ElNik2013

It was alleged or assumed by many here that it was the previous regime's preference to trade prospects away to improve team rather than to sign free agents, pitchers in particular. Given the good team inherited by the new regime, it should be a walk in the park to sign 2 or 3 FA pitchers to turn this team into a 95-win team.

I haven't bashed Rogers for AA leaving, but I don't think the bolded part is true. As I said at the time, pursuing Kenny Williams and Dan Duquete, both of whom were baseball operations guys, at the very least indicated they weren't very happy with their current baseball ops guys or at worst, that they wanted their baseball ops guys out. At least, I would view it this way were I the GM. I see nothing wrong with AA wanting to move on after last off season's shenanigans and probably not being the in-coming team president's first choice as GM. At the same time, I see nothing wrong with a new team president reviewing everything about the organization. Shake hands, move on and forward, for both parties. I do think Rogers does look kind of dumb and lucky in all of this, beginning with their pursuit of Kenny Williams last off season. It's also somewhat reckless to allow a team president and GM tandem to make the moves they made knowing full well that they were in the hunt for a new team president to change the team's direction. At the end of the day, AA left team in good shape both on field and business wise so Shapiro has a lot to work with.

Overreactions going against AA and Shapiro. Nothing wrong with AA moving on and nothing wrong with Shapiro changing the org's view from trying to make the playoffs at all cost to a longer term approach. I think AA was trying to fulfill the previous team president's goal/promise of making the playoffs during his tenure plus you could understand his having some loyalty to the guy that gave him his chance as well as getting the message last off season when Rogers pursued Kenny Williams and offered Hoffman + for Dan Duquette both of whom would run the baseball operations. Rogers did get lucky though that Reinsdorf was friends with Beeston and wouldn't let Kenny Williams go and that Angelos is a maniac. Furthermore, Rogers got even luckier that AA made the moves he did and left the team as favourites going into next season with lots of revenue and interest. AA should be able to find a job elsewhere after this past season so this recent success probably played a role as well.

So....did AA leave the organization in worse or better shape than when he took over the GM job after the 2009 season?

I wonder if Shapiro would consider selling on Donaldson to replenish the upper minors. Probably not, but I could see him trading EE or Bautista this off season to put his own imprint on his new team.

I actually don't think this has as much Shapiro vs AA as many think. I think AA got the message last off season when Rogers pursued Kenny Williams and Dan Duquette as team presidents, both of whom were Baseball Operations guys, that they weren't happy with the team's on-field performance. At the end of the day, if one or both parties didn't think they could work together, then it's best to part ways. I wish AA good luck whereever he winds up, I think he did a good job overall although I thought he could have done better and was at times trying to help Beeston go out on top by pushing up the team's competitive window. It seems to me that Rogers got lucky since they wanted Kenny Williams to run the show.

What you talkin' 'bout? AA inherited a great team that was set up to compete for many years and f***ed it all up immediately.

Hate to say it, but I agree. People are getting way too carried-away with their payroll expectations. This ownership has pulled the rug from under their GM 2 times already (JP and AA). Hopefully, AA learned his lessons and continues to make good moves like last offseason.

How do you sign Gordon and Upton and still replace Price, Buehrle, Estrada and possibly Dickey? Also, you can't count on Osuna as a SP in 2017 and while I'm not giving up on Hutchison at all, you have to view him as a #4 at this point. Team needs a 2 and a 3 which will likely cost 25M.

Team blew game 2, that was huge. Then s*** the bed in game 6 with some terrible umpshowing going against them. Anyway...

If some GM is willing to give you something for Sanchez, by all means trade him. However, assuming that doesn't happen and they refuse to send him back down to NH to be a starter, they should use him as the long reliever out of the pen. This is how Gibbons should have used him. Instead, he used Hendriks in this role. Anyway...

I don't think it's a terrible idea to use Pompey and one of Revere/Saunders as the 3rd and 4th OF next year. I wasn't for taking Osuna north either, but how many innings do you think he would've pitched in the minors this year and how many would you project him to throw next year? They definitely need to get into the FA market and get 2 starters. Big decision on Dickey as well.

Not true. He misused Cecil for a good chunk of the year and Lowe since they acquired him because of a couple of bad outings. He also misused Sanchez. I bailed on Gibbons's BP usage since 2014 when he scoffed at using his best relievers early in a game to bail out Morrow and keep game close. Remember, Cecil blew his first save opportunity and lost his closer's role right away. Anyway, Gibbons will be back 'cause he's AA's buddy. It's sort of how Beeston wasn't gonna fire AA because he hired him in some part because he could probably influence him and have some say in baseball ops.

It shouldn't be about moving Donaldson out of the 2nd spot and inserting Travis in his place. Just hit Travis lead-off, as suggested above. Also, I still think Pompey will be the leaf-off guy in the near future, he's consistently walked at a 10% clip in minors, how about this: Pompey Donaldson Bautista EE Tulowitzki Travis 1B/Martin Martin/1B Pillar.

Was going asked to bunt and decided to take the 1st pitch on his own or was he told to take the 1st pitch and bunt on 2nd?

The vaunted offense failed multiple times. Ump was terrible, no doubt, still though. Anyway...

Fox won't even show their pitch-tracker.

It would be fitting if they strand these runners, hate to say it, but gotta try the reverse-jinx at this point.

Osuna has been struggling for the last while, but anyway...

You're making a wrong assumption. Lowe was the guy.

As I said, never liked this move. Osuna hasn't been very good lately. Gibbons again refuses to go with Lowe. AA really wasted some prospects for Lowe as he's been completely misused.

Let me say that I didn't like this move (bringing in Osuna). I'll be the first to gladly admit being wrong.

Martin and his game-calling...

I would think that if somehow the Jays get the lead and Osuna is out of the game, Stroman would be brought in to close it out.

You're forgetting 2 fine defensive plays in the top of the 7th and Gibbons for thinking Sanchez is good.