We are only few days into the 2014 season and there is no reason for a team to panic if it gets off to a slow start -- unless you’re the*Toronto Blue Jays. For the Jays, it's time to accept the fact that they are not going to make the playoffs this year.*
The four other teams in their division are well-equipped to make a playoff run, while the Jays are plagued by a lack of pitching depth and have already seen*Jose Reyes*-- the key to any 2014 revival -- hit the DL again with a hamstring injury.*
Now, I'm not going to blame general manager Alex Anthopoulos for this predicament. Back in the fall of 2012, he sensed that the*New York Yankees*and*Boston Red Sox*might be poised to drop off -- a sentiment shared around the league at the time -- and decided to see if he could capitalize by trading a number of elite prospects, such as Noah Syndergaard,*Travis d'Arnaud,*Jake Marisnick*and Justin Nicolino, in two separate deals with the Mets and Marlins that netted him*R.A. Dickey,*Mark Buehrle,*Josh Johnson*and Reyes.*
Everyone in baseball believed the*Blue Jays were headed for October*-- and many thought Anthopoulos would win executive of the year -- but their playoff hopes were dashed by injuries and underperformance.*Things only look worse now, as Reyes is hurt, the back end of the Jays' rotation is filled with question marks, and the upper levels of the farm system have been gutted by the aforementioned trades.*
The worst thing that Anthopoulos can do now is double-down on his situation and stay the course in an attempt to salvage his big moves from 2012. Instead, he needs to accept his current reality and make the kind of veteran-for-prospect deals he once benefited from. And if he does it now, he can be ahead of the curve and let all contending teams know that he has the final pieces for their playoff run. They don’t have to wait until June or July. Need a middle-of-the-order power bat? No problem, we have*Jose Bautista*and*Edwin Encarnacion. Need a veteran reliable starter to provide quality starts? We have Dickey and Buehrle. Need a dynamic All-Star shortstop who might never get healthy? Perhaps you'd be interested in Reyes.*
It’s not time to dwell on deals gone bad. It’s time to dwell on what happens if you keep looking at deals gone bad, because it can go from bad to the unemployment line very quickly.*
So how do the Blue Jays fix it? By making some big trades. Here is a look at their most tradeable pieces and some possible destinations.*
1. Edwin Encarnacion, 1B*
Encarnacion is in his prime after belting 78 home runs the past two years and his contract is even better than his power numbers. He makes just $9 million this year, $10 million next year, and has a team option in 2016 for $10 million. Teams will line up with prospect packages for this impact middle-of-the-order bat. He could be the best player available this summer.*
Possible destinations:*Rays, Mariners, Pirates, Brewers, Marlins and Mets*
2. Jose Bautista, OF*
Bautista slugged 97 home runs in 2010 and 2011 in becoming one of the game's best sluggers. However, the four-time All-Star has had to deal injuries the past two seasons reducing him home run total to 56 in that time. But when he plays, he mashes. The 33-year-old will make just $14 million each of the next two years with a club option in 2016 for the same amount. An affordable contract with reasonable length that should lead to a tremendous trade return.*
Possible destinations:*Tigers, Pirates, Marlins, Mets*
3. Jose Reyes, SS*
The Blue Jays need to make him sit for weeks after he says he’s ready to go. They need to make sure the hamstring is 100 percent before he gets back on the field and onto the trade block.*
Possible destinations:*Tigers, Yankees, Mets, Dodgers (*Hanley Ramirez*to third base)*
4. R.A. Dickey, RHP*
Dickey is only one year removed from the National League Cy Young Award and with the hard knuckleball being his best pitch, there is no reason why he can’t pitch a few more years. A return to the National League would give him his best chance to recapture his elite status.*
Possible destinations:*Pirates, Padres, Dodgers and Braves*
5.*Colby Rasmus*
Rasmus will be a free agent at season’s end, which limits his trade value a little since a team that acquires him can't give him a qualifying offer and reap a draft pick. He is just starting to come into his own at age 27 after hitting .276/.338/.501 with 22 home runs last year. He’s not a middle-of-the-order bat, but he is a solid contributor who can lengthen a lineup.*
Possible Destinations:*Tigers (left field), Padres and Rockies*
6. Mark Buehrle, LHP*
Buehrle still can provide quality starts and has won in double digits and pitched 200 innings every year since 2001. A contending team in need of a quality No. 3 or 4 starter would be the perfect fit for him. The Blue Jays, however, would have to be prepared to eat significant salary since he’s due to earn $18 million this year and $19 million next year as part of the backloaded deal Miami gave him.*
Possible destinations:*Angels, Mariners, Athletics and Rangers*
7.*Casey Janssen, RHP*
The closer has had a sub-3.00 ERA for three straight years and saved 56 games over the past two. He's on the DL with a back strain but will be a good trade chip once he proves he's healthy.*
Possible destinations:*Orioles, Diamondbacks, Mets and Tigers*
8.*Brett Cecil, LHP*
An All-Star last year with a 2.82 ERA, his stock will never be higher.*
Possible destinations:*Angels and Nationals*
9.*Steve Delabar, RHP*
Another once-in-a-lifetime All-Star last year, and, like Cecil, his value is at its peak.*
Possible destinations:*Tigers, Yankees, Indians, Mets and Giants*
10.*Sergio Santos, RHP*
He is healthy once again and pounding the strike zone. He had a 1.75 ERA last year in 29 games and didn’t walk a batter in six appearances this spring. If he gets off to a good start, he could be a good under-the-radar pick-up for someone.*
Possible destinations:*Orioles, Mets, Rangers, Indians
