Adding Ortiz/Swisher- compete next season

number15 · Post #1 » by **number15** » Thu Aug 9, 2012 10:29 pm

Bleacher report recently had an article saying they think AA will target Bautista's buddy David Ortiz hard and that JAYS should be favorites to land Nick Swisher as Yankees look to walk away from him.

Lawrie(3b)
Rasmus (cf)
Bautista(rf)
Ortiz (DH)
Encarnacion (1b)
Arenciobia/D'Arenaud (c)
Escobar (2b)
Hechavaria (ss)

................. now that is a lineup that can match up with ANY in the MLB.

leaves us with pitching questions with all the money to Ortiz/Swisher, but AA would then make trades for starters.

we would be set on all positions for a while so AA could afford to trade prospects especially position prospects for veteran pitching.

JoeyBats · Post #2 » by **JoeyBats** » Thu Aug 9, 2012 10:36 pm

I want Kelly signed to a 2 year deal. I'm not ready to see Hech play everyday. Ortiz might be a Frank Thomas type of signing, so i'm not sure if he's the answer. But i'm all for Swisher.

diddykong · Post #3 » by **diddykong** » Thu Aug 9, 2012 11:46 pm

really johnson to a 2 year deal? he has been HORRENDOUS this year. im sure they can find someone through trade or free agent. id like swisher or ortiz, but we're gonna have to overpay and we know the jays arent gonna do that.

acemann · Post #4 » by **acemann** » Thu Aug 9, 2012 11:49 pm

I'd rather

Ortiz and Melky

Post #5 » by **spykelee** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 12:14 am

I think Johnson is a good player. He had a groin injury earlier this season, and has since gotten a cortisone shot. Since then, he's been shite, but I think without that injury, and him deciding to play through it in a contract year, he would have had a big year. At the start of the season, the guy was carrying our team.

tiger7 · Post #6 » by **tiger7** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 1:18 am

Hate Swisher. What a douche bag. Don't want Yankee scum on our team.

Raptor04 · Post #7 » by **Raptor04** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 2:40 am

Even though I'd agree Johnson is better than what he's shown this year, I still don't really see him as a great fit in our lineup. We already have quite a few HR hitters, so I think his marginal power doesn't help the team more than his insane strikeout rate hurts us. But who could we get in a trade? Surely decent 2b hitters are a premium in the MLB market. So who serves as a decent replacement?

Then we need upgrades in LF and at DH. I'd really try to make a move for Justin Upton (give the Dbacks atleast 2 of our top 10 prospects) and then aim to sign Ortiz. These would be ideal since Upton would be signed to the Rogers Special Deal (as cheap as possible for highest level of talent) and Ortiz would also likely not command a long commitment (his marketability could likely compensate Rogers enough to give him a loaded 2 year deal). We would then be able to go into the season with this lineup:

3B- Lawrie
CF- Rasmus
LF- Upton
RF- Bautista
DH- Ortiz
1B- Encarnacion
C- Arencibia/D'Arnaud Platoon
SS- Escobar
2B- (Trade)

Rajai Davis/Moises Sierra (backup OF)
Lind (backup 1B/DH)
FA Sign/Hech (backup 2B/SS/3B)

That would give us some solid depth imo.

CapeCrusader · Post #8 » by **CapeCrusader** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 3:20 am

Like I said in another thread, I feel Ortiz will be prime target this offseason. The Bo Sox seemed like they didn't even want him on the roster this year, even though he seems to be getting better like fine wine.

Wonder how much it would take to get the man, at his age I'm hoping no more then what Bautista is getting but defiantly more then Edwin.

Swisher would be nice, especially being a switch hitter. But I don't think the Yanks let him go.

MikeM · Post #9 » by **MikeM** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 1:40 pm

LF - Melky Cabrera
3B - Brett Lawrie
RF - Jose Bautista
DH - David Ortiz
1B - Edwin Encarnacion
CF - Colby Rasmus
C - Travis D'Arnaud
2B - Yunel Escobar
SS - Adeiny Hechavarria

kwamebargnani · Post #10 » by **kwamebargnani** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 7:05 pm

Our rotation looks like

Morrow
Romero
Alvarez
Happ
Whatever

Adding a couple batters won't be enough.

Wo1verine · Post #11 » by **Wo1verine** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 7:36 pm

Team needs two SP's, (especially after what RickyRo and Hendo have shown this year) and a bat, imo

tiger7 · Post #12 » by **tiger7** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 7:39 pm

The starting rotation and pitching depth are a much higher off season priority though adding some heavy hitters would be nice.

CapeCrusader · Post #13 » by **CapeCrusader** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 10:31 pm

You guys are right about SP's, but besides maybe Marcum. I highly doubt AA will actually make a legit offer to any of the top FA pitchers this offseason. Getting a pitcher or two will be most likely come from trades.

baulderdash77 · Post #14 » by **baulderdash77** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 2:42 am

AAisnt willing to give up the value of the prospects in a trade and isn't willing to overpay for a free agent.

Lets see who Houston releases or doesn't tender next year. That should be an indicator of our next move.

Post #15 » by **Geddy** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 4:16 am

Ortiz isn't happy with the one year deals Boston has been giving him so the only way to land him would be to offer him a multi-year deal. Not sure how he'll keep up as he gets older, though he has had a bit of a resurgence.

bigdirty · Post #16 » by **bigdirty** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 12:45 pm

Wo1verine wrote:Team needs two SP's, (especially after what RickyRo and Hendo have shown this year) and a bat, imo

Yup, another "we're years away from competing" situation for the Jays that will give them an excuse not to spend money AGAIN.

Swervin81 · Post #17 » by **Swervin81** » Sun Aug 12, 2012 11:16 pm

Ideally, I'd like Marcum and a veteran innings eater for 2 SPs who can fill out the 3 and 4 spots, with Ortiz as a DH. In interleague play, we can just move Big Papi to 1B and Encarnacion to LF.

dagger · Post #18 » by **dagger** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 2:18 am

Sounds as if AA believes his core of position players is ready for contention and that starting pitching is his only/main preoccupation.

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/08/ ... -rotation/

“You know for the most part this is going to be a very good, deep offensive team, and we’ll have some young kids behind some of these guys for depth … Offensively, I feel very good about it.

“The bullpen, you see how deep it is compared to what it was in the middle of the season when we had to call some guys up from New Hampshire and get guys on outright waivers and so on. It’s not to disparage anybody, but now you look at the depth in what we have in that pen, and even going forward, and you feel like that’s going to be an area of strength.”

Now he will focus on finding starting pitchers.

“Obviously, there’s one area left and it’s an important one,” he said. “But I think it’s easier to handle that when you have one area rather than five.”

kwamebargnani · Post #19 » by **kwamebargnani** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 2:47 am

Is he really comfortable with Lind at 1st/DH, Davis in LF and Hech(?) at 2nd. Not to mention, uncertainties at SS, 3B and C positions.

RapsFanInVA · Post #20 » by **RapsFanInVA** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 2:49 am

dagger wrote:Sounds as if AA believes his core of position players is ready for contention and that starting pitching is his only/main preoccupation.

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/08/ ... -rotation/

“You know for the most part this is going to be a very good, deep offensive team, and we’ll have some young kids behind some of these guys for depth … Offensively, I feel very good about it.

“The bullpen, you see how deep it is compared to what it was in the middle of the season when we had to call some guys up from New Hampshire and get guys on outright waivers and so on. It’s not to disparage anybody, but now you look at the depth in what we have in that pen, and even going forward, and you feel like that’s going to be an area of strength.”

Now he will focus on finding starting pitchers.

“Obviously, there’s one area left and it’s an important one,” he said. “But I think it’s easier to handle that when you have one area rather than five.”

I agree with him. This rash of injuries had made people forget how great our offense is. Gose and Hech as bench guys won't be so terrible. No matter how much they struggle the rest of the season, this is valuable experience. Our bullpen should be fine, especially if Santos comes back full strength. Then once McGowan and Litsch return our rotation will be solid (kidding)

I like Morrow/Romero/Alvarez as 2/3/5 guys. I don't really trust Happ yet in the rotation, and would probably prefer Villanueva at the back end. Acquiring an ace isn't easy, but if we did I think we'd be poised to compete.