MLB Free Agency Thread.

[JiriHrdina]

Would set up the rotation nicely
Halladay
Burnett
Chacin
Meche
#5 To be won in camp

Course I think they are still one starter short. Last year proved that if you have a capable rotation its not enough because injuries will strike. Really Meche just replaces Lilly so the rotation would not be upgraded per say. They need to bring in one more guy that they can slot into that rotation.

[Flickered Flame]

Apparently JP was on the score yesterday and mentioned that he will not sign another position player until he gets a starting pitcher, and from what I have read he says he doesnt want to spend money on relief pitchers, he feels some of the guys the Jays currently have are good enough to get the job done.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Flickered Flame

Apparently JP was on the score yesterday and mentioned that he will not sign another position player until he gets a starting pitcher, and from what I have read he says he doesnt want to spend money on relief pitchers, he feels some of the guys the Jays currently have are good enough to get the job done.

I agree - the Pen is fine. Certainly they will miss Speier but there are a lot of good arms down in that Pen. I wouldn't want to see them go out and overpay for another one. If you are going to overpay (and if we are talking about any free agents you will always overpay) then you need to bring in one or two for the rotation.

In other news - JP also said yesterday that there simply may not be enough money to sign VW based on the contracts being offered this off-season to guys like Soriano and Lee.

[HitterD]

Apparently Gill Meche has tremendous stuff. 98mph fastball and a nasty breaking ball as well. His problem has always been control, and he tends to leave the fastball high.

Sound familiar?? AJ Burnett??

Maybe Arnsberg can help Meche find his game like he did for Burnett (look at burnetts 2nd half stats for evidence).

I think Meche is a high-risk, high-reward signing, but I'd like to take a chance on him, and maybe Mulder too. Chacin is okay, and I think Marcum played well last year except for 1 blowout that skewed his stats. Sign Meche and the Jays might have a decent rotation this year to go with a great offence.

Did anyone notice that Vernon Wells was left off of the Jays season ticket advertisements. BJ Ryan, Roy Halladay a 2 others (can't remember), but no Wells. I don't quite know what to make of this

[HitterD]

Update

Looks like the jays have a SS....... (drumroll please)...... Royce Clayton!

Who is this guy???? his hitting stats certainly dont look impressive, but he is apparently pretty solid defensively.

msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6221264

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by HitterD

Update

Looks like the jays have a SS....... (drumroll please)...... Royce Clayton!

Who is this guy???? his hitting stats certainly dont look impressive, but he is apparently pretty solid defensively.

msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6221264

Read the article:

Clayton will provide veteran presence and stability, but no longer is an elite defender — he had the third-lowest zone rating among the 15 qualifying National League shortstops last season.

Probably one of the worst starting SS's in the league.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

The Toronto Blue Jays have turned their focus back to acquiring a shortstop some two weeks after saying Hill would fill the position in the 2007, with 36-year-old free agent Royce Clayton a strong possibility for the job.
''We're going to address that in the next few days,'' general manager J.P. Ricciardi said Wednesday, after a news conference re-introducing catcher Gregg Zaun.
''We like Royce Clayton. We like a lot of guys.''

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/news_story/?ID=186423&hubname=mlb

[Jiggy_12]

Ugh, Royce Clayton? No thanks.

[Caged Great]

The jays have signed clayton to a 1 year 1.5 million dollar deal

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Yep, here's the link.

''We are very happy to be able to add Royce to our club,'' said Jays senior vice president baseball operations and general manager JP Ricciardi. ''He is a veteran presence that will strengthen us up the middle and in the clubhouse.''

Clayton, a slick fielder who split last season between Washington and Cincinnati, came up in recent internal team discussions. He batted .258 with 30 doubles, two homers and 40 RBIs last season.

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/news_story/?ID=186426&hubname=mlb

30 doubles? That's not too shabby. Where would he hit in the lineup?

Johnson
Rios
Wells
Thomas
Glaus
Overbay
Hill
Clayton
Zaun

That look about right, or do you put Clayton in the 9 spot?

[Sylvanfan]

I would have Clayton hitting in the 9th spot, other than I think it looks about right.

Only thing I could think of would be putting Hill in the 2 spot, but than you'd have to mess with your 3-4-5 guys a bit. Could be a lineup that puts up a lot of runs.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Johnson
Rios
Wells
Thomas
Glaus
Overbay
Hill
Clayton
Zaun

This is a digusting lineup. Absolutely no balance. We are so RH heavy it is amazing. Zaun/Overbay are the only ones who can bat LH on this team unless lind makes the jump.

We are going to be in some serious trouble with regards to splits.

[Pagal4321]

What a dumb dumb signing. I understand not going after Lugo, but why not try to get someone like Rich Aurila...he's MUCH better then Clayton.

Ugh.

[browna]

For only 1.5m$? An good insurance policy, nothing more, nothing less.

[HitterD]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

This is a digusting lineup. Absolutely no balance. We are so RH heavy it is amazing. Zaun/Overbay are the only ones who can bat LH on this team unless lind makes the jump.

We are going to be in some serious trouble with regards to splits.

I disagree. We were pretty much this RH heavy last year, with Cattalanatto and Hinske being the added LH bats. Our RH bats did very well against RH pitching. I'm not in the least bit concerned.

I would expect Lind to do some Platooning with Johnson in LF, so you can add a LH bat there as well.

I would also expect Russ adams to get some playing time, moving Hill to SS and Adams to 2nd base when we don't play Clayton. He is a Lefty as well.

[flames_1987]

Browna said it right, it's nothing more the an insurancy policy and a very cheap one at that. We're in an offseason where Gill Meche is going to get almost 9 milliona a year. 1.5 million right now is like the MLB league min it seems

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by HitterD

I disagree. We were pretty much this RH heavy last year, with Cattalanatto and Hinske being the added LH bats. Our RH bats did very well against RH pitching. I'm not in the least bit concerned.

I would expect Lind to do some Platooning with Johnson in LF, so you can add a LH bat there as well.

I would also expect Russ adams to get some playing time, moving Hill to SS and Adams to 2nd base when we don't play Clayton. He is a Lefty as well.

Wells had a career year vs. RHP, hitting 900+ OPS, his career is UNDER 800 vs. RHP. Glaus was .806.

From your #3/4 hitters, those numbers from Wells are good, but can he keep it up? Glaus's are unacceptable. Johnson also had a well above career norm year. Cat was very good, Hinske was above his career average. You cannot consistantly count on guys exceeding their career averages to balance out the lineup. For the record, Overbay was our most productive hitter vs. RHP.

Can you really expect Adam Lind to make a big impact this season? Rookies will break your heart IMO. This lineup really needs another big LH power threat.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

Wells had a career year vs. RHP, hitting 900+ OPS, his career is UNDER 800 vs. RHP. Glaus was .806.

From your #3/4 hitters, those numbers from Wells are good, but can he keep it up? Glaus's are unacceptable. Johnson also had a well above career norm year. Cat was very good, Hinske was above his career average. You cannot consistantly count on guys exceeding their career averages to balance out the lineup. For the record, Overbay was our most productive hitter vs. RHP.

Can you really expect Adam Lind to make a big impact this season? Rookies will break your heart IMO. This lineup really needs another big LH power threat.

Well yeah, that's been the case ever since Delgado left. But left handed power hitters aren't exactly easy to come by are they?

[HitterD]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

Wells had a career year vs. RHP, hitting 900+ OPS, his career is UNDER 800 vs. RHP. Glaus was .806.

From your #3/4 hitters, those numbers from Wells are good, but can he keep it up? Glaus's are unacceptable. Johnson also had a well above career norm year. Cat was very good, Hinske was above his career average. You cannot consistantly count on guys exceeding their career averages to balance out the lineup. For the record, Overbay was our most productive hitter vs. RHP.

Can you really expect Adam Lind to make a big impact this season? Rookies will break your heart IMO. This lineup really needs another big LH power threat.

I still think we will be fine. While Wells and Johnson were above career numbers, Glaus had an off year IMO, and will be better this year. Add in Thomas who will provide further protection in the lineup for Wells, and I think Wells will be setting new career highs this year anyway, especially for a contract year.

You do make a good point though, don't get me wrong, and I can certainly see how things could fall apart offensively if the RH bats cant hit RHP this year. Where do yuo suggest we get the LH power bat? possible trading Wells if contract talks break down?

You also mention Johnson having a year well above normal career numbers. What do you think about trading him? Selling high on Johnson might be a good idea to get a better power LH bat, especially if you don't feel he will replicate those numbers from 2006. Perhaps you could package Johnson and Chacin for some Starting Pitching?

Who knows, I love Reed Johnson but selling high might be smart.... just thinking out loud.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Well yeah, that's been the case ever since Delgado left. But left handed power hitters aren't exactly easy to come by are they?

Trot Nixon. Coming off an injury plagued season, has an almost .900 OPS vs. RHP, could come cheap possibly on incentive deal. Cliff Floyd is another in kind of a similar situation.

Both of them would be ideal platoon partners in the field with Johnson or slotted in at the DH spot. Or you could always trade for someone...