Halloween quick hitters

OK, so I'm a day late.....but I meant to post this yesterday, and was too lazy to change the title.

It's November 1st, the World Series is over, and the GM meetings are just around the corner. You know what that means, don't you? Hotstove season, babies. Every year, once the Jays are mathematically eliminated, the Hotstove pretty much becomes the next "big thing" I look forward to. And here we are.

On to the aforementioned quick-hitters:

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Ooooh.....the drama! The intrigue! Will he or won't he? What do you think he'll do, Blue Jay fans? Any guesses? (end sarcasm)

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The Jays first major offseason move has come to pass, as the club has exercised the 2009 option on Rod Barajas. Oh, right - sorry - sarcasm mode ended. In all seriousness, it`s a pretty good situation for the Blue Jays, as the presence of Barajas behind the dish, on a one-year deal, will help the club bridge the gap until top catching prospect JP Arencibia is ready to handle the starting job. At least, I would hope that`s the plan....

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Just what in the fuck is it in the water these days that has Blue Jays fans jumping from the CN Tower over the club's fate next season? So, the Rays make the World Series, and automatically the Jays are reduced to a guaranteed fate of a 4th place finish in '09? Nope, I'm not buying it. I'm just not. You want predictions? Well, I've got some predictions for you: Scott Kazmir will be good for maybe 15 starts next season, Evan Longoria will go through a sophomore slump, BJ Upton still won't "get it", and David Price will show why very few players make the jump to the big leagues one year after being drafted. Yes, the Red Sox will find a way to finish with 90+ wins, but the Yankees, despite spending an obscene amount of money this offseason, will disappoint.

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Oh, and the Blue Jays? Yeah, OK - the rotation, as currently constructed, scares the piss out of me. There's Doc, who's an animal, obviously....and Jesse Litsch, who makes a fine #4 or #5.....and a whole lotta ?? (question marks). But the offense? Why can't the offense improve? Full seasons from Young Adam Lind and Sniderman (if he breaks camp, that is) won't help? A healthy Vernon Wells won't make the team better? And how about the guy everyone seems to have forgotten about - Aaron Hill. His presence won't improve the lineup? Don't get me wrong - Joe Inglett did a great job filling in, but he 's not going to get you 15 HR and 40 doubles like Aaron Hill can. And what about the massive boners everyone was sprouting about the work Team Cito did with the hitters? We're forgetting about that now?

And finally, let's not forget that JP Ricciardi (the other JP) knows the club needs a push, there's a little payroll room to kick around (maybe more than we think? Hmm?)....and, oh yeah, the little matter about a new incoming President and his job being on the line....

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Here's to hoping Ted Rogers bounces back from his latest medical scare. Details are sketchy at the moment, which is usually ominous, but let's hope for the best.

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Why is everyone kicking my ass over the idea of inquiring about Billy Butler? Once a top hitting prospect, he seems to have fallen out of favor with Royals management, and word on the street (OK, from Keith Law) is that he could probably be had for relatively cheap. A 22 year old, still getting his feet wet player who was once hailed as a having .300-25 HR potential isn't attractive? In short, fuck you guys!

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Owning up, I can see how my longings for an incentive-laden contract to lure Pedro back to the AL East seems, well, insane. But something tells me he'd love to shove it up the Red Sox (and his daddies, the Yankees) ass one more time, and maybe, just maybe, he can coax another year out of that shoulder. I'd never sign the guy to a massive base contract.....but a one year incentive-based deal? Why not? Who'd he be blocking? A probably not ready Brett Cecil? My guy Rick Romero? If nothing else, it'd be an exciting gamble...