You Fix The Team

[DuckDuckGose]

Really? He's a league average 2B over a full season (this year anyways).

 

Ya, it's been a small sample this season and the K rates are down for no real reason. He's been a 0.5 - 1.0 WAR guy for most of his career and I suspect he will be in that range the rest of his career. He is just an average defender and first year arb eligible, not that he'll get that much. I'd honestly rather have Izturis, I don't really see any reason to pick him up at all.

[GD]

Gordon Beckham could possibly be non tendered per Rotoworld. He would be a decent 2B option. Around 90 wRC+ with above average fielding.

 

This would be nice.

[G-Snarls]

I'd like to see Buck back actually. He is a 1 - 1.5 WAR player but, he has some pop and is likeable.

 

Sure. Think we could get him for Mathis money? (1.5M instead of 6?)

[GD]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/09/east-links.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

The Mets covet the Rockies' Carlos Gonzalez, and one executive familiar with the Rockies' thinking tells Harper they're likely to listen to offers for the star outfielder. However, a trade appears unlikely, as the Rockies want young position players and aren't interested in what the Mets can offer in that regard. Colorado may also consider offers for Troy Tulowitzki, Harper says.

 

Just throwing it out there

[KSaw]

I'm taking bets that McGowan is in the rotation to start next season at even money but if he's the opening day starter I get 10-1....

[G-Snarls]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/09/east-links.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

 

 

Just throwing it out there

 

What could we possibly give them to get CarGo and not wreck the team in the process?? We can only wish.

[G-Snarls]

What we need is for 3-4 of these injury returning starters and prospect starters to get real good or at least look good to opposing GM's. Then we have trade chips.

[KSaw]

What we need is for 3-4 of these injury returning starters and prospect starters to get real good or at least look good to opposing GM's. Then we have trade chips.

 

We honestly have a good trade chip in Lind. Hard to believe but at 7 million and controlled, his value is rising. His monster home run off a lefty reliever a few days ago wasn't meaningless. That was his price going up.

 

As I said at the very start if this thread, ship Lind to Pittsburgh for one of their young and blocked starters and sign Beltran. His signing here is already got some rumor mill action and the season isn't even over yet.

[KSaw]

Are there 5 quality starters from this group?

 

Dickey

Johnson (if signed)

Morrow

Buehrle

Happ

Hutchison

McGowan

Kingham (trade for Lind from Pittsburgh)

Redmond

Drabek

Nolin

Rogers

Stroman

[Abomination]

James McDonald could be somewhat interesting as well if we're looking for other starters.

[GD]

James McDonald could be somewhat interesting as well if we're looking for other starters.

 

Just elected free agency. Certainly worth a look.

[KSaw]

Doesn't hurt to look. Btw, I did not intentionally leave Romero off that list. Simply forgot him.

[DuckDuckGose]

Are there 5 quality starters from this group?

 

Dickey

Johnson (if signed)

Morrow

Buehrle

Happ

Hutchison

McGowan

Kingham (trade for Lind from Pittsburgh)

Redmond

Drabek

Nolin

Rogers

Stroman

 

I think there is probably 5. I'm not very confident there is the 7 or 8 necessary to get through a full season and I don't believe any of them will be top of the rotation talents next season.

[Laika]

Dickey - #2/3

Johnson - won't be back

Morrow - #3

Buehrle - #4

Happ - #6

Hutchison - #4/5

McGowan - RP

Redmond - #5

Drabek - #4/5

Nolin - #5

Rogers - #6

Stroman - #3/4

 

Depth is fine for next year. Big need for above average starters though. Even just a couple of solid #3 types maybe.

[Laika]

There's a chance Johnson is back, AA wanted to know more about his health in the next few weeks to know if he wanted to offer a contract or not. He won't be a number one, but he'll be a better bargain than Garza. Another FA target that should come cheap with a #2/#3 upside is Kazmir (if Indians don't extend him).

 

Dickey

Buehrle

Johnson

Kazmir

Morrow

 

Would look good especially with the depth.

 

Sure, there's a reason for AA to offer Johnson some type of contract, but I can't think of why Josh Johnson would be so dumb as to accept it. Who takes a pillow contract in the AL East? JJ would have to have an IQ in the 70's, or the Blue Jays would have to offer many millions more than the next highest team. I just can't see it happening.

 

Well, I'd be very surprised. And I don't really care either, JJ is a flake. Even if you buy into his fielding independent stats from this year, he's still a guy that pitched just 81 innings, 2 years after pitching just 60. I'll take one of him and Morrow in the starting 5 for the upside they have, but a rotation with both of them is doomed. DOOOOOOOOMED.

[Convo]

His agent has been quoted saying he would accept a QO.

 

Thanks for that uber information, you must have the super insider infoz.

[GD]

Thanks for that uber information, you must have the super insider infoz.

 

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/davidi-johnson-has-unfinished-business-with-jays/

“If (Johnson) got a qualifying offer he’d be happy to take it, and my sense is that it will be based on how Alex and his medical staff feel the chances are that he’s going to have a healthy year next year. If they make a qualifying offer to him, our expectation is that he’ll go back to Toronto and if they don’t, it’s certainly not going to be personal,” says Sosnick, who praises Anthopoulos for his bold moves last off-season and enjoys working with the GM.

[Laika]

His agent has been quoted saying he would accept a QO.

 

No s*** he would. That's probably a lot more than he'd get on the open market.

 

I doubt the Jays offer it though. This is the team that signed Cordero because ERA. You really think they have any confidence in JJ?

[Frenchsoup]

That I don't know. I do know he won't really want to let him walk for nothing and waste him. His plan was to get a common pick initially I'm sure.

 

Agreed i think he'll be back and i hope he's back, i honestly think a new catcher can help all this staff out a lot. The incompetence back there the last couple of years is baffling.

[KSaw]

Dickey - #2/3

Johnson - won't be back

Morrow - #3

Buehrle - #4

Happ - #6

Hutchison - #4/5

McGowan - RP

Redmond - #5

Drabek - #4/5

Nolin - #5

Rogers - #6

Stroman - #3/4

 

Depth is fine for next year. Big need for above average starters though. Even just a couple of solid #3 types maybe.

 

I agree with most of that, though I'm almost convinced that McGowan starts next year. I also like Hutchison a bit more.

[G-Snarls]

That I don't know. I do know he won't really want to let him walk for nothing and waste him. His plan was to get a comp pick initially I'm sure.

 

Agreed

 

But when the season started, AA would have assumed:

 

Dickey and Morrow have really good years

 

Johnson will pitch well and be in a position to expect an offer of a 3-4 year big $ contract

 

Based in that, a QO and draft pick seemed likely

 

Now, Dickey is just OK, Morrow is MIA, and Johnson can obviously be kept on a 1 year deal if the money is right. Suddenly, retaining him for a year makes sense.

[Cooler Heads Prevail]

Agreed

 

But when the season started, AA would have assumed:

 

Dickey and Morrow have really good years

 

Johnson will pitch well and be in a position to expect an offer of a 3-4 year big $ contract

 

Based in that, a QO and draft pick seemed likely

 

Now, Dickey is just OK, Morrow is MIA, and Johnson can obviously be kept on a 1 year deal if the money is right. Suddenly, retaining him for a year makes sense.

 

Johnson is basically a free agent and given his performance in Toronto and recent injury history he's not a good gamble for the club. The last thing they need is to commit a chunk of their budget on any starter with an injury history. The agent and the club talk is all posturing he'll sign on some big budget club at more then true value. If Johnson truly likes Toronto and wants to give them a club friendly deal well that's different ( seems unlikely ).

 

Johnson, Arencebia, and Gibbons should be elsewhere next season. Lind might be gone too, if they sign someone. They need to shake up that clubhouse and send a message that nonperformers don't keep their spots. Overpaying Johnson would run counter to that strategy.

[Laika]

I agree with most of that, though I'm almost convinced that McGowan starts next year. I also like Hutchison a bit more.

 

I think they'll try to start McGowan and it won't work out.

 

I also like Hutch more than that, just not in 2014. Long term I think he'll be very solid.

[Cooler Heads Prevail]

Nobody's going to give Johnson any money in free agency, there doesn't need to be a "club friendly deal" on the table. He'll have a few smart teams offering up pillow contracts at a ~$5M guarantee.

 

He's exactly the type of guy we should be going after - low risk, high reward. If he had struggled this year on some other team than the Jays, there would be threads galore demanding AA snap him up.

 

I disagree, he'll be a gamble for whomever gets him and I don't think the Jays should target free agents that have performed badly on the team already. The clincher for me is the stable of decent guys they have with arm injuries; durability is important to this team. This is why a guy like Rogers that is so easily ignored or dismissed might actually be quite useful for them next season ( truly low risk option with some upside potential ).

 

Some gambles pay off, but I'm quite comfortable seeing Johnson sign with say the Dodgers and their pitching friendly park and doing well, knowing full well the DL is always a possibility and he's yet to prove he can compete well against the AL East. If he has a tremendous

comeback year good for him.

[kgm1]

Sure, there's a reason for AA to offer Johnson some type of contract, but I can't think of why Josh Johnson would be so dumb as to accept it. Who takes a pillow contract in the AL East? JJ would have to have an IQ in the 70's, or the Blue Jays would have to offer many millions more than the next highest team. I just can't see it happening.

 

Well, I'd be very surprised. And I don't really care either, JJ is a flake. Even if you buy into his fielding independent stats from this year, he's still a guy that pitched just 81 innings, 2 years after pitching just 60. I'll take one of him and Morrow in the starting 5 for the upside they have, but a rotation with both of them is doomed. DOOOOOOOOMED.

 

Well stated . In fact I think the odds of Romero coming back are about the same as JJ or Morrow giving us 160 innings . We have Morrow who if both stayed healthy is probably better than JJ but don't any hold your breath on either .

 

We have a bunch of 6 and 7th type starters that are out of options .AA needs to try and dump Happless,s contract .