ElNik2013

Haha, he ain't got TWTW baby!

Yeah, but he choked in the playoffs.

Here's a quote from AA on the 5-year thing: “We’ll offer more money with a larger average annual salary but we won’t go over five years,” said Anthopoulos. “We think five is long enough. A representative for a free agent came to us proposing a five-year deal. He signed elsewhere for a longer term.” Anthopoulos pointed out how the Los Angeles Dodgers offered Rafael Furcal a three-year deal averaging $11 million which he took rather a five-year deal averaging $9 million from the Chicago Cubs. And how Shane Victorino turned down a four-year salary averaging $11 million to sign a three-year with the Boston Red Sox for a package of $13 million per year. “Some guys will sign a short deal to get back into the market place ... as long as it’s not their last contract,” said Anthopoulos. “On a short deal they can come out and perform and re-enter. Cliff Lee took less to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies (the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers made larger offers). “Who figured Carlos Beltran would sign a three-year deal at age 36 or Tim Hudson would do a two-year deal at 39.” Thread closed.

Well said bro. There are posters here who loved Gose last year and now say he's s***, just as an example. Plenty of people were ok with the Marlins trade even if it wasn't efficient because in it the team got 2 starters and Reyes and it also sped up the rebuilding process without crippling the farm. The Dickey trade is just on a whole other level. Someone recently posted the link to the Marlins trade from the MLB board and anyone can read it. To be fair, I've also been irrational with my criticism, it certainly is frustrating.

It should be quite understandable to anyone that people would cringe when hearing of a rumoured trade such as this one given the trades AA has made over the past 16 months or so.

Oh yeah, I've said all along, I'd move both, that's like 7M in payroll space depending on what type of salary would be coming back of course. If the guy coming back was indeed Anderson, it would be a 4M increase in payroll for next year. Of course, the guy could've been on the DL all year also but so could Santos. Anyway, at least some good signs.

At least it shows AA is looking to deal a reliever.

I cringe every time there's a Jays trade rumor and given this one is with the Rays, I'd expect EE+Sanchez+Stroman+DJ Davis for Price or something like this.

I hated the Happ trade, but I'm hoping AA can trade Happ for something decent given what some backend starters are getting in FA.

Ackley please. Another guy that I think could be a decent starter is Ramirez. He seems to pitch well in the PCL, he's got decent stuff, but really good command, if I remember correctly.

I'm cautiously optimistic about the system given how far away most of these guys are. Keeping Stroman, Sanchez, Hutchison, Nolin, Burns and Jimenez this off season would also help the system out.

I'm hoping Andy Burns ends up being better than he's projected to be. I think he adjusted to AA later in the year after struggling upon being promoted and I'm hoping he makes it to Buffalo by mid-season or earlier. This is a guy who had to sit out his senior year in college in 2011 which is why the Jays drafted him in the 11th rd and then he only had something like 200 PA's in 2012 because of an injury so last year was his first full season and played half the year at AA. He won't be an allstar, but could end up being a regular, maybe a 2B.

Good to see some praise towards the Jays' farm, especially after last off season's trades. If some of the youngsters going to Lansing perform and a couple earn a promotion to Dunedin late in the season, the system could be top 15 or top 10. There's also the 2 draft picks in next year's draft. If Sanchez makes it to Buffalo and Norris to New Hampshire, it would be huge. For all the hate I and others have been giving AA, I get the feeling that over time, some of his draftees and minor league acquisitions are going to look pretty good. Even though he didn't sign Kris Bryant and Tyler Beede, it looks like they would've gotten a steal had they been able to sign them both. We'll see how good Bickford ends up being and who the Jays draft next year. On the other hand, maybe AA is only good at building up a farm and should not be involved in putting together an MLB team.

I'd like to see them get a good 2B, SP and RH bat off the bench that's decent defensively and keep the prospects. Use FA to plug the holes and I think they can create payroll space by trading Janssen/Santos and Happ.

It would be nice although he did get Escobar, Rasmus, Lawrie, d'Arnaud, but it's a moot point since he traded them away so I'll shut up.

I thought that's what the average American looked like? I guess I should stop generalizing.

Well, I don't disagree either, haha...and DM just got an extension so the owner must be satisfied. Since I touched on the owner, I think it starts with him, including the Rays or Blue Jays or Mariners or Yankees. I mean you can't sign Cano without the owner being a big part of the decision-making process.

If Beltran refused more money, then I should've said 'by overpaying by a lot'. This is also partly why the M's overpaid for Cano by so much, not trying to make excuses for them, but it is what it is.

If it's true that Beltran spurned the Royals' offer, then it may be another example of certain teams being a disadvantage in FA and the only other way for them to get their targets is by overpaying.

ftfy

I can agree to an extent, but I think AA's reign would look much better had he not made the 2 big trades last off season. It's a moot point anyway.

So is "the window" now shut or not yet?

What prospects weren't/aren't developing? I mean, I get the frustration with the organization and AA, but I think we go overboard.

Oh I know, but it will hopefully become a series, imagine what Thames trade 3.0 would look like...Happ for Walker!

I'd be happy with Ackley for Sierra, but if it's Franklin....haha. Thames trade 2.0