Two Months of Moves Under Alex "The Great" Anthopolous

*List Updated as of 23 Dec 09

Alex Anthopolous took over at the helm for the Jays a mere 2 months ago, and already his impact can be felt throughout the organization. A Summary of his transactions in this short period of time are as follows:

Late October (pen addition)

• Claimed RP Sean Henn (28 yrs old) off waivers from the Orioles

November (fixed the infield, protected the right players, and added depth + speed)

• Signed SS John MacDonald (35 yrs old) to a $3,000,000 2-year deal
• Signed SS Alex Gonzalez (32 yrs old) to a $2,750,000 1 yr deal with option for 2011
• Protected both 1B Brian Dopirak and SP Reidier Gonzalez by placing them on 40-man roster
• Claimed INF Mike McCoy (28 yrs old) (who stole 40 bases in AAA in 09) off waivers from Colorado
• Claimed INF Jarrett Hoffpauir (26 yrs old) off waivers from the Cardinals

December

• Claimed RP Zechry Zinicola (24 yrs old) as rule 5 from the Washington Nationals
• Signed C John Buck (29 yrs old) as a FA from the KC Royals (quickly) for $2,000,000
• Signed C Raul Chavez (37 yrs old) to a minor league contract, which gives the Jays flexibility to have him in AAA and depth at C
• Signed OF Joey Gathright (28 yrs old) to a minor league contract as OF depth
• Resigned 3B/OF Jose Bautista to a $2,400,000 1 yr deal, avoiding arbitration
• Signed SP/RP Lance Broadway (26 yrs old) as a FA
• Traded SP Roy Halladay (32 yrs old)  and $6,000,000 to the Phillies in return for OF Michael Taylor (25 yrs old), SP Kyle Drabek (22 yrs old), C Travis d'Arnaud (20 yrs old)
• Traded OF Michael Taylor (25 yrs old) to OAK in return for 1B/3B Brett Wallace (23 yrs old)
• Signed FA C Ramon Castro (33 yrs old) to split time with John Buck
• Traded RP Brandon League (26 yrs old) and OF Yohermyn Chavez (21 yrs old) to Seattle in return for SP/RP Brandon Morrow (24 yrs old)

Alex is also responsible for letting Marco Scutaro and Rod Barajas walk, instead of resigning them, which has or will net the Jays the 33rd, 45th, and 68th overall picks in the 2010 draft.

As related to 2010, when you add up the money sent to the Phillies, and the signings of Buck (2m), Gonzalez (2.75m), MacDonald (1.5m), and Bautista (2.4m), and subtract it from the salary they save from dealing Doc (9.75m), the Jays end up with $1,150,000 less in salary even with the addition of a starting SS and C.

When Alex took over, the Jays were weakest at SS, C, and in being held up by a potential Doc deal. In 2 months, he's taken care of all of those things, has added young and projectable players that fulfill exactly what the Jays needed this offseason. He's not done yet, obviously, but as we head into the Christmas break, we can rest assured that the Jays are finally headed into a new direction. Once filled with youth, excitement, and the potential to grown into something magical in the very near future.

Dawn of a New Jays Era

I'd like to start off today's post with a statement: Roy Halladay was brought up right. His parents did an outstanding job. Here's a guy who could of gone through this trading ordeal two or three times, but he decided instead to extend with the Jays because he thought "maybe we can win". They could not, so he politely asks for a trade, extends with that team at a reduced "discount" rate - something most top 5 pitchers would never dream of doing because their greed blinds them - and allows the deal to happen. In doing so, he allows the Jays the opportunity to quicken the process of rebuilding without him, since they get players close to MLB ready instead of draft picks, and it also gives him a chance to win sooner. Thank you Doc, and thanks to your parents for raising you the right way. Thanks for the 11 years of professional, dedicated, and outstanding work. You'll be missed by all Jays fans and players to be sure, and hopefully will be recognized some day with the retiring of your number. You have my vote.

 Now, I certainly hope all of the Jays young guns were taking notes during this entire ordeal, and I mean all of them. How he went about things, dealt with the media, prepared each day, his training regimen, I hope it all sticks in their minds so that they get a chance to become great as well. As of this moment, the rumored added pieces of Kyle Drabek, Michael Talor, and Travis d'Arnaud (ranked 2,3,4 as Phillies prospects this off season by BA) add depth to the Jays and should allow for one hell of a pitching staff in the not too distant future.

I have one question for you all: How in the world did Alex Anthopolous have the time, never mind the inclination, to go out and sign C Ramon Castro while all of this 3-way dealing was going on? Couldn't it have waited? It now looks like since he's been signed to a major league contract and Raul Chavez got a minors deal, that Raul will be headed to AAA in support of JP Arencibia. Nice move which provides depth at a very cheap rate and allows for the growth of a young player who could become great!

Here's our 2011 lineup without all of the other expected trades Alex is likely to make. It looks well balanced to me, although it lacks speed and a lead off hitter.

2B - Aaron Hill 
RF - Michael Taylor
LF - Travis Snider
DH - Adam Lind
C - JP Arencibia
CF - Vernon Wells
3B - Edwin Encarnacion
1B - Brian Dopirak
SS - Alex Gonzalez

When you consider the fact that all of the guys 1 through 8 can hit 20+ HRs per season, it looks pretty good! But....What I don't get, is that with the pieces available from Seattle, why take d'Arnaud instead of a guy like  SS Carlos Triunfel? Or even their 3B Alex Liddi who tore up HiA this past season (although in High Desert, which always boosts stats). We have nobody that is close to ready to take up those positions, although judging from how quickly and effectively Alex has operated, that should be addressed when necessary. What I like about adding Taylor is that he allows Snider to shift to LF, a much better spot for him. What I don't like, it leaves Wells in CF so long as we gulp up his contract. Michael Taylor will produce like a Mike Cameron in terms of power and speed (25/25) but will do so while hitting for average, which makes him a future star. I'd like to see him develop into a Torii Hunter or Jayson Werth caibre player, who do everything well defensively and offensively.

The 2011 Rotation:

1- Ricky Romero
2- Bret Cecil
3- Marc Rzcepczynski
4- Shaun Marcum / Zach Stewart if Shaun not healthy
5- Kyle Drabek

Others: Jesse Litsch, Scott Richmond, Dustin McGowan (may head to the pen), David Purcey, Brad Mills, Reidier Gonzalez, Zach Stewart, Luis Perez

I love the potential of that rotation. When you add the fact that by then Henderson Alvarez and Chad Jenkins should be knocking on the door, it makes me smile like a kid in a candy store!

So, what does that leave Alex with to fill our 3B and SS deficiencies? He has the extra starters from the list above, as well as pending FA relievers (after this season) of Jason Frasor, Scott Downs, Brian Tallet,  Jeremy Accardo, Shawn Camp, as well as Lyle Overbay. These names provide us with a ton to speculate about and the rest of the off-season to wonder who will be traded where, if traded at all. Alex may decide to keep Frasor and Camp, but the remainder, along with some starters, may be on the move very soon.

Alex also has the following picks to work with in 2010 draft: 11th, 33rd (for losing Scutaro), 38th (failure to sign James Paxton), 50th, 67th (will be official when Lackey signs, we get this pick instead of 29th from Boston), 69th (failure to sign Jake Eliopolous), 82nd, and 102nd (for failure to sign Jake Barrett). They'll get one more pick in there (30-40 range) when Rod Barajas signs elsewhere. That gives Alex a total of 5 top 50 picks, and 9 top 100 picks. Remember, there are 30 teams in MLB, so if things were split evenly, the Jays would get 3 picks in the top 90 instead of the 9 they'll have in 2010. That's a ton of talent to add to any team's minors system and one that Alex Athopolous is making sure he'll be ready for by spending a lot on scouting and development.

Alex's accomplishments in such a short period are outstanding and I tip my hat to him. Within 2 years he will be responsible for a very competitive and exciting team. The Toronto Blue Jays finally have direction and thankfully it comes from the top. It's the dawn of a new era, and one I'm very thankful to be able to witness.
Thank you Alex "The Great" Anthopolous.

Doc Taking Physical in Philadelphia with Agent in Tow

 11:00 Update: Kyle Drabek is the chosen pitcher coming to Toronto, if you believe the word on the street. That in itself is a massive upgrade from anything the Jays had been offered before. I understand Micheal Taylor as the second piece in the deal since Drabek is included.....but why add another catcher? Wouldn't Aumont or Triunfel, or even one of Saunders or Gillies (both Canadian) make more sense since they're weak spots for the Jays? I don't know, but the newest "stories" have all prospects going from Seattle to Philly, which is "to me" obviously the one portion of the deal. I'm still holding out hope that one more piece from Seattle will be included to the Jays package, but it's looking like Drabek-Taylor-one more is going to be the deal.


 9:50 Update: Some things seem to be sorting themselves out, but I'll believe the true pieces when I see them. Latest update is as follows: Phillies get both Doc and Phillipe Aumont, Seattle get Cliff Lee and Joe Blanton from Phillies, and the Jays get Kyle Drabek, Micheal Taylor, Travis D'Arnaud, and Carlos Triunfel. There is also some money flying around, but that's pretty much it. Don't worry, it will change - just updating the latest!


8:15 Update: Oh the Chaos! Now there are reports of SP Kyle Drabek (from a Philly source, which should be more credible) going to the Jays, and Carlos Triunfel being included from the Mariners. Normally I'd say I was hoping for them to tell us who is in and who is out, but it's way too much fun watching grown up professionals throwing names to the wall in the hopes that some will stick. Crazy. Well, at least they get paid for it!!! This is how bad it is at this point. Jonathan Mayo actually put this out on Twitter "No true confirmations on prospects heading to Jays yet. It could be Aumont and maybe Saunders or Triunfel from M's; Brown plus 1 from Phils." Now, I'm no rocket scientist, but it sounds like he just made that up and threw it out there to get some names in the flow. Maybe he's right, maybe he isn't, but it sure makes me laugh.


 8:00 Update: Ok, now things are getting out of hand. We now have news from the American Press that Domonic Brown, J.A. Happ, and Joe Blanton all took physicals today, presumably because they're being considered in deals. I say deals, because this doesn't mean that they're going to the Jays or Seattle. How these would fit into all of the names we've heard is beyond me, but obviously if the Phillies asked Brown to take a physical, they'd be willing to part with him. It could be possible that the teams involved are not even sure yet how things will work exactly. It's not uncommon for teams to put a deal in place and decide on pieces along the way. That's how the "player to be named later" came to be. That won't be the case this time around, but you have to believe that the conversation are fiesty and the name calling is out of control! Let's hope for a clearer picture by tomorrow.


 6:20 Update: Catcher Travis D'Arnaud is reportedly included in the deal. He was recently ranked as 4th on BA's rankings of the Phillies prospects and played 2009 in LoA. They noted his power and the fact that he had the most doubles in the SAL league. He would be a nice depth addition to a very deep position for the Jays with Carlos Perez, JP Arencibia, and Sean Ochinko all representing very skilled backstops. There's still a ton of debate about the pieces included. Some are saying Micheal Saunders is in, but Brandon Morrow is out. If the Jays are only adding Phillipe Aumont, a reliever, as picthing components of the deal....is it surprising and a little disappointing? After hearing names like Joe Saunders, Clay Buchholz, and Kyle Drabek rumored as pieces in the past...it sure is. But, if it's in favor of making the Jays potent and cheap offensively, I like it.


5:45 Update: I have no idea whether the next two players are going to the Jays or the Phillies, but the deal only makes sense if they go to the Jays. The players so-called "in play" by the sources are SP Brandon Morrow and OF Michael Saunders, who is also Canadian. 

This would break down what we know so far as follows: 


Phillies get Roy Halladay and cash from the Jays
Mariners get Cliff Lee from the Phillies
Jays get Micheal Taylor from the Phillies, and Micheal Saunders, Phillipe Aumont, and Brendon Morrow from the Mariners.

Wow, talk about blockbuster. There may be more, but you have to think these guys were inspired by the blockbuster worked out at the winter meetings by the Yankees-DBacks-Tigers. All of this has yet to be confirmed, but I like the way it's shaping up. The Jays would receive real value that would put its mark on the franchise for a long time at a very affordable rate. All components are top 5 players in their respective team rankings of prospects and all have very high ceilings. I may have to send Alex Anthopolous a gist basket for this one. Alex "The Great" has possibly now earned him name.



 5:20 Update: Two of the pieces coming back to the Jays may already be confirmed, with sources saying Of Michael Taylor and SP/RP Phillipe Aumont are part of the deal.

Phillipe Aumont is a big boy at 6'7" 200lbs and hails for Hull Quebec, adding some Canadian content to the Jays. I can already see the Jerseys coming off the rack in Quebec. He was drafted as a SP and was made into a RP by Seattle thereafter, so it's unclear whether he could or would want to return to starting, but he's potent either way. He had 18 Ks in 12 IP in the AFL this offseason and 59 in 51 IP during the season in HiA and AA and maintained a decent 3.88 ERA. He could be part of the bull pen by mid-season and I'll have to do some considering on order to assert where he sists in the Jays top prospects. Rest assured, it will most likely be a top 10.

Micheal Taylor, also a big boy at 6'6" and 230lbs, is a 5 tool outfielder who has grown in the shadow of the more heralded Dominic Brown as part of a lethal duo of prospect OF. Between AA and AAA last season, Taylor had a .320 average over 428 AB, 20 HR and 21 SB, and a .395 OBP/.549 SLG/.944 OPS line that looks very promising. He immediately becomes the best Jays OF prospect and will look very good in the lineup sometime soon alongside Aaron Hill, Adam Lind, and Travis Snider. The fact that the Jays have control over him for a very long time at a very affordable rate makes him a gem in the deal.

Although it pains me to say that the Doc saga will come to and end fairly soon, since it goves people something to write about, it seems that Doc is just about to become a Philadelphia Philly. The word is that Lee actually could be involved in the deal.....say what? Yep.  Not only that, but Ken Rosenthal and John Morosi and talking like the deal is done!! "The trade is highly complex, sources say, with the Phillies receiving money from the Jays to help pay Halladay's salary next season." The Phillies would be making the deal with Lee on their own, then completing the deal with the Jays. Wow. And now that I've heard to ideas behind it, it doesn't sound too crazy. Here's why:

• Philadelphia has been trying to get talks going with Cliff Lee in regards to an extension. He wants nothing to do with it, while Doc is more than willing to walk in front of that team once every five starts. Smart man.
• Seattle, on the other hand, are looking to add pitching and would be more than happy to take the picks that they'd get for losing Lee at the end of 2010 if it means getting an ace for their staff (and possibly more). With guys like Michael Saunders, Carlos Triunfel, and Phillipe Aumont in their minors, the Jays could be interested in many of their prospects.
  
• The Angels could also provide some prospects if they're the third team, but for right now it sounds more and more like they're going to be left out in the cold. They are talking to Matsui right now and don't seem too heavily involved. Still, they could swoop in at last minute, as could the Yankees.
• If all the Phillies have to do in order to get Doc committed for 4-5 years is deal Lee and perhaps one bench player or prospect, it makes sense. 

 It sounds very close to getting done, and I can't wait to analyze this deal thoroughly.

If you are the Yankees, watching this happen around you, with Lackey just signed in Boston and the possibility of Adrian Gonzalez going to Boston in return for Buchholz and Casey Kelly (Boston is also leading the Chapman sweepstakes - rumored), what do you do? Sign Matt Holliday, that's what.

This is getting to get a MAJOR week in the positioning of teams going into 2010.

In other news, our "inherited" 29th overall pick from Boston is just one medical away from becoming a 69th. You have to love this system (insert major sarcasm).

Finally, Credible Offers are Making the Rounds

Dec. 12th UPDATE: It looks like I was onto something about Trevor Reckling being more appealing than Joe Saunders. Here's the MLBTR link. Thank goodness. The Tao of Stieb has a great article about why Saunders is not worth a deal at all, although I disagree about Doc not going there. It's the best place for him so long as we get different pitchers in return. Whether it's Jered Weaver and prospects, or Trevor Reckling and a couple of others, it needs to be higher end pitching than Joe "please say no" Saunders.

Here's what I had posted on the 9th of December:

When the Winter Meetings started, who would have thought that the LAA, TB, and PHI would become front runners and that NYY and BOS interest would be nil? Not many. But that's exactly what's happened and the Jays "supposedly" have some real credible offers on the table.

Option #1, from LAA: Joe Saunders, Erick Aybar, Peter Bourjos.

Analysis: I am NOT a fan of this offer at all and don't want Alex to take it. While I am a huge fan of Aybar's, both he and Saunders are arbitration eligible and only under control for a few years. Saunders hasn't exactly shined, and if he played for KC instead of the LAA last season, he would of had half the wins he ended up with. His 4.60 ERA and 1.430 Whip don't impress me at all, and he only had 101 Ks in 186 IP, not exactly front line stuff. There's a reason the LAA would be willing to move him. I'd rather the Jays land Trevor Reckling in the deal, which may be the case since nobody knows what the true offer if yet. As for Bourjos, I do think he's a very nice piece in the deal. If the deal had Reckling and another young SP in the deal, I'd like Alex to snap it up.

Option #2, from PHI: J.A. Happ, and one of Dominic Brown or Michael Taylor.

Analysis: Another rumor has it being Hamels instead of Happ. If Brown is actually in the offer, the Jays would have taken it already, so I seriousle doubt they've made him available. Hamels and Brown as a return would be plenty, even if I'm not a fan of the attitude Hamels displayed during the playoffs of 09. I do like Taylor, but if he's in the package, I do expect Alex to ask for 1 or 2 more pieces to be added because his ceiling is lower than Brown's. The one weak point of this offer is that it doesn't fulfil the need for a SS or C, forcing the Jays to look elsewhere to fill those holes.

***New info: apparently the Phils GM doesn't see any deal for Doc taking place for the Phils, so scratch them off the list of suitors.

Option #3, from TB: Wade Davis, BJ Upton, Reid Brignac.

Analysis: This offer wouldfill the SS gap long term, and would allow the Jays to flip Upton for other pieces, supposedly to the Mets in return for Fernando Martinez. So, the return becomes Davis, Martinez, and Brignac. Sold. I'd take this offer over all others simply because the ceiling, contracts, and control over the players are all higher and longer, making the Jays much better for the long term.

In any case, we are pretty aware that the market for Doc is heating up and it does seem like Alex has some credible options to consider. Who knows how many of these rumors are credible, but if they are, Alex has a lot of work on his hands and his heart rate must be through the roof right now.....gotta love that rush!!!

LAA Willing to Deal Aybar

It appears that the Angels have made one of their untouchables available in Doc trade talks. The Denver Post's Troy Renck reports that now that LAA GM Tony Reagins, they essentially become the front-runners in a Doc deal. I'm not sure how that holds water when Jesus Montero is the big piece in New York, Clay Buchholz is the big piece in Boston, Wade Davis is the big piece in Tampa Bay, and Kyle Drabek is the big piece in Philadelphia, but that's what he's saying today.

It does alter the possibilities quite a bit when lookng at the pieces that the Angels could deal. With Seattle piling on the pressure with their high OBP top 2, the Angels may be the hungriest trade suitor out there for the Jays, so I do believe Mr. Renck's opinion is probably right based on the information we have today. Where I don't agree with him is in that he includes Joe Saunders as the key pitcher coming back in the deal. It would not add an depth for the LAA, which I think is part of their plan in dealing with Seattle and others. So, I believe the key piece will be Trevor Reckling, combined with another highly ranked SP prospect and catcher Mike Napoli, and that a reliever like Scott Downs could also be included in the deal on the way to Los Angeles.

But what do I know? I'm just going by need and willingness to deal. I do believe Doc will be traded before christmas, and that Alex would absolutely love to get fair market value from the Angels in order to avoid the scrutiny that would come from seeing Doc in a Red Sox or Yankees uniform.

Huge reach here, but here's the deal I can foresee happening with the Angels, or something similar:

to Toronto - C Mike Napoli or Jeff Mathis, SS Erick Aybar, SP Trevor Reckling, SP Jordan Walden, one or two more lower end prospects

*unless the Jays land Ryan Doumit, in which case OF Peter Boujos could become a piece added instead of Napoli or Mathis.

to Los Angeles - SP Roy Hallday, RP Scott Downs

Doc to the Yankees Still a Possibility

The evil empire continues to add pieces to its championship team, and it seems that Doc is still on their radar. The way this article states it, there are reasons to be optimistic that the Yankees will still land Doc for the following reasons:

• Jesus Montero: both the Yankees and the Jays love this kid, but since his future is at 1B/DH, the Yankees have no spot for him and definitely want sound return on investment. Who else is on the market and better than Doc as a return? Nobody. So, if the Yankees are going to trade Montero, it might as well be for Doc. they can't keep him in the minors forever!!
• The Yankees can still include one of Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes while retaining the other. In layman's terms, when you look at their 2009 lineup, whichever one of these 2 they decide to move for Doc would essentially be traded straight up for Doc. That's quite an improvement. And since neither of the 2 is a sure thing in terms of longevity or ceiling, it makes a ton of sense to grab Doc.
  
• With Andy Pettitte waiting to re-sign, if they add Doc they only need 1 of the 2 to fill their rotation. It would give them a top 5 of CC Sabathia, Roy Halladay, AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte, and one of Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes. That's one hell of a rotation!
• The article by Joel Sherman also goes on to say that Yankee brass would not want to sign Doc to an extension. They'd rather wait to pick up the 2 top picks and rebuild their minors and feel there are enough top end FA starters coming up in 2011 to replace Doc in the rotation. 
• TB and BOS. If either of these teams land Doc, it will make it harder for the Yanks to win the AL East outright. Add to that the fact that the Orioles intend to spend a ton this off-season and nothing is guaranteed for the evil empire. Should they not want to spend 200 million plus and wind up out of the playoffs, they probably would be better off making sure they got ALL of the pieces they can to make it happen. Oh, how I dream of Boston winning the division with TB winning the wild card. lol.

With all of those points, the Yankees and Jays still match up very well. I still expect Alex Anthopolous to need a few young prospects to be added, but nothing significant. We'll see if the Yankees can pull it off, I just hope it costs them in 2012 and beyond when the Jays start winning streaks of their own with Montero hitting cleanup!

LAD Still in the Hunt for Doc

Apparently, the Dodgers still want to get something done and are still pursuing Doc. The Dodgers GM added that he is NOT constrained by money and that it won't be an issue when talks of extensions come around. With Arizona picking up 2 more starters that make their rotation Webb - Haren - Jackson - followed by a mix of Buckner, Heilman, Augenstein, Mulvey, Parker, Valdez, and Kennedy, could it be that the Dodgers are feeling the heat? With SF looking to add some power, and Bumgarner joining their rotation, and Colorado also looking to add some arms, the NL West is going to be the Wild West if this keeps up.

Prospects from the Dodgers that Alex will look at:

• Dee Gordon, SS LoA
•  Andrew Lambo, OF AA
• Chris Withrow, SP AA
• Aaron Miller, SP LoA
• Allen Webster, SP R
• Ethan Martin, SP LoA
• Josh Lindblom, SP AAA
• Scott Elbert, RP/SP AAA/MLB
• Ivan DeJesus, SS R
• Trayvon Robinson, OF AA

Who alex targets will define who he can get as an MLB player. Could Pierre be going to Toronto in this deal? The Jays do need a lead off hitter. Russel Martin iand James Loney are other possibilities. I refuse to believe they would trade Billingsley to add Doc.

Winter Meetings Day 2 continued: Austin Jackson Traded, Doumit, Bo Sox

• Austin Jackson is on his way to Detroit, where he has a lot to live up to while taking over from Curtis Granderson. Not only does this mean Jackson won't be the addition in CF the Jays were supposedly hoping for, but it also means the chances are slim that the Yankees will part with the remainder of their top prospects in order to land Doc. Unless we're missing something, a package of Montero and Hughes or Chamberlain would be too weak to woo the Jays, even with more ammunition added.
• The Jays and Pirates are again into talks over Ryan Doumit and speculation is that it may include the disgruntled Jeremy Accardo. If it's a 1 for 1 deal, it seems like a fairly even trade overall.
• The Red Sox made a couple of under the radar signings, inking ex-Jay Fabio Castro and Kason Gabbard. Fabio did fairly well last year, but hasn't received a real shot in the bigs yet. 
• The Red Sox are also said to not want to include either Clay Buchholz or Casey Kelly in a deal, which would basically end talks between the Jays and Red Sox about Roy Halladay. 
• If the Red Sox rumor is true, it leaves Alex with TB, CHW, LAA, PHI, NYM, and the now prospect depleted NYY as possible trading partners. It's looking dimmer and dimmer. I guess we'll most likely get to enjoy 1 more year of Doc, and hopefully Bret, Ricky, and Marc have their learning caps on.
  

Bites from Day 2 of Winter Meetings

Here are some rumors making circles that involve the Jays:

• MLB Bastien reports that Toronto execs have stated no player is untouchable. Wow, that would include the likes of Cecil, Rzepczynski, and Snider? Apparently, once this news made the rounds the Jays got a ton of action. Gee, I wonder why!
• Lyle Overbay may be an interesting proposition for Atlanta, who may not want to give Laroche a multi-year deal with Freddy Freeman waiting in the wings. Thoughts on possible returns?
• The priority for AA seems to be getting the right catcher. In my opinion, the Jays lost out big time when they let Ivan Rodriguez sign in Washington. I guess he was lured by the 2 year deal and the fact that Strasburg and Harper will need his mentoring. Makes sense to sign in Washington in this case. (a rarity)
• Secrecy is the name of AA's game, a nice change of pace from the old Jays GM. We'll have to see if letting 1 person or 2 in his suite at a time bears fruit once the meetings are over.
• The Rays moved into the fray for Doc with Wade Davis, BJ Upton, and Reid Brignac being possible returns. The Jays are also rumored to want to flip Upton if this kind of deal occured with the Rays.
• The Dodgers are pretty much out of the running for Doc, but the LAA are still said to be strong contenders. The more Seattle adds to their team, the more the LAA will be hungry to land Doc. Got get'em M's!!
• Boston seems to be losing their grip on Bay, who is popular in Seattle with everyone except the most important person - their GM, so it's a stale mate right now. Apparently Bay's shotty OF D is the issue with the M's GM.....I'm pretty sure you have an opening at 1B Sir. Just a thought. Either way, it seems our chances of keeping the 29th pick we got for Scutaro are dim.
  
• Sadly, no news on anyone pushing to land Wells. Surprise surprise!

Pretty quite day 2 so far. Let's hope it's just the calm before the storm.

Add Another AL East Team to Doc Suitor List

Ken Rosenthal and Paul Morosi reported tonight that the Rays may be willing to part with Wade Davis and BJ Upton in return for Doc. You have to believe that Reid Brignac would also be a possibility here, but it's an interesting option for the Rays. It would allow them to compete more effectively versus the Red Sox and Yankees, it would assure neither of those two gets Doc, and Tampa Bay is as close to home as Doc can get. If he accepts to go there, and they can agree on an extension, this could be a match made in heaven.

Very interesting rumor to follow.

*Add Dioner Navarro to the list of possibilities in this trade, as he's been made available by the Rays since they intend on using the newly acquired Kelly Shoppach the majority of the time.

Winter Meetings Prelude

An interesting note in today's Richard Griffin column,

"Anthopoulos admitted this week that there have been inquiries about some of his starters other than Halladay and that the possibility of young guys on the move would be there if the return was what the Jays were looking for. He might give teams a choice from among that group. Remember, when the Halladay deal is finally completed there will likely be a mid-rotation starter included to make the picture even more crowded."

Well, isn't that a daisy. How many scenarios can people cook up from that one, and which starters would he be willing to deal? My pick is Ricky Romero, who the Mets and others would definitely have interest in. Why not deal him if the Jays don't expect to compete? He's the most mature of the bunch, has the most market value as a result, and can help a team win in 2010. Scenarios are endless, but the Mets, Royals, Brewers, and Mariners stand out due to their needs for starting pitching.

Everyone still expects the Yankees to land Doc, and their latest attempt to make people believe they have a limited budget is simply posturing so they can get more for less at the meetings. Whether through an agent or through trade, the Yankees can claim they are trying to control costs - right. They said the same thing last year after signing CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett, just before signing Mark Texeira.

Here's what I know for sure before the meetings:

1. Alex will be the focus and will put his first stamp on the Jays at these meetings. If he deals Doc and others, he'll be examined to the nines by all baseball analysts and bloggers. The outcome of these deals will determine if he's the GM long term, or short term.
2. Jesus Montero has no place to play in NY, other than at DH, or C once Posada retires - but nobody expects him to remain a Catcher at his size and "agility". So, he is a huge piece the Yankees may be willing to move.
3. The Red Sox need a big hitter. Whether it's landing Bay, Holliday, or Adrian Gonzalez, that's their #1 focus. Until they get one of these players, they can't make a deal for Doc without jeopordizing their offense. 
4. The Red Sox can't afford to trade for both Adrian Gonzalez and Roy Halladay. So, if Bay and Holliday sign elsewhere, you can scratch them off the list of Halladay suitors.
5. The LAA want to prove to their fans that they can win in 2010. They have Mike Napoli to deal since Jeff Mathis and Hank Conger are capable catchers, but can no longer deal Wood to the Jays since Figgins has signed in Seattle. The next best piece offensively in a deal, for the Jays, is OF Mike Trout who is very unlikely to be dealt. This makes a deal with the LAA a little less likely to occur.
   
6. The NYY, knowing the plights of BOS and LAA, will not part with 3 of Chamberlain, Hughes, Montero, and Jackson unless situations change. I could see 2, but not 3. Why would they pay more if no other teams are bidding? If you're the Jays, which 2 do you ask for? Unless one of the other 2 teams settles their situations (Holliday signs in BOS, for example), you can expect Doc to stay put.
7. Doc may be more inclined to agree to a deal in the AL since he's not much of a hitter or runner.
8. Doc may also be more inclined to sign a deal with a team that holds spring training in Florida (so some people say), making both LA teams, the White Sox, and the Mariners a little less likely to land Doc.
   
9. Lyle Overbay will be dealt ASAP to the highest bidder.
   
10. Others, such as two major pieces with expiring contracts in 2010 in Jason Frasor and Scott Downs, as well as Brian Tallet, Scott Richmond, Jeremy Accardo, and Jose Bautista may also be on the move.
    

Oddities:

Could Vernon Wells be dealt to the Yankees if a Doc deal can be made to include Austin Jackson in a deal? The Yankees could pass on Damon, and would be more inclined to deal 3 major prospects. In tis case, Phil Hughes, Jesus Montero, and Austin Jackson would go to the Jays, with Doc and Wells going to the Yankees.

Would a 3B Mat Gamel and OF Caleb Gindl for Ricky Romero and Edwin Encarnacion swap work with Milwaukee? They can actually afford Romero, and the Jays could use a big bat at 3B/1B and a young 5 tool OFer. Just a wild throw, but the Brewers are pretty desperate for pitching and don't have an excessive amount of money to throw around. Dealing Romero now makes perfect sense, because who knows how long he can go before an injury, there are a ton of guys who can take his spot in the rotation in the near future (Zach Stewart, Jesse Litsch, Reidier Gonzalez, Bobby Bell, David Purcey), and he is more affordable to more teams which drives up the price teams would be willing to pay for him.

As for Doc, my wild card team in his chase is the Chicago White Sox, but I doubt he would accept a deal there - unless he surprises us as Peavy did. A Peavy-Halladay-Danks-Floyd-Buehrle rotation would nix the chances of any other Central team winning for sure, and the White Sox do have Dayan Viciedo, Dan Hudson, and Tyler Flowers to offer - all positions that the Jays are looking for in return. Add the fact that their GM is Ken Williams and you never know what could happen.

Jays/Alex Targets?

All minor leaguers and young MLB Players.

Should be fun to watch and listen to in the days ahead. Let's hope it's an active meeting, and not one that reflects the slower lifestyle Indiana brings to the table in comparison to the 2008 location of Las Vegas!

Jays GM Has Grasp on Reality.....Finally!!

I don't know why they would do it since he's no longer the GM of the club, but JP Ricciardi was interviewed on MLB Home Plate yesterday and asked what he would do if he were still the GM of the Jays. WHO CARES?? In perfect moronic fashion, he went on a rant about how it's all black and white, either you spend like the big boys at the $100 million or more level, or you try to have 1 or 2 players who are stars and a $40 to $60 million budget and get lucky once a decade.....phew, good thing you're no longer our GM JP. And who's going to hire you after hearing that? I guess the Twins, Rockies, Rays, Braves, and Marlins are doing it all wrong then. I repeat my opinion of JP, he may be knowledgable about baseball in general, but he has no clue as to how to build a winning team without a Yankee or Red Sox budget. A six year old could build a winning team with their budgets, so that's no great honour.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, as reported by Robert MacLeod of the Globe and Mail, Alex Anthopolous stated the following, in complete contrast to how JP would have described his team were he still GM:

“Right now, it's a 75-win club with a lot of good, young players that needs to get better,” he said. “And I think there's a lot of areas that we can get better. And I think it's a lot bigger than any one player.”

Thank you Alex "The Great" for saving us Jays fans from the repeated mistake of over valuing the Blue Jays. I feel that the new Jays GM evaluates players differently (maybe he actually likes Adam Dunn....lol) and has a better grasp on what it's going to take for the Jays to surpass the Yankees and Red Sox. This is further supported in a video report by Ken Rosenthal, where he stated that Alex wants to build a 95 game winner, not an 85 game winner as JP would do. Finally!!!

As for his take on the catcher position, he seems patient and willing to wait until the prices settle down a little. He described it as follows:

“We're going to have to find somebody one way or another,” Anthopoulos said. “And we have guys in mind. We've already inquired on some in respect to free agency. The price for us right now does not fit so it's one of those things we're letting the market play out.”

 Chances are Alex has a ton of irons in the fire and is doing it the right way, waiting until a team comes down in price.

Note: Jon Heyman reported yesterday  that Toronto officials gave the Yankees a list of players they like that is as obvious as can be: Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Austin Jackson, Jesus Montero. They did add that they may not be looking to land all four and that they're simply the players that they're interested in as a starting point. Well, they better be the ones mentioned. We need 2 of them at a minimum and more prospects to go along with those 2, imo. Jon goes on to say that nothing is expected to happen until the winter meetings at the very least.

Doc Zings One Under Alex's Chin

It is entirely possible that Doc and his agent wanted to turn up the heat on Alex as he starts packing for the winter meetings. They basically sent him a note that said "make sure that if anyone offers anything at the winter meetings resembling the 2 picks you can expect to gain from letting Doc walk, you'll take it!!!" The Doc camp has officially stated that they will not approve any trade to teams once he reports to spring training. I really don't believe them, but this is what they're saying. If they're trying to sell the fact that with the Jays down and out of the playoff picture in July, an approved trade on the table - they'd sit there and say no to a playoff appearance, they're full of it. But, the intent is there and the writing is on the wall - Doc wants out and he wants out now! He wants to pack his bags, set his family up in a new city, and enjoy his holidays.

Now, if you're the LAA, BOS, NYY, you definitely sit up and pay attention. You now know Alex has no choice. Unless, that is, he and Jays management are content waiting for the picks. Will offers come screaming at the Jays a little more now that Doc drew a line in the sand? Or will they lower their prices since they know Alex is cornered? Thankfully for Alex, neither the Red Sox or Yankees has stated that they will not go after Doc. If one should pull out before Doc is dealt, it would be disastrous to the Jays.

I still believe the LAA will try to bring Lackey back, but if they can use the money they would have given to Lackey to keep Figgins and sign a hitter, then trade for Doc, it may give them the best chance of winning in 2010. They are also key to the scenario, but could easily settle for some of the youngsters coming up through their system and use their money to fill a bigger weak spot - their hitting. Sadly though, the LAA and John Lackey could play a huge role in the Halladay sweepstakes. If John signs before Doc is dealt, and it's with one of the Mets, Phillies, or other team than NYY-BOS-LAA, then the Jays will luck out and can ask for more. If he signs with the LAA, neither the Red Sox or the Yankees will be pressured to sign Doc - but, each will know that if they do get Doc, the other team won't be able to respond accordingly by signing Lackey. Welcome to the Bermuda triangle, where all options seem to appear and disappear. The LAA-BOS-NYY form the triangle, and the islands in the middle are the NYM, CHW, PHI, and LAD.

The 24 style scenario is building and Alex (playing the role of Jack Bauer) is on the hot seat. I personally can't wait to see what he does and how he handles the situation. It will surely be analyzed to death once it happens, and will go a long way to establishing his reputation in MLB and with the Jays. What a lucky guy eh? Oh, Alex, you got the job, now, make sure you get us the best possible deal for one of the - if not the- best player ever to put on a Jays uniform. No pressure. Then, let that player come out and erase all hope he'll resign with the Jays, or that he'll approve a trade after the deadline. Sounds like Chinese torture to me at this point. And I am in fact on pins and needles!!

Take 2 teams off the list of possible Doc suitors

In a report by an MLB executive, it has been confirmed that Doc would in fact waive his no trade clause in order to become a member of the evil empire. More interestingly, the same executive said that Doc would NOT agree to waive it for either the Minnesota Twins or the Texas Rangers. So we can automatically scratch those off the list of possible suitors. This gives us a ton of information - if the report is in fact correct.

1. It also takes the White Sox, Royals, Tigers, and Cleveland out of the running (surprise surprise) because if Doc won't go to Minnesota, who is favoured to repeat in the Central, well, he isn't going to any of the other Central teams.

2. It also takes Seattle and Oakland out of the running because they are not going to beat out Texas, and Roy wants to win now.

3. It is interesting that the executive named 2 AL teams. Can it reasonably be presumed that Doc wants to remain in the AL and wants nothing to do with having to take at bats in the NL? I believe so. I can't see him taking up hitting all of the sudden in his mid 30s and definitely see a lesser number of suitors in the NL to begin with. The only 2 that were reasonable were Philly and the LAD. LA could still have a shot because of the Torre factor, but I still believe Doc will push for a trade within the AL.

4. That leaves us with all AL East teams and the LA Angels. We know he's not going to go to Baltimore or Tampa Bay because neither team can afford to extend him 3-4-5 years. So the final list becomes: LAA, NYY, and BOS.

So just from hearing that report, if true, we can ween down the list of contenders for Doc to 3. If we can do this, those 3 teams certainly can. Add to that the fact that 2 are divisional rivals, and Alex's job is as tough as can be. LA can sit there and know they don't have to offer as much because they know the Jays would love to not have to deal Doc within their division. They also know that they're not under any real pressure to get another SP until Lackey signs somewhere. So, they low ball Alex until, they hope, he breaks and accepts a less than ideal deal.

Meanwhile, the Yankees and Red Sox are dreading the day they hear the report that their bitter rival has obtained Doc. Will it be the Yankees that can boast about a Sabathia, Halladay, Burnett, Pettitte, and whoever rotation, or will it be Boston that can boast about a Lester, Beckett, Halladay, Wakefield, Matsuzaka rotation. Either way, the other team becomes an under dog and will be under pressure to make a big signing to make up for it. Does that mean Lackey will wait to see if Doc is dealt to one in order to sign with the other? If I were him, hell yeah!!

If Doc is dealt to the NL I will be extremely surprised, and impressed that the team who acquires had the goods to drag him across that line. Although it would be the best scenario for the Jays, to deal Doc to CHC, PHI, or the LAD, it isn't in Doc's plans.

Having said all that, Jake Peavy had said no to the CHW before accepting a deal at the deadline, so I guess anything is possible when you get down to it. It's just highly unlikely.

What is the ideal Doc Deal?

You look at the Blue Jays, you see the following:

SP: Ricky Romero, Marc Rzepczynski, Bret Cecil, Scott Richmond, Shaun Marcum, David Purcey, Zach Stewart, Dustin McGowan, Jesse Litsch

RP: Jason Frasor, Scott Downs, Brandon League, Brian Tallet, Brian Wolfe, Josh Roenicke, Casey Janssen, Dick Hayhurst

C: Raul Chavez

1B: (departing) Lyle Overbay, Brian Dopirak

2B: Aaron Hill, Jarrett Hoffpauir

SS: Alex Gonzalez / John MacDonald

3B: Edwin Encarnacion

OF: Adam Lind, Vernon Wells, Travis Snider, Joe Inglett, Jarrett Hoffpauir

DH: Randy Ruiz, Brian Dopirak

...you see this team and your job is to make it better for the looonnnggg term. What team do you make a deal with in your ideal situation, and why?

The Roy Halladay Saga

MLBTR mentioned the latest Roy Halladay news yesterday and placed the Dodgers at the forefront of the teams in the running for his outstanding services. However, the rumors keep emphasizing Chad Billingsley being part of the return to Toronto. Under JP, I would agree, under Alex I would say that he has a better grip on why this cannot be. Let me explain.

If the Dodgers are going to be major contenders without the need to rely on Vicente Padilla in a crucial playoff game, they need MORE pitching, not better pitching. They would like their rotation to read: Roy Halladay, Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda and one FA SP signed this off-season or James McDonald. The key is, they want to do this while keeping their main roster intact. No Ethier or Kemp involved, even Russel Martin may be off limits in their view in order to contend 100% in 2010....So, how, you ask can this get done? Well, here's a couple of scenarios.

First Scenario: The Jays are also looking to move Lyle Overbay, who is an excellent defender and can also hit very well at times, so it isn't a stretch to include James Loney as a return for the Jays. A package that includes James Loney, James McDonald, Ivan DeJesus, and Scott Elbert, in return for Doc and Overbay could work in this case. It fills the need for the Jays to have an MLB ready SP in return (McDonald), a SS of the future (Dejesus), a power hitting 1B (Loney) and some pen help (Elbert). In return, the Dodgers get better defensively and also get an ace/mentor in Halladay. The major hurdle here would be the Dodgers getting an extension done with Doc. (3-4 years total).

Second Scenario: If the Dodgers are too shy to deal James Loney and want nothing to do with Lyle Overbay, they could deal a package full of top-end prospects. The key to this deal would become a combination of RHP Ethan Martin and 1B/OF Andrew Lambo. These two players who be added to SS Ivan Dejesus, RP Scott Elbert, and INF Blake Dewitt. Not only does this not harm the current Dodgers lineup and provide them with an ace in Doc, it also allows them to keep James McDonald who could also provide them with some SP depth as a possible #5 or injury replacement. The extension is still a hurdle in this case.

Unlike JP who was delusional about the team he was leading and their chances of winning, Alex recognizes that he has to build strength in numbers. That is, lots of prospects and lots of young and cheap players, sprinkled with some of the older talent already on the team that is still affordable (Lind/Hill).

I still firmly believe the Jays want to move Roy to the NL in order to avoid making their rivals better, and using their rivals as leverage makes perfect sense. However, they now need to play the Phillies and Dodgers off one-another. They faced each other in the 2009 NLCS and both intend on repeating in 2010, so they are primed to do whatever it takes to get better. The Phillies still have the best options, but are not as desperate to win as the Dodgers are because they already have a World Series win under their belts. It makes sense to look for the Dodgers to land Doc, and the packages above make the Jays much better overall. Guess it's a wait and see now!

Someone please trade for Cliff Lee...

It seems like most teams are hesitant about paying the price for Doc because they still believe that they can grab Lee at a cheaper price. So the only way JP is going to get his price is if Cliff Lee's taken off the market. The strongest rumors have Lee going to the LAD along with VMart, but these were put down immediately by LAD management as having less than zero truth to them, so you can count them out.

The Phillies are hoping that the same package they offered the Jays appeals to the Indians so that they can grab Lee. Unless JP counters with slight changes that allows the Phils to swap Happ for Carraso, and/or Michael Taylor for Dominic Brown, I'm not so sure the Jays will bite. For what it's worth, Jays scouts went to see Brown play yesterday and he went 0 for 3 with 1 walk and 1 strike out. I'm not sure if they were also scouting Taylor, but he went 0 for 2 with 2 walks. The offer that would best fit the needs of the teams involved here is there to be had, it just needs to be tinkered with. But, will a surprise offer be made by a 3rd team?

Well, the order of teams likely to make a move for Roy now based on rumors only are as follows:

PHI - CHW - LAD - NYY - DET - TEX - COL - TB - BOS

Any one of these teams could come out on top, and I'd say that Detroit - who haven't been to the playoffs in quite a while - may be the best "out of nowhere offer" scenario, along with their AL central rival CHW.

However, all of those teams are also scouting Lee, who's price hasn't been made public in the same way that Doc's has. That and Lee hasn't come out and said that he doubts something will get done. I'm really hoping we find out the suitor soon and that the Phils realize that with Doc, they are a lot more likely to repeat this year, and next for that matter. Pedro Martinez is not the answer for them.... and maybe that's what they're really hoping for. To have enough to win without unloading the majority of their prospect talent. Will Phils fans agree?

When it all comes down to it, there is only 1 question to ask: Who would teams rather have on their squads - last year's Cy young winner, or the probable winner of this year's award?

Jays reject Phils offer

OK, the dilemma in Toronto seems to be centered around wanting both Happ and Drabek in any Halladay deal, while the Phils obviously want the Jays to take Happ and Carrasco instead. Either way, it seems the Jays will be able to get a package that includes Jason Donal and one of Dominic Brown or Michael Taylor.

Here's a comparison of the 3 pitchers in play.

Carlos Carrasco: 22 yrs old in AAA, 20 GS, 114.2 IP, 112 Ks, 38 BB, 118 HA, 5.18 ERA;
Kyle Drabek: 21 yrs old split time in HiA and AA, 122 IP, 118 Ks, 19 BB, 104 HA, 2.80 ERA;
JA Happ: 27 yrs old in MLB, 12 GS, 7-1, 100 IP, 71 Ks, 33 BB, 85 HA, 2.97 ERA, 1.18 ERA.

Looking at these stats, one can see exactly why the Jays are insisting on getting Drabek in any deal. He is young, performs well, and has an awesome K/BB ratio. Getting Happ included allows the Jays to give Drabek time to develop while seeing immediate returns from the deal, so really the Phils insisting on Carrasco being included seems to be misguided if they really do want Doc.

Dominic Brown: 21 yrs old in HiA, 220 AB, 9 Hrs, 14 SB, 8 CS, .295 avg
Michael Taylor: 23 yrs olf in AAA, 354 AB, 17 Hrs, 20 SB, 4 CS, .328 avg

I can't for the life of me see why the Jays absolutely want Brown over Taylor. If they really want to get a deal done with the Phils, ask for Drabek and Happ, but allow for them to switch Brown for Taylor and ask for Donald along with him. Get the pitchers you want, one hell of a 5-tools OFer in Taylor, and a SS of the future in Donald. I can see this being the final deal before July 31st.

Angels package....

Apparently, as reported by Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi, the package supposedly demanded by the Jays from the Angels would include the following:

Joe Saunders - Brandon Wood - Erick Aybar - and one of Trevor Reckling, Peter Bourjos, or Sean O'Sullivan. The last part is probably set up to entice the Angels to pick the lesser evil in their view and to get them to bite. This package would definitely appeal to the Jays, who would get a great SP in Saunders, a long term 3B in Wood, a SS and infield option in Aybar, and another great piece to help their overall depth. But really, why would the Angels do this deal? They have Saunders under control for a long period and Doc is definitely better than him, but is he so much better that it deserves Wood - Aybar - and another for the upgrade? I guess we'll find out soon enough.

There are supposedly 5 teams in play now and the talks seem to be heating up. My guess is that once the pressure mounts high enough on the Phillies they'll have no choice but to include Brown, Happ, and Drabek in the deal. They've been trying to hold off, but that's what it's going to take if they want Doc. And really, when you compare the deal they're being asked to give up in comparison to the Angels, it makes the Phils a hell of a lot better than it would the Angels because it doesn't include an active roster player.

Halladay's ode to why he is leaving...

Last night's gem thrown by Doc explains exactly why he is leaving Toronto, either this year or next. Because it doesn't matter how well Doc throws, he knows that Toronto needs to fix its offense before they have any chance of winning - and that he's the key trade to make that happen for the team. Sadly, JP didn't realize this earlier. Before he went on a shopping spree for arms like Burnett and Ryan, and then added an old timer in Frank Thomas. If he had went out for good bats instead, perhaps the Jays would be extending Roy instead of trading him. As it is, he threw his 2 straight complete game (9 innings) with less than 1 ER, for a total of 18 IP, 2 ER, 10 HA, 3 BB, and 17 Ks over his last 2 starts. 4 of his last 5 starts should have been wins, but only 1 resulted in a win due mostly to a lack of offense and lack of bullpen performance. So the way I see it is that Doc should be sitting at about 15 wins, at least, if he played for a better offensive team. Still, he has done everything he absolutely could to heighten his value and to leave the Jays with a legacy once he goes. If JP can't market this into one hell of a trade, he needs to go along with Doc. The latest "demand" the Jays have supposedly made from the Phillies include the following:

Kyle Drabek, J.A. Happ and outfielder Dominic Brown.

However, the Phillies are said to be more comfortable with offering the following:

Kyle Drabek, Michael Taylor, Jason Donald and Lou Marson.

I would think that since the difference is only really 1 pitcher (I see the Brown/Taylor offerings as even), instead of 1 SS and 1 C, the Jays and Phillies should be able to find some middle ground. However, after seeing Happ pitch last night, it makes me wonder if the Phillies won't lessen their offer a little. A good thing for the Jays is that Charlie Manuel said he would rather take the horse (Doc) if he's headed into a race.

As for the Brewers, they're said to not want to include Gamel or Escobar, and I say it would take BOTH to get a deal done, so scratch them off the list of candidates.

The Cards went for a bat instead of pitching, because we all know batting wins you championships......really? They're out of it.

The Dodgers and Angels are keeping their cards close to their chest, so who knows if they're real players.

The Yankees were scouting last night's game, but were supposedly more interested in Scott Downs than Roy. Boy, did he ever bring his value down over the last 2 appearances, no pun intended.

And finally, the White Sox wild card team have lost 2 straight games now, but sit just 2 back of Detroit in the central. If the Jays can land Beckham and others for Roy and Rolen, they should definitely look at the White Sox as favorites, but who knows if they'll make a strong offer before the end of the week. You have to think Detroit may be looking over its shoulder ad wondering if a combo of Verlander and Doc would take them further into the playoffs, not to mention how well it would mentor the young Porcello.

It's sad to say that Doc may not be a Jay by the end of the week, and I'm hoping I can stop myself from being glued to the Rotoworld scroll in hopes of hearing of a deal....and then evaluating the hell out of it!!

Cheers to Doc, for his trade will hopefully fix what has been ailing the Blue Jays since the early '90s.