Jays & Rangers front runners for Garza?

[Lateral Quicks]

It would be a terrible move. AA has proven capable of these from time to time; let us hope this won't be one of those times.

[flatjacket1]

IMO our more pressing need is a C, 2B or 3B - wherever Lawrie doesn't play - and a bench bat. Trading more prospects for even more pitching doesn't make sense. Either way, This season is done, just let it play out, trade anyone if presented with a really good offer, and try to improve in the offseason

More pressing needs at two of C, 2B or 3B?

I'd rather see a stopgap. You failed to identify that our starting pitchers have a combined ERA of 5.07, 2nd worst in the league. Our FIP is also 2nd worst in the league, so whether you are into advanced stats or traditional stats, we are really, really bad.

Sure we are worst at 2B, 2nd worst at 2B, and 2nd worst at 3B, but all of those positions have upside. JPA is young enough and proven over short stints he can be special, Bonifacio is an exciting player when you look at all prior seasons (this year could be an anomaly), and if you don't but that, Izturis has shown he is a different player than when the season started, and Lawrie also has tremendous upside.

Our biggest hole in my eyes is our starting pitching. Two guys (Buehrle/Dickey) on the staff have shown signs that age is getting the best of them, and two other pitchers (Happ/Morrow) are great only when healthy, and our biggest SP acquisition (Johnson) is likely leaving via FA.

Not giving up on anybody, but like 40M of our SP payroll is either leaving, tied into a large contract over their decline and backloaded contracts.

I think we have options at all the positions you listed, and if those options don't work we have stopgaps in the minors (AAA).

I would rather see us go after SP via trade.

[Schad]

It would be a terrible move. AA has proven capable of these from time to time; let us hope this won't be one of those times.

Indeed. We need starting pitching, absolutely. But I don't really like the idea of signing Garza unless we can extend him instantly...and I don't like extending him instantly unless Rogers has decided that they're going to allow a payroll of $150m or more. Dickey/Morrow/Garza/Happ/Romero/Buehrle would cost a combined $60-65m, and that's without the possibility that we give a QO to Johnson (and he signs), in which case we'd be paying $80m and still might not be able to craft an effective rotation out of the seven of them.

[flatjacket1]

Forgot to mention that one of the things that would have to happen for it to work would be an extension, ala R.A. Dickey deal.

[Geddy]

Read some blurbs here and there that suggested that the Blue Jays are one of the many teams after Bud Norris. Is he someone worth going after?

[Schad]

Read some blurbs here and there that suggested that the Blue Jays are one of the many teams after Bud Norris. Is he someone worth going after?

I'd rather we didn't. He gives up a lot of hits, and prior to this year, gave up a lot of home runs...that suggests that he's probably just getting lucky that fly balls are staying in the park, and when that ceases to happen (say, because he moved to the AL East) in might be ugly. And he won't be particularly cheap, given that he has a couple arb years remaining before free agency.

[LBJSeizedMyID]

Like anything, it depends on the cost. If you're a team looking for consistency, perhaps, Norris isn't the best option. Might not be enough separation between his fastball and changeup, but does seem to be gaining more velocity on his fastball as the warmer months have approached us.

[Schad]

Glad that we didn't get involved...Texas sent a significant enough package that it likely would have cost us one of Sanchez/Osuna/Davis.