Your Toronto Blue Jays

[guyser]

Doesn't look like AA will lose his job. He was on the radio today.

Nor should he.

They have great arms coming up, Sanchez, Strohman, Hutch, .....Berhle as a go to man for the young ones.

They all can hit...maybe not Muni though, he wont be back but I like watching him.

Solid behind the plate.

First time ever that Jays had 5 10+ winners. Doesnt amount to much, but its a start. Move one of the big three and get some salary to spend on a starter...proven starter and things could be very bright indeed.

Perhaps if the can catch lightning in a bottle the same way Baltimore did, it would be nice.

[overthere]

The Jays have many. many leaks in their boat and they will be challenged to plug them.

They will have to and should pay Cabrera a bunch. If he wanted to stay here, why didn't he sign a fat extension with them this year?

Reviewing just some of their lineup, who would be kept based on performance?

Baustista: MVP caliber season. they have to extend him now or trade him soon, no other options work. Will he want to continue with the endless 'rebuild'? I doubt it.

Lind: not worth the money

Rasmus: no

Morrow: no

Janssen: no

almost the whole bullpen: no

Reyes: declining range this year and a huge huge salary

Fransisco : no

Tolleson: no

Valencia: maybe

Gose: back to the minors

Goins: back to the minors

Kawasaki: back to the minors

Navarro: keep

Lawrie: will he ever not be hurt?

EE: keep

Dickey: blah, getting old

Buerhle: see above

Happ: journeyman, keep for now

Stroman: keep

Pompey: keep as long as he hits

Alex A is always full of optimism what else can he do? But based on performance, which is the yardstick in pro sports, he deserves to be fired.

[overthere]

Nor should he.

They have great arms coming up, Sanchez, Strohman, Hutch, .....Berhle as a go to man for the young ones.

They all can hit...maybe not Muni though, he wont be back but I like watching him.

Solid behind the plate.

First time ever that Jays had 5 10+ winners. Doesnt amount to much, but its a start. Move one of the big three and get some salary to spend on a starter...proven starter and things could be very bright indeed.

Perhaps if the can catch lightning in a bottle the same way Baltimore did, it would be nice.

Nope. He has had five years and a big bump in budget and gained nothing in wins.

In pro sports, that is a big fail.

[Boges]

RUSSEL MARTIN!!!!

Plan the Parade!

Navarro wants to be traded. Duh!

[overthere]

too bad about Navarro. He would have been a good backup to Martin, good clutch hitter/pinch hitter/DH.

And he would play 50 or 60 games at catcher. He's not that good defensively, but a great backup overall.

The only player they need to keep that's a FA is Melky.

I just don't see Melky playing in Toronto. He turned down $15 million in a qualifying offer and will get monster money, a set-for-life contract, offered by playoff contenders elsewhere. It was fun while it lasted.

I don't see Jose Bautista staying past 2015, unless the Jays extend his contract. At $14 million in 2014 plus a club option at $14 million for 2016, he is a bargain in todays salary insanity. If they don't extend before this season starts or very soon after, they'll have to trade him as his value will drop. Given hsi age, 3 years at big bucks, maybe $18m or $20m would be fair. Bautista has said he'll stay to the end of his contract, but he won't. He can't. By the end of 2016 he'll be getting old and less valuable.

[Big Guy]

What a trade with Oakland. I can understand it from the Jays end but it looks to me like Oakland got took.

Lawrie has always been a question mark.

[guyser]

Lawrie has always been a question mark.

Trade bait.

Stay tuned.

[Boges]

Trade bait.

Stay tuned.

Stay tuned for what? He's gone.

[guyser]

Stay tuned for what? He's gone.

.....he left Oakland already?

[Boges]

.....he left Oakland already?

Oh thought you were talking about the Jays. Perhaps you were in a bunker this weekend.

Oakland got a lot of prospects with this deal. They went all in and didn't get out of the Wildcard Game, perhaps it's time to re-build.

[overthere]

Its classic Billy Beane. He does not have a rebuilding schedule, he does it every day when he can find a dance partner.

Lawrie has potential to be a really good player. Actually he is a really good player, but injured too much. He makes less than half of what Donaldosn gets, and that is key for Oakland who rank 25 out of 30 teams in payroll.

And the prospects- at least two of them could be fine players, and they really only need one to work out for Oakland to win this deal. It is no coincidence that prospects also make almost nothing . More Billy Beane........

[Big Guy]

Not really about Jays but do not want to start a new thread.

How long before a major league baseball team(s) in Cuba? Which League - American or National?

[overthere]

I'd guess 20+ years before Cubans have enough disposable income to charge the ticket prices required to support a major league payroll.

[guyser]

I'd guess 20+ years before Cubans have enough disposable income to charge the ticket prices required to support a major league payroll.

Off the top of my head I am betting they dont need to wait that long. Tomorrow could be successful with they way monies are doled out from MLB.

$50M from TV rights is a lot of money. Thats more than the Astros, Marlins Rays,Mariners and Twins spend on players.

Toss in the rev from merch....which I imagine for the first few years would be huge and voila....some sembalnce of success.

On top of that, cheap tickets would mean huge crowds at all home games for the first few years for sure....a la Atlanta Pittsburgh,Arizona and San Diego charge.

Edited December 22, 2014 by Guyser2

[Boges]

Uhhh is there a stadium? Why isn't a pro team in the Dominican Republic? That's an arguably bigger baseball hotbed than Cuban.

[overthere]

Off the top of my head I am betting they dont need to wait that long. Tomorrow could be successful with they way monies are doled out from MLB.

$50M from TV rights is a lot of money. Thats more than the Astros, Marlins Rays,Mariners and Twins spend on players.

Toss in the rev from merch....which I imagine for the first few years would be huge and voila....some sembalnce of success.

On top of that, cheap tickets would mean huge crowds at all home games for the first few years for sure....a la Atlanta Pittsburgh,Arizona and San Diego charge.

Cubans will need two things they lack to afford ticket prices to MLB games: disposable income in hard currency. They have neither now. Players won't be paid in pesos.

Player salaries are not the total of club expenses, of course. FRanchise fees, farm systems, scouting, coaches, travel and many other items come out of owners pockets.

[overthere]

Uhhh is there a stadium? Why isn't a pro team in the Dominican Republic? That's an arguably bigger baseball hotbed than Cuban.

Japan and Mexico are bigger too.

Maybe Venezuela

[Boges]

FML!

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-saunders-tears-meniscus-star-break/

DUNEDIN, Fla. — A freak accident has cost the Blue Jays the services of outfielder Michael Saunders likely until the all-star break.

Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos said the 28-year-old Canadian was shagging balls Wednesday morning at the club’s training complex when he stepped on a sprinkler head indentation.

“My foot got jammed,” said Saunders, who spoke to the media Thursday morning on crutches. “To be honest, I don’t know exactly how it happened. it stopped me in my tracks and I heard a pop. It was almost like I was scared to find out (what happened).”

Saunders walked off the field and saw the trainer.

Anthopoulos said the six-foot-four 225-pound Saunders will get a second opinion but likely requires surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

[overthere]

wow that is a blow.

He was never going to replace Cabrera but was a big part of a new outfield.

[Boges]

wow that is a blow.

He was never going to replace Cabrera but was a big part of a new outfield.

If they can't get a comparable bat then they may have to keep Navarro to DH.

[overthere]

If they can't get a comparable bat then they may have to keep Navarro to DH.

Agreed. They should keep Navarro anyway, he is a much better bat than Thole by far. He wants to be traded though, so he can be a starter.. This is the second time Russell Martin has taken his starting job.

Is it just me but was Navarro the primo clutch hitter for the Jays last year? He really has a knack for those cheesy dink singles when they are needed.

[Boges]

Agreed. They should keep Navarro anyway, he is a much better bat than Thole by far. He wants to be traded though, so he can be a starter.. This is the second time Russell Martin has taken his starting job.

Is it just me but was Navarro the primo clutch hitter for the Jays last year? He really has a knack for those cheesy dink singles when they are needed.

Oh yeah, he was good. I went to a game where he hit a home run.

If there's a team that needs a starting catcher bad enough to trade for one, they should be willing to give up a quality outfielder or a decent reliever.

Otherwise keep him, he'll at least be able to hit every day.

[overthere]

Not just hit, but Navarro is an OK catcher too. Not great, but decent.

Martin is a big upgrade at catcher and a good hitter too.

I say keep Navarro, because catching is the one position where you just cannot grind through 162 games with one player. It is just too hard on the body. Thole is not a hitter, or has not shown much so far. It is kind of an expensive conceit to keep him around just to catch for Dickey once every five days.

Navarro could be DH some days, though he does not have big power numbers. DH might be a weakness for the Jays. They'll play EE a lot at first base to keep his bat n every game. Who else is there with Lind gone? Valencia and Smoak are not worldbeaters.

The jays also need to solidify second base. Iszturis is back, can he stay healthy and produce?. Goins looks amazing on the field, but has failed to hit so far.

[Boges]

The hope is that Goins starts, Iszturis coming back is a good thing though. I think Kawasaki is still with the organization too.

With every season health is always the issue. Just the Jays luck though, their first major injury has happened before they've even played an inning.

Valencia was brought in a 3rd base because Lawrie was out. With Donaldson anchoring 3rd, EE at first and Reyes at short, 2nd is the only question mark with several options available.

There's now a gaping whole in Left field though, no doubt. A younger player might be able to step up there though.

[overthere]

Health is an issue for nearly every team at some point.

The Jays don't have the depth that the big boys have or can purchase.

Goins started last year, but hit so poorly they kind of gave up on him for a while. I still don't see Kawasaki as an everyday anything. Great team guy,

Let's hope Pompey or Carrera or Millar can step up in the outfield but ... it is getting late to be wishing and hoping.