From goat to hero in 3 moves

[kgm1]

I have been bashed continually for my support of AA and the Jays front office. 90 % of this board has called for AA,s head for the last 2 years. he makes 3 moves and suddenly he is smart again.

 

The thing I have always pointed out is they have drafted well, better than most teams. No team can make all these moves without drafting the prospects that make this possible.

 

Now go get a starter and build a bull pen Alex

[LongTimeReader]

I have been bashed continually for my support of AA and the Jays front office. 90 % of this board has called for AA,s head for the last 2 years. he makes 3 moves and suddenly he is smart again.

 

The thing I have always pointed out is they have drafted well, better than most teams. No team can make all these moves without drafting the prospects that make this possible.

 

Now go get a starter and build a bull pen Alex

 

You realize we may hate him again by the 2015 AS break, right?

[TheHurl]

He still could have a known quantity at this point with this budget if he spent smarter over the past 3 years years.

[LongTimeReader]

Some worst possible scenarios

 

- Donaldson injures himself in his first week playing on the new turf, Brett Lawrie goes on to become the best player in baseball

- JA Happ velocity increases (again) and has a career year, Saunders turns into a total dud

- Martin and Gibbons go at it in the clubhouse and Martin refuses to play another game until Gibbons is fired

[BTS]

People's performance at their job isn't necessarily static. He spent 2-3 years making awful decision after awful decision, but absolutely nailed the Martin and Donaldson moves. Maybe it means he's learned things or listens to smart people that he previously ignored or didn't have around (a la Sabean and GMDM). Maybe he's the same clueless fool he's appeared to be since 2012 and these moves aren't actually indicative of an improved process. The offseason has gone better than anyone could have expected though.

[Laika]

I have been bashed continually for my support of AA and the Jays front office. 90 % of this board has called for AA,s head for the last 2 years. he makes 3 moves and suddenly he is smart again.

 

The thing I have always pointed out is they have drafted well, better than most teams. No team can make all these moves without drafting the prospects that make this possible.

 

Now go get a starter and build a bull pen Alex

 

Wow, good for you. So level headed with your decades and decades of life experience. The true super-fan that we should all aspire to be!

 

How about this:

 

1) AA was awesome when he was re-tooling the team

2) AA sucked ass when he was first trying to push the team to competitiveness

3) AA has learned from some of his transaction mistakes and improved his approach, OR, the real issue at #2 was the heavy-handed influence of Beeston/Rogers and that has been lifted somewhat this offseason.

 

The guy still needs to show that he can put the finishing touches on a roster and build a team that's actually robust, and not waiting to crumble at the seams.

[HERPDERP]

People's performance at their job isn't necessarily static. He spent 2-3 years making awful decision after awful decision, but absolutely nailed the Martin and Donaldson moves. Maybe it means he's learned things or listens to smart people that he previously ignored or didn't have around (a la Sabean and GMDM). Maybe he's the same clueless fool he's appeared to be since 2012 and these moves aren't actually indicative of an improved process. The offseason has gone better than anyone could have expected though.

 

Or maybe he was pressured into making bad transactions by Beest

[Dr. Dinger]

I have consistently considered AA a Top 5 GM. The only deals I ever really disliked were the Napoli-Francisco trade and the Dickey trade (which hasn't even been THAT bad, in hindsight). He's made some downright miraculous trades (Wells, Donaldson), drafted fairly well, and negotiated more team-friendly contracts (Bautista, EE, Escobar, Dickey, etc) than any GM during his tenure.

[BTS]

Or maybe he was pressured into making bad transactions by Beest

 

That's insufficient in explaining a lot of his decisions that were objectively terrible (Thames, JPA, CoCo etc...).

[BTS]

I have consistently considered AA a Top 5 GM. The only deals I ever really disliked were the Napoli-Francisco trade and the Dickey trade (which hasn't even been THAT bad, in hindsight). He's made some downright miraculous trades (Wells, Donaldson), drafted fairly well, and negotiated more team-friendly contracts (Bautista, EE, Escobar, Dickey, etc) than any GM during his tenure.

 

yer dumn

[labadee]

I have consistently considered AA a Top 5 GM. The only deals I ever really disliked were the Napoli-Francisco trade and the Dickey trade (which hasn't even been THAT bad, in hindsight). He's made some downright miraculous trades (Wells, Donaldson), drafted fairly well, and negotiated more team-friendly contracts (Bautista, EE, Escobar, Dickey, etc) than any GM during his tenure.

 

Yan Gomes in hindsight wasn't great either

 

Edit: it was awful

[Dr. Dinger]

Yan Gomes in hindsight wasn't great either

 

Yeah that one was bad, but mostly in retrospect. Nobody cared at the time or thought Gomes would be as good as he's been.

[Laika]

I have consistently considered AA a Top 5 GM. The only deals I ever really disliked were the Napoli-Francisco trade and the Dickey trade (which hasn't even been THAT bad, in hindsight). He's made some downright miraculous trades (Wells, Donaldson), drafted fairly well, and negotiated more team-friendly contracts (Bautista, EE, Escobar, Dickey, etc) than any GM during his tenure.

 

You should have hated the Miami trade in context, and you should definitely hate it in hindsight. The fact that you don't is scary. Are you dumn?

[bendera3]

I think AA has done fairly well overall. He has shown that he is a good drafter, and I believe he does fairly well in trades. His biggest flaw, in my opinion, is that he doesn't manage the 25 man roster well and because of that relies too heavily on the waiver wire. Perhaps his hits on Bats (I know he came to us as a trade), and EE has him more willing to try to find lightening in a bottle.

[G-Snarls]

Yan Gomes in hindsight wasn't great either

 

Edit: it was awful

 

Any GM would have traded Gomes. There was nothing to suggest the impending breakout he has had.

[Dr. Dinger]

yer dumn

 

We all make terrible decisions sometimes, like drafting Brett Lawrie in the 2nd round of a 20 team dynasty league. The key is to make more good decisions than bad, and hit the occasional home run.

[BTS]

Any GM would have traded Gomes. There was nothing to suggest the impending breakout he has had.

 

The only way to justify moving a catcher with the success he had offensively was if you believed he'd never stick at catcher. It's inexcusable that the team didn't know that a guy who was in their org for 4 years was a plus C defender.

[Captain Adama]

I have consistently considered AA a Top 5 GM. The only deals I ever really disliked were the Napoli-Francisco trade and the Dickey trade (which hasn't even been THAT bad, in hindsight). He's made some downright miraculous trades (Wells, Donaldson), drafted fairly well, and negotiated more team-friendly contracts (Bautista, EE, Escobar, Dickey, etc) than any GM during his tenure.

 

He also gave 5 million to francisco shown a disregard for advanced metrics when he traded away a good defensive catcher in Kratz, and could've gotten a much better player(s) for the prospects he gave up, players he could've gotten in free agency. A bunch of small moves that add up and show he's not completely saavy as a GM.

 

Then again, with his roller coaster tenure, I really don't know what to think of him, maybe those moves were a result of higher influences than him, or like NJH said, learning from dumn mistakes. But I wouldn't refer to him as a top 5 GM at this pointthere's still lots of room error, although his offseason thus far has been incredible.

[Governator]

My only problem with him came when he didn't make any necessary moves during the offseason nor during the regular season when they were still like a projected 75-80% chance of playoffs when injuries hit. He blew his budget on the team in 2013 and had none left to add depth. I think he's learned from that mistake which is why Melky was not re-signed and he's finding more creative ways to save $ this time around.

[BTS]

We all make terrible decisions sometimes, like drafting Brett Lawrie in the 2nd round of a 20 team dynasty league. The key is to make more good decisions than bad, and hit the occasional home run.

 

The goal is to win, and his shortcomings have prevented him from doing that.

[Dr. Dinger]

You should have hated the Miami trade in context, and you should definitely hate it in hindsight. The fact that you don't is scary. Are you dumn?

 

Sorry, I don't really. Alvarez is the only decent asset we gave up IMO, and he's only thriving because he plays in an extreme pitcher's park in the NL. I still like Reyes and I thought JJ was a worthwhile gamble. No one hated that trade in context, we all loved it. In fact, there was a substantial outcry towards Selig to veto the deal, if you recall.

[labadee]

Any GM would have traded Gomes. There was nothing to suggest the impending breakout he has had.

 

yea for sure. everything is easier to judge in hindsight

[Laika]

Sorry, I don't really. Alvarez is the only decent asset we gave up IMO, and he's only thriving because he plays in an extreme pitcher's park in the NL. I still like Reyes and I thought JJ was a worthwhile gamble. No one hated that trade in context, we all loved it. In fact, there was a substantial outcry towards Selig to veto the deal, if you recall.

 

Most people without loose screws were of this opinion:

 

- The trade sucks on paper, but...

- At least the Blue Jays will be fun to watch next year!

 

Public opinion can suck eggs. Essentially irrelevant.

 

Handsome Jake could still be pretty decent. Yunel Escobar was a total wasted asset. DeSclafani and Nicolino are probably going to be cheap long-term, below-average contributors for Miami.

[Captain Adama]

The only way to justify moving a catcher with the success he had offensively was if you believed he'd never stick at catcher. It's inexcusable that the team didn't know that a guy who was in their org for 4 years was a plus C defender.

 

I'm actually gona give AA the benefit of the doubt on this move somewhat, I don't even think the Indians saw that Gones would be this good, they primarily got him for his defensive versatility most likely. But trading away a utility player for a mediocre bullpen arm is still pretty bad.

[Dr. Dinger]

Most people without loose screws were of this opinion:

 

- The trade sucks on paper, but...

- At least the Blue Jays will be fun to watch next year!

 

Public opinion can suck eggs. Essentially irrelevant.

 

I won't deny my loose screws. I'm the AA of DDL; the offseason winner who hasn't actually won s***.

[Dr. Dinger]

I'm actually gona give AA the benefit of the doubt on this move somewhat, I don't even think the Indians saw that Gones would be this good, they primarily got him for his defensive versatility most likely. But trading away a utility player for a mediocre bullpen arm is still pretty bad.

 

The real mistake there was having any faith in Arencibia, which may be the most costly mistake of AA's career to date.

[Laika]

I'm the AA of DDL

 

I had no idea you were so verbose and plump!

[HERPDERP]

That's insufficient in explaining a lot of his decisions that were objectively terrible (Thames, JPA, CoCo etc...).

 

How was Thames for Delabar objectively terrible?

[Dr. Dinger]

I had no idea you were so verbose and plump!

 

I've put on some weight since last we met.

[Captain Adama]

The real mistake there was having any faith in Arencibia, which may be the most costly mistake of AA's career to date.

 

One of the instances where he valued clubhouse presents over analytics.