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.