Toronto Sun: Alex Anthopoulos will return next year

[GeorgiaPeach]

I am not as optimistic next year as some. I see a number of declining expensive and difficult to trade Vets in Reyes, Buerhle and Dickey.

 

Most fans don't want these guys traded.

[GeorgiaPeach]

IMO, there is a correlation between AA re-signing players to well below market deals and the fact that they haven't signed a single decent free agent. Despair tactics don't work so hot when players can shop around.

 

So players are being forced to sign extensions?

[GeorgiaPeach]

All that being said I think AA is a decent GM. He has definitely improved the farm system and has showed he is pretty good at signing guys to team friendly contracts. The real problem lies with Paul Beeston and untill he is gone you won't find a better GM than AA.

 

Actually it'll take more than Beeston being gone. Because as Nox said Rogers doesn't have a clue either.

 

I'll take Alex re-tooling the team over Beeston or the Rogers hierarchy hiring a new GM any day.

[GeorgiaPeach]

Escobar was dumped for P.R. reasons, don't know when you're gonna get it through your head.

 

Ironically he was acquired as a known malcontent.

[GeorgiaPeach]

Agreed again. He does some things well and the farm team is on the verge of being rebuilt after so many claimed it would be impossible because he had gamed the compensatory system (another positive for him) to build it to where it was prior to the trades in 2012.

 

However, he's proven incapable of rounding out a roster.

 

It's sad he can't see his own successes in building the farm and stick to it, opposed to caving into Corporate/fan interests.

[BigCecil]

I would've been fine going after Prado or a smaller add. But to think the Jays should've moved Hutch & Stroman for Price is f***ing insane.

 

I don't think its insane but i get your point because its addition by subtraction. There is no way I part with Stro for 1.33 years of Price (at time), Less sold on Hutch. Post TJ its hard to read what his value/ceiling will be.

 

Its moot anyway...the ONLY reason you would deal even just Hutch in Price deal is if you think this year or next his additional wins propel you to post season, and at this point I don't have a clue where AA and Beeson are taking this ship...and neither do they.

[GeorgiaPeach]

Wont be shocked at all if Jose Bautista demands a trade from this dog s*** organization.

 

Good.

 

It's a shame we didn't trade him when he was younger, better and the team was still playing the same.

 

Guess I was wrong again.

[GeorgiaPeach]

AAs bosses are much more interested in the Anahiem Ducks vs. St Louis Blues game on Nov 15

 

And the so-called baseball fans think the same way

[jays4life19]

Good.

 

It's a shame we didn't trade him when he was younger, better and the team was still playing the same.

 

Guess I was wrong again.

 

To be fair - he's having his best year since 2011. I don't think it would have made sense to trade him in 2011 - since you just signed him.

[Nox]

Good.

 

It's a shame we didn't trade him when he was younger, better and the team was still playing the same.

 

Guess I was wrong again.

 

Well, you did want to trade him for Matt Kemp at one point...

 

I'm just needling you.

[GeorgiaPeach]

If JP had a second wild card we would have seen meaningful baseball maybe even got the second wild card. Don't know how you can say that with a straight face when five years of the current clown has wielded no results

 

It would've been short-lived. We had no farm pieces to move and everything would've hinged on signing more free agents or moving MLB players for MLB players in trade.

[BigCecil]

Wont be shocked at all if Jose Bautista demands a trade from this dog s*** organization.

 

Who gives a s***?

 

Jose was all over AA - lauding him for MIA and RA deals saying "Alex kept his word to me".

 

This org gave him a chance to play every day.

 

After one great season this org signed a 5 year deal with him that makes him very rich so he can go sell f***ing Booster Juice too.

 

If he wants to "demand a trade" now throwing a tantrum - We owe him nothing.

 

I like Jose and he has been very solid - but instead of potentially demanding trade he should do something constructive and hit better in leveraged situations.

[FireAlexAnthopoulos]

f***. There are a lot of meatballs in this thread that think making the playoffs in the AL East is that easy.... Some great hindsight warriors as well.

The Yankees, Red Sox, Rays and even the f***ing Orioles have all made the playoffs multiple times since the last time we were in them. The "AL East" excuse is also tired.

[GeorgiaPeach]

While you'd a bit over the top, you could also mention the fact that AA clearly has valuation problems and is not willing to pay market value for any upper tier FAs.

 

I agree. IMO his problem is getting away from his ability to land good value in-house extensions. And when free agency roles around throwing that line of thinking out the window and saying, we have to give this guy the most money and years, just can't happen.

 

They've already publically crippled themselves by not entering into deals of 5 years or more.

 

Just sign the f***ing guy to a 7 or 8 year deal and worry about moving him later.

[GeorgiaPeach]

It does nothing for me but if they start tanking and fans stop showing, rogers may take that into consideration and fire his fat ass.

 

With muppets like Beeston and the Rogers hierarchy still around......good luck at them finding someone better.

[GeorgiaPeach]

Since I've been advocating a rebuild since before this season began, I wouldn't have dealt for Price, but IF I were looking at this year and the following year as chances to contend, and if there was financial flexibility, as they claim, I would not have hesitated for an instant to deal Hutch and Stroman for Price. Two "who the f*** knows" performances for elite performance, even if for 1.33 years. I'll take that every time, even with the arby price tag.

 

So you just traded two SP's that would help beyond the 1.33 years and cost small amounts of money beyond 2015 to field a team that won't contend next year.

 

Weird.

[GeorgiaPeach]

Well, you did want to trade him for Matt Kemp at one point...

 

I'm just needling you.

 

Matt Kemp, De La Rosa & another piece, I forget who.

[Nox]

Matt Kemp, De La Rosa & another piece, I forget who.

 

Sounds right. Can't remember the 3rd either. Certainly not going back to the old cesspool to figure it out either.

[GeorgiaPeach]

To be fair - he's having his best year since 2011. I don't think it would have made sense to trade him in 2011 - since you just signed him.

 

It's all a business. Everyone knows it, the owners, players, fans, GM's. So who cares if he was just signed. He's an asset, he's not a friend or an acquaintance because he signed some kids hat.

 

If teams only cared about winning, they wouldn't do half the s*** they do.

[RealAccountant]

Who gives a s***?

 

Jose was all over AA - lauding him for MIA and RA deals saying "Alex kept his word to me".

 

This org gave him a chance to play every day.

 

After one great season this org signed a 5 year deal with him that makes him very rich so he can go sell f***ing Booster Juice too.

 

If he wants to "demand a trade" now throwing a tantrum - We owe him nothing.

 

I like Jose and he has been very solid - but instead of potentially demanding trade he should do something constructive and hit better in leveraged situations.

 

Jose has had five straight all star seasons. He owes this organization nothing

He can now join Delgado and Halladay in the line of superstars whos careers this franchise wasted

[reedjohnsonfan]

It's all a business. Everyone knows it, the owners, players, fans, GM's. So who cares if he was just signed. He's an asset, he's not a friend or an acquaintance because he signed some kids hat.

 

If teams only cared about winning, they wouldn't do half the s*** they do.

 

If they traded Bautista right after signing him they'd have even MORE difficulty signing free agents.

[Hipfan]

While you'd a bit over the top, you could also mention the fact that AA clearly has valuation problems and is not willing to pay market value for any upper tier FAs.

 

Yep, he's got to man up and pay the price, or move on. He complained that he overpaid Navarro, right after he signed him. That spoke volumes to me. If you are complaining about spending 4 mil and you're running an MLB team, perhaps you need to move on.

 

I remember the whole Darvish fiasco, and AA again made the "dollars vs value" argument. Everyone knew what it would take to sign him (100 mil+) but the Jays didn't want to go their. Same with Tanaka; why even bother looking into him when you know you won't offer what it takes to land him...

 

It's too bad because everyone was pumped when the news leaked that Jays had won the Darvish bidding...I remember checking the net like crazy to see if they landed him. Everyone was super excited, then there was a huge let down. I should have learned then that the organization wasn't for real, but the MIA trade sucked me back in...imagine if Darvish was in our rotation...certainly wouldn't have needed the Dickey trade and could have used those assets to fill other holes. What if...what if...

[Sorrow]

I still remember the days of f***ing Godfrey resigning Vernon Wells to that 7/126 deal instead of allowing JPR to trade him to the Dodgers for the rumoured Matt Kemp and Chad Billingsly package, good time.

[TwistedLogic]

You're right, we should all embrace mediocrity just like your bitch ass does.

 

Maybe you should embrace some sunlight first.

[RealAccountant]

What difference would that make? This org hasn't signed a notable FA in over a decade.

 

So much this

 

In fact Reyes balked at coming to Toronto and signed a disgusting contract with Florida

 

Our bright GM not only took the Marlins off the hook he surrendered a superior SS in return

 

Good times

[GeorgiaPeach]

If they traded Bautista right after signing him they'd have even MORE difficulty signing free agents.

 

More than now when we're reeling in the Izturis' & Navarro's of baseball?

[GeorgiaPeach]

So you just took the time and effort to compose a response to nothing that was said.

 

Weird.

 

What would be the point of trading for Price, when the team won't contend next year

[reedjohnsonfan]

More than now when we're reeling in the Izturis' & Navarro's of baseball?

 

Sadly yes.

[reedjohnsonfan]

What difference would that make? This org hasn't signed a notable FA in over a decade.

 

A.J. Burnett 2006 5 year 55 million. Wow that was a long time ago, was that actually their biggest signing in the last 10 years?

[reedjohnsonfan]

And I also clearly stated that I believe a rebuild is in order (i.e. I wouldn't make a deal for a short term fix). But, then again, I don't value Stroman very highly, so I don't really have an issue with dealing him, as I don't think he'll be a large part of a Jays future, regardless. Hutch should be, after he logs this year and comes back next year with improve command following his first year back from TJ ... If the Jays didn't mess his arm up again, putting this workload on him so soon.

 

I really like Stroman, but if he has a strong finish to the season they should consider dealing him for someone more established. Like you said this is if they can actually add to payroll.