F. Torres

The difference between a 130 wRC+ hitter and a 143 wRC+ hitter over a season is marginal when you consider the fact that the RHB part of the platoon usually gets < 50% of the PA. The benefit vs. the cost to acquire Norris (which, again, would hardly be inconsequential considering he's at worst an average regular who is cost controlled for 4 more years) doesn't make sense to me.

John Mayberry Jr: career .269/.324/.533 (130 wRC+) hitter vs. LHP in 534 PA. Danny Valencia: career .327/.368/.502 (138 wRC+) hitter vs. LHP in 552 PA. Anthopoulos doesn't need to waste time or assets (no way in hell Oakland just gives away Norris) chasing a platoon mate for Lind. He's got two prime candidates already who are going to cost peanuts in arbitration.

I'd feel much, much better with the season that the Pirates had. For starters, a "playoff" team (even if it loses in the WC game) looks a lot more attractive to most free agents than a .500 team. More importantly though, the Pirates got an extra game at home. Seeing a packed R.C. and how close the team is to really cashing in might get ownership to open up the purse strings a little more. And it'd definitely help attendance in 2015 knowing the team made the "playoffs." It'd be a gut punch, but the good definitely outweighs the bad imo.

I love Buehrle, but I'd move him if I could do it without taking on a terrible contract in return. It's very unlikely that he's as good as he was this season in 2015 and his $19 million can be put to better use (be it in free agency, trade, or a combination of the two).

Appreciate it. This board seems like the last safe haven for rational Jays discussion after what went down this summer.

Fair enough. Like I said, I didn't realize Donaldson had 4 years of control left, so it's closer than I initially thought. Just (genuinely) curious though; what makes you say that about Stroman? Don't think he's a #2 going forward? I don't see anything particularly unsustainable about his performance other than HR/FB% (and even adjusting for that, an 84 xFIP- is still safely in the #2 starter range).

I agree completely when lesser assets are Mitch Nay and Dwight Smith Jr. or something outright ridiculous. But Stroman is an elite asset by himself. Consider the fact that Sonny Gray ranked 31st on Dave Cameron's list of most valuable trade assets this season. At the time (July 15) these were Gray's career stats: 2.75 ERA 3.07 FIP 3.27 xFIP 189.2 innings (29 GS) Stroman's stats since being moved to the rotation: 3.27 ERA 2.82 FIP 3.18 xFIP 118.1 innings (19 GS, 1 RP) Those are fairly comparable stats and Stroman has an edge in age (1 year younger than Gray was at the time), so I think it's fair to say Stroman is arguably at the back end of the 30 most valuable trade assets in the game. Of course Donaldson ranked 17th, and would probably rank a couple spots higher now, so Stroman vs. Donaldson is a pretty easy call. But Pompey is arguably a top 50 prospect, no doubt top 100 prospect, who is close, and Lawrie is going to be a relatively cheap regular for the next three years with upside remaining. I actually didn't realize Donaldson was a Super-Two and had 4 years left, so that makes it a lot closer. But I still lean towards the Jays package. Like I said, it's probably a lateral move (or marginal upgrade at best) for 2015, and if the team is giving up future wins (which I'm not opposed to), it needs to be for a bigger 2015 swing. One other thing to consider as well; the Jays still have a chance to lock up Stroman to a team friendly deal and could do the same with Pompey eventually. I think it's a moot point in practical terms though. Since Donaldson has 4 years of arb, I think it's much more likely they look to move him next offseason or the offseason after that. They can afford him for at least 2015 and he'd still be incredibly valuable with 3 or 2 years of arb control left.

Anthopoulos would be giving up: 1. 6 cost controlled seasons of a guy who already pitched like a #2 starter. 2. 6 cost controlled years of a guy who, with his defence in CF and speed on the bases, wouldn't have to hit much to be at least a solid-average regular, and is close to contributing. 3. 3 relatively cheap years of a guy who is a solid-average regular at 3B or 2B at worst and could still take a step forward at some point. Beane would do that in a heartbeat of 3 years of Donaldson (who will be underpaid, but still expensive for a team with Oakland's budget, especially after this season). Anthopoulos wouldn't though, nor should he. At best it's a 1, at the most 2, win upgrade for 2015 and probably an easy loss from a long-term POV.