Deadline: Trade Deadline!

Is it just us, or has the trade deadline speculation just blown right the fuck up in the past 24 hours.

As Blairsy might say: "Geeeeezzusss!"

There we were, feeling all nice and cozy after Alex "Not Beeston's Intern!" Anthopoulos pulled off the commendable swap with the Braves to bring in Yunel Escobar at a bargain basement price. It was like the time that we found a copy of Shattered Glass for $1 at a bargain store. (A loonie? To watch Peter Saarsgard seethe for two hours in a way that no American actor has seethed in two generations? Fuck yes! Please!)

Sorry, lost the train of thought for a second.

The Jays could very well pack up their bags and figure that they've added what could be a very nice, cheap and controllable piece that should be here when they evolve into a dependable 90+ win team. A nice year's work, and we can all be happy.

But at the same time, we feel like Alex is playing with the house's money: He brought in John Buck and Alex Gonzalez as essentially disposable assets. If either of them had flopped, the Jays could have paid them out through the year and walked away with nary another thought. But both turned out better than anyone could have expected, and both might bring back some tangible assets by the end of July.

Moreover, the moves that are being suggested for players like Scott Downs, Lyle Overbay, Jason Frasor, Kevin Gregg and John Buck don't feel like a clearing of the decks from a (excuse the Hillenbrandism) sinking ship. They feel like rational exchanges of sought after resources. This isn't a couple of teams stepping in to take your best player for some magic beans and a low-A ball LOOGY. No matter what the fuck Jon Heyman is on about.

(And speaking of Heyman: Can we just echo Stoeten's line yesterday that he's probably just making shit up, or developing really crappy sources? Because the amount of horseshit that came from his general direction last year through the Halladay mess should be enough to disabuse you of any sense that he's plugged into any real discussions that are going on.)

In pursuit of JoBau
There's seemingly been a lot of tire kicking on José Bautista, and given his stature as the Home Run King of the Major Leagues at this point, it stands to reason.

(Speaking of which: Wouldn't it be awesome if the league leader in home runs got to wear a yellow jersey like they do in the Tour de France, or a golden helmet like they do in the Finnish hockey league. Bautista in a golden helmet would make all the kids happy, and in 15 years when he came back to visit Toronto after concluding his Hall of Fame career, they could give away a JoBau Bobblehead with him wearing the Golden Batting Helmet. Cool.)

We're really of two minds on Bautista at this point. The first thought we have is that he is a very useful and productive piece, and that the Jays have him under control for one more season. And in spite of some notion floated yesterday by Buster Onley that his arbitration number will have eight digits in it, we'd figure that a 40 homer 100 RBI season will still land him less than $7 million, which still fits in the budget.

The other side is that maybe the shiny brilliance that comes along with three months at the top of the home run leaderboard is something on which you've got to capitalize as it is still burning bright, because harvesting the afterglow isn't going to bring you as much back in return.

The trade off, we suppose, is that it seems as though you might have a pretty good shot at two compensatory picks if JoBau can keep this pace up through the balance of this season and most of the next. So whatever you get for him would have to be better than that.

In his chat on MLB Trade Rumo(u)rs yesterday, Tim Dierkes figured that of the Jays' trade targets, Downs, Frasor and Gregg will go before the deadline, while Lylo will go afterwards through waivers and Bautista will stay put. We think that sounds perfectly acceptable to us.

Wait a second...
Did we just buy in to the Eternal Building Process? Damn you, Handsome Tony Viner. Did you use some Inception-style tactics to plant these seeds subconsciously? You are as sagacious and savvy as you are fragrantly pulchritudinous.

On Roy Halladay and Starting Pitching

See, we all knew this was coming, didn't we? Roy Halladay, now a Philadelphia Phillie, goes ahead and chases the ghost of Bobby Higginson (you worthless prick - but no offense, Bobby) and tosses a perfecto for his new team. Phillie phans (barf) celebrate, Jays fans wonder....

What if Roy were still a Jay? What if Ruben Amaro refused to include Kyle Drabek in any negotiations and Anthopoulos rolled the dice on another year of Doc - to the deadline, at least? And with that deadline approaching, and the Jays in contention, and heading in the right direction.....what if? Would Anthopoulos have held on to #32? Would Roy now at least consider listening on an extension? Could this have been the season where the rallying cry of "Playoffs!" was more than an exercise in hyperbole? So many "what ifs" and so many questions to ponder.

But.......

(you knew there was a "but" coming....there's always a "but"....)

None of this would have happened if Doc still wore blue (I know, I know...). Anthopoulos very likely would have shaped the roster much differently: we might not have been witness to the maturation of Travis Snider with everyday at-bats; Jose Bautista may not have been given the opportunity to flourish that he's had to date; Freddy Lewis may never have found his way north; John Buck's at-bats might have been taken by Rod Barajas. Maybe Johnny Mac is 100 AB deep by now.

And the pitching.....yes, the pitching. Shaun Marcum (5-1, 2.59), Ricky Romero (4-2, 3.42), and Brett Cecil (5-2, 3.81) shape the new front end of the Jays rotation. And they've been fucking awesome. Pardon the language, but they have been.

Now, let me get one thing straight - I don't particularly buy the talk that a Doc-less clubhouse has made for a looser bunch of ballplayers, and the team is gelling like never before without Halladay's intimidating presence and massive shadow looming over the staff. But it does seem unquestionable that a Doc-less rotation has forced the young core of starters to mature and take on roles they may otherwise not have.

Shaun Marcum is the leader of the staff, and the broadcast throwaway shots of Marcum leading a conversation with a handful of pitchers along the dugout rail warms my heart. Rick Romero is trusting his stuff like never before and refuses to cave even when taking the mound with less. Brett Cecil is a new pitcher entirely and has forced his way into any and all discussions surrounding the future 5-man. Along with #1 prospect Kyle Drabek, that is.

Would all of this have happened on a Jays team led by Halladay? Maybe. Possibly. But I doubt it.

Let's enjoy Halladay's achievement for what it is - an afternoon of pure brilliance by the best in the game - a feat many of us foresaw as an inevitability.

But let's also enjoy the 2010 Toronto Blue Jays for what they are - an exciting team of hungry young players and veterans thriving in the opportunity.

There's no turning back - "Roy Halladay is not walking through that door, people" - and quite honestly, I don't know that I would if I could. Congrats to Roy. It's beyond well deserved. It's what we all hoped for Doc, along with the NL Cy (uh, slow down there, Ubaldo) and World Series ring.

But the Jays are 29-22 and have given plenty of reasons to dream of still better days ahead, and yeah, just maybe.....playoffs!

That's what I'm celebrating today.

Better late than never?

Apologies off the top for the delay in weekend posting, but if you've been following along on twitter, you'll have noted that Friday evening was a real meeting of the minds between our gracious blog host (Tao) and yours truly. You'll also have noted that Friday evening's game (playoffs!) went into extras, which (naturally) resulted in a few extra beverages.....which resulted in a supremely sluggish Saturday morning. If you need me to spell it out for you....I'm not 25 years old anymore, friends.

Short of plotting world baseball blogging dominance, good times were had. I'd delve into the detail, but I'm pretty sure that the non-disclosure agreement I was forced to sign prevents me from discussing. Hey, I just work here.

(That, and you'd be bored to tears. "Hey man, I DO NOT appreciate Jose Bautista."...."Oh, fuck off. He's SOLID, dude." Well, not exactly. But I digress....)

So here we are. But where exactly are we? Following the travails of a team that some would say is overachieving - 4 games over .500 a full fifth of the way through the schedule. This seems to be the path of the team - getting off to promising starts before falling off and into the wilderness with the Orioles as the season progresses. But something is different about this club.

We're not all waiting for the other shoe to drop, for one. Lowered expectations for the win! But it's more than that. In seasons past, when our (my?) primary bitch was the lack of organizational direction and low-ceiling makeup of the roster, the frustration borne from the mounting losses was invariably compounded by a growing sense of hopelessness.

But look at where the club is now, right now - objectively and without wearing the fanboy hat - and try to convince me the same applies. You can't, and you won't. For starters (literally), the Jays are deep in the asset every organization covets most - young pitching. And people are starting to notice - as well they should.

"I see Romero as the guy who's going to emerge as their go-to guy to shut down a series," he said. "To me, there's almost a scary resemblance between him and vintage Johan [Santana]. His change has really developed. But he's got three other pitches to go to. With more experience, and a team that can catch the ball, he's got a chance to be an 18-20-game winner.

"Marcum's got the makeup of a front-end rotation guy. His stuff is a little below that. But he battles so well, I wouldn't bet against him. I've always liked Cecil. And Morrow doesn't have the feel of those other guys. But he's got quality stuff. It's a pretty impressive young group."

Somebody help me - what's that word we once used to describe quotes like these? Added bonus, the above doesn't even take into consideration potential frontline arms coming up through the system like Drabek, Stewart, and Jenkins. And let's not sleep on RZep, who's now throwing again.

It's all good news on the pitching front, but you can't win every game 1-0. It would be foolish to pretend that there aren't holes in the starting 9. One needs only witness a classic Manager giveaway game lineup to realize the threadbare depth at the major league level. That's not to say there aren't pieces, for now and three years from now.

Adam Lind will find his stroke and remind us all that he's a very bad man. Aaron Hill will emerge from the fog and be, at the least, an above average second basemen in all facets. Travis Snider is starting to rake, right on cue (though I'd love to see him mash a good country fastball). Vernon Wells isn't done and Freddy Lewis has been a great addition to the team.

More importantly, help is on the way. Brett Wallace and his 1.0+ Vegas-aided OPS. One of the 17 catching prospects (deep!) will pan out and be The Man behind the plate. Perhaps one of Eric Thames or Brad Emaus will fly in from under the radar and be the surprise story that every team needs. And let's not forget about Adeiny.

All in all, I'd say it's a fun time to be a Blue Jays fan. Wouldn't you agree?

Handsome Tony?
Say it aint so, HTV. Does that mean you'll be leaving us too?

The struggles begin

Even though we're (yeah - we) in the midst of a (re)building year, losing plain sucks. Especially against shitballers like Joe Saunders, who prior to today's contest couldn't get anyone out. Cue the manager's patented "mail it in Saturday" lineup (much like this post - heyo!), featuring both Jose Molina and Johnny Mac. Both good dudes and defensive wizards to be sure, but those two bats should never, ever, appear on the same starting lineup card. In defence of Clarence, he's not exactly dealing with a full stack of reserves. Get healthy, Aaron Hill and hurry on back, E5.

The shittacular starting 9 aside, what I continue to find disconcerting and amazing all at once is the ongoing praise for Brian Tallet and his work in the rotation. Let me make one thing clear - I'm a big Tallet fan. In the right role. And to me, that role is long man capable of chewing up multiple innings out of the bullpen. The praise he receives for essentially being a bad starting pitcher is beyond me. It's like the Jays broadcast crew (and management) go out of their way to praise Tallet for taking his lumps and going five or six innings.

I'd rather all involved were just honest and admit that Tallet's job as a starter is a function of protecting the confidence of young arms who would otherwise be taking the ball. Better to beat on the veteran than the youngsters, I guess.

No matter, Brett Cecil will be forcing his way into the big league rotation soon enough. Speaking of which.....

Irresponsible hype based on insignificant sample sizes - Las Vegas edition
Brett Cecil - 2-0, 2.45 ERA, 11 IP, 11K (plus some new eyewear)
Brad Mills - 1-0, 0.79 ERA, 11.1 IP, 18K (um....what?)
Brett Wallace - 9 GP, 1.092 OPS, 4 HR (arb date?)

Joe Cowley update
After finally freeing himself from the tyranny that we call Canada, Joe Cowley and his journalistic stylings accompanied the Chicago White Sox to Cleveland. Friday night's attendance? 10,421 (Toronto att: 14,779). Saturday's attendance? 12,885 (Toronto: 17,187).

Looking forward to the article discussing the benefits of moving the Indians to Tijuana or wherever the fuck.

Right on cue

(photo credit to.....Mike Wilner? Who knew?)

As if to support my last post extolling the virtues of Jays ownership committing to spending the dollars necessary to build a winner, today comes news the Jays have locked up lineup cornerstone Adam Lind to a multi-year deal. Boom. Just like that.

(And no, I'm not so delusional as to really believe that. So back off, man.)

I'll spare you the details reported everywhere, but suffice to say the Jays have Lind locked up for a long, long time at a very, very team friendly contract. And this is the point where I'll jump in and throw out a big "c'mon, man....fuck off" at those who wish to poo-poo the value of the deal by arguing that Lind is a one-dimensional player, easily replaceable because of his subpar defence. Oh, really? 30+ HR and a .900+ OPS is easily replaceable? C'mon, man.

The fact of the matter is, Lind really is a one dimensional player. Defensively, his best position is DH. And yeah, he really only has put up one year worthy of the contract he just received. But that's the rub: if Lind was an outstanding defensive player, or if he did have a multi-year history of offensive production replicating '09, there's no way Alex Anthopoulos would have been able to sign Lind to the deal as reported.

Bottom line - the team has a legitimate middle of the order hitter locked up for at least the next four - and as many as the next seven at their choosing - seasons, at a contract that won't prevent them from doing anything. How's that bad? It isn't. It's great.

Other considerations:

(1) Adam Lind, by all accounts, is good people. Yeah yeah yeah. Character counts for nothing, I know. But I'd argue that it does count for at least something when you're talking about a lockerroom leader.

(2) The deal is a strong first step in backing up Nadir Mohamed's proclamation that Rogers is indeed throwing it's hat in the ring to build a long-term winner.

(3) Alex Anthopoulos is really getting quite the rep for orchestrating these long term/club option deals, isn't he? Quick: name two of the best long-term contracts signed (from a team perspective) in recent memory. Whassat? Aaron Hill and Adam Lind? Yeah, that was AA.

(4) Maybe this is fanboy fantasy on my part, but I'd like to think this shows that players want to be Blue Jays and are clearly buying what Mohamed et al are selling. I sure don't think Anthopoulos is lying when he says "There’s a great energy right now about this organization and what we’re doing, the belief that our owners have in us and certainly that the players have”.

....and maybe the best part of this news is that it was completely unexpected. Keep surprising us, Alex.

Now about that shortstop....

Sometimes, talk isn't cheap

There's something to be said for cheering for a rebuilding ballclub. In a way, it's much easier than pulling for teams like today's Yankees or Red Sox - or even the '92-'93 Blue Jays. Teams like that are built to win - expected to win - the World Series, and anything less is complete and abject failure. Each loss is magnified, and maniacal paranoia sets in (see Sam Horn, Sons of). The disgusting sense of entitlement is another unfortunate sidebar (think pinstripes).

Then there's the flip side of the coin - teams like the Royals and Pirates - who attempt to fool their fanbase (more and more unsuccessfully as the seasons pass) under the guise of rebuilding....when really all that's happening is a revolving-door roster of shitty, low cost - but young! - players who never seem to live up to the marginal expectations the organization really has for them.

Perhaps the worst of all is the team stuck in the middle: 75 to 85 win clubs stocked with relatively unexciting players; good enough to compete but not enough to win. These teams typically have no real vision and can't decide whether to tear the fucker down or sell out for a shot. Sound familiar?

No, if you're going to rebuild, you have to go all in. You have to trade away your franchise player who you won't be able to re-sign (check). You have to commit to youth and development, even if it means sacrificing current results for future gains (check). You have to have leadership with vision (check). And you have to have ownership committed to that vision (um....).

Until today, Blue Jay fans (post -'93) could never say for certain we've had that. Until today, we've only had Paul Beeston (bless 'em) paying lip service with quotes like "the money from ownership is there when we need it". You can forgive us, Paul (can I call him Paul? Because I just did...), if we're just a little jaded about the whole "the money is there" thing when we've seen players out there begging to be signed (below market) who would have filled holes quite nicely....only to have the team pass. And let's not regurgitate the whole 2009 draft discussion. Nobody wins in that argument (right, James Paxton?). Point being, since Ted Rogers' passing, we haven't heard much from ownership, and we certainly haven't seen much to get excited about.

But today, things might have just changed. For me, anyway. The Star's Dave Perkins caught my attention with the headline blasting "Ownership will spare no expense to win the World Series". My immediate reaction? "Yeah, right". Then I read the article. I read how Nadir Mohamed flew down to address the team - face to face - and proclaim that "the ultimate goal is the World Series and that the organization will do – and spend – what is necessary to get there again." More lip service? Maybe. But Mohamed is quite clearly a successful CEO, and to boldly address the team in such a manner with no intentions on following through wouldn't exactly set much of a precedent, with his employees or the fans.

In a follow up article focusing on Mohamed, we find more golden nuggets like "It's a commitment, we've made the commitment and we're going to make it happen"....and "We know what the team means (to Toronto)," Mohamed said. "We're here to make it work. We feel we have the best men for the job in Paul and Alex. I'm excited."....and possibly my personal favorite quote (hey, I'm a finance nerd), "One of the top execs in the organization has off-handedly remarked that Blue Jay losses, within the Rogers empire, amount to "a rounding error.""

Now, maybe I can be accused of being a sucker, easily fooled. That argument is probably not without merit. But holy shit, I think I'm excited about the future of this team.

Maybe someday, sooner than later, we'll be saying "Playoffs!" and actually meaning it. And that aint nothin', my friends.

Things are coming together (even as they fall apart)

As much as we'd all like to see every spring story be a positive one....that'll never be the case. Seems one player's good fortune is always tied to another's, um... misfortune. Case in point: Brandon Morrow looks ready to resume throwing after taking a break to quiet his barking shoulder. This is huge for the Jays, in that the team (and fans) are counting on the flamethrower to be a big mid-rotation presence for the club during the Building! (TM).

Meanwhile....hard-luck Dustin McGowan has been shut down for another two weeks as his barking shoulder doesn't seem to want to come around (just yet). The club is loathe to call it a "setback", but let's be honest....the news fucking sucks. Dunno about you, but I've latched onto ol' Dusty as a guy who I'd love to see succeed. So much talent, yet so many injuries sapping all momentum from his career. Here's to hoping....

Sticking with pitchers, Brett Cecil (who should be - at the very least - in the running for the 5th spot in the rotation...yet isn't at the behest of Clarence) tossed five scoreless against the Red Sox. Much like Morrow, the Jays need Cecil to emerge as the horse he's projected to be, even if it involves opening the year in Vegas. Tallet may have the job locked down, but there's no way a healthy Cecil doesn't claim that job in a few months time...right?

Meanwhile....opening day ace Shaun Marcum got knocked around in his last start (9 runs in his 5 IP), but both pitcher and manager don't appear concerned. Spring stats are bullshit, right? .....which makes the preceding statement about Cecil meaningless, I suppose. If you want to be a cynical prick, that is.

Blair weighs in on Snider...

...and fucking nails it. Question: why is it that everyone is so ready to "write-off" (wrong choice of words, but you get the drift) Travis Snider as a one-dimensional slugger, slow afoot and a butcher in the field? He's a 22 year old kid still learning the craft, and while he'll never be Ken Griffey Jr. in the outfield, who's to say he can't work towards being average - or a tick above? Jeff Blair illustrates what Snider's doing to make himself a more rounded player, and I for one will give The Future the benefit of the doubt.

Also, let's not overlook the improved footspeed shown by the kid. You paying attention, Bastian? (heyo!)

It's not that bad

(....but seriously - a Tweet Bag? What the fuck? How am I supposed to follow that? Genius. I'm assuming that gratuitous salty language can only help.)

A funny thing happened to me today. Like, literally today (but maybe not literally "funny". Anyway...). A realization washed over me as I snapped from my pre-season doldrums:

I read too much.

No, it's not like that. I wish I could tell you I've been immersed in the KLaw 100. Sadly, that's not the case: I've been reading too many pre-season forecasts spelling out how the Jays org has gone to shit and a 5th place/90 loss season is in the cards.

Well, fuck all that.

What did anyone expect?

Does nobody remember that the Jays lost 87 last year? That the front office has completely turned over (but not the manager) and payroll stripped down? Oh, and the little matter of (possibly) the best player in franchise history being dealt in the offseason? So why act all surprised and put on fake airs about how disgusted you are with the state of the team? (I'm talking to you - no, at you - fickle Jays fan.)

I'm here to tell you, right now, that it's not that bad. The organization is not in a bad spot. Temporarily, yeah, the Jays might be in line to take some lumps at the hands of the A.L. East Superpowers (makes me feel sick).

That front office shakeup? Bodes well for the future. Yes, the proof is in the proverbial pudding, time will tell, all that cliched bullshit. But so far, it's promising.

Existing stars? We've got a few. Adam Lind and Aaron Hill are cornerstones.

Potential future stars? More than we had a year ago, with Travis Snider, Kyle Drabek, and Brett Wallace either arriving or waiting in the wings.

Shaun Marcum has had an amazing spring of fake games. We couldn't have hoped for better progress from Dustin McGowan. Brandon Morrow and Marc Rzepczynski are showing they want to be rotation stalwarts.

Vernon Wells might even bounce back. Maybe Jose Bautista becomes the new Scutaro. What if J.P. Arencibia plays his way onto the big league club and mashes in Toronto by June? What if some of the other prospects like Stewart, Jenkins, and Sierra blow the goddamned doors off and rocket through the system this year?

Lots could go right. Lots could go wrong. Isn't that why we watch (obsessively)?

Playoffs, baby.

Someday, anyhow. I've got time.

In a word, potential

It's no secret that I've paid a lot of lip service to the stockpile of young arms the Jays have in camp this spring and the potential for a frontline rotation (if not "down the road"); lip service paid without any substantial discussion behind it. Guilty as charged. I've also been guilty of piling on weak posts of scattered thoughts thus far this spring. My bad, friends. What can I tell ya?

Well, consider me enthused - here's my attempt at righting the aforementioned wrongs. Inspired by the Tao's look at the starting 9, let's have a gander at the plethora of young arms destined to fill out the Jays' future rotation(s):

The Favourites

Shaun Marcum
Who could forget the on-field interview with Marcum shortly after it was revealed he'd undergo T(B)J surgery and miss the entirety of a season (I'd link the TSN clip, but it appears to be "no longer available"). There stood Marcum, voice trembling, speaking of how what he'd miss the most was just being "on the team and one of the guys".

Marcum is now back, fully healed, and all indications are he is ready to go with no limitations. So what does he bring? A low-90's fastball, tight breaking pitch....and a filthy little change-up - his bread and butter. Marcum might not have the pure "stuff" to project as a true rotation ace, but he doesn't need to be. Assuming he can regain the pre-injury form that had him penciled in as a middle of the rotation starter - with upside as a #2 - he'll go a long way to anchoring a staff in need of a go-to guy.

Ricky Romero
Another player easy to pull for. Due to draft circumstances beyond his control, Romero has been shit on more than....well, I don't have a witty punchline for that. But he's taken a beating, let's all agree. Before fading in his rookie season, Romero was nails enough to start putting the "Tulo" sniping behind him.

In a sense, he's a lefthanded version of Marcum - a bulldog on the mound who relies on his change to make hitters look silly. Romero has more zip on his fastball, but probably less control than Marcum at this stage. Either way, they should complement each other well heading up the staff.

Brandon Morrow
You know what? I miss Brandon League already, that goofy fucker. There is no doubt, however, that AA pulled off a steal in the trade bringing over the fireballing righty. Assuming he can be a starter, and assuming Johermyn Chavez doesn't blow the fuck up into a mashing outfielder, of course.

Morrow brings something to the staff the Jays were sorely lacking - a big armed presence with an intimidating fastball. You might groan at early comparisons to AJ Burnett, but take away Burnett's occasionally shitty attitude and frequent DL trips, and what do you have? Maybe Brandon Morrow.

Marc Rzepczynski
Much like the spelling of his name, RZep is a bit of a mystery. He doesn't have a big fastball. Scouts don't rave about a nasty breaking pitch. His delivery is unconventional. He doesn't yet possess great (or even very good) control.

But somehow, despite all those "flaws"...RZep strikes dudes out and induces ground balls otherwise. I'm willing to let him pitch himself out of the rotation, and apparently, so is The Manager.

Brian Tallet
Every staff needs a long reliever who can pile up 3 inning appearances and act as the swingman to spot start when needed. Brian Tallet is that guy for the Jays. Unfortunately, he's another of Cito's faves, and I'm willing to bet he breaks camp in the starting 5.

I say "unfortunately" because, while I like the dude and see the value he brings.....I don't get why a 32 year old career reliever (for the most part) holds down a rotation spot on a rebuilding ballclub.

But hey, I'm not The Manager.

Dustin McGowan
Clearly, McGowan rates above "6th man" status when projecting a rotation, but the feeling here is the Jays will buy time and start McGowan on the DL. If Dusty's shoulder is indeed healed and he can get back to where he was on his way to becoming - no small accomplishment when considering the dreaded labrum injury - he brings the potential to give the Jays exactly what they don't currently have: a true frontline ace.

Fingers crossed.

The Immediate Future

Brett Cecil
Prior to some struggles last season, Cecil was widely regarded as a future horse in the rotation. The stuff hasn't changed, so I see no reason why Cecil can't still be That Guy. He might have a few months in Vegas in his future, but there's no way he doesn't see big league action this summer. Dude is just too talented.

Zach Stewart
Any time you can bring back a prospect like Stewart in return for an aging third baseman with declining power (bless the GBOAT) who didn't want to be here, well....you do it. Thank you, JP Ricciardi. Even if it's to debut as a reliever, smart money says Stewart breaks his MLB cherry this season.

Kyle Drabek
Assuming he can ignore the burden of living up to being the player traded for a pitching god, Drabek is sure to be a big part of the team's future. A good chunk of the season in New Hampshire, maybe a month or two in Vegas.....and Toronto at some point in 2011?

Somewhere in The Future

Chad Jenkins
The Jays top pick in last year's draft, early projections had Jenkins eventually filling a mid-rotation slot. But ya know, with the glowing early reports - reporting to camp down 20 pounds, bowling ball sinker, great attitude - he just might surprise and be more than that.

Sure to start in Dunedin or Lansing, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him advance quickly and end up in AA New Hampshire. Yeah, I'm excited.

Henderson Alvarez
All right, I know very little about this kid, except that he's young (not yet 20), acquitted himself well in Lansing, has great control, and developing stuff the scouts seem to love. Here's hoping.

Gone (for now) but not forgotten

Jesse Litsch
Don't count on seeing Uncle Jesse at all this summer as he recovers from his own T(B)J Rite of Passage. In fact, with all the arms now in the organization that weren't here prior to his injury, it's tough to say what the future holds for Litsch. He is another guy, though, that you have to pull for. He's certain to get another shot somewhere.

Long(er) shots and Camp Fodder
Brad Mills (still has potential, but unlikely to be a part of the Jays rotation?), David Purcey (one more shot?), Dana Eveland (depth play, I guess?), Scott Richmond (DL bound with "a shoulder" - uh oh) .

.
.
.

Yeah, that's a little more than "a word", I realize, but there's a lot to be excited about pitching-wise in the organization. Who'd I miss? Am I wrong?

A plethora of potentially somewhat vaguely useful arms

We're back! Did you miss "we"?

And while we hate to spoil our return by engaging in told-you-so's, didn't we tell you before we left for our much-needed vacation that the Jays were certain to pull off a major move or two while we were away? That's what always happens, and we were certain that Doogie Anthopoulos would celebrate our absence with some earth-shattering move.

And thus, enter Kevin Gregg. (And Dana Eveland. But more on him some other day. Let's focus on Gregg, because he's stuck in people's craw.)

We have to confess that we've had a bit of a hate-on for Kevin Gregg for a few years now, mostly due to the fact that we were waiting for him to cough up his closer role for the sake of our fantasy baseball teams. (Go Marmol!) Being the gentleman that he is, Gregg accommodated us both in Florida and in Chicago, and for that, we are grateful.

But now that this joker comes to town, toting with him his 16 blown saves over the past two years, we figure that we have to find some way to wrap our head around the signing and feel happy about it, because there are only so many members of your team's bullpen that you can hate in any given year. Seeing as how we've dedicated most of our disdain to Shawn Camp, we've got to dig real deep and find some level of sweet charity for this chucker who has lost some zip on his fastball and gave up 13 dingers out of the bullpen last year.

The best we've been able to come up with so far is this: He's got to be better than Kerry Ligtenberg. (He really does, doesn't he? Right?)

Our feeble defense of this signing
Okay, so we know that the Better Than Ligtenberg defense is the faintest of praise, and one that we use a little too often to help keep us sane. So we're gonna dig deep on this one and try to find something (anything!) to make it seem a little more palatable.

And here's what we've come up with: Tonnage. As much as there is talk of the sheer number of average-or-worse arms that the Jays are bringing to camp this season, and the crowded bullpen picture, we look back at the past three seasons and see the numbers of pitchers who were pressed into Major League service before their time. It was fun and all to see Brett Cecil and Bobby Ray and Marc Rzepczynski and Brad Mills last season, but we would have preferred to leave them in the minors to develop instead of having the Phillies lineup school them on the way the game is played up top.

We made this argument to Mrs. Tao as she tolerated us watching a few innings of the Caribbean Series (in Spanish on a Dominican station, which was a weirder experience than we can easily describe.) As I got excited by seeing Randy Ruiz's plate appearances, we got talking with the missus about just how many players it takes to keep a baseball system running. Once you get past your 25-man roster, plus a few injured players, then about 25 guys per team in your system, you're looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of 180 warm bodies to get you through the year, and not all of them are going to Chase Utley or Mariano Rivera.

What the Jays ultimately get in Gregg is a bullpen arm who has in the past posted sub-4.00 ERA's with a strikeout per inning over the past three seasons. He's a marginal, potentially useful piece who could be a significant part of the bullpen's back end if everything breaks right. At the worst, he's a guy who won't cost much (relatively speaking) and will be gone before any of us remember he was here.

And when it comes right down to it, that's not a bad play on AA's part.

Memories that we don't have
We don't seem to remember people losing their shit over the signing of Jaime Navarro back in 2001. Not that it didn't happen privately, but we don't remember it.

Scouting Randy Ruiz
So we got to see Randy Ruiz play a few innings in the Serie Del Caribe, which was just enough to stoke the fires of our Ruiz mancrush. We saw the big man whiff weakly in one at bat, but we also saw him hit a solid single with two strikes on him, go first to third on a sharply-hit line drive, and score on a single. Production!

Ruiz also looked very solid in the field, so if it comes down to it, we could imagine him taking a regular turn at first if he's needed there this year.

And finally, thanks and praise...
...to the Ack for a stellar week. We'll confess that we get a little jealous when we go away, and then something happens and the blog gets oodles of visits and they're not coming just for our witty repartee. And we have a notion some days that Ack is getting ready to shove us down the stairs, just like Jessie Spano did to Gina Gershon in Showgirls. Which is why we're taking off our thigh-high patent leather boots anytime we walk in front on him down a flight of rickety stairs.

(Which we don't do, seeing as how we live thousands of miles apart. But still, gotta keep these things in mind.)

But if someone's gotta be there to field the inquiries and keep the lights on, we're glad that we've got Our Man in Winnipeg on the job, because if he were writing for another blog, we're sure that it would be one of our favorites.

(Although if Ack starts to get ideas and a big head about this, we'd remind him that John Oates didn't do shit without Daryl Hall out front singing. And Andrew Ridgely's career evaporated when he wasn't standing just behind George Michael. So don't go making plans for that solo project just yet.)

Travis Snider is the future

Travis Snider is a beast. And if you'd be so kind as to allow me to blatantly rip-off Jordan Bastian's (a beast himself - the best MLB beat writer going) article for a few moments here, I'm about to tell you why.

Ready?

Travis Snider's physical talents have scouts drooling - he's a middle of the order, 40 HR hitting, OPS generating, opposite field mashing, 22 year old bundle of talent. Prodigious talent. Don't forget that. 22 years old. He's ready to "arrive".

It wasn't too long ago (like, this week) that yours truly was open to thinking about the possibility that Snider miiiight be best served learning more ropes in AAA Vegas. I no longer subscribe to the group that discusses that theory. You see, what was holding me back (earlier) was Snider's reaction to being sent down in '09. Refused to take instruction. Wouldn't address it with the media. Skulked down to Vegas. Said just enough of the right things upon his recall to make us believe he'd turned the corner.

Well, guess what, friends. Now he's saying all the right things, and I believe him. Partly because I want to believe him. but mostly because he's so easy to believe.

"I reacted as a lot of 21-year-olds would," he said, "instead of being 'beyond my years,' as I've been told I am many times."

How's that grab ya'? When I was 21, I was cruising through a degree, yet to realize that actually applying myself was the key to a career.

"And I wasn't allowing the people around me to help, or being willing to listen and understand what people were trying to say. Not to say everything they say is right or wrong, but there's a message that's trying to be delivered to you, and if you block it out completely, you're not allowing yourself to grow as a person."

Whoah. Massive physical talents, now showing the ability to learn & adapt.

"Why would you give somebody a spot guaranteed after last year's performance?" Snider said. "I'm a pretty realistic person when it comes to self-evaluation. That is the situation, and I'm excited to have the opportunity to compete for a spot."

You see, that's it right there. Some of us, this offseason, have questioned aloud Alex Anthopoulos' challenge to Snider - that he has to earn a spot in the lineup, as an everyday contributor, or risk being sent to Vegas. Snider isn't questioning anything. He's accepted the challenge, and he is going to fucking rake.

"Murph has watched me swing now for four years," Snider said. "He has a pretty good feel for what I'm trying to accomplish every time I go into the cage and what he feels it should look like. We communicate well, and I think as a person, there's not too many people like Murph in the game. He's really easygoing about things.

Don't underestimate this. Young Travis now has a champion in his corner - someone he can relate to, someone who knows him. Someone who can push Snider from "prospect" to "cornerstone".

(And if you think the above was filled with hyperbole - you're goddamned right it was. It's cold outside. Spring training is a few weeks away. Everyone/everything is pointing to a 4th/5th place AL East finish. I need something. Who better than the org's top young player? Building.)

The Damon dilemma

First of all, you have no idea how painful it was for me to drop an image of Johnny Damon at the top of this post. I have a feeling a reprimand is coming my way when the Tao returns from vacation. Let's hope he's in good spirits.

Anyway, to the point of the post here - and FYI, I'm using Damon as an example since his name has been bandied about and the club is showing at least limited interest - is it worth it for the Jays to spend the dollars on a short term deal for an impact free agent in a "building" year?

So far, I've avoided wading into this debate throughout the blogosphere because....I don't really know how I feel about it, to be honest. So let's have a go:

The Good
The Jays have a hole at the top of the order, and Damon could slide right into the leadoff spot. He's only OPS'd below .800 once in the last 6 seasons. He'll make the team more fun to watch and the season more bearable in the darkest of days. He's a veteran guy accustomed to winning, and he could show the kids a thing or two about being a pro (intangibles!). If the Jays really are intent on making Adam Lind a full time DH, as seems to be the case (though I disagree), Damon could slide right into left field and at least take a more direct route to balls than Young Adam (God bless 'em) would. On the right contract, he'll make a nice trade chip at the deadline, or likely garner Type-A draft pick consideration should he play out his deal. And finally, Damon (or Boras) has overplayed his hand this winter and will come cheaper than he really should have, at this point.

The Bad
I'm just not sure how long it will take to wash the douchebaggery from his essence, having spent the last 8 seasons with the Yankees/Red Sox. As a left fielder, he'll make a fine DH. He's a left handed batter - this is something I've been a little concerned with lately - and do the Jays really need another left handed bat in the lineup with Lind, Snider, Overbay/Wallace already slated for the middle of the order? (Though the fact he'll bat leadoff mitigates my concern somewhat). And he may have overplayed his hand, but being represented by Scott Boras means he won't be desperate.

The Ugly
How The Manager would play this one out frightens me. Cito seems entrenched in the idea of Jose Bautista commanding everyday at-bats in right field, which means no room for Snider. Obviously, that's a major jump to a conclusion, but it would mean Snider breaks camp....in Vegas. But can we discuss this? Are we positive that's a bad thing? He has absolutely killed it in his time there (1.094 OPS - holy shit!)...but it was only 48 games. Maybe a full year in AAA hanging in against lefties wouldn't necessarily be the worst thing in the world? And let's not ignore the elephant in the room wearing a service clock around his neck.

Conclusion....
I guess I'm still not fully convinced either way, but at the end of the day.....Johnny Damon would make for a more enjoyable 2010 season. That's hard to argue against. Snider in the minors would detract from some of that enjoyment - IF that's the way it were to play out - but you could even argue that decision might have some merit. So, yeah - I guess I'm on board. I just talked myself into it.

Other than the fact that he'll probably sign a short term deal with the Tigers by the time many of you read this - what do you think?

Jonesin'

Shoveling the inches of snow off my driveway this morning, it hit me about as hard as the heart attack I was sure was imminent (dude is out of shape): man, do I miss baseball.

That's the thing about the dead of a prairie winter - it makes you crave the things you love about summer that much more. And for me, that's baseball. Even if your team is in full-throttle (re)building. Even if the biggest news of late is the additions of depth arms like Shawn Hill, Zach Jackson, and Merkin Valdez. That's not necessarily a knock on Anthopoulos - nobody could rightfully expect the (re)build to be complete after one offseason.

Even still - and I've mentioned this before - I can't shake the feeling that there's still one bullet left for AA to fire. There have just been too many "mentions" of the Jays young pitching depth (& opposing GM inquiries) and holes elsewhere in the organization. Maybe there's a deal there. Maybe not. I dunno.

I do know this - if the rest of the offseason is going to be filled with speculation about the Jays poking around the dregs of the remaining free agent pool (have at Miggy Tejada, Orioles.....have at him).....then bring on spring training. Like, right fucking now.

Ya gotta feel for Rod Barajas (don't you?)
Speaking of the dregs of the FA pool, look who's pretty much the only free agent catcher out there without a job. Rod Barajas, that's who! I have to say - and hindsight is fantastic - I think we all saw this coming, didn't we? You can't really expect to draw multi-year attention on the heels of a .258 OBP, can you? Evidently not.

Hey Rod - hurry up and sign a god-damned contract, will ya? We've been looking forward to that compensation pick ever since you earned type-B status.

The Reds get it on credit

Oddly enough, we felt some relief when we heard that Cincinnati threw down $30 million to lock up Aroldis Chapman's services for the next six years. If the Reds would like to pay the Cuban defector $1 million this year, then back load his deal so that they keep paying him for the next ten years, like a delinquent credit card bill that's been run up on dubious trinkets, then so be it.

It's entirely possible that he'll end up being everything that we is promised to be, and that this deal will come off as a bargain. But we'll confess that we were beginning to get antsy at the idea of the Jays forking over $23 million given the uncertainty that surrounds young Mr. Chapman.

(Which, we realize, sounds like an incredibly convenient rationalization just after the Jays missed out on this intriguing piece as part of the Eternal Building Process. And it probably is. But seeing as how so many of you Tank Nation-types espouse a policy of perpetual short-term prudence towards some mythical contention date, always just two or three or four years away, we hope you'll cut us some slack if we didn't feel like adding a big contract for a guy who might just be a big chucker and not much else.)

It's the journey

Regardless of how the Aroldis Chapman affair plays out, Blue Jay fans are already winners. As has been repeated ad nauseam, the fact the Jays are willing to stick their collective noses in on a coveted free agent such as Chapman is telling.

Telling in that it shows that Anthopoulos has Beeston's - and therefore Rogers' - full confidence to transform the club as per his vision. Telling in that the owners, who have been slagged numerous times by numerous sources (present company included) for not spending, are willing to commit financially to make it happen. And telling in that the Anthopoulos-led Jays are not willing to simply concede defeat to the "big boys" when it comes to pursuing players who fit the vision.

You know what else this last week (or so) has done? It's given us something to dream on. Dunno about you folks, but I've been working through future rotation scenarios in my mind's eye - Marcum/Morrow/Chapman/Cecil/Romero? But then what of young Kyle Drabek, seen as the key cog to the Halladay deal? Or how about blogger favorite Rzepczynski? Last year's first rounder Chad Jenkins? And what if McGowan can get past his shoulder problem? That's a lot of talent - unproven as it may be - from which to piece together a rotation. In fact, ignoring the Chapman dream, it's clear to see the Jays are commodity rich in the major league arms race. Which leads to this thought....

Does it not seem inevitable that AA has another trick up his sleeve? What's the one area in the Toronto system (in the post-Halladay era) that Anthopoulos himself has mentioned as being coveted by other teams? The Jays young pitching. Where is the team's surplus? Young pitching. Where are the Jays needs as we build towards contention? Just about everywhere but young pitching (and the outfield, 1B, and 2B...but you see where I'm going with this). In other words - especially if the Jays land Chapman - maybe hold off on ordering up that custom Romero/Cecil/Rzepczynski jersey for a few weeks.

One more thought on what the pursuit of Chapman might mean, if you tend to read into things like I do (I pray to all that's holy that you don't): it signals a re-entrance into the Latin American market for players that made the Jays a model franchise in the halcyon days of the club. George Bell, Carlos Delgado, Tony Fernandez, Alfredo Griffin, Damaso Garcia, Manny Lee....hell, I'll even throw a Nelly Liriano at you. The Jays would be wise to re-emerge as a favored destination for their countrymen. More dreams, I guess.

A note on the Zach Jackson acquisition
To the critics: simmer the fuck down. It was borderline shocking to read the caustic and sarcastic comments throughout the blogosphere comment sections regarding this move for Toronto.

In case you haven't been paying attention, the Jays have "lost" the immortal Brians Burres and Bullington, along with Fabio Castro and whomeverthefuck else this offseason. That's a lot of Vegas innings to fill. And not every player on the minor league roster is destined to be a star. They're called organizational players, and every team has them.

Yes, even the Yankees (Josh Towers, anyone?).

Sunday update
Chapman signs with an NL team? Good thing I was stressing the "journey, not the destination" angle...

Corner boys don't get no respect

With all of the mid-winter rosterbation going down these days, there are lots of plans be floated by armchair GMs who have pretty much got their fingers on the pulse of what is going down with the Blue Jays. (Or so we think.) Most of these are looking ahead several years, as though we could just sim through the 2010 schedule and get right to the good stuff a year or two down the road.

But the fact is that there is still a 162-game slate ahead of this team next year, and you can't just flush it down the toilet and expect that the beleaguered fan base is going to put up with it. Tank Nation might sound like a clever idea, but this is a team that has lost a lot of currency, and has to be ready to put up a fight next year.

With that in mind, the odd thing that we keep noticing (or tripping ourselves up with) is the fact that barely anyone even acknowledges the existence of the two Major League veteran corner infielders that are currently under contract and on the roster.

Maybe it is a sign that, with the new regime and the new decade and the dawn of the Eternal Building Process, people are ready to cash in on Lyle Overbay and Edwin Encarnacion. They'd rather think forward, beyond 2010, towards the day when Brett Wallace will waddle around at first base and something (lord help us) will patrol the other side of the diamond.

But the odd thing about this is just how much we've all diminished the contributions (or potential contributions) of the two guys that's we've got. Overbay posted a WAR of 2.0 in 2009 and Encarnacion posted the same number in his last healthy season ('o8), which aren't league-leading numbers by any stretch, but they are at least positive contributions.

And that doesn't even account for the forgotten 1B/DH Randy Ruiz, who ripped it up good (10 homers / 1.019 OPS in 115 MLB at bats) when he finally got his shot. Nor does it account for Brian Dopirak, who put up an .876 OPS versus the PCL in 232 ABs (versus Wallace's .870 in 203 ABs in the high and dry offensive air out west.)

The Jays probably aren't the only team with a bunch of 1B/LF/DH types cluttering up their 40-man rosters, but we might be the only team to have disregarded the potential contributions of half of those players before pitchers and catchers report.

The $25M (?) question

So, I guess there really was something to the early reports that the Jays might be in on Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman, he of the 100 MPH fastball and inevitable Randy Johnson comparisons. This being a Blue Jays blog and now being the dead of winter, I'm going to beat the carcass of the horse too - should the Jays get in on the $25M (estimate - whaddya want?) gamble, or shouldn't they?

Perhaps understandably, early reactions across the blogosphere and throughout the comment sections are mixed. $25 million is a lot of cash for a franchise on the rebuild. We've seen enough albatross contracts in these parts to be wary of handing out that kind of money to a less than sure thing. Aren't there any veteran arms on the market the Jays can bring in for that kind of a guarantee?

Yes, but, uh....for what purpose? An innings-eater (somewhere, Jeff Blair is frowning in my general direction) would be of benefit to the club, reducing the workload required from the Jays young stable of starters (though really....aren't there enough "young starters" in the system on whom to divvy up those innings?).....but a $25M innings-eater would be a waste of resources for this team. For those kinds of dollars, at this point in time, for this team in particular....it's upside or nothing.

Lost in this discussion is the aspect that really intrigues me, though. The Jays - and Rogers - just might be in this thing for real. If throwing in $6M to facilitate the Halladay trade - for the prospects the front office desired - wasn't proof positive of ownership's commitment to seeing AA's vision through, then pursuing Chapman only adds to the evidence.

The Jays may not - or more likely, probably will not - win the bidding war for The Player, but the fact they're in the game tells me that the organizational workings are different now than they were a year ago. And that's something, anyway.

Or it could just be my new 2010 optimistic outlook wreaking havoc on my better judgement, and I'm merely setting up for further disappointment. But....nah.

Building!

Does it matter?

With the flurry of change surrounding our Toronto Blue Jays and the wheels set firmly in motion towards implementation of The Plan, you'd think local scribes and fairweather fans alike would be able to see past the inevitable growing pains surrounding a young, talented ballclub.

You'd also think yours truly would have enough sense to know that was never going to be the case. I thought we were good. I thought we were all going to accept the fact that an organizational step forward would undoubtedly be offset by an inevitable preliminary step back? But no, some folks just feel the incessant need to remind us that rough days are ahead.

Ladies and gentlemen: "Your last place Toronto Blue Jays."

And let's not forget the familiar refrain of non-fans everywhere who can't see past their own ass:

The Jays are the new Expos. Relocation!

You know, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year....but fuck off, really. You wanted direction, we have direction. You wanted change, we most certainly have seen change. For better or worse. If we can allow ourselves to take the words of the Anthopoulos-led front office at face value, then it's change for the better.

(As an aside, I'm not convinced the Orioles are going to be drastically improved. "Power hitting" Garret Atkins couldn't even hold his shit down in Coors these last few seasons. Now he's in the AL East. New closer Mike Gonzalez has really only ever held that job down for the powerhouse Pittsburgh Pirates. And if Kevin Millwood is the answer, then I certainly don't know the question. Oh, and the Jays/Expos talk? Not even worth discussing.)

So, back to the question at hand:

4th place or 5th place in 2010....does it even matter?

A two-sentence post on.....Building

They say that patience is a virtue, and it damn well better be, because Buck + Gathright ≠ Building!.

Alas, that's the way she goes, and until The Roy Halladay Sweepstakes reaches it's inevitable conclusion, we won't even have any prospect porn to get excited over.

Questions

Heyo friends - who wants to talk about shortstops?

Yeah, me neither. When do the Winter Meeting start again? Until then, I've got questions, maybe you have some answers....

When did prospect porn become the baseball fan's vice of choice?
Regurgitating discussion from comment sections this week....but seriously, what's up with the completely absurd fascination with unproven prospects - talented as they may be - who haven't even advanced beyond the low minors?

Honestly, if I read "No way I would give up (Casey Kelly, Jesus Montero, Ryan Westmoreland, Kyle Drabek, etc) for one year of a 32 year old pitcher" one more fucking time, I think I might just go on ahead and gouge my eyes out.

There are so many things wrong with the reasoning behind this line of thought that I'm not even going to bother taking it down. Actually, yes I am:

(1) That "32 year old pitcher" is one of the best (if I was biased, I'd say the best) in the game, he's at his peak, he's not declining, and nobody works harder. I understand, prospect fans, that you love to show just how clever and informed you are by touting your team's "next big thing"....but in actuality, all you're really proving is your ignorance by dismissing the greatness of Doc. Jesus, this makes me angry.

(2) In all likelihood, you're not getting one year of Doc, you're getting a contract-extended Doc. Oh, and don't worry about the goddamned payroll - you are all big market, free spending clubs. You'll manage.

(3) Your teams are involved in the discussions because they are built to win now. Prospect X, should he pan out, will be a guy who can help you win in 2 or 3 seasons. What, you have an aversion to winning today? You'd rather roll the dice on potentially being in the same position a few seasons down the road?

(4) Please, Yankee/Red Sox/Phillies/Dodgers (to a lesser extent) fans, don't insult our intelligence by clinging to the value of "cost controlled players". Are you just trying to be cruel?

(5) That player you're touting as the next big thing? The guy you've never seen play, but can't possibly bear to lose? He'll be replaced in short order by the next guy on your team's top-10 prospect list, or perhaps by the next high schooler who slips to the 6th round on signability concerns that your team drafts and "convinces" to bypass college.

So there.

Why can't Dustin McGowan become Toronto's Jonathan Papelbon?
....minus the part about being a douchebag, of course.

I'll remind you this is all hypothetical on my part. I'll let you know that I know there's probably a prettttty, pretty slim chance that ol' Dusty can even recover from his shoulder woes to be an effective MLB arm. But hear me out - didn't Boston go through the same thing with their (begrudgingly) nails closer? I can't pretend to know the severity of Papelbon's history of arm troubles, but I do recall (with a google assist) that Papelbon was a rising power arm who was moved to the bullpen in an effort to placate that tender shoulder.

Can this scenario unfold for McGowan? And really - doesn't he seem perfect for the role? Power fastball? Check. Hammer breaking ball? Check. Superficial "unique" look required for a memorable closer? His lambchops say "check".

Bears watching, is all I'm saying.

Shouldn't we be talking a little more about Jesse Litsch?
Hey, he is what he is. Jesse Litsch is probably no more than a back end starter who can provide the club with some serviceable major league innings. That's not a knock, that's just who he is. In fact, I mean it as a compliment, because I really do believe that he doesn't receive near the credit he should for being just that.

He doesn't throw 95 and he won't get you more than about 5K/9. But if he can bounce back from his TJ (does that stand for "Tommy John" or "Toronto Jay"?) surgery and provide the club with some rotation stability, the club will be much better for it. And that, my friends, would be admirable. I'm pulling for the guy.

Do writers make absurd claims because they think the Jays are wholly incompetent? Or are they just smug?
Actually, I've got the answers here:

YES, the Jays will offer Marco Scutaro arbitration.

NO, the Jays will not accept a package of Ian Kennedy, Melky Cabrera, and Francisco Cervelli in exchange for Doc.

...and NO, Alex Anthopoulos will not "throw in" Adam Lind to "even out the deal" in exchange for your precious little prospects.

Can we convince ourselves that the disdain we feel for the Jays offseason moves to date will dissipate as the plan becomes clear?
Yeah, I probably can, personally. I've been getting on (for now) by telling myself that if these were the final moves of the offseason (throwing 2 years at Johnny Mac, signing Alex Gonzalez v2.0) rather than the first moves of the offseason, things would make more sense.

I'll carry on believing that these moves are not a precursor to more of the same in addressing the many other holes on the roster, and by April 1 we'll have reason for hope.

I keep telling myself that it's all part of the process, and AA knows what he's doing - because I want him to succeed. I'll keep believing that better days of baseball are ahead.

We have to, man.