KingKat

This is the write-up on the Blue Jays. Doesn't really say much: http://espn.go.com/prod/styles/pagetype/otl/20150220_analytics/images/circle_mlb_tor.png TORONTO BLUE JAYS In the epilogue to "Moneyball," the Blue Jays were anointed as the direct descendants of Billy Beane's A's, having hired Beane protege J.P. Ricciardi as their GM and Keith Law, an alum of both Harvard and Baseball Prospectus, as a special adviser. Four years later, Ricciardi was the keynote speaker at the inaugural MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. But Ricciardi -- who is revered for his scouting acumen -- never embraced sabermetrics to the extent that Beane did. He and Law (now an analyst for ESPN.com's Insider) had a falling out around the time of Law's departure in 2006, and the Jays fired Ricciardi in 2009. These days the team's analytical operation is run by Joe Sheehan, who also has experience in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. Last year, the Jays lost assistant GM Jay Sartori -- who had overseen Sheehan's development of the Jays' baseball information system -- to Apple, but solidified their development team by plucking Jason Pare from the Indians. While the Sheehan-Pare pair make a formidable combo and current GM Alex Anthopoulos has indicated interest in expanding even further, the promise of a mid-market, Canadian version of the "Moneyball" A's has never been fully realized.

Yeah it is a lot higher than I expected for the Jays. I can only assume this is a recent development.

I think it's fair to consider Gillick the architect. My larger point is that it's hard to find solace much of anywhere for Jays fans. There are worse managed teams that fluke into the playoffs every now and then and if anything that just makes it even more frustrating.

I especially take solace in the fact that even Ruben Amaro Jr led teams have made the World Series.

Interesting although this kind of seems like casual obsrvance and inference disguised as methodology. I wouldn't put too much weight into it.

So were are we on NJH's draft merger suggestion? Is interest too tepid to even vote? Has the glacial pace of this draft convinced anyone that we don't really need two drafts.

Can someone do me a quick favour and check the Google Doc and tell me when my next pick is? Please and thank you.

Well that's a first.

I'm having a hard time prioritizing in this draft. Seems like there's a huge swath of very similar players that I'm finding nearly impossible to rank.

On average that only benefits two teams and there are a lot more poor teams then that.

Was pleasantly surprised to see Beachy had signed with the Dodgers when I checked my team on Yahoo! Not a band landing spot and the Friedman endorsment is somewhat encouraging.

I like Graveman more too but he's also rather untested. Only 44.1 innings in the high minors. If I were a gm and both were healthy and it came down to a choice, I'd probably prefer to let Nolin sink or swin in the majors right away and hold Graveman for later. I don't hate Nolin. If healthy, I'd like to see what he can do. I feel like it's time.

Well especially now.

Makes me glad I cut him in DDL.

The waiver draft does very little to help the s***** teams beyond the the first one to three picks. By introducting prospects into the mix, it will elminate the huge dropoff. I'm fine with the top prospect on the board going to the guys who draft after the guy who drafted Yasiel Puig. Given the volatility of prospects, that's not a big punishment to the Puig guy at all but at least it's a little fairer to the other non playoff teams.

Both great.

Good luck getting more than three mumbled words from Rasmus and I don't think Lawrie would give you more then the moderately negative comments he's already given. Gose is my favourite to really s*** all over the Jays.

Yeah loss of velocity is inevitable and lots of pitchers adjust successfully. The overall health is the real issue.

Check out those teets!

Me neither but I definitely considered him one of the better relievers available.

He traded for the high pick because he expected more IFAs to be available (as we all did). I can see why he's less invested now.

Yes.

If someone does, I doubt he'd ever tell.

Intrigue...

I suppose that you're right but he showed in the LOD draft that he's not 100% dogmatic about that with the Felix Hernandez pick. He favors youth sure but there has to be upside too. Is Santana really a player on the upswing or rather a player due for a dramatic downturn? Since he's not picking, we have all the time in the world to speculate. I think he takes the slightly older more intriguing upside play but only he knows the answer of course.