Jays trade Happ for Saunders

MikeM · Post #1 » by **MikeM** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:04 pm

No-brainer.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/jaysonst/status/540279696320380928[/tweet]

Nights King · Post #2 » by **Nights King** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:05 pm

awesome! I know there will be inevitable comparisons about trading a starter when our pitching depth is questionable but a guy like Happ is much easily replaced than an average-above average OF'er that is under team control for 2 more seasons
[tweet]https://twitter.com/ProspectInsider/status/540279857783918592[/tweet]

BramptonYute · Post #3 » by **BramptonYute** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:07 pm

How much, if any, money does this save us?

And does this mean that Cabrera isnt coming back?

Tyrone Slothrop · Post #4 » by **Tyrone Slothrop** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:10 pm

Nored wrote:And does this mean that Cabrera isnt coming back?

I would say that it's pretty unlikely now. Which is ok, as long as Michael Saunders stays healthy.

dagger · Post #5 » by **dagger** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:11 pm

Tyrone Slothrop wrote:
Nored wrote:And does this mean that Cabrera isnt coming back?

I would say that it's pretty unlikely now. Which is ok, as long as Michael Saunders stays healthy.

There is also a chance that it means Pompey starts the season in BUF.

Michael Bradley · Post #6 » by **Michael Bradley** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:12 pm

The trade that everyone saw (or should have seen) coming.

I'm not sure I like losing Happ if Estrada/Sanchez are the #5 starters. Although this saves even more money, so maybe AA goes after a starter now.

I like the move in isolation, Saunders is a potential 2 win player in a position of need, but Happ needs to be replaced, and not internally.

Nights King · Post #7 » by **Nights King** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:13 pm

Nored wrote:How much, if any, money does this save us?

And does this mean that Cabrera isnt coming back?

about a million or less i think

and yes it probably means Melky won't be resigned although Saunders in Centre and Melky in Left is possible

and we should be happy about this, the Jays are better off with Saunders in LF and Pompey in Center, i would be willing to bet that Saunders is a better player moving forward than Melky.

edit: i was wrong about the numbers, i used J.A Happ 2014 salary, teh Jays save more than a million here

TR50 · Post #8 » by **TR50** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:14 pm

I think it saves about 3 million.

Is Saunders a viable everyday CF? If so....then having Pompey start in Buffalo and bringing back Melky may be something the Jays brass are looking at.

EDIT: Maybe my numbers are off, but I read somewhere that Saunders is 2.7 million while Happ is just north of 5?

RINSE · Post #9 » by **RINSE** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:16 pm

Jays save about 3.8m with this deal

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Lateral Quicks · Post #10 » by **Lateral Quicks** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:18 pm

I think this is AA balking at the price for guys like Markakis, Melky and Aoki. I don't blame him. Saunders also has an extra year of team control over another rumoured acquisition in Fowler.

We're buying high on Saunders, but he does provide that left-handed bat we need out of LF. If he struggles against lefties we can also give Pillar a bit more playing time.

Losing Happ has very interesting ramifications for the rotation. Who steps into the #5 spot? Estrada? (Please no!) Sanchez? Norris?

dagger · Post #11 » by **dagger** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:18 pm

Happ's salary is $6.7m
Arb projection for Saunders is $2.9

MikeM · Post #12 » by **MikeM** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:18 pm

I predict we sign Gavin Floyd.

dagger · Post #13 » by **dagger** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:20 pm

Lateral Quicks wrote:I think this is AA balking at the price for guys like Markakis, Melky and Aoki. I don't blame him. Saunders also has an extra year of team control over another rumoured acquisition in Fowler.

We're buying high on Saunders, but he does provide that left-handed bat we need out of LF. If he struggles against lefties we can also give Pillar a bit more playing time.

Losing Happ has very interesting ramifications for the rotation. Who steps into the #5 spot? Estrada? (Please no!) Sanchez? Norris?

Well, at the rate AA has created financial space with the non-tenders and now this, with Dinner likely to be dealt, too, something more than signing our own minimum salary guys has to be coming, or Beeston lied about the payroll rising.

BigLeagueChew · Post #14 » by **BigLeagueChew** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:21 pm

Alright then Sanchez as our 5th starter over Estrada?

BramptonYute · Post #15 » by **BramptonYute** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:23 pm

Oops, wrong thread.

dagger · Post #16 » by **dagger** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:23 pm

Combined with the signing of Justin Smoak, initially non-tendered Tuesday, for $1 million, the Blue Jays now have nearly $119 million in commitments and arbitration projections for 16 players, leaving them roughly $21 million to fill out the roster on the assumption of a $140 million payroll.

Another $5 million can be freed up by trading Dioner Navarro, but the Blue Jays will only move him if they get value in return since he helps the team as a backup catcher/DH. He’s believed to have garnered significant interest.

TR50 · Post #17 » by **TR50** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:25 pm

dagger wrote:
Lateral Quicks wrote:I think this is AA balking at the price for guys like Markakis, Melky and Aoki. I don't blame him. Saunders also has an extra year of team control over another rumoured acquisition in Fowler.

We're buying high on Saunders, but he does provide that left-handed bat we need out of LF. If he struggles against lefties we can also give Pillar a bit more playing time.

Losing Happ has very interesting ramifications for the rotation. Who steps into the #5 spot? Estrada? (Please no!) Sanchez? Norris?

Well, at the rate AA has created financial space with the non-tenders and now this, with Dinner likely to be dealt, too, something more than signing our own minimum salary guys has to be coming, or Beeston lied about the payroll rising.

I want to temper my expectations but this gets me a tad bit excited. I think bringing back Melky and shifting Saunders to CF would be nice...and that would be more than enough offense to offset whoever we put at 2B (be it Macier, Goins, Travis, Me).

I get the sense that the pitching staff and BP still isn't the number one focus (funny because it really needs to be addressed)...and that Melky is still being looked at, just for our terms.

SharoneWright · Post #18 » by **SharoneWright** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:25 pm

Smooth move.

I'm almost equally happy to open up a rotation spot for Sanchez. Time for the talent.

There There · Post #19 » by **There There** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:25 pm

TR50 wrote:I think it saves about 3 million.

Is Saunders a viable everyday CF? If so....then having Pompey start in Buffalo and bringing back Melky may be something the Jays brass are looking at.

EDIT: Maybe my numbers are off, but I read somewhere that Saunders is 2.7 million while Happ is just north of 5?

The metrics are pretty ugly for Saunders in CF.... Ideally, Saunders would be a platoon only guy since he doesn't add value defensively.

edit... And by platoon, I mean in left. Saunders/Mayberry would have made for a potentially very solid pairing in left.

TR50 · Post #20 » by **TR50** » Wed Dec 3, 2014 11:29 pm

There There wrote:
TR50 wrote:I think it saves about 3 million.

Is Saunders a viable everyday CF? If so....then having Pompey start in Buffalo and bringing back Melky may be something the Jays brass are looking at.

EDIT: Maybe my numbers are off, but I read somewhere that Saunders is 2.7 million while Happ is just north of 5?

The metrics are pretty ugly for Saunders in CF.... Ideally, Saunders would be a platoon only guy since he doesn't add value defensively.

Fair enough....and after reading this (http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/bl ... -for-happ/)...I think it's safe to say that Saunders is here to play LF and LF only.

If Davidi is saying that our efforts for Melky are likely over...then it's gotta be true, right? Might as well take to comp pick and use our slightly new found flexibility to plug some more.