ESPN.com: Blue Jays suddenly in a great spot

[polo007]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/blog/_/name/stark_jayson

And the Blue Jays aren't done. They aren't done spending (not with more than $90 million already committed to 10 players in 2014). And they aren't done shopping. They're out hunting for more top-of-the-rotation starting pitchers as we speak. And even after sending seven players to what's left of the Marlins, this is a team with the system depth to make another major trade.

But let's worry about the Blue Jays' next major trade some other time, OK? For the moment, let's just ask: How good are they right now? I tossed that question at one NL executive this week. And here's how he answered it, with no hesitation:

"I would have to pick them to win that division. The Yankees are getting older. Boston is done -- for next year. Tampa Bay is going to lose players. And what was Baltimore's record in close games -- like 28-1? Tell me that's going to happen again. So right now, for me, the Blue Jays are the best team in that division."

All right, so they don't have a true No. 1 starter to match up with a CC Sabathia or a David Price -- "but what they do have is a lot of No. 2s and 3s," the same NL exec said. And some of those No. 2s and 3s have a chance to be more than that. Brandon Morrow comes to mind. Ricky Romero comes to mind. And then there's Josh Johnson.

"To me, he's a No. 2 or 3 now, not a No. 1," the exec said. "His fastball isn't the same. The number [on the radar gun] is the same [as it was in his prime]. The life and the finish aren't. … But I think he'll be better next year. He's still got a chance to come back [from his shoulder issues]. And this is a big year for him [with free agency a year away]."

Now add in the ever-reliable Mark Buehrle. Add in a bullpen full of live arms and, theoretically, a healthy Sergio Santos. Add in an offense that was three runs shy of leading the major leagues in runs scored the day Jose Bautista got hurt last July -- and now has imported the top-of-the-lineup energy of Jose Reyes and Emilio Bonifacio. And what do you have?

You have the best team in the AL East. On paper. On Nov. 21. That's what.

And even though it's only Thanksgiving weekend, it's been a long time since we've been able to say that about the Toronto Blue Jays. Wouldn't you say?

[torontoaces04]

They love us!!! They really, really, love us!!!

[James_Raptors]

This reminds me of the early 90's <3

[Waylon Mercy]

Baltimore is such a fluke no way Jim Johnson gets 51 saves or whatever it was again. I hope BJ Upton
goes to the National League in FA. Boston still has Big Pappi, Ellsbury, Pedroia, Lester etc if they
stay healthy and some of those guys have bounce back years they could be a + .500 team depending
what they do in FA.

Yankees older core of Jeter, Rivera, A-Rod, Pettite are on their last legs but their younger core
of Cano, Texiera, Granderson and Sabathia shouldn't be sneezed at. If the Yankees are struggling
they'll always get somebody at the trade deadline.

The Jays have a lot of ?'s and a couple of holes that need to be addressed but as of right now I
don't know if their is a favorite in the AL East.

After what Baltimore and Oakland pulled off this year you never really know what can happen in Baseball
all I know is we're looooong over due for some good karma.

[CapeCrusader]

I dunno about the best, second best at least. If anything tied tops with the Yanks.

[RapsFanInVA]

Baltimore is such a fluke no way Jim Johnson gets 51 saves or whatever it was again. I hope BJ Upton
goes to the National League in FA. Boston still has Big Pappi, Ellsbury, Pedroia, Lester etc if they
stay healthy and some of those guys have bounce back years they could be a + .500 team depending
what they do in FA.

Yankees older core of Jeter, Rivera, A-Rod, Pettite are on their last legs but their younger core
of Cano, Texiera, Granderson and Sabathia shouldn't be sneezed at. If the Yankees are struggling
they'll always get somebody at the trade deadline.

The Jays have a lot of ?'s and a couple of holes that need to be addressed but as of right now I
don't know if their is a favorite in the AL East.

After what Baltimore and Oakland pulled off this year you never really know what can happen in Baseball
all I know is we're looooong over due for some good karma.

All of the "younger core" for the Yankees are 30+ years old. I don't see them as a long term threat, and even in the short term injuries are more likely to affect players 30+ years old.

[Waylon Mercy]

Baltimore is such a fluke no way Jim Johnson gets 51 saves or whatever it was again. I hope BJ Upton
goes to the National League in FA. Boston still has Big Pappi, Ellsbury, Pedroia, Lester etc if they
stay healthy and some of those guys have bounce back years they could be a + .500 team depending
what they do in FA.

Yankees older core of Jeter, Rivera, A-Rod, Pettite are on their last legs but their younger core
of Cano, Texiera, Granderson and Sabathia shouldn't be sneezed at. If the Yankees are struggling
they'll always get somebody at the trade deadline.

The Jays have a lot of ?'s and a couple of holes that need to be addressed but as of right now I
don't know if their is a favorite in the AL East.

After what Baltimore and Oakland pulled off this year you never really know what can happen in Baseball
all I know is we're looooong over due for some good karma.

All of the "younger core" for the Yankees are 30+ years old. I don't see them as a long term threat, and even in the short term injuries are more likely to affect players 30+ years old.

Are we that much different?

Bautista 32
EE 30
Reyes 30
Melky 29
Buehrle 34
Johnson 29
Morrow 29

All I'm saying is people are always predicting the premature demise of the Yankees and their always
in there at the end. I still think out of all the AL East teams they will be the biggest thorn in our side
and depending who Tampa loses Joe Maddon always seems to get the most out of his roster and
they borderline over achieve.

[Randle McMurphy]

Not sure why you listed everyone there but Bautista as a year older than they actually are. Besides, it's not necessary to skew the truth to make the point. When you have a 200M payroll, you're pretty much always going to be able to contend. I wouldn't start doubting the Yankees.

[Waylon Mercy]

Not sure why you listed everyone there but Bautista as a year older than they actually are. Besides, it's not necessary to skew the truth to make the point. When you have a 200M payroll, you're pretty much always going to be able to contend. I wouldn't start doubting the Yankees.

Because that's the age they will be or turning during the 2013 season

[satyr9]

When you have a 200M payroll, you're pretty much always going to be able to contend. I wouldn't start doubting the Yankees.

Yeah, I've heard (and said occasionally) that the Yankees are getting older for like 15 years. By opening day the rotation will be strong and while Arod and Teix appeared to be dropping fast, they're like 6/7 hitters on the Yankees at this point, something I'm fairly certain they can live up to. They had the best offense in baseball and need to replace Swisher, but are already adding Gardner back. Even with their new payroll restrictions to get under tax for a year, I don't think they're going to have too hard time pulling it off.

God I hate the Yankees.

[Randle McMurphy]

Not sure why you listed everyone there but Bautista as a year older than they actually are. Besides, it's not necessary to skew the truth to make the point. When you have a 200M payroll, you're pretty much always going to be able to contend. I wouldn't start doubting the Yankees.

Because that's the age they will be or turning during the 2013 season

I'm aware, but if you're posting their ages right now and want to be intellectually honest about it, they should be what they are right now, not 9-10 months from now (unless you've specified differently, which you didn't).

[Randle McMurphy]

When you have a 200M payroll, you're pretty much always going to be able to contend. I wouldn't start doubting the Yankees.

Yeah, I've heard (and said occasionally) that the Yankees are getting older for like 15 years. By opening day the rotation will be strong and while Arod and Teix appeared to be dropping fast, they're like 6/7 hitters on the Yankees at this point, something I'm fairly certain they can live up to. They had the best offense in baseball and need to replace Swisher, but are already adding Gardner back. Even with their new payroll restrictions to get under tax for a year, I don't think they're going to have too hard time pulling it off.

God I hate the Yankees.

Remember this offensive behemoth from when Gibbons managed:

Damon
Jeter
Sheffield
ARod
Giambi
Matsui
Posada
Cano
Melky

Everyone said those guys would age and the Yankees would fall off. Age they did, but the Yankees are still right near the best in baseball even without them. They basically managed to replace each of these players (outside of Cano, ARod, and Jeter who are still good) with either very solid or elite options. I see no reason to think it won't happen again. Money may not buy happiness, but it basically buys winning in baseball if you spend enough of it.

[RapsFanInVA]

I'm sticking to my theory that eventually age and giant contracts will slow down the Yankees. If I bet on it every year, eventually I'll get it right. Shouldn't A-Rod's contract hinder the Yanks' ability to go out and buy new pitchers every year? Probably just wishful thinking. I'm not that impressed with their rotation outside of Sabathia.

[Michael Bradley]

I'd be more comfortable with the Jays if they replaced Lind in the lineup and got another good starter to push Happ to the #6/long reliever role. I think Happ is a more than capable bottom of the rotation starter, but if the team can have five starters better than him, and still have him in case of injury, that would be ideal. I think AA learned after last season's debacle that you need at least 7 starter options over the course of a season, if not more. If the payroll is going to be as high as it appears to be, then don't settle for anything. Be great, not good.

[satyr9]

I'm sticking to my theory that eventually age and giant contracts will slow down the Yankees. If I bet on it every year, eventually I'll get it right. Shouldn't A-Rod's contract hinder the Yanks' ability to go out and buy new pitchers every year? Probably just wishful thinking. I'm not that impressed with their rotation outside of Sabathia.

This logic is true, but imagine I bet it won't catch up with them each year and you bet it will. By the time you're right once, I've won enough money to put your kids through college.

Nothing hinders the Yankees ability to spend money except the Yankees. They want to save some tax money so their payroll is very low (for them) right now (in comparison to the league and adjusted for inflation). I promise, the instant they meet their tax target or decide to throw the strategy away, a 300m+ Yankees team will shortly follow. With the talk about how much money teams are getting from tv, and the Yankees new Newcorp/YES monstrosity deal locked in for 30 years, my guess is the Yanks could spend closer to a half billion than a quarter billion and still make coin.

I think they've learned to target true elites rather than the best player that year in FA, so the ramp up may take more time than in the past, but if it can be said that the highest payroll team in any sport is a sleeping giant, the Yankees would be that team right now.

[The_Hater]

Are we that much different?

Bautista 32
EE 30
Reyes 30
Melky 29
Buehrle 34
Johnson 29
Morrow 29

All I'm saying is people are always predicting the premature demise of the Yankees and their always
in there at the end. I still think out of all the AL East teams they will be the biggest thorn in our side
and depending who Tampa loses Joe Maddon always seems to get the most out of his roster and
they borderline over achieve.

The Yankees core is significantly older. in 2013 ARod will be 37. Jeter 39 and coming off injury. Rivera 43 and coming off injury. Pettitte may or may not return at age 41. Kuroda resigned, he's 38. Teix is 33. CC 33. Granderson 32. Cano will be the young buck in their lineup at 30. The 2012 version was by far the oldest team in baseball and one of the oldest teams we've seen in years and I'm not sure what they're doing to get younger.

Then there's the free-agents. Swisher 33, Suzuki 39, Martin 30, Ibanez 41, Chavez 35, Jones 36. 5 of those guys started at least 1 playoff game and who knows who or what they'll be replaced with.

The only 20-somethings on the Yankees roster are their long RP's and Nova and Hughes on the backend of the rotation.

All that said, I do agree with you that I don't think you can ever count out the Yankees. When was the last time they weren't contenders in this division? They'll still have a huge payroll and they always seem to find a way. The off-season doesn't finish in November. But I don't think they've entered an of-season with more question marks than they have right now. Tons of FA's and the Jeter/Rivera injuries. Even if Jeter returns, how bad is his range going to be at SS? God knows he's not going to agree to a positional chance. 39 and a bad wheel? We might be looking at one of the worst SS range factors on record.

[Skin Blues]

The Yankees are bringing payroll below $189M. They have an enormous contract in A-Rod which will be taking up 15% of their payroll for the next 5 years. I'm sure Jeter will be signed to another ridiculous contract which will take up another 10% of their budget for 2013/14. Their young pitching becoming either injured/ineffective in the big leagues (Hughes/Chamberlain/Pineda) or minors (Betances/Banuelos) will hurt even more if they're forced to stop spending on all of the top free agents. They need a few of those guys to be viable mid-rotation starters in a year or two.

Sure, the Yanks were great last season but they'll be losing Swisher, Soriano, possibly Pettitte, possibly Rivera, plus everybody else is a year older and will have more injuries/health issues (ie: breaking your ankle while fielding a ground ball, tearing a leg muscle running to first base, anything A-Rod does, shagging fly balls during batting practice, or straining an oblique while trying to wolf down a box of Cap'n Crunch.) This is definitely the right time to strike with both the Yankees and Red Sox on the ropes.

[The_Hater]

I forgot about Pineda. looks like he might miss all of 2013 as well now. And here I thought that the Yankees made a fantastic trade getting him from Seattle, he looked like a future ace.

[satyr9]

I forgot about Pineda. looks like he might miss all of 2013 as well now. And here I thought that the Yankees made a fantastic trade getting him from Seattle, he looked like a future ace.

What's mildly amusing is in some ways it helps NYY in its sub 189m 2014 goal as he'll still be pre-arb instead of arb that year. Depending on how good he is on return that'll save them some dough.

[Lateral Quicks]

I forgot about Pineda. looks like he might miss all of 2013 as well now. And here I thought that the Yankees made a fantastic trade getting him from Seattle, he looked like a future ace.

Have to feel bad for Pineda and the Yankees. The latter can take some solace from the fact Montero had a rough season in Seattle, but he still figures to be a good hitter going forward. Will Pineda ever return as a good pitcher?