I am sick of hearing and reading about Roy Halladay getting traded. Fucking sick.
There is news though that Scott Rolen may be on his way to Cincinatti for a package including current 3B Edwin Encarnacion. So, at least stuff is going on besides Doc.
Anyways, I thought I would take a lot at the players that the Jays have under contract for next season and decide if they can compete next year, if that is just horseshit.
The Pitching Staff
The Jays have a load of young starters and it is still undecided how many of them are going to be more than back-end guys.
Marc Rzepczynski, Bobby Ray, Brad Mills, and Fabio Castro are all probably number 4 guys at best, while Brett Cecil and Ricky Romero are probably number 2 types in a couple years.
Shaun Marcum, in 2011, should be back to his old self. I'm not sure how 2010 is going to go for him, as a lot of Tommy John recoveries take a couple years and a lot of discomfort to get over.
Dustin McGowan is a guy who cannot be counted on, although if he ever gets back, maybe putting him in the bullpen is the best option, as he seems fragile.
Jesse Litsch should be back at some point next season, but I don't know if he is even a part of the future as more than a swing man type.
Another starter to keep an eye on is David Purcey. I think he could be really effective as a short reliever, which would allow him to blaze his fastball and really focus on putting all his ability into 1 or 2 innings. But, as a starter, Purcey could still be a legit option as a back-end guy. His stuff is good, he has just struggled with his control greatly.
I think a rotation of Doc, Romero, Marcum, Cecil, and Rzepczynski is a pretty good one for 2010. And if Doc is dealt, well... at least there is depth.
As for the bullpen, Scotty Downs is still a Jay next year, unless they trade him (which I think they should). For lefties in the pen, you still have Carlson and Tallet, and if you really want a third lefty, Bill Murphy was pretty solid earlier this season, and Davis Romero impressed in his brief stint in 2007.
On the right side, Accardo, Frasor, and League are your big 3. Either one could close out games for the Jays next year if Downs is gone. Shawn Camp is a solid arm and should be used in a similar manner to how he has been.
And because I don't believe in signing middle relievers to free agent deals that are not minor league, a couple guys in AA/AAA to keep an eye on for potential roles in the pen are Ed "Bubbie" Buzachero, Adrian Martin, Zach Dials, Rommie Lewis, and Dan Farquhar. Dials and Farquhar are both young and in AA, both are dynamite arms who could make a big impact.
The Catching
Rowdy Rod will be leaving after this season (hopefully), finally vacating the black hole behind the plate, kinda like when Roger Dorn retired in Major League. I am pretty sure that Raul Chavez is under team control regardless of whether he is a suitcase or not. I hope the Jays bring him back to back up Arencibia, or a catcher they get in a trade. I think Arencibia could duplicate Barajas' awful hitting (OBP under .300) with more power and more speed (at least we won't have to pinch run for Arencibia every time he is the tying run.
If you want to look to the free agent market for a catcher to hold over for another year, the best of the bunch (that I would want the Jays to acquire) are probably Miguel Olivo and Brian Schneider. Schneider is the supperior defender (and a left handed bat), while Olivo is Barajas with more power.
First Base
Lyle Overbay is under contract for $7M next season. Unless he is dealt (highly unlikely), then the Jays will have to wait another year to install an offense first power hitter into a ket spot. I like Overbay's defense a lot, and I am a fan of his bat, but if the Jays are going to go with no mashers in the OF or DH, then 1B has to be where one come in.
Hopefully, A right handed hitter is brought in to platoon with Lyle. I am thinking a Robb Quinlan type, who can play 3B and the OF.
I also would not mind if the Jays took a stab at Hank Blalock if he could be had for a few million. He could DH and play a little 1B, while providing some power.
Brian Dopirak is a guy I am excited about, and he is AAA right now. He could come up next year if Overbay is traded during the season.
Middle Infield
Aaron Hill is set at 2B. Leave him alone and try to find a capable short stop to play with him for a few years. I am against re-signing Marco Scutaro, as I do not believe he is capable of being as good again ever.
The free agents are not what I would like to see, but maybe a deal for Khalil Greene could be made on the cheap and he could rebound in Toronto. He plays good defense and still has power in his bat. Either him on a 1 year deal (JJ Hardy is a free agent after 2010) or make a trade for a young SS. I would trade Travis Snider for Alcides Escobar or Elvis Andrus.
John McDonald is free agent after this season, and I would like to see the Jays re-sign him. He is a great defender at both SS and 2B and can be used to pinch run. He is a better option than any free agent or Angel Sanchez in AAA (even though he is hitting over .300).
Thrid Base
Scott Rolen is our 3B next season unless traded. If he is dealt, than Edwin Encarnation would likely come the other way. He would not be the guy I would want starting at 3B. He is dreadfull defensively, but has some power. He could DH and play 1B against lefties.
Jose Bautista is a serious non-tender candidate. He is paid too much to be on a non-contender's bench. He is a good player though, and if the Jays can't get a real 3B, than I would not mind Bautista starting every day there.
On the free agent market, Chone Figgins is a guy I would love to bring to Toronto. He would make an excellent table setter in front of Hill and Lind and playes a good 3B.
The Outfield
Ah, the black hole. (That was not a racist comment). Vernon Wells and Alex NEED to be better (I even put it in caps so that the point would be more clear). Adam Lind and Travis Snider will both be in the line-up every day next season (hopefully) and one will have to be DH.
I would love it if Wells was in RF and Rios in CF, but I do not think Vernon would go for it. His happiness is actually a pretty big deal. It is one thing to have a guy who is under performing, but another if that under performer is bringing down the club house with his attitude.
There is no-one in AAA besides Snider who could make an impact, although I would like see Buck Coats as the 4th OF next season. A guy with real speed and base-stealing ability would be nice to have on the bench.
Well, that does it. I hope Halladay wasn't traded while I wrote this.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Fuck.
This Roy Halladay nonsense is starting to really get to me. I almost drove up to Toronto today to watch Halladay pitch in what could be his final start as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.
I decided against it when I heard that Doc had been traded. Then it was reported as being close, with Philadelphia the leaders.
Now, there are names. Names of players that Toronto would receive in return for the true GBOAT. (Fuck Scott Rolen, Carlos Delgado is the greatest positional player Toronto has ever had the privilidge of watching, including Roberto Alomar).
Those names:
Kyle Drabek
Michael Taylor
Jason Donald
Lou Marson
Now, I am excited about getting Michael Taylor, who has big power and good speed. He is what I want Alex Rios to be.
But, Fuck Kyle Drabek. I am going on record right now in saying that I will never cheer Kyle Drabek. The last thing the Jays need to do is acquire a guy already has an arm sugery under his belt and personality issues for one the greatest human beings ever put on this planet.
I digress. I am going to write a little bit about each member of this supposed package, giving my take along with some statistics.
Kyle Drabek
The son of former major league Doug, Kyle is the centrepiece of the deal. He was deemed "untouchable" by Philly, because of his electric stuff. He is 21 years old and currently in AA, where he is 6-1 with a 3.12 ERA. He strikes out a little more than 2 per walk, and almost 1 per IP. Kyle was rated the 24th best prospect in baseball recently by Baseball America.
Michael Taylor
This is the player I actually am excited to acquire, if the deal goes down. Taylor is a 6'6'' 250 lb beast in RF. Taylor destroyed AA early in 2009, putting up a slash line of .333/.408/.569 and is now in AAA. He has 8 games in AAA and the smaple size is too small to draw any information other than the power has carried over in his 32 PA. Taylor has some speed too, as he has swipped 19 bases so far this season. Taylor is a legit 30-30 threat and I am excited to have a guy like that in the system. He was ranked as the 23rd best prospect in baseball by Baseball America recently.
Lou Marson
A catcher, Marson is a polished defender with a solid bat. Marson was a top 100 prospect coming into the season and has done enough with the bat to justify that ranking. In 24 Major League plate appearances, Lou has put up a .286/.375/.476 slash line. His AAA this season are .302/.379/.382, which is in line with his minor league career. Lou could be the catcher we need in Toronto, being able to hit and defend, something the current Jays prospects behind the plate seem unable to do at the same time.
Jason Donald
A short stop, Donald is kind of what we need in Toronto. He can step in next season when Scutaro leaves for free agency. He was another top 100 guy coming into the season, but injuries and poor play when healthy have dropped his stock. His AAA numbers this season are bad, but his overall minor league numbers are very impressive, and being a SS makes it even more so. His defense is said to be below average, but the numbers look pretty good.
Overall, I think the package is allright. It would nice if another arm could get thrown in to put it over the top, but it is a trade I would probably make, as it fills needs at SS and C with quality prospects and gives the Jays a middle of the order masher.
Next to go better be Scuato, Downs, Rolen, Overbay, and Rios. Fucking fire sale.
I decided against it when I heard that Doc had been traded. Then it was reported as being close, with Philadelphia the leaders.
Now, there are names. Names of players that Toronto would receive in return for the true GBOAT. (Fuck Scott Rolen, Carlos Delgado is the greatest positional player Toronto has ever had the privilidge of watching, including Roberto Alomar).
Those names:
Kyle Drabek
Michael Taylor
Jason Donald
Lou Marson
Now, I am excited about getting Michael Taylor, who has big power and good speed. He is what I want Alex Rios to be.
But, Fuck Kyle Drabek. I am going on record right now in saying that I will never cheer Kyle Drabek. The last thing the Jays need to do is acquire a guy already has an arm sugery under his belt and personality issues for one the greatest human beings ever put on this planet.
I digress. I am going to write a little bit about each member of this supposed package, giving my take along with some statistics.
Kyle Drabek
The son of former major league Doug, Kyle is the centrepiece of the deal. He was deemed "untouchable" by Philly, because of his electric stuff. He is 21 years old and currently in AA, where he is 6-1 with a 3.12 ERA. He strikes out a little more than 2 per walk, and almost 1 per IP. Kyle was rated the 24th best prospect in baseball recently by Baseball America.
Michael Taylor
This is the player I actually am excited to acquire, if the deal goes down. Taylor is a 6'6'' 250 lb beast in RF. Taylor destroyed AA early in 2009, putting up a slash line of .333/.408/.569 and is now in AAA. He has 8 games in AAA and the smaple size is too small to draw any information other than the power has carried over in his 32 PA. Taylor has some speed too, as he has swipped 19 bases so far this season. Taylor is a legit 30-30 threat and I am excited to have a guy like that in the system. He was ranked as the 23rd best prospect in baseball by Baseball America recently.
Lou Marson
A catcher, Marson is a polished defender with a solid bat. Marson was a top 100 prospect coming into the season and has done enough with the bat to justify that ranking. In 24 Major League plate appearances, Lou has put up a .286/.375/.476 slash line. His AAA this season are .302/.379/.382, which is in line with his minor league career. Lou could be the catcher we need in Toronto, being able to hit and defend, something the current Jays prospects behind the plate seem unable to do at the same time.
Jason Donald
A short stop, Donald is kind of what we need in Toronto. He can step in next season when Scutaro leaves for free agency. He was another top 100 guy coming into the season, but injuries and poor play when healthy have dropped his stock. His AAA numbers this season are bad, but his overall minor league numbers are very impressive, and being a SS makes it even more so. His defense is said to be below average, but the numbers look pretty good.
Overall, I think the package is allright. It would nice if another arm could get thrown in to put it over the top, but it is a trade I would probably make, as it fills needs at SS and C with quality prospects and gives the Jays a middle of the order masher.
Next to go better be Scuato, Downs, Rolen, Overbay, and Rios. Fucking fire sale.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Curious
OK, so here is the situation:
You are watching porn
2 pretty hot chicks are going at each other
1 of these chicks pulls out a cock
You mantain an erection
You pick up "the pace"
Does it make you gay?
You are watching porn
2 pretty hot chicks are going at each other
1 of these chicks pulls out a cock
You mantain an erection
You pick up "the pace"
Does it make you gay?
Sunday, July 12, 2009
The Vernon Wells Dilema
So, you want to rid yourself of a massively ridiculous contract that makes no sense in it's current viewing? Well, step on up and take a look at some players with equally ridiculous contracts that could be swapped to give the ever elusive "change of scenery" that so many athletes need.
Starting close to home, the AL East.
The Rays only have James Shields, Scott Kazmir, and Evan Longoria locked up past 2011 for multi-millions. The Rays have no intention of dumping these contracts any time soon.
The Orioles have Brian Roberts and Nick Markakis locked up. Again, no likely interest in dumping these guys.
The Yankees have a bunch of guys locked into huge contracts for a long time. They allready seem to regret locking up A-Rod, but his contract is so massive that the Yankees are the only teem that could deal with it. What is they are just sick of him as a person? What if they just want a different body? Would they be willing to pay the difference in salary between A-Rod & Wells? Highly unlikely. Among Cano, Teixeira, Sabathia, and Burnett I do not see the need to dump the player for another bad contract.
The Red Sox seem to know what they are doing when it comes to locking up players. Only core players Youkilis, Pedroia, and Lester are locked up past 2012.
Now, out to AL West.
Now, the Rangers have a shitty contract. Mike Young makes $16M per season until 2013. Alex Rios makes about $12M through 2015. Maybe having Young play with his buddy V-Dub would make both happy and better? I would make that trade. Young can step in for the traded Scott Rolen and provide excellent defense and really good offense.
The LA Angels have one the games worst contracts on their team. Gary Matthews Jr. is terrible. But, I would trade him straight up for Vernon. Matthews makes $10M per season as a 4th OF, and will get paid until 2011. Vernon gets paid until 2014, so that probably wouldn't be a fair deal for LA.
In Oakland, they have a guy locked up through next season with an option for 2011 with a broken back. Eric Chavez will probably never play baseball again. But I would trade him for Vernon straight up. Again, there is no reason to believe any member of Oakland's pretty smart (allright, Billy Beane is pretty awesome) front office.
The Mariners have 2 contracts that stand out like a sore thumb. Ichiro's and Carlos Silva. Ichiro earns his money by being the best contact hitter of my generation and by being massively popular in Seattle. Silva doesn't earn his money by pitching shit ball games and generally being terrible. With that said, I would take Carlos Silva and his $11.5M per season through 2011 for Vernon. Seattle could throw in Kenji Johjima's $8M through 2011 as well to make it more even. Hell, Johjima might even be a decent catcher for 2 more years. Now, would Seattle sacrifice getting rid of 2 terrible players that make a boatload and make their teams worse by being on them in the roles they occupy for an extra 3 years at over $20M? Highly unlikely.
In the AL Central.
Immediately, the first thing I thought of when I thought of the AL Central and bad contracts: how many years does Travis Hafner have left on his deal? The answer, sadly for Indians fans, is 3 with an option for a 4th. For almost $13M per season. Throw in Kerry Wood's big deal for $10.5M in 2010 with a venting option that seems likely for $11M in 2011. And if they have given up on Faust Carmona (as he was in A ball earlier this year) he still has huge dollars coming to him down the road. They don't add up long term, but Wells is a better player than any of them. He would be a gold glover in a corner spot too. But he makes over $20M per season from 2011-2014.
The White Sox don't have any haunting contracts. Just big deals expiring this offseason or next. No match for this purpose.
The Twins are pretty smart with their money and have only locked Justin Morneau up with a monster deal. I would give up half the farm and a blow to have Justin on the Jays.
The Tigers have Miggy Cabrera locked up to Vernon money through 2015, but he is actually worth the money. Magglio Ordonez's monster deal is set to expire this offseason is the Tigers can keep him off the field for most of the rest of 2009. The D-Train's final year is next season at $12M. As is Nate Robertson's at $10M. I would take Ordonez, Willis, and Robertson for Wells. The Tigers would not.
The Royals are in a smaller boat than the White Sox. No match.
The NL East.
The Braves don't have any undesireable long-term deals. No match.
The Marlins are the Marlins. The only long-term deal is Hanley Ramirez. Hanley Ramirez is awesome.
Ah, the Mets. Johan Santana has a massive contract. But, being one of the best pitchers in baseball (not named Roy Halladay), he is worth every penny. Carlos Beltran has 2 more years left on his monter deal, but is worth it as well. Oliver Perez. Enough said. What a fucking disappointment. All the stuff in the world, I always considered him a lefty AJ Burnett. He just never seemed to sustain any success from season to season. But, I would take him a a starting point for Wells. The Mets have a lot of mediocre players making a lot of money, but no one outside of Perez who's contract is silly for a long time. No match.
The Washington Nationals seem to avoid spending big on players. They offered Teixeira more money than the Yankees, but couldn't land him. So maybe they don't have anybody who wants money that badly. Kind of like the "would you suck a dick for a million bucks?" question. In this case, playing for the Nats is like swallowing a load from another dude. But, Adam Dunn took $10M per season through next year. But, he doesn't like baseball. So, it's a great match. They are kind of like the Mets in this instance. No long-term bad contracts. I am starting to think that Jays are just really stupid.
In Philadelphia, the Phillies have immobile Ryan Howard making $20M per season through 2011, but he is worht it. Chase Utley has a monster contract, but again, it is well deserved. Again, no horrendous long-term contracts.
Way out in the NL West.
The Rockies owe Todd Helton a lot of money. About $40M if they decline his 2012 option. I doubt they want another monster contract hanging over them. Besides Helton's deal, everything seems pretty decent in Rockie land.
The Padres seem to be in full fire sale mode. They almost traded Jake Peavey in the offseason and almost traded him a couple months ago as well, during the season. I highly doubt they would want a long-term contract the size of Wells' under any circumstance.
The San Fran Giants can feel my pain. I am sure they do the same thing with Barry Zito we do with Wells. Zito is owed another $83M. Wells is owed another $98M. This could be a good start. Maybe the Giants wouldn't demand another contract go to Toronto as well, as they need the offense badly. I would take Renteria back as well to add another $10M to Toronto. You can never have enough pitching, right? Right?
The Dodgers have a couple pretty bad contracts, but nothing that the Jays have. You could pile on bad deals in exchange for Wells, but the Dodgers don't have a need for an OF. An idea would be to take back Juan Pierre ($18.5M owed), Andruw Jones' obligation ($21M)...Yeah, forget it. Vernon makes way too much money for too long for this to work.
The Diamondbacks only have Eric Byrnes' deal weighing them down. Once that weight is off, they probably will never spend that amount of money on an OF again.
Finally, the NL Central.
The Astros are one of the worst run teams in baseball, making a match-up potentially likely. Carlos Lee is a DH making $18.5M per season through 2012 ($55.5M total) to play OF. You can start there and add as much as Houston would need to add to make the gap comfortable. A Jays prospect would go to Houston as well, to make up for the ability to hit for Carlos Lee.
The Brewers are pretty wise. No one is locked up for a really long time that doesn't belong in that pay grade.
The Cardinals have some large contracts, but the players who earn the big money seem likely to actually earn it. No match.
Now, the Chicago Cubs are in interesting case. Alfonso Soriano has worn out his welcome, but is stuck in Chicago making $18M a season from 2010-2014 ($72M total). He could come to Toronto for Wells as a start to match up money. Milton Bradley could come too, as he makes $9M next season and $12 in 2011 ($21M total) and has become a head-case in Chicago. Maybe Cito can calm him down a little (I fucking doubt it). No, if Chicago is willing to accept a $5M gap over the next 4 years (peanuts, in relative terms) than this deal could get done. There is the obvious issue of the talent differential coming in favour of Toronto. That can get solved by adding a player going to Chicago. Marco Scutaro? He isn't likely to be in Toronto next year, when they may compete. And you could trade Alex Rios for a SS of Marco's ability. Or trade Travis Snider for Elvis Andrus or Alcides Escobar. Soriano can play LF, Bradley can DH.
Since I have settled on my Cubs/Giants theories, I will skip the Reds and Pirates, as they have no long-term terrible contracts or the desire to acquire a montrous contract.
I am done. I just wanted to throw out those ideas onto the internets and make a couple gay jokes.
Starting close to home, the AL East.
The Rays only have James Shields, Scott Kazmir, and Evan Longoria locked up past 2011 for multi-millions. The Rays have no intention of dumping these contracts any time soon.
The Orioles have Brian Roberts and Nick Markakis locked up. Again, no likely interest in dumping these guys.
The Yankees have a bunch of guys locked into huge contracts for a long time. They allready seem to regret locking up A-Rod, but his contract is so massive that the Yankees are the only teem that could deal with it. What is they are just sick of him as a person? What if they just want a different body? Would they be willing to pay the difference in salary between A-Rod & Wells? Highly unlikely. Among Cano, Teixeira, Sabathia, and Burnett I do not see the need to dump the player for another bad contract.
The Red Sox seem to know what they are doing when it comes to locking up players. Only core players Youkilis, Pedroia, and Lester are locked up past 2012.
Now, out to AL West.
Now, the Rangers have a shitty contract. Mike Young makes $16M per season until 2013. Alex Rios makes about $12M through 2015. Maybe having Young play with his buddy V-Dub would make both happy and better? I would make that trade. Young can step in for the traded Scott Rolen and provide excellent defense and really good offense.
The LA Angels have one the games worst contracts on their team. Gary Matthews Jr. is terrible. But, I would trade him straight up for Vernon. Matthews makes $10M per season as a 4th OF, and will get paid until 2011. Vernon gets paid until 2014, so that probably wouldn't be a fair deal for LA.
In Oakland, they have a guy locked up through next season with an option for 2011 with a broken back. Eric Chavez will probably never play baseball again. But I would trade him for Vernon straight up. Again, there is no reason to believe any member of Oakland's pretty smart (allright, Billy Beane is pretty awesome) front office.
The Mariners have 2 contracts that stand out like a sore thumb. Ichiro's and Carlos Silva. Ichiro earns his money by being the best contact hitter of my generation and by being massively popular in Seattle. Silva doesn't earn his money by pitching shit ball games and generally being terrible. With that said, I would take Carlos Silva and his $11.5M per season through 2011 for Vernon. Seattle could throw in Kenji Johjima's $8M through 2011 as well to make it more even. Hell, Johjima might even be a decent catcher for 2 more years. Now, would Seattle sacrifice getting rid of 2 terrible players that make a boatload and make their teams worse by being on them in the roles they occupy for an extra 3 years at over $20M? Highly unlikely.
In the AL Central.
Immediately, the first thing I thought of when I thought of the AL Central and bad contracts: how many years does Travis Hafner have left on his deal? The answer, sadly for Indians fans, is 3 with an option for a 4th. For almost $13M per season. Throw in Kerry Wood's big deal for $10.5M in 2010 with a venting option that seems likely for $11M in 2011. And if they have given up on Faust Carmona (as he was in A ball earlier this year) he still has huge dollars coming to him down the road. They don't add up long term, but Wells is a better player than any of them. He would be a gold glover in a corner spot too. But he makes over $20M per season from 2011-2014.
The White Sox don't have any haunting contracts. Just big deals expiring this offseason or next. No match for this purpose.
The Twins are pretty smart with their money and have only locked Justin Morneau up with a monster deal. I would give up half the farm and a blow to have Justin on the Jays.
The Tigers have Miggy Cabrera locked up to Vernon money through 2015, but he is actually worth the money. Magglio Ordonez's monster deal is set to expire this offseason is the Tigers can keep him off the field for most of the rest of 2009. The D-Train's final year is next season at $12M. As is Nate Robertson's at $10M. I would take Ordonez, Willis, and Robertson for Wells. The Tigers would not.
The Royals are in a smaller boat than the White Sox. No match.
The NL East.
The Braves don't have any undesireable long-term deals. No match.
The Marlins are the Marlins. The only long-term deal is Hanley Ramirez. Hanley Ramirez is awesome.
Ah, the Mets. Johan Santana has a massive contract. But, being one of the best pitchers in baseball (not named Roy Halladay), he is worth every penny. Carlos Beltran has 2 more years left on his monter deal, but is worth it as well. Oliver Perez. Enough said. What a fucking disappointment. All the stuff in the world, I always considered him a lefty AJ Burnett. He just never seemed to sustain any success from season to season. But, I would take him a a starting point for Wells. The Mets have a lot of mediocre players making a lot of money, but no one outside of Perez who's contract is silly for a long time. No match.
The Washington Nationals seem to avoid spending big on players. They offered Teixeira more money than the Yankees, but couldn't land him. So maybe they don't have anybody who wants money that badly. Kind of like the "would you suck a dick for a million bucks?" question. In this case, playing for the Nats is like swallowing a load from another dude. But, Adam Dunn took $10M per season through next year. But, he doesn't like baseball. So, it's a great match. They are kind of like the Mets in this instance. No long-term bad contracts. I am starting to think that Jays are just really stupid.
In Philadelphia, the Phillies have immobile Ryan Howard making $20M per season through 2011, but he is worht it. Chase Utley has a monster contract, but again, it is well deserved. Again, no horrendous long-term contracts.
Way out in the NL West.
The Rockies owe Todd Helton a lot of money. About $40M if they decline his 2012 option. I doubt they want another monster contract hanging over them. Besides Helton's deal, everything seems pretty decent in Rockie land.
The Padres seem to be in full fire sale mode. They almost traded Jake Peavey in the offseason and almost traded him a couple months ago as well, during the season. I highly doubt they would want a long-term contract the size of Wells' under any circumstance.
The San Fran Giants can feel my pain. I am sure they do the same thing with Barry Zito we do with Wells. Zito is owed another $83M. Wells is owed another $98M. This could be a good start. Maybe the Giants wouldn't demand another contract go to Toronto as well, as they need the offense badly. I would take Renteria back as well to add another $10M to Toronto. You can never have enough pitching, right? Right?
The Dodgers have a couple pretty bad contracts, but nothing that the Jays have. You could pile on bad deals in exchange for Wells, but the Dodgers don't have a need for an OF. An idea would be to take back Juan Pierre ($18.5M owed), Andruw Jones' obligation ($21M)...Yeah, forget it. Vernon makes way too much money for too long for this to work.
The Diamondbacks only have Eric Byrnes' deal weighing them down. Once that weight is off, they probably will never spend that amount of money on an OF again.
Finally, the NL Central.
The Astros are one of the worst run teams in baseball, making a match-up potentially likely. Carlos Lee is a DH making $18.5M per season through 2012 ($55.5M total) to play OF. You can start there and add as much as Houston would need to add to make the gap comfortable. A Jays prospect would go to Houston as well, to make up for the ability to hit for Carlos Lee.
The Brewers are pretty wise. No one is locked up for a really long time that doesn't belong in that pay grade.
The Cardinals have some large contracts, but the players who earn the big money seem likely to actually earn it. No match.
Now, the Chicago Cubs are in interesting case. Alfonso Soriano has worn out his welcome, but is stuck in Chicago making $18M a season from 2010-2014 ($72M total). He could come to Toronto for Wells as a start to match up money. Milton Bradley could come too, as he makes $9M next season and $12 in 2011 ($21M total) and has become a head-case in Chicago. Maybe Cito can calm him down a little (I fucking doubt it). No, if Chicago is willing to accept a $5M gap over the next 4 years (peanuts, in relative terms) than this deal could get done. There is the obvious issue of the talent differential coming in favour of Toronto. That can get solved by adding a player going to Chicago. Marco Scutaro? He isn't likely to be in Toronto next year, when they may compete. And you could trade Alex Rios for a SS of Marco's ability. Or trade Travis Snider for Elvis Andrus or Alcides Escobar. Soriano can play LF, Bradley can DH.
Since I have settled on my Cubs/Giants theories, I will skip the Reds and Pirates, as they have no long-term terrible contracts or the desire to acquire a montrous contract.
I am done. I just wanted to throw out those ideas onto the internets and make a couple gay jokes.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Under .500: Time For A Fire Sale
So, the Jays are 9.5 games back as of this writing and now under the .500 mark.
So, it's time to see what, if anything, the Jays can get for some of their veterans.
Scott Rolen
I love Scott Rolen. You love Scott Rolen. There is nobody -outside of Philadelphia and Tony La Russa- who doesn't love Scotty Nails.
That being said. He needs to go. He doesn't need to be on this team while it is rolling downhill. The team that jumps into mind right away is the San Fransisco Giants. It would allow the Kung Fu Panda (Pablo Sandoval) to move over to 1B and would upgrade their defense and their offense exponentially.
Now, you can't expect much in return if the taker takes the whole salary (which includes $11M for 2010. I would hope 1 good prospect would be brought in from the 5-10 area of someone's top 10. It would be nice to get Conor Gillaspie back as he is pretty close to ready and plays 3B.
The White Sox could be another team that may be interested. Josh Fields currently sucks at 3B, while there are 2 other bad hitters (Brian Anderson & Chris Getz) playing every day. Scott Rolen would help a lot, and could be had for 1 good prospect or maybe 2 decent ones.
Lyle Overbay
Overbay would be a great pick-up for a number of teams down the stretch. San Fransisco could be a destination for him, while Panda staying at 3B. A similar package, maybe better, would be required for Lyle. Lyle is also signed through next season for $7M, so they would have a solid hitter next season as well.
The New York Mets should be salivating over Overbay. He is the perfect fit for them with Delgado out for a long time. Dan Murphy has been bad offensively and defensely since taking over. The Mets have some lesser known prospects that I am fond of, like catcher Josh Thole (hitting very well at age 22 in AA), Shawn Bowman (a slick fielding 3B with some offensive abilities and a Canadian in AA), and Ike Davis (a 2008 first rounder and 1B with power).
The Texas Rangers have Chris Davis, hitting around .200 with a .250 OBP, playing 1B and are in a penent race. Lyle Overbay would be a great fit, and maybe the Jays could take Davis back in return if they added a reliever like Frasor, Accardo, or League. If that is not in the cards, the Rangers have the best farm system in baseball so trading away 2 guys in the 5-15 area should not be a problem. Mitch Moreland and Mike Bianucci are power hitting OF prospects who could be big pieces of the deal.
Rod Barajas
A lot of teams need catchers and Rod gets overrated because he has some power. The Mets could definately use him as an upgrade over Omir Santos. And it wouldn't cost much to get Rod.
The Mariners have been gaving issues behind the plate all season. Rod would help. Make it happen. Rod would be a big upgrade over Jason Kendall in Milwaukee as well.
Marco Scutaro
Marco is a free agent to be, and I would love to see him get re-signed. But that may not happen, especially is a SS can be had in a Halladay deal (Alcides Escobar is what I am hoping for). There are probably plenty of teams that could use Marco's versitility and ability.
The Giants could use him at 2B and lead-off. The White Sox could use him at 2B or 3B and lead-off. The Mariners could sure use a better SS, and Scutaro would look awefully good hitting in the 2 hole behind Ichiro. He would look great in Cincinatti at SS and leading off. The Astros could use an upgrade at 2B if they hope to contend, as could the Cubbies. JJ Hardy has been shaky and Weeks is out for the year in Milwaukee. Kelly Johnson sucks in Atlanta at 2B.
The problem is, Marco will be a type A free agent (likely) and any acquiring team will have to give up a top prospect to get him.
Alex Rios
Rios is a guy who could be an elite CF. He is "hitting like shit" around .270 this year with almost 10 homers. Rios could be a .300 hitting 30 base-stealing, 20 home run-hitting gold glove CF and I would not be surprised. That being said, Since no one will trade for Vernon Wells, I think Rios must go. There is just a better way to use the DH slot than to put Adam Lind there. Lind should be in LF, with Travis Snider in RF for the forseeable future. If Wells is ging to be the montrous contract, the Carlos Delgad0 (without the results, or even half the results), then Rios must go so a mashing DH-type can be brought in.
A top prospect will be required, since Rios is a great talent. But he would be served ging to a team that woulduse him is CF. The Braves would be a good fit if Jordan Schafer is the one traded. The Reds are a perfect fit, as are the White Sox.
Kevin Millar
Kevin Millar will not finish the season as a Blue Jay. He will get picked up by a team looking for a "clubhouse guy" and a "clutch hitter" off the bench.
Jose Bautista
Bautista has kind of grown on me. Watching him make very good plays at 3B and hustling in LF this season has allowed me to think of Bautista as a guy who can start for this team between now and when they are ready to compete again.
That being said, he would be a great utility guy for any playoff team. And I wouldn't mind seeing if the Jays can get more than a Robinzon Diaz talent for him.
Scott Downs
This one will be the toughest to type, but the most obvious if you think about it. The rotation is set without Tallet, so he could move back to the pen, giving them Carlson and Tallet as late game lefties. Frasor or Accardo can close and set-up in whatever order works best. League can be lights out in the pen as well.
The only way I would trade Downs if is a top prospect came back. A top 5 prospect in a team's system. Downs is that good and could help a team win a World Series.
So, it's time to see what, if anything, the Jays can get for some of their veterans.
Scott Rolen
I love Scott Rolen. You love Scott Rolen. There is nobody -outside of Philadelphia and Tony La Russa- who doesn't love Scotty Nails.
That being said. He needs to go. He doesn't need to be on this team while it is rolling downhill. The team that jumps into mind right away is the San Fransisco Giants. It would allow the Kung Fu Panda (Pablo Sandoval) to move over to 1B and would upgrade their defense and their offense exponentially.
Now, you can't expect much in return if the taker takes the whole salary (which includes $11M for 2010. I would hope 1 good prospect would be brought in from the 5-10 area of someone's top 10. It would be nice to get Conor Gillaspie back as he is pretty close to ready and plays 3B.
The White Sox could be another team that may be interested. Josh Fields currently sucks at 3B, while there are 2 other bad hitters (Brian Anderson & Chris Getz) playing every day. Scott Rolen would help a lot, and could be had for 1 good prospect or maybe 2 decent ones.
Lyle Overbay
Overbay would be a great pick-up for a number of teams down the stretch. San Fransisco could be a destination for him, while Panda staying at 3B. A similar package, maybe better, would be required for Lyle. Lyle is also signed through next season for $7M, so they would have a solid hitter next season as well.
The New York Mets should be salivating over Overbay. He is the perfect fit for them with Delgado out for a long time. Dan Murphy has been bad offensively and defensely since taking over. The Mets have some lesser known prospects that I am fond of, like catcher Josh Thole (hitting very well at age 22 in AA), Shawn Bowman (a slick fielding 3B with some offensive abilities and a Canadian in AA), and Ike Davis (a 2008 first rounder and 1B with power).
The Texas Rangers have Chris Davis, hitting around .200 with a .250 OBP, playing 1B and are in a penent race. Lyle Overbay would be a great fit, and maybe the Jays could take Davis back in return if they added a reliever like Frasor, Accardo, or League. If that is not in the cards, the Rangers have the best farm system in baseball so trading away 2 guys in the 5-15 area should not be a problem. Mitch Moreland and Mike Bianucci are power hitting OF prospects who could be big pieces of the deal.
Rod Barajas
A lot of teams need catchers and Rod gets overrated because he has some power. The Mets could definately use him as an upgrade over Omir Santos. And it wouldn't cost much to get Rod.
The Mariners have been gaving issues behind the plate all season. Rod would help. Make it happen. Rod would be a big upgrade over Jason Kendall in Milwaukee as well.
Marco Scutaro
Marco is a free agent to be, and I would love to see him get re-signed. But that may not happen, especially is a SS can be had in a Halladay deal (Alcides Escobar is what I am hoping for). There are probably plenty of teams that could use Marco's versitility and ability.
The Giants could use him at 2B and lead-off. The White Sox could use him at 2B or 3B and lead-off. The Mariners could sure use a better SS, and Scutaro would look awefully good hitting in the 2 hole behind Ichiro. He would look great in Cincinatti at SS and leading off. The Astros could use an upgrade at 2B if they hope to contend, as could the Cubbies. JJ Hardy has been shaky and Weeks is out for the year in Milwaukee. Kelly Johnson sucks in Atlanta at 2B.
The problem is, Marco will be a type A free agent (likely) and any acquiring team will have to give up a top prospect to get him.
Alex Rios
Rios is a guy who could be an elite CF. He is "hitting like shit" around .270 this year with almost 10 homers. Rios could be a .300 hitting 30 base-stealing, 20 home run-hitting gold glove CF and I would not be surprised. That being said, Since no one will trade for Vernon Wells, I think Rios must go. There is just a better way to use the DH slot than to put Adam Lind there. Lind should be in LF, with Travis Snider in RF for the forseeable future. If Wells is ging to be the montrous contract, the Carlos Delgad0 (without the results, or even half the results), then Rios must go so a mashing DH-type can be brought in.
A top prospect will be required, since Rios is a great talent. But he would be served ging to a team that woulduse him is CF. The Braves would be a good fit if Jordan Schafer is the one traded. The Reds are a perfect fit, as are the White Sox.
Kevin Millar
Kevin Millar will not finish the season as a Blue Jay. He will get picked up by a team looking for a "clubhouse guy" and a "clutch hitter" off the bench.
Jose Bautista
Bautista has kind of grown on me. Watching him make very good plays at 3B and hustling in LF this season has allowed me to think of Bautista as a guy who can start for this team between now and when they are ready to compete again.
That being said, he would be a great utility guy for any playoff team. And I wouldn't mind seeing if the Jays can get more than a Robinzon Diaz talent for him.
Scott Downs
This one will be the toughest to type, but the most obvious if you think about it. The rotation is set without Tallet, so he could move back to the pen, giving them Carlson and Tallet as late game lefties. Frasor or Accardo can close and set-up in whatever order works best. League can be lights out in the pen as well.
The only way I would trade Downs if is a top prospect came back. A top 5 prospect in a team's system. Downs is that good and could help a team win a World Series.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Doc Halladay: Ex-Blue Jay?
So, seeing all this Halladay trade nonsense is fucking depressing. Not helping is watching Pat Burrell douche a monstrous game winner and have an even douchier Tampa fan bare-hand the bullet and celebrate in one motion. Another thing not helping my Jays depression is that David Delucci is still hitless and I am getting sick of seeing him in LF. Lind should be 100% LF and Randy Ruiz should be called up to DH, allowing Brian Dopirak to be in AAA.
So, as much as I would entertain the odds of suicide if Halladay is dealt, I want to take a look at potential trade packages that could should, or could, come to Toronto.
First things first, I don't want to see Doc in the AL, and especially in the AL east. I prefer him to go to the NL west or central (that way we don't even see him in interleague play).
Number 2: I think the Jays need one impact bat (preferably at 3B or SS) and one impact arm. That narrows down the field of desirables, but not potential suiters.
Division Leaders:
LA Dodgers
The Dodgers have some impressive prospects, but nothing I would be too excited to get for Doc. I think any deal has to start with 21 year old LHP Clayton Kershaw, who is in the Major Leagues allready. I would also want Josh Bell, a switch hitting power hitting 3B, and Andrew Lambo, a 1B/LF with power. That 3-headed package would work for me as both hitters are in AA and could help late 2010 or early 2011.
STL Cardinals
I don't like the Cards pitching prospects, but I would love to see Brett Wallace come to Toronto as park of a package. Tyler Henley would the OF I would want in return if neccessary and Jess Todd would be the pitcher that would be nice to have (although he is a bullpenner).
Philly Phillies
I don't love the overall talent in the Phillies system, but there is a lot there to like. Carlos Carrasco or Kyle Drabek would be nice pitchers to get back, while Jason Donald is a SS prospect close to the majors. Michael Taylor is a great-hitting OF who would almost have to be part of the deal.
Wild-Card Contenders
Florida Marlins
This is the least likely team, due to not being able to take on salary. But a man can dream. And the Marlins are a team that I would love to trade Doc to. Mike Stanton, the monstrous power hitting OF would be the guy I would target. Any one of their young starters would have to come back as well, either Sean West, Chris Volstad, Anibal Sanchez, or Ricky Nolasco.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers have the 2 guys I want. Mat Gamel is a top 3B/1B prospect who can flat out hit. Alcides Escobar is a great SS prospect who can play good defence and hit around .300 while stealing some bases. I would take those 2 for Halladay.
Chicago Cubs
I don't even like the Cubs prospects, but Josh Vitters would be a great start. Jake Fox is almost a AAAA slugger, but he could probably hit well given full time play at DH. Casey Coleman and Jay Jackson are 2 pitchers having great seasons who could be in a deal.
San Fran Giants
Ah, the Giants. The fuckers who denied the Jays Tim Lincecum for Alex Rios. That would have been fucking sweet. I want Buster Posey. He is sick and has great power and is a much better prospect than Arencibia (who we could send to them as well as a consolation). Roger Kieschnick is a power hitting OF and would be nice to have. Tim Alderson would be the pitcher I would want back, as he is more likely than super-prospect Madison Bumgarner
Colorado Rockies
I am not a fan of the Rockies prospects. They are good, just not for the needs of the Jays. Ian Stewart would be nice, but he is a big part of their MLB team. Eric Young Jr would be a great get, but plays 2B. Carlos Gonzalez would also be a nice addition, but unless an OF like Rios or Wells goes, then there is no immediate opening. Jhoulys Chacin is a 21 year old in AA and pitching well and would be the only pitcher I would love to have back.
Cincy Reds
I like the Reds as a match-up, as I love a few of their prospects. Juan Francisco is a young 3B who has a ton of power, but some serious strike zone issues. Todd Frazier would be the guy I would focus on, as he can play 3B, SS, 1B, and LF and can hit well. Chris Heisey is having a huge year and I would love to have him. Yonder Alonso is a great hitting 1B and could be a nice piece in the deal. As far as pitchers go, I could go for a buy low on Homer Bailey, who can still be a really good starter. Matt Maloney is a young LHP who would be nice to have as well.
Houston Astros
Sure, the Astros are a team that run like shit. They are the 10th best team in the NL and still in it. Start off the package with Jason Castro, catching prospect and that would be a good place to start. Jon Gaston is having a huge season and would be a nice OF piece to have. James Van Ostrand, a Canadian, is a power hitting 1B who would be a quality piece. If you want a pitcher, Bud Norris is having a good year and is a quality prospect.
Well, that does it for my trip through the NL candidates for Roy Halladay.
Bare in mind that not one of these trades have been discussed to my knowledge and these are just the pieces I would want.
So, as much as I would entertain the odds of suicide if Halladay is dealt, I want to take a look at potential trade packages that could should, or could, come to Toronto.
First things first, I don't want to see Doc in the AL, and especially in the AL east. I prefer him to go to the NL west or central (that way we don't even see him in interleague play).
Number 2: I think the Jays need one impact bat (preferably at 3B or SS) and one impact arm. That narrows down the field of desirables, but not potential suiters.
Division Leaders:
LA Dodgers
The Dodgers have some impressive prospects, but nothing I would be too excited to get for Doc. I think any deal has to start with 21 year old LHP Clayton Kershaw, who is in the Major Leagues allready. I would also want Josh Bell, a switch hitting power hitting 3B, and Andrew Lambo, a 1B/LF with power. That 3-headed package would work for me as both hitters are in AA and could help late 2010 or early 2011.
STL Cardinals
I don't like the Cards pitching prospects, but I would love to see Brett Wallace come to Toronto as park of a package. Tyler Henley would the OF I would want in return if neccessary and Jess Todd would be the pitcher that would be nice to have (although he is a bullpenner).
Philly Phillies
I don't love the overall talent in the Phillies system, but there is a lot there to like. Carlos Carrasco or Kyle Drabek would be nice pitchers to get back, while Jason Donald is a SS prospect close to the majors. Michael Taylor is a great-hitting OF who would almost have to be part of the deal.
Wild-Card Contenders
Florida Marlins
This is the least likely team, due to not being able to take on salary. But a man can dream. And the Marlins are a team that I would love to trade Doc to. Mike Stanton, the monstrous power hitting OF would be the guy I would target. Any one of their young starters would have to come back as well, either Sean West, Chris Volstad, Anibal Sanchez, or Ricky Nolasco.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers have the 2 guys I want. Mat Gamel is a top 3B/1B prospect who can flat out hit. Alcides Escobar is a great SS prospect who can play good defence and hit around .300 while stealing some bases. I would take those 2 for Halladay.
Chicago Cubs
I don't even like the Cubs prospects, but Josh Vitters would be a great start. Jake Fox is almost a AAAA slugger, but he could probably hit well given full time play at DH. Casey Coleman and Jay Jackson are 2 pitchers having great seasons who could be in a deal.
San Fran Giants
Ah, the Giants. The fuckers who denied the Jays Tim Lincecum for Alex Rios. That would have been fucking sweet. I want Buster Posey. He is sick and has great power and is a much better prospect than Arencibia (who we could send to them as well as a consolation). Roger Kieschnick is a power hitting OF and would be nice to have. Tim Alderson would be the pitcher I would want back, as he is more likely than super-prospect Madison Bumgarner
Colorado Rockies
I am not a fan of the Rockies prospects. They are good, just not for the needs of the Jays. Ian Stewart would be nice, but he is a big part of their MLB team. Eric Young Jr would be a great get, but plays 2B. Carlos Gonzalez would also be a nice addition, but unless an OF like Rios or Wells goes, then there is no immediate opening. Jhoulys Chacin is a 21 year old in AA and pitching well and would be the only pitcher I would love to have back.
Cincy Reds
I like the Reds as a match-up, as I love a few of their prospects. Juan Francisco is a young 3B who has a ton of power, but some serious strike zone issues. Todd Frazier would be the guy I would focus on, as he can play 3B, SS, 1B, and LF and can hit well. Chris Heisey is having a huge year and I would love to have him. Yonder Alonso is a great hitting 1B and could be a nice piece in the deal. As far as pitchers go, I could go for a buy low on Homer Bailey, who can still be a really good starter. Matt Maloney is a young LHP who would be nice to have as well.
Houston Astros
Sure, the Astros are a team that run like shit. They are the 10th best team in the NL and still in it. Start off the package with Jason Castro, catching prospect and that would be a good place to start. Jon Gaston is having a huge season and would be a nice OF piece to have. James Van Ostrand, a Canadian, is a power hitting 1B who would be a quality piece. If you want a pitcher, Bud Norris is having a good year and is a quality prospect.
Well, that does it for my trip through the NL candidates for Roy Halladay.
Bare in mind that not one of these trades have been discussed to my knowledge and these are just the pieces I would want.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The Jays Top Prospects: By Position
I have decided that while I am trying to determine the Jays top prospects for the 2010 season, I will jot down some thoughts on how I am feeling. I tend to lean more towards guys who are in double or triple A over younger guys with "higher upside." I will list my top 5 at each position, and my top 10-15 pitchers.
Catcher
JP Arencibia - 23 years old
Drafted 21st overall in 2007, we all know that JP has serious strike zone issues. The guy walks less than Stephen Hawkins. After a big 2008 with 27 homers, his power is still there, and his walks have actually improved. He has almost as many walks this year (16) as all of last year (18) in 240 less plate appearances. As a major leaguer, I see him as a Rod Barajas type, with a little more power and more speed.
Brian Jeroloman - 24 years old
Drafted in the 6th round in 2006, Jeroloman is the opposite of Arencibia. Meaning, he is a walk machine, whose OBP should be routinely .100 above his batting average. He will need to increase his power to become a top prospect, but is still a pretty solid one. Will most likely end up a good back-up in the future, a Brian Schnieder type.
Jon Jaspe - 24 years old
Very under-rated, in my humble opinion, is Jaspe. The guy has done nothing but hit since 2005, advancing very slowly through the lower minors. Has a career average of .288 in the minors. He needs to increase his walks and power, which is probably holding him back. He is a switch hitter, which is usually pretty nice.
Kyle Phillips - 25 years old
Drafted by the Twins in 2002, Phillips quietly joined the Jays in 2007 and has hit very well for the Jays. He has been pretty incredible the last 3 years after being kind of crappy in the Twins organization. He has become a pretty legitimate option should another catcher go down. He is the younger brother of former Jay and clown-shoe Jason Phillips (who, in my opinion, populorized the ridiculous glasses fashion craze).
Jon Talley - 20 years old
A 13th pick in 2007, Talley is showing to be a pretty good hitter. His defense is questionable, allowing most people to wonder whether his future is at 1B. He had a big 2008, but is having a pretty bad 2009 so far.
Second Base
Brad Emaus - 23 years old
Drafted in the 11th round in 2007, Emaus had a big 2008 and put himself on a lot of "to watch" lists. He has advanced very quickly so far and could reach the majors next season. His bat has been pretty quiet this season after a hot start, but still has decent potential to become a decent starting 2B. He could make a very attractive trade piece in the offseason.
John Tolisano - 20 years old
Drafted as part of the magical 2007 draft, Tolisano has shown enough power this year to have me excited about his future as a 2B/LF/RF/1B/3B utility player. Sure, he hasn't played many of those positions (or any, as he has only played 2B, pretty poorly), but with his lack of on base skills of batting average is his ultimate destination.
Raul Barron - 23 years old
With not much power, Barron has still put up impressive numbers most of his minor league career. His ultimate role be utility infielder, as he is pretty much a utility player allready, but he can be a pretty decent one.
Justin McClanahan - 23 years old
He played a lot of 1B last year, and has played 3B and LF. He has some pretty solid power and it will play very well at 2B, although his defense leaves a lot to be desired.
Luis Fernandez - 21 years old
A player who seems very similar to Barron, but with better defense. Fernandez plays a mean 2B and a good SS.
Third Baseman
Scott Campbell - 24 years old
Campbell is proven to be a pretty good hitter and could make a good back-up, but I don't see the power to be a starter at a power position. He has shown a pretty good eye at the plate as well, which would make him a good number 2 hitter.
Kevin Ahrens - 20 years old
Ahrens has disapointed offensively, but still has the upside to be a pretty good player. He seems to play a pretty bad 3B and will have to improve drasitically if he doesn't want to end up in the OF.
Manuel Falcon - 19 years old
Last year and this year, Falcon has hit like a beast, but without power. He has yet to hit a HR in 503 plate appearances, but doesn't have the speed you would hope for with the lack of power. He has played a lot of 2B as well.
Rob Sobolewski - 22 years old
Has not hit very well since being drafted, but still is a guy who CAN hit. Being a college drafted guy, he doesn't have the time a high school drafted guy has.
Randy Schwartz - 23 years old
Schawrtz has mashed in rookie ball in his debut 2009 10 games. He is Canadian, so is should continue until he passes Larry Walker for most homers by a Canadian. All kidding aside, I actually hold out hope for any power prospect this team has, so am excited very prematurely.
Short Stop (which gets a top 3 due to lack of anything resembling a prospect)
Justin Jackson - 20 years old
Is still a speed guy without the power I thought would come. He needs to bulk up and could be a 20 homer - 30 steal guy with growth. His defense has been error prone, but with pretty good reviews.
Angel Sanchez - 25 years old
He has previous MLB experiance (with the Royals), but is still young and could still be something usefull.
Tyler Pastronicky - 19 years old
Pastronicky is the SS I actually want to be the "SS of the future" (because he is white). That is not actually true, but it is because the guy runs like the wind and steals bases like Jackson steals...well, I'm sure he steals something.
First Base (another pathetic crop of prospects, leading to another top 3)
Brian Dopirak - 25 years old
Dopirak was a top prospect with the Cubs, then disappeared, and now has re-emerged as a viable prospect for the Jays. He SHOULD be in AAA, but is held back by Randy Ruiz. He has a ton of power and actually seems like a pretty good hitter too.
David Cooper - 22 years old
He hit amazing his 1st season in 2008 while climbing quickly up 3 levels. He has stalled somewhat in AA and he is still waiting for his power to come along.
Mike McDade - 20 years old
If he shown anything it is that his power is starting to come around. His average and on-base percentage are still pretty lame, but he is the 3rd best propect in the system.
Outfield
Moises Sierra - 20 years old
Sierra is either having a breakout season or a fluke season. Either way, Sierra is probably the top outfield prospect in the system. His power still hasn't developed yet, but is just 20. I see him becoming an Alex Rios type, but hopefully isn't fucking disappointing.
Eric Thames - 22 years old
Thames didn't play last year, but has come out banging this year. His power should come around, and I really look forward to seeing what he can do next year.
Yohermyn Chavez - 20 years old
Chavez had a huge year in 2007 in 203 plate appearances. He had a really disappointing season last year, but has come back with a solid year so far this season. His power is developing and he is crushing his career high allready. I was thinking he was going to be a Rios type as well, but he could develop more power.
Brain Van Kirk - 23 years old
Van Kirk is a real sleeper, in my opinion. He is a .290 hitter with a .388 OBP in a full season's worth of at-bats. His SLG% is good too. He could become a very good player. I am really excited about him.
Darin Mastroianni - 23 years old
He is having a monster year so far, but it isn't the first time he has put up really big numbers. His 2007 debut season was great, and he has almost repeated the numbers. His power is down from his 2007 season, but that is not his game anyways. He runs like the fucking wind and will steal tons of bases if given the chance. If he can become a .280/.370 guy with 40-50 steals, which I think is possible, he will be a very usefull player and the type of guy the Jays have not had in a long time.
Kenny Wilson - 19 years old
Wilson is another speedster who has not hit well, but steals bases like a coloured. There was a little talk of him becoming a switch-hitter, but it seems to have sizzled. He will need to hit about .300 with a .360 obp to be a usefull player. He has plenty of time.
Marcus Brisker - 18 years old
This guy is an incredible athlete and could hit for power some day, but so far has not a single pro home run. He has stolen a decent number of bases, and could get better at that as well. Brisker is an elite athlete, but that doesn't always translate well. He is not having a good season (it has actually been pretty terrible).
Eric Eiland - 20 years old
It seems as though the Jays are growing these really athletic, toolsy outfielders. If his average can raise to about .270-.280, then his OBP will increase to a reasonable level as well. His speed will play regardless.
Adam Loewen - 25 years old
This is Loewen's first season as a hitter, full-time. I still think he will be a good player and is a good prospect, although he is not a rookie (technically). His power will probably be the last thing to come back, so he should have a better year next season.
Adam Calderone - 25 years old
He seems like a solid player who may profile as a 4th outfielder or a really good AAA player. He has some power and is ... I don't know. He doesn't seem special, but could be solid as a back-up.
Pitching
Right Handed Starter
Ray Gonzalez - 23 years old
He has been stellar pretty much since becoming a Blue Jay farm-hand. He is having another great season and is one guy I am excited to have in the system.
Kenny Rodriguez - 24 years old
He seems to have dominated high A, but got lit the fuck up in AA. He seems to strike out a lot of guys, and could be a solid back-end guy.
Kyle Ginley - 22 years old
Ginley is relieving this year, but long-term the best option is always the rotation if the player can hack it. He was very good last year and is pitching well in 3 games this season. I am looking forward to him moving back into the rotation.
Left Handed Starters
Marc Rzepczynski - 23 years old
This guy I am very excited about. He is going to be a really good pitcher, and he could arrive next season for good.
Fabio Castro - 24 years old
Castro has MLB experiance, but not enough to lose prospect status. He raped AA and is pitching well in AAA so far. I hope to see him up for a few starts in Tornoto this year, which might lose his eligibility.
Brad Mills - 24 years old
I think Castro is a better prospect than Mills due to Mills' shit-ballness. He pitched like dick in his starts in the majors, and despite his impressive minor league numbers, loses credibility. I still haven't given up on him and hope he can be a good back-end guy.
Luis Perez - 24 years old
He has good numbers and is on the 40-man roster. At some point the Jays may bring him up to take a look at him too if he continues pitching well.
James Paxton
Paxton is recent draft pick with electric stuff. If he signs, he has the potential to be an ace. I truly believe that.
Right Handed Relievers
Dan Farquhar - 22 years old
This kid seems to have some impressive stuff. He could be a big time reliever for the Jays and could arrive quickly.
Zach Dials - 23 years old
Another impressive young relief prospect that could come quickly to Toronto.
Trystan Magnuson - 24 years old
Magnuson is a monster at 6'8'' tall. His strike-outs need to come up and his walks down to be successfull as he raises levels. He could be good though.
Left Handed Reliever
Tim Collins - 19 years old
"Tiny Tim" burst onto the scene last year with massive K numbers. He is striking out a ton again this year and I hope they aggressively promote him through future levels.
Edgar Estranga - 23 years old
In AA now, Estranga has done nothing but put up impressive numbers. He could be a usefull reliever as early as mid-2010.
Frank Gailey / Matt Moody - 23 years old
These 2 are a package deal, as their numbers are pretty similar. Moody has a 1.76 ERA in 61.1 minor league innings, while Gailey has a 2.03 ERA, but with an extra year under his belt. Both could be good relievers, but they still need a lot of time and a trip through AA, which is the biggest test for prospects.
Well, that is it. My monster post on the Jays prospects is complete.
Catcher
JP Arencibia - 23 years old
Drafted 21st overall in 2007, we all know that JP has serious strike zone issues. The guy walks less than Stephen Hawkins. After a big 2008 with 27 homers, his power is still there, and his walks have actually improved. He has almost as many walks this year (16) as all of last year (18) in 240 less plate appearances. As a major leaguer, I see him as a Rod Barajas type, with a little more power and more speed.
Brian Jeroloman - 24 years old
Drafted in the 6th round in 2006, Jeroloman is the opposite of Arencibia. Meaning, he is a walk machine, whose OBP should be routinely .100 above his batting average. He will need to increase his power to become a top prospect, but is still a pretty solid one. Will most likely end up a good back-up in the future, a Brian Schnieder type.
Jon Jaspe - 24 years old
Very under-rated, in my humble opinion, is Jaspe. The guy has done nothing but hit since 2005, advancing very slowly through the lower minors. Has a career average of .288 in the minors. He needs to increase his walks and power, which is probably holding him back. He is a switch hitter, which is usually pretty nice.
Kyle Phillips - 25 years old
Drafted by the Twins in 2002, Phillips quietly joined the Jays in 2007 and has hit very well for the Jays. He has been pretty incredible the last 3 years after being kind of crappy in the Twins organization. He has become a pretty legitimate option should another catcher go down. He is the younger brother of former Jay and clown-shoe Jason Phillips (who, in my opinion, populorized the ridiculous glasses fashion craze).
Jon Talley - 20 years old
A 13th pick in 2007, Talley is showing to be a pretty good hitter. His defense is questionable, allowing most people to wonder whether his future is at 1B. He had a big 2008, but is having a pretty bad 2009 so far.
Second Base
Brad Emaus - 23 years old
Drafted in the 11th round in 2007, Emaus had a big 2008 and put himself on a lot of "to watch" lists. He has advanced very quickly so far and could reach the majors next season. His bat has been pretty quiet this season after a hot start, but still has decent potential to become a decent starting 2B. He could make a very attractive trade piece in the offseason.
John Tolisano - 20 years old
Drafted as part of the magical 2007 draft, Tolisano has shown enough power this year to have me excited about his future as a 2B/LF/RF/1B/3B utility player. Sure, he hasn't played many of those positions (or any, as he has only played 2B, pretty poorly), but with his lack of on base skills of batting average is his ultimate destination.
Raul Barron - 23 years old
With not much power, Barron has still put up impressive numbers most of his minor league career. His ultimate role be utility infielder, as he is pretty much a utility player allready, but he can be a pretty decent one.
Justin McClanahan - 23 years old
He played a lot of 1B last year, and has played 3B and LF. He has some pretty solid power and it will play very well at 2B, although his defense leaves a lot to be desired.
Luis Fernandez - 21 years old
A player who seems very similar to Barron, but with better defense. Fernandez plays a mean 2B and a good SS.
Third Baseman
Scott Campbell - 24 years old
Campbell is proven to be a pretty good hitter and could make a good back-up, but I don't see the power to be a starter at a power position. He has shown a pretty good eye at the plate as well, which would make him a good number 2 hitter.
Kevin Ahrens - 20 years old
Ahrens has disapointed offensively, but still has the upside to be a pretty good player. He seems to play a pretty bad 3B and will have to improve drasitically if he doesn't want to end up in the OF.
Manuel Falcon - 19 years old
Last year and this year, Falcon has hit like a beast, but without power. He has yet to hit a HR in 503 plate appearances, but doesn't have the speed you would hope for with the lack of power. He has played a lot of 2B as well.
Rob Sobolewski - 22 years old
Has not hit very well since being drafted, but still is a guy who CAN hit. Being a college drafted guy, he doesn't have the time a high school drafted guy has.
Randy Schwartz - 23 years old
Schawrtz has mashed in rookie ball in his debut 2009 10 games. He is Canadian, so is should continue until he passes Larry Walker for most homers by a Canadian. All kidding aside, I actually hold out hope for any power prospect this team has, so am excited very prematurely.
Short Stop (which gets a top 3 due to lack of anything resembling a prospect)
Justin Jackson - 20 years old
Is still a speed guy without the power I thought would come. He needs to bulk up and could be a 20 homer - 30 steal guy with growth. His defense has been error prone, but with pretty good reviews.
Angel Sanchez - 25 years old
He has previous MLB experiance (with the Royals), but is still young and could still be something usefull.
Tyler Pastronicky - 19 years old
Pastronicky is the SS I actually want to be the "SS of the future" (because he is white). That is not actually true, but it is because the guy runs like the wind and steals bases like Jackson steals...well, I'm sure he steals something.
First Base (another pathetic crop of prospects, leading to another top 3)
Brian Dopirak - 25 years old
Dopirak was a top prospect with the Cubs, then disappeared, and now has re-emerged as a viable prospect for the Jays. He SHOULD be in AAA, but is held back by Randy Ruiz. He has a ton of power and actually seems like a pretty good hitter too.
David Cooper - 22 years old
He hit amazing his 1st season in 2008 while climbing quickly up 3 levels. He has stalled somewhat in AA and he is still waiting for his power to come along.
Mike McDade - 20 years old
If he shown anything it is that his power is starting to come around. His average and on-base percentage are still pretty lame, but he is the 3rd best propect in the system.
Outfield
Moises Sierra - 20 years old
Sierra is either having a breakout season or a fluke season. Either way, Sierra is probably the top outfield prospect in the system. His power still hasn't developed yet, but is just 20. I see him becoming an Alex Rios type, but hopefully isn't fucking disappointing.
Eric Thames - 22 years old
Thames didn't play last year, but has come out banging this year. His power should come around, and I really look forward to seeing what he can do next year.
Yohermyn Chavez - 20 years old
Chavez had a huge year in 2007 in 203 plate appearances. He had a really disappointing season last year, but has come back with a solid year so far this season. His power is developing and he is crushing his career high allready. I was thinking he was going to be a Rios type as well, but he could develop more power.
Brain Van Kirk - 23 years old
Van Kirk is a real sleeper, in my opinion. He is a .290 hitter with a .388 OBP in a full season's worth of at-bats. His SLG% is good too. He could become a very good player. I am really excited about him.
Darin Mastroianni - 23 years old
He is having a monster year so far, but it isn't the first time he has put up really big numbers. His 2007 debut season was great, and he has almost repeated the numbers. His power is down from his 2007 season, but that is not his game anyways. He runs like the fucking wind and will steal tons of bases if given the chance. If he can become a .280/.370 guy with 40-50 steals, which I think is possible, he will be a very usefull player and the type of guy the Jays have not had in a long time.
Kenny Wilson - 19 years old
Wilson is another speedster who has not hit well, but steals bases like a coloured. There was a little talk of him becoming a switch-hitter, but it seems to have sizzled. He will need to hit about .300 with a .360 obp to be a usefull player. He has plenty of time.
Marcus Brisker - 18 years old
This guy is an incredible athlete and could hit for power some day, but so far has not a single pro home run. He has stolen a decent number of bases, and could get better at that as well. Brisker is an elite athlete, but that doesn't always translate well. He is not having a good season (it has actually been pretty terrible).
Eric Eiland - 20 years old
It seems as though the Jays are growing these really athletic, toolsy outfielders. If his average can raise to about .270-.280, then his OBP will increase to a reasonable level as well. His speed will play regardless.
Adam Loewen - 25 years old
This is Loewen's first season as a hitter, full-time. I still think he will be a good player and is a good prospect, although he is not a rookie (technically). His power will probably be the last thing to come back, so he should have a better year next season.
Adam Calderone - 25 years old
He seems like a solid player who may profile as a 4th outfielder or a really good AAA player. He has some power and is ... I don't know. He doesn't seem special, but could be solid as a back-up.
Pitching
Right Handed Starter
Ray Gonzalez - 23 years old
He has been stellar pretty much since becoming a Blue Jay farm-hand. He is having another great season and is one guy I am excited to have in the system.
Kenny Rodriguez - 24 years old
He seems to have dominated high A, but got lit the fuck up in AA. He seems to strike out a lot of guys, and could be a solid back-end guy.
Kyle Ginley - 22 years old
Ginley is relieving this year, but long-term the best option is always the rotation if the player can hack it. He was very good last year and is pitching well in 3 games this season. I am looking forward to him moving back into the rotation.
Left Handed Starters
Marc Rzepczynski - 23 years old
This guy I am very excited about. He is going to be a really good pitcher, and he could arrive next season for good.
Fabio Castro - 24 years old
Castro has MLB experiance, but not enough to lose prospect status. He raped AA and is pitching well in AAA so far. I hope to see him up for a few starts in Tornoto this year, which might lose his eligibility.
Brad Mills - 24 years old
I think Castro is a better prospect than Mills due to Mills' shit-ballness. He pitched like dick in his starts in the majors, and despite his impressive minor league numbers, loses credibility. I still haven't given up on him and hope he can be a good back-end guy.
Luis Perez - 24 years old
He has good numbers and is on the 40-man roster. At some point the Jays may bring him up to take a look at him too if he continues pitching well.
James Paxton
Paxton is recent draft pick with electric stuff. If he signs, he has the potential to be an ace. I truly believe that.
Right Handed Relievers
Dan Farquhar - 22 years old
This kid seems to have some impressive stuff. He could be a big time reliever for the Jays and could arrive quickly.
Zach Dials - 23 years old
Another impressive young relief prospect that could come quickly to Toronto.
Trystan Magnuson - 24 years old
Magnuson is a monster at 6'8'' tall. His strike-outs need to come up and his walks down to be successfull as he raises levels. He could be good though.
Left Handed Reliever
Tim Collins - 19 years old
"Tiny Tim" burst onto the scene last year with massive K numbers. He is striking out a ton again this year and I hope they aggressively promote him through future levels.
Edgar Estranga - 23 years old
In AA now, Estranga has done nothing but put up impressive numbers. He could be a usefull reliever as early as mid-2010.
Frank Gailey / Matt Moody - 23 years old
These 2 are a package deal, as their numbers are pretty similar. Moody has a 1.76 ERA in 61.1 minor league innings, while Gailey has a 2.03 ERA, but with an extra year under his belt. Both could be good relievers, but they still need a lot of time and a trip through AA, which is the biggest test for prospects.
Well, that is it. My monster post on the Jays prospects is complete.
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