift through the leavings.

Having a fourth or fifth guy provides a chance for younger pitchers to hone their craft in triple A (or double A in our case). It also is a way of keeping a team more competitive than perhaps a higher upside guy might, as his starts might be more reliable rather than so inconsistent.

I believe AA is definitely considering dealing some of our young asset arm(s for a legitimate 1 or two) but the right deal has to be carefully considered because the one's coming up are considered awfully special.

[kavan]

So it comes out as true, our pitching has been hurting us and the bat is not where it needs to be. The analogy of Swiss Cheese for wholes in our line up start with the black whole Jose, and the beach ball throwing Bullpen and Morrow! We need a real arm, unless Hutchinson can prove himself.

[notic519]

What I don't get is why we didn't try to sign Cespedes for the LF job. Any scout would see with his athleticism he had potential. I know it's early but he would sure look good in a Jays uniform.

On another note Darvish would look good as a 5th starter. I hate how AA talks about acquiring a 5th starter or big bat when we could have easily done so in the offseason and it would not cost us any asset except money which Rogers has by the boat loads. So frustrating being a sports fan in Toronto. The one team that has a chance to do something could have acquired young core pieces decides to sit on their hands.

[dballislife]

right now, we're an avg team, thats all

[YogiStewart]

a big contract, eh?

Rogers is willing to sign an elite player for:

[tiger7]

Talk is cheap and so is Rogers.

[WpgPage]

Wonder what the A's want for McCarthy, a McCarthy/Ricky combo at the top of the rotation while not elite isn't half bad, better than what we got right now anyway. While I'm sure BB will charge a fair premium for him AA has shown faith in the players he acquired signing Bautista with very little evidence to back up his big season would be the best comparable. With McCarthy's past the FA market for him could be vary volatile and signing long term with a club may be the best way to maximize his $$ 4-5 years at 10-14 million per would be an excellent deal for the team leaves room to try and get another player in the 10-20M dollar range.

[whysoserious]

I don't get this comment from AA or line of thinking. They had a chance to get a big contract this summer and it wouldn't have cost them anything off the major/minor league rosters. Instead they have set their own criteria of not signing guys beyond 5 years. Good luck getting a top notch player.

Whether you believe Fielder was the right type of player or not, the guy is in his prime, would have helped the team. I know they use the line of well we're not expecting to contend this season and waiting for the right moment, but sometimes you have to sign a guy in anticipation of competing a year from now too because he's available. Now Votto, Fielder and Pujols are off the market.

[Scottish_Leaf]

It seems all talk ..does anyone think we will sign a player (any position) to a big contract before the deadline ?