The Official Jays Off-Season Thread (Rumours, Opinions, Etc)

[Wo1verine]

With the season now over i figured i'd wouldn't waste anytime in creating the official Blue Jays off-season thread to try and keep things active! So here we go!



137 players became free agents today, the MLB Players Association announced. Josh Hamilton, Zack Greinke and Michael Bourn are among the most prominent free agents of the year.

Teams have exclusive negotiating rights with their own free agents for five days following the completion of the World Series. Free agents can negotiate with all teams beginning at 12:01am EDT this Saturday, November 3rd.

You can view MLBTR's complete list of free agents here:
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/#kyMh2KpFJQEZAYSU.99



Questions heading into the off-season

- Who will be the new manager for your Toronto Blue Jays?

- Will Rogers Communications allow Alex Anthopoulos to spend any meaningful money this December?

- Will Yunel Ecsobar Be traded for SP help?

- Will one of the Lansing big three be traded?

- Will Rajai Davis option be picked up?


Feel free to add to this thread with whatever rumours, opinions you may have about our team heading into the winter meetings!

[polo007]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/b ... le4718793/

So this is an important off-season for Anthopoulos. The free-agent pitching market is thin – Ryan Dempster of the Texas Rangers and Edwin Jackson of the Washington Nationals are targets, sources say, but the Blue Jays are under no illusions that either is a No. 1 starter and have resolved that they will need to put together a package based around one of their big three pitching prospects (Noah Syndergaard, Aaron Sanchez and Justin Nicolino) if they are serious about getting a front of the rotation starter. Catcher J.P. Arencibia has already been linked to the Texas Rangers in a trade and shortstop Yunel Escobar’s value is higher than most people think, since the market at that position is razor thin.

[BigLeagueChew]

Some forecasted arbitration eligible numbers if it comes down to it.

Colby Rasmus - $4.5MM
Rajai Davis - $3.9MM (arbitration eligible if $3MM option is declined)
J.A. Happ - $3.8MM
Mike Aviles - $2.3MM
Cory Wade - $700K
Bobby Wilson - $600K
David Herndon - $600K

We have 2 days left to pick up Davis' option.

[Wo1verine]

I'd be surprised if the Jays didn't pickup Rajai's option.. Him off the bench would be very nice with his ability to hit LHP and pinch run.

[BigLeagueChew]

The Angels have explored the possibility of trading Dan Haren and Ervin Santana before Wednesday, the date on which option decisions are due, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. The Angels are not expected to exercise Haren’s $15.5MM option or Santana’s $13MM option.

A rival executive suggested to Heyman that it could be difficult to trade the pitchers given their disappointing performances in 2012. GM Jerry Dipoto wanted to trade Santana last winter, but owner Arte Moreno wanted to keep him, according to Heyman.

Here's my take: many teams are in need of starting pitching, so it’s possible that a club would look at the options and determine that they’re reasonable. They would be especially appealing to teams that are often spurned by free agents.

Also, a team that acquired Haren or Santana and exercised the option could make the hurler a qualifying offer following the 2013 season, assuming a rebound. That could net any acquiring organization a first-round pick in the 2014 draft.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/10/angels-could-trade-haren-santana.html

[BigLeagueChew]

Also, Polanco's option was declined in Philly. Might be a good option at 2nd for us.

[Wo1verine]

MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm provides a look at the Blue Jays upcoming offseason and tackles a host of free agent issues in the process:

Of the team's four free agents -- Kelly Johnson, Brandon Lyon, Jason Frasor and Carlos Villanueva -- the most likely to return is Frasor or Lyon. The bullpen has become a position of depth, however, with the acquisitions of Steve Delabar and Brad Lincoln. Sergio Santos should return in 2013 as well. That could mean all four free agents will find new homes.
The team has no interest in shopping Ricky Romero and selling on the left-hander when his value is at an all-time low.

There doesn't appear to be much interest in retaining Johnson, according to Chisholm. The team once had eyes on bringing Marco Scutaro back to Toronto, but his torrid run with the Giants has likely made him too spendy. Instead, Adeiny Hechavarria or Mike Aviles could take the role.

The Blue Jays aren't willing to give Villanueva a multi-year deal and an opportunity to pitch out of the rotation -- two things that the free agent is seeking. He'll likely pitch elsewhere in 2013.
Anibal Sanchez will probably get an "extended look," according to Chisholm, but it's more likely that GM Alex Anthopoulos will upgrade the rotation via trade.

The off-season just started and we have our beat writer already taking about how player X and Y are probably going to cost too much!

[Wo1verine]

Also, Polanco's option was declined in Philly. Might be a good option at 2nd for us.

This guy never K's! Still had a bad year this past season with an OPS of .629

[SharoneWright]

I'd be surprised if the Jays didn't pickup Rajai's option.. Him off the bench would be very nice with his ability to hit LHP and pinch run.

hopefully he can learn not to bunt and then not run.

[Randle McMurphy]

The Angels have explored the possibility of trading Dan Haren and Ervin Santana before Wednesday, the date on which option decisions are due, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. The Angels are not expected to exercise Haren’s $15.5MM option or Santana’s $13MM option.

A rival executive suggested to Heyman that it could be difficult to trade the pitchers given their disappointing performances in 2012. GM Jerry Dipoto wanted to trade Santana last winter, but owner Arte Moreno wanted to keep him, according to Heyman.

Here's my take: many teams are in need of starting pitching, so it’s possible that a club would look at the options and determine that they’re reasonable. They would be especially appealing to teams that are often spurned by free agents.

Also, a team that acquired Haren or Santana and exercised the option could make the hurler a qualifying offer following the 2013 season, assuming a rebound. That could net any acquiring organization a first-round pick in the 2014 draft.

Not that I'm the biggest Haren fan after the season he had, but this is a great opportunity here to get a good pitcher without having to invest in multiple years (because you're not going to be able to get even a decent FA pitcher without doing that) and to get one of those draft picks that AA covets so much. Of course, it's still 15.5M for one season and it's still Rogers. I don't expect anything.

[s e n s i]

anyone interested in dealing for ethier? he's got some canadian in 'em...and is a pretty decent ball player! destroys righties but is kinda mediocre against lefties, plays solid defense. contract runs through 2017 at $85m.

[Wo1verine]

I like Ethier, but when i seen his price tag of $85M, I realized it's probably not realistic

[hyper316]

Can Ethier pitch or play 2B? /green

[s e n s i]

Can Ethier pitch or play 2B? /green

no but he can play LF, a position that we desperately need to upgrade as well if we want any chance of competing next season

[hyper316]

Can Ethier pitch or play 2B? /green

no but he can play LF, a position that we desperately need to upgrade as well if we want any chance of competing next season

no, the blue jays are not that desperate for LF, there's gose, sierra, and rajai davis (if option picked up).

the jays are desperate in SP, next need is 2B but they can simply slide escobar to 2B and play hech

[s e n s i]

Can Ethier pitch or play 2B? /green

no but he can play LF, a position that we desperately need to upgrade as well if we want any chance of competing next season

no, the blue jays are not that desperate for LF, there's gose, sierra, and rajai davis (if option picked up).

you forgot the "/green" after that sentence. only 1 of those players should be on the opening day roster, and that player should be the 4th OF.

the jays are desperate in SP, next need is 2B but they can simply slide escobar to 2B and play hech

oh really?! i thought our rotation was set!

you know, it is possible to have holes to fill at more than one position

[hyper316]

yea ofc there's more than one spot to fill. but spending on a guy with a shiny new contract worth $85 million (over what 5 years?) while the biggest need is pitching. if AA indeed has only 20 million to spend this offseason through trade/FA, I'm sure it wont be on Ethier to upgrade on LF and make gose, sierra, davis sit on the bench

[s e n s i]

it doesn't have to be spent on ethier. there are a number of outfielders AA could inquire about that would instantly upgrade LF. this team needs another potent bat in the middle of the line-up if they want to compete. chances are, the 2B we acquire isn't going to be that. so if you seriously think we're set in LF with either one of two rookies, or rajai davis, who majority of this board can't stand in a full-time role, then i'm afraid you'll be disappointed in the team's offensive inconsistency come mid-season. hech, JPA, and our 2B/SS, and even CF are questionable on offense. adding gose, sierra, or davis (seriously?) to that bottom half of the order...yuck.

also davis can sit on the bench, as a 4th OF, which is where he truly belongs. gose and sierra can start the season in buffalo, which sounds like what AA wants to do based on his post-season wrap-up comments.

[hyper316]

i was strictly talking about Ethier for LF. If AA can find a good bat at low cost, sure go ahead. But not at the expense of Ethier's contract eating up most of AA's budget to spend this offseason and not being able to sign a SP.

I remember hearing about it, I could not find a print source about AA allowed to spend $20 million this offseason. Can someone share a link if they know it, thanks.

[s e n s i]

obviously i would like to upgrade the rotation, because it is the biggest hole that needs to be filled. but this team is far from set in LF. rajai davis is not a palatable option there. especially with potential uncertainties in the order at 2B and SS and perhaps even CF.