July 31/14: Anthopoulos on Prime Time Sports

[TwistedLogic]

Absolutely massive interview, probably the most Alex has ever really said in one sitting. He turns away from his habit of dancing around questions and flat out drops some truth, answering almost everything he was asked in a direct manner.

 

If you can believe what he says in this interview, and you should, because all of this stuff was out there for us to figure out on our own, then you can't really fault his choice to stand pat.

 

http://pmd.fan590.com/audio_on_demand-3/Alex-Anthopoulos-with-Sid-Seixeiro-and-Elliotte-Friedman-SS-EF-20140731-Interview.mp3

 

The bit that left me pretty appalled is that he actually straight up revealed the entire situation with the payroll, saying that he has the financial flexibility to do literally anything he wants. This is significant, because as he mentions, it's always the higher salary guys that are able to make it through waivers during August and fit into trades.

 

When the interviewer asks him if this means that he has the ability to add 5, 10, even 15 million in a deal through waivers in August, he flatly says "yes".

 

Of course the sky-is-forever-falling group will always find things to cry about, but for the more rational fans, it's nice to see Alex be a lot more open for once and shed some light on the financial parameters the club is working with; which is to say that money will not be a factor one way or another if a sensible trade is presented.

[HERPDERP]

So who exactly can we obtain in August that could be a significant addition?

 

The one guy on everybody's mind blew his elbow out yesterday.

 

Cole Hamels can pass through waivers, but we would still have to deal guys like Stroman/Sanchez since Amaro is derp

[Dylan]

Good news that we really go have payroll flexibility. (more so for going into the offseason than waiver claims)

[HERPDERP]

Good news that we really go have payroll flexibility. (more so for going into the offseason than waiver claims)

 

You can't believe what AA says

 

The rumors from opposing Gms on AA telling them they can't take any money should be enough to put doubt.

[TwistedLogic]

So who exactly can we obtain in August that could be a significant addition?

 

The one guy on everybody's mind blew his elbow out yesterday.

 

Cole Hamels can pass through waivers, but we would still have to deal guys like Stroman/Sanchez since Amaro is derp

 

The last bit of your post is exactly why I understand AA's decision to not do anything yesterday. All of the major pieces moved yesterday were for legitimate, established major leaguers. Lackey for Craig and Kelly, Lester for Cespedes and Jackson, Franklin, Smyly and Price in the three way exchange. AA is right that a deal like that didn't make sense for the Jays.

 

The only other major seller that had big enough pieces to significantly upgrade the team and would have accepted prospects was run by that tard, Ruin Tomorrow Jr, who probably would have asked for Stroman, Pompey and Norris for Lee and no salary relief.

 

There's still guys out there that can push through waivers, like Kemp, Rios and several others. That being said, I agree completely with Dylan, that I feel better about free agency and the offseason after hearing this stuff than I do about the waiver period.

[pickoff22]

So who exactly can we obtain in August that could be a significant addition?

 

The one guy on everybody's mind blew his elbow out yesterday.

 

Cole Hamels can pass through waivers, but we would still have to deal guys like Stroman/Sanchez since Amaro is derp

 

It's a good question. Utley and Hamels come to mind. We wouldn't be the only team going after Hamels. Relying on making trades post July 31st isn't the way to improve your team. Papelpon will likely hit waiver wire as well but not sure there will be takers. My god Amaro is one terrible GM

[TwistedLogic]

You can't believe what AA says

 

The rumors from opposing Gms on AA telling them they can't take any money should be enough to put doubt.

 

Who gives a s*** about rumors? There's zero legitimacy to almost everything that is ever written about this club. A guy that doesn't ever tell anybody s*** suddenly opens up and says he's got payroll to work with. Why would he put his neck out there to lie about that? That's just a stupid assumption.

[Deadpool]

It's a good question. Utley and Hamels come to mind. We wouldn't be the only team going after Hamels. Relying on making trades post July 31st isn't the way to improve your team. Papelpon will likely hit waiver wire as well but not sure there will be takers. My god Amaro is one terrible GM

 

Literally 90% of players will hit the waiver wire (probably already have), it's just good business sense to try and sneak guys through when so many players are on waivers. Even AA can't put in THAT many claims.

[dineke]

Literally 90% of players will hit the waiver wire (probably already have), it's just good business sense to try and sneak guys through when so many players are on waivers. Even AA can't put in THAT many claims.

 

You wanna bet?

[TDotttt2005]

I do not believe AA when he says that the Jays have financial flexibility. I base that on the offseason, the Bob Elliott info, as well as how AA awkwardly worked his way around the question when asked after that report came out. It makes total sense for AA to lie about it, and not enrage the fan base. That directive (to lie) could have directly come from Beeston or Rogers, I don't know, but I personally do not believe him.

 

I am not a sky is falling guy. I am not pissed they didnt get Price or Lester, given the asking price in players, but I believe there were players to be had that would have only cost money, and they didnt acquire them, and that is what angers me.

[Deadpool]

You wanna bet?

 

That he can't claim the entire 40 man rosters of 29 teams? I'd wager quite heavily on that (he'd certainly WANT to, but that's a totally different thing...)

[TwistedLogic]

I do not believe AA when he says that the Jays have financial flexibility. I base that on the offseason, the Bob Elliott info, as well as how AA awkwardly worked his way around the question when asked after that report came out. It makes total sense for AA to lie about it, and not enrage the fan base. That directive (to lie) could have directly come from Beeston or Rogers, I don't know, but I personally do not believe him.

 

I am not a sky is falling guy. I am not pissed they didnt get Price or Lester, given the asking price in players, but I believe there were players to be had that would have only cost money, and they didnt acquire them, and that is what angers me.

That is an incredibly short sighted way of thinking. Business men like Beeston and corporate giants like Rogers aren't dumb enough to push out a narrative about having payroll available in advance of the August period, because if people see a strong and pricey player moved this month that made sense for the Jays, they'll have a much stronger case for their outrage, when they'll be able to refer to a now direct quote from Anthopoulos. The whole lie-to-please thing might be logical in your head, but the people you're accusing of doing that, despite popular opinion, aren't actually dumb enough to think it'll work.

[dineke]

That he can't claim the entire 40 man rosters of 29 teams? I'd wager quite heavily on that (he'd certainly WANT to, but that's a totally different thing...)

 

You underestimate him.he can claim god if he wanted.

[Caper]

Bortolo Colon? Shut down Hutch.

[HERPDERP]

Colon won't make it through waivers, plus he has an attractive salary next year for under 10m I believe.

[Sorrow]

It was a pretty good interview. I'm assuming we were in on Price and Lester and they wanted Stroman and not Norris or Sanchez.

[JaysRap]

If AA claims that taking on salary is not a problem and he feels confident with management backing him - he pretty much MUST do a deal before August 31st. I think after his comments yesterday he's used up his reasoning why he couldn't do a deal before/on July 31st so it's time for him to show up and do something that helps this team now.

[TDotttt2005]

That is an incredibly short sighted way of thinking. Business men like Beeston and corporate giants like Rogers aren't dumb enough to push out a narrative about having payroll available in advance of the August period, because if people see a strong and pricey player moved this month that made sense for the Jays, they'll have a much stronger case for their outrage, when they'll be able to refer to a now direct quote from Anthopoulos. The whole lie-to-please thing might be logical in your head, but the people you're accusing of doing that, despite popular opinion, aren't actually dumb enough to think it'll work.

 

At that point I think they will stick to the company line, or change their talking points once again. I agree, it is very shortsighted, but how many times have they violated the narrative of 'When money is needed from Rogers, it will be there'?? How many times have we been back and forth between that (WE WILL SPEND!!), and payroll parameters (WE CANT SPEND!!!), then offseason before 2013 (LOOK WE'RE SPENDING), then offseason before 2014 (WE CANT SPEND!!), then early season 2014 when it was 'Money will be there at the deadline if we need it (WE WILL SPEND!!!), to the deadline passing with fat f***ing nothing when there were players to be had for basically salary absorption (WE CANT SPEND!!!).

 

Actions speak louder than words.

[JaysRap]

So who exactly can we obtain in August that could be a significant addition?

 

The one guy on everybody's mind blew his elbow out yesterday.

 

Cole Hamels can pass through waivers, but we would still have to deal guys like Stroman/Sanchez since Amaro is derp

 

Here's Ken Rosenthal and Dan Plesac from MLB Network talking about which players might move in August (Video: August 1st)

 

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/7417714/v34971421/mlb-tonight-discusses-possible-august-trades

Edited August 1, 2014 by JaysRap

[CHRIS]

I find the trade deadline to be a fascinating thing. It's basically some arbitrary date that they pick out of the air that does nothing to preclude teams from improving their team at any point leading up to that date. Yet players spout off because a transaction wasn't made on that specific date.

 

I'm not really too upset by what the Jays did, or didn't do yesterday. I think the team's biggest needs are a RP to fill the role that Delebar and Santos were expected to fill, and maybe a McCarthy-ish kind of starter to give depth to the rotation. Sanchez may be able to fill the former need, but I am disappointed that they didn't address the latter. That said, acquiring a guy like Prado just to say that they made a transaction on July 31st seems pretty fluffy to me.

[TwistedLogic]

It was a pretty good interview. I'm assuming we were in on Price and Lester and they wanted Stroman and not Norris or Sanchez.

 

This is exactly what I gathered from it as well. There were only AL East teams that moved big pitchers yesterday, and from the sounds of it, it would have taken Stroman in any deal. You'd be crazy to give Stroman to the Red Sox (Lester is a rental) or the Rays (Price is f***ing expensive) when he's already pitching at their level.

 

If AA claims that taking on salary is not a problem and he feels confident with management backing him - he pretty much MUST do a deal before August 31st. I think after his comments yesterday he's used up his reasoning why he couldn't do a deal before/on July 31st so it's time for him to show up and do something that helps this team now.

Incorrect; he still doesn't have to do anything. If the right deal isn't out there, then it isn't out there, it doesn't matter what month it is. The majority of the top available names that are attached to big contracts and are expected to make it easily through waivers are all employed by the Phillies, who are run like a f***ing circus. Lee just went down again (surprise surprise), and Rios keeps getting hurt. Hamels will cost Stroman, Hutch and Norris. There's reason to be hopeful, but saying that a GM has to do something regardless of what it will cost him, is and always will be a ridiculous statement.

 

If there is someone that is made available and the Jays bite on him, I'm hoping that it's Kemp. He's overpaid and his stats are being bogged down by completely atrocious defense, but he should make an incredible DH with that slash line.

[North of 60]

This is exactly what I gathered from it as well. There were only AL East teams that moved big pitchers yesterday, and from the sounds of it, it would have taken Stroman in any deal. You'd be crazy to give Stroman to the Red Sox (Lester is a rental) or the Rays (Price is f***ing expensive) when he's already pitching at their level.

 

 

Incorrect; he still doesn't have to do anything. If the right deal isn't out there, then it isn't out there, it doesn't matter what month it is. The majority of the top available names that are attached to big contracts and are expected to make it easily through waivers are all employed by the Phillies, who are run like a f***ing circus. Lee just went down again (surprise surprise), and Rios keeps getting hurt. Hamels will cost Stroman, Hutch and Norris. There's reason to be hopeful, but saying that a GM has to do something regardless of what it will cost him, is and always will be a ridiculous statement.

 

If there is someone that is made available and the Jays bite on him, I'm hoping that it's Kemp. He's overpaid and his stats are being bogged down by completely atrocious defense, but he should make an incredible DH with that slash line.

 

108 million owed over the next 6 years for that slash line...

 

Yeah....no thanks.

[TwistedLogic]

At that point I think they will stick to the company line, or change their talking points once again. I agree, it is very shortsighted, but how many times have they violated the narrative of 'When money is needed from Rogers, it will be there'?? How many times have we been back and forth between that (WE WILL SPEND!!), and payroll parameters (WE CANT SPEND!!!), then offseason before 2013 (LOOK WE'RE SPENDING), then offseason before 2014 (WE CANT SPEND!!), then early season 2014 when it was 'Money will be there at the deadline if we need it (WE WILL SPEND!!!), to the deadline passing with fat f***ing nothing when there were players to be had for basically salary absorption (WE CANT SPEND!!!).

 

Actions speak louder than words.

 

Except THEY have never violated the narrative. Anthopoulos or anybody else has never mentioned anything other than the standard "if we need it, the money will be there". The fact that the Jays continue to spend in the international market and in the first year player draft, and have nearly doubled their major league payroll over the last two seasons, completely supports that.

 

It's the third rate writers that are scavenging for hits and the people like you who readily eat that s*** up that gives birth and traction to these idiotic "rumors", and creates so-called stories out of nothing. The front office has maintained the exact same message since day one; it's everybody else that keeps changing the narrative.

[TwistedLogic]

108 million owed over the next 6 years for that slash line...

 

Yeah....no thanks.

 

It's the Dodgers. They aren't run by idiots like the Phillies are. A team with their budget and baseball acumen will probably be far more open to eating salary to facilitate a trade, rather than making a public mockery of their club by asking teams to take on all of their hideous contracts and still give them their three top prospects.

[TDotttt2005]

Except THEY have never violated the narrative. Anthopoulos or anybody else has never mentioned anything other than the standard "if we need it, the money will be there". The fact that the Jays continue to spend in the international market and in the first year player draft, and have nearly doubled their major league payroll over the last two seasons, completely supports that.

 

It's the third rate writers that are scavenging for hits and the people like you who readily eat that s*** up that gives birth and traction to these idiotic "rumors", and creates so-called stories out of nothing. The front office has maintained the exact same message since day one; it's everybody else that keeps changing the narrative.

 

They've definitely violated that narrative. When the money was needed for Ervin Santana, where was it? They had to pass the hat around the clubhouse to get guys to defer salary in order to try to sign him. What an embarrassment.

 

And Bob Elliott is a third rate writer? Keep drinking the Kool-Aid.

[JaysRap]

This is exactly what I gathered from it as well. There were only AL East teams that moved big pitchers yesterday, and from the sounds of it, it would have taken Stroman in any deal. You'd be crazy to give Stroman to the Red Sox (Lester is a rental) or the Rays (Price is f***ing expensive) when he's already pitching at their level.

 

 

Incorrect; he still doesn't have to do anything. If the right deal isn't out there, then it isn't out there, it doesn't matter what month it is. The majority of the top available names that are attached to big contracts and are expected to make it easily through waivers are all employed by the Phillies, who are run like a f***ing circus. Lee just went down again (surprise surprise), and Rios keeps getting hurt. Hamels will cost Stroman, Hutch and Norris. There's reason to be hopeful, but saying that a GM has to do something regardless of what it will cost him, is and always will be a ridiculous statement.

 

If there is someone that is made available and the Jays bite on him, I'm hoping that it's Kemp. He's overpaid and his stats are being bogged down by completely atrocious defense, but he should make an incredible DH with that slash line.

 

Interesting that you mentioned Matt Kemp. He's been on fiyah in July (.325/.419/.475) and heard his swing is a lot better of late suggesting he's feeling healthy fwiw. I'd be down with that.

[leaffie]

They've definitely violated that narrative. When the money was needed for Ervin Santana, where was it? They had to pass the hat around the clubhouse to get guys to defer salary in order to try to sign him. What an embarrassment.

 

And Bob Elliott is a third rate writer? Keep drinking the Kool-Aid.

 

All reporting on the Santana incident, admitted that the trade had been approved before the players offered to chip in.

 

When AA was first hired, he said that he is going to keep things very secretive, and that way he wouldn't have to lie. I thought that was the best interview that I have ever heard from him. He sounded angry and fed up with the people spouting that the Jays had no money. He was asked difficult questions and had logical reasons for every decision that was made. One thing that seems to have been lost in the conversation about no moves at the deadline, is that he said all the clubs that he was talking with wanted major league players. They were not interested in prospects!!!!

[Caper]

Interesting that you mentioned Matt Kemp. He's been on fiyah in July (.325/.419/.475) and heard his swing is a lot better of late suggesting he's feeling healthy fwiw. I'd be down with that.

 

I'm as happy as a pig in s*** watching Reimold. I think he was an incredible find.

[TwistedLogic]

They've definitely violated that narrative. When the money was needed for Ervin Santana, where was it? They had to pass the hat around the clubhouse to get guys to defer salary in order to try to sign him. What an embarrassment.

 

And Bob Elliott is a third rate writer? Keep drinking the Kool-Aid.

 

Bob Elliott has devolved into a geriatric hack. The guy is so far past the point on which he should have stopped writing. Aside from a decent piece once in a blue moon, where he's probably handed a story just because of who he is, he's become one of the most unbearable writers to follow in this city.

[GD]

Elliot's features are good, but honestly, anyone with that kind of access could probably write just as well. Don't like his style of writing at all. He doesn't actually know what a paragraph is.