What will it take for you to be 'okay' going into the season?

[TwistedLogic]

An average 2B, a SP with a chance to be above average, and a RH platoon partner for Lind. All added with reasonable efficiency.

 

Agreed with this to the tee.

 

In terms of specific names; Infante at 2nd, Garza or Tanaka at SP, Baker (signing) or Ruggiano (trade) as platoon for Lind.

 

Infante is just a no-doubt signing, as I said earlier, nothing makes more sense for the Jays. I like Garza far more than Jimenez and Santana, and if Garza is off the board,

I would rather choke myself than to see us sign either of the other two. I'm also not a fan of trading for Samardzija. I don't trust AA in trading for starters.

The Yankees are probably less of a sure thing on Tanaka now, at least less than before, since now the bulk of their spending on him will be counted towards the luxury tax.

 

Jeff Baker

 

128 wRC+, .375 wOBA vs lefties in 827 Plate Appearances (Career)

186 wRC+, .452 wOBA vs lefties in 123 Plate Appearances (2013)

 

Justin Ruggiano

 

127 wRC+, .360 wOBA vs lefties in 353 Plate Appearances (Career)

130 wRC+, .362 wOBA vs lefties in 150 Plate Appearances (2013)

[TheHurl]

I don't see any reason why we won't see a bunch Buffalo replacement players this year. Still a very injury prone roster and the rotation has more questions then answers. Garza and Tanaka could change that. But it looks like the Jays are going to be cheap.

 

Current healthy pitchers on the 40 man. Morrow, Dickey, Buehrle, Happ, Drabek, Redmond, Hutch, Nolin, Rogers, Jenkins, Deck & Rasmussan. Stroman being added will happen by September anyway.

 

I don't care if some minor league deal guy comes into Buffalo and strikes out 100 straight batters (including Rickey Romero), we should not be straying from a pool of those 13 to replace either reliever or starter. We also shouldn't have any relievers on the 40 man in the minors (he will, cause he's a f***ing idiot, but we shouldn't). Our bigger concern this year in injuries to our OF.

Edited December 7, 2013 by TheHurl

[mitchf]

Current healthy pitchers on the 40 man. Morrow, Dickey, Buehrle, Happ, Drabek, Redmond, Hutch, Nolin, Rogers, Jenkins, Deck & Rasmussan. Stroman being added will happen by September anyway.

 

I don't care if some minor league deal guy comes into Buffalo and strikes out 100 straight batters (including Rickey Romero), we should not be straying from a pool of those 13 to replace either reliever or starter. We also shouldn't have any relievers on the 40 man in the minors (he will cause he's a f***ing idiot but we shouldn't). Our bigger concern this year in injuries to our OF.

You're the best.

[TwistedLogic]

I have nothing against going into the season with only one new SP. If it's someone like Garza, you go into the season with him, Dickey, Buehrle and Morrow. That leaves one spot open (two if one of our f***ing china doll pitchers break a nail) for a 5th starter by committee. Between Hutchison, Drabek, Happ and all the others, there has to be at least one guy that can step up.

[GD]

I have nothing against going into the season with only one new SP.

 

I understand that this is the likely scenario and don't absolutely hate it, but I would much, much rather be safer with two.

[TwistedLogic]

I understand that this is the likely scenario and don't absolutely hate it, but I would much, much rather be safer with two.

 

We had three last year. Look where we ended up.

 

I actually want that spot open. If the season goes to hell in a handbasket like it always does, I want us doing at least one thing that serves the future.

Figuring out if Hutch and co. contain at least one serviceable starter would fit that criteria. I don't want an injury taking place to be the only way for us to see if any of our depth is any good.

 

Of course I should say that I'm taking a realistic approach here. If we were going to get two guys like Tanaka, Garza, Samardzija, etc sure I'd like that scenario far more. That isn't happening though.

If "two new starters" means one mid rotation guy (like Samardzija, or see: Josh Johnson) and one old-as-f*** guy to fit the 5th starter role, hoping he doesn't fall apart while on the mound (like Colon, or see: Dickey),

I'd rather throw Hutch or Drabek out there instead.

[TheHurl]

I understand that this is the likely scenario and don't absolutely hate it, but I would much, much rather be safer with two.

 

I don't mind 2 pitchers if one is on a 1 year contract. I'm a believer in Hutch for sure (I think he's as good or better than Stroman still, just no longer shiny and new) and don't like to assume a pitcher (thinking Morrow here) will be injured when they are entering the season supposedly healthy.

[Atothe]

I don't mind 2 pitchers if one is on a 1 year contract. I'm a believer in Hutch for sure (I think he's as good or better than Stroman still, just no longer shiny and new) and don't like to assume a pitcher (thinking Morrow here) will be injured when they are entering the season supposedly healthy.

 

I believe in Hutch too, hopefully he's ready for the majors by late may, early june

[Angrioter]

Bailey for Gardner++

 

Yanks will steal Bailey from us.

[TwistedLogic]

I don't mind 2 pitchers if one is on a 1 year contract. I'm a believer in Hutch for sure (I think he's as good or better than Stroman still, just no longer shiny and new) and don't like to assume a pitcher (thinking Morrow here) will be injured when they are entering the season supposedly healthy.

 

This is my problem. I don't like to assume a pitcher (again, hi Morrow) is going to be injured. Which is why I want that 5th spot to see if there's a decent major league pitcher in our depth group (Hutch, Drabek, Happ, Stroman eventually). If we sign two pitchers, that removes two spots from the rotation. We won't get to see these guys until someone does get injured.

 

If one of the proposed two pitchers were guys that you could bring in, and then also demote to the minors if they're s***, I wouldn't have a problem with it. But I'm assuming that if you bring in two new guys, they're both going to be promised rotation spots, and in the event that one of them shits the bed, they'll get far more rope than they should, just because they're new. Izturis and Bonifacio were prime examples of this. They were both absolutely horrific last year, but neither was ever going to get demoted the way Kawasaki would, because one was signed for and the other came in a big trade.

 

I see a lot of pitchers out there that I'd love for the Jays to bring in as a mid-to-high rotation starter. I just don't see us getting two of those (if we even score one), and none of the realistic 'second new pitcher' options appeal to me anymore than our own guys.

[Atothe]

Yeah then another year strpy just like McGowan and drabek etc etc

 

Keep waiting

 

http://gifsforum.com/images/gif/cool%20story%20bro/grand/JOHN-BARROWMAN-cool-story-bro-eccbc87e4b5ce2fe28308fd9f2a7baf3-549.gif

[Dick_Pole]

Two starters and a not-s*** 2nd baseman.

 

Sadly this is the exact same thing the team needed last off-season too.

[Dick_Pole]

85-87 win team right now.

 

85 wins could still mean last place in the AL East. It would have in 2013 if the Jays pulled their weight.

[Abomination]

Bailey for Gardner++

 

Yanks will steal Bailey from us.

 

Even better would be to trade them a reliever for Gardner ourselves and extend him, then trade Rasmus to Seattle to fix 2nd base (and get good young controllable talent to boot).

[G-Snarls]

Get rid of Lind please... I'm sure there's some value there

 

There is. Who would you replace him with for 7M?

 

Though as I've said many times I could get on board with trading Lind, adding a solid LF bat (Kemp, Braun, Choo) and moving Melky to primary DH and backup OF.

[G-Snarls]

Do the Brewers really want to move Braun? And would his "cost" to acquire in trade really be any lower right now or not.

[Chappy]

There is. Who would you replace him with for 7M?

 

Though as I've said many times I could get on board with trading Lind, adding a solid LF bat (Kemp, Braun, Choo) and moving Melky to primary DH and backup OF.

 

This is something I suggested during the season and in the beginning of the offseason. I like Lind as a primary DH in a platoon, however, dumping his $7M contract would be some solid salary relief for a player that in my opinion we can live without. I would move Melky into a primary DH role and slide Gose into the OF, giving us a substantial defensive upgrade. Melky would also be utilized as the 4th OF when not in the lineup as the DH. We lose some offence, but we improve the defence.

 

I would then look to allocate the money saved from Lind towards signing Infant for 2B. Even if Infante comes in at 3/30, that's still only an increase of 3M per season and we now have a substantially better defensive club and probably didn't lose much offensively overall. This leaves much of the available payroll to then be used on signing a FA SP.

 

Team gets better and we didn't touch the farm.

[G-Snarls]

This is something I suggested during the season and in the beginning of the offseason. I like Lind as a primary DH in a platoon, however, dumping his $7M contract would be some solid salary relief for a player that in my opinion we can live without. I would move Melky into a primary DH role and slide Gose into the OF, giving us a substantial defensive upgrade. Melky would also be utilized as the 4th OF when not in the lineup as the DH. We lose some offence, but we improve the defence.

 

I would then look to allocate the money saved from Lind towards signing Infant for 2B. Even if Infante comes in at 3/30, that's still only an increase of 3M per season and we now have a substantially better defensive club and probably didn't lose much offensively overall. This leaves much of the available payroll to then be used on signing a FA SP.

 

Team gets better and we didn't touch the farm.

 

I worry about the offense in this scenario. We're all hoping Melky is better but who knows. And we know Gose can't hit.

 

If I'm trading Lind and moving Melky to DH, I want to know I've got a good bat in LF.

[Chappy]

I worry about the offense in this scenario. We're all hoping Melky is better but who knows. And we know Gose can't hit.

 

If I'm trading Lind and moving Melky to DH, I want to know I've got a good bat in LF.

 

Sure, but in this scenario you now have Infante at 2B instead of an Izzy/Goins platoon.

[Maine Jays]

1) Trade Lind so Cabrera can DH full time. That will save probably 30+ runs from a defensive standpoint

2) Sign an innings gobbler and sign/trade for a buy low guy (Anderson?)

3) Infante - I don't care if we have to go four years, $36M, it's not my money

4) Depth - what do contenders seemingly always end up trading for in July? A RP. If we can't upgrade the rotation, upgrade the pen with a closer without a job when the carousel stops (say Balfour ends up on the outside looking in once all the closer jobs are filled)

[Boxcar]

What does AA have to do for you to be somewhat comfortable going into the season?

 

For me, if we got someone like Tanaka (like as in it might be impossible for us to acquire him), I would be okay. I'd still want more, but if we got a potential ace, I'd feel we'd atleast be competitive.

Or two B player, an Infante caliber 2B (3WARish), and a decent pitcher, Garza/Anderson.

 

Personally, I think the Jays need to up payroll another $15M and go all in, or blow this team up. There's too many question marks in this team to make minor improvements and hope for the best.

Fister for one of our relievers + prospect would have been such an amazing trade for us. Such a let down.

 

PS I had a dream we signed Infante

 

Honestly, I want this team to lose as many games as possible in the hopes that this dumbass GM and his incompetent, backwards FO are replaced by someone who isn't trapped in the 1980s. Not signing Ruiz was a good start, hoping for a Carroll signing and then a "platoon" of Izturis and Goins...as if that would even constitute a platoon since neither can hit and Maicer is a switch hitter as is. Bruce Chen would also be a nice addition.

[Jays]

This is something I suggested during the season and in the beginning of the offseason. I like Lind as a primary DH in a platoon, however, dumping his $7M contract would be some solid salary relief for a player that in my opinion we can live without. I would move Melky into a primary DH role and slide Gose into the OF, giving us a substantial defensive upgrade. Melky would also be utilized as the 4th OF when not in the lineup as the DH. We lose some offence, but we improve the defence.

 

I would have got one of Bourjos/Gentry but with them no longer available. Maybe the Yanks make Gardner available. Probably not, and even if they did, I don't know if they would trade within the division like Texas did. Denorfia is 34 and coming off a 3.9 WAR season, he might be worth a look.

 

Or how about Lorenzo Cain? 28 years old and he got the most playing time of his career last year. 2.6 WAR in 115 games, all defense type player and has even splits. He's coming off a career worst BA, maybe GMDM would be open to trading him. The Royals have gone after Jonathan Sanchez, Ervin Santana and Jeremy Guthrie in recent years, maybe they have interest in Happ. They might like his contract and they could probably use some SP. We could deal from a strength and shed some payroll while acquiring a useful piece.

[GD]

I don't think the Royals trade Cain.

[Jays]

I don't think the Royals trade Cain.

 

My logic is... Dayton Moore is dumn.

[fatcowxlive]

85-87 win team right now.

 

No we're not? I don't even know what our rotation looks like

[TheHurl]

No we're not? I don't even know what our rotation looks like

 

we aren't anything until Fatcow knows the lineup

[fatcowxlive]

we aren't anything until Fatcow knows the lineup

 

LOL I'm not saying that, I'm saying that I can't imagine what our rotation looks like.

 

Dickey

Buherle

Morrow

Happ(?)

Drabek(?)

 

Is this enough for 85 wins knowing Morrow and Drabek are as fragile as glass?

[Jays]

LOL I'm not saying that, I'm saying that I can't imagine what our rotation looks like.

 

Dickey

Buherle

Morrow

Happ(?)

Drabek(?)

 

Is this enough for 85 wins knowing Morrow and Drabek are as fragile as glass?

 

How can you not have our ROY in the rotation?

[fatcowxlive]

How can you not have our ROY in the rotation?

 

LOL I actually wanted to put him in beside Drabek!

[Jays]

LOL I actually wanted to put him in beside Drabek!

 

We need some rotation help. I hope we can get a FA SP... even if it's not a big one.