2011 Blue Jays Season Thread

[Oilbert]

Originally Posted by flames_1987

Halladay had to go all the way down to A ball and completley revamp his game. Drabek is in his full year as a starter, and still has shown flashes of brilliance. No way he's going anywhere this year

Just feel it's the best for his development. He leads the league in walks and is very similar to AJ Burnette, too frustrating to watch. Send him down to AAA and let him work on his command.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by Oilbert

Just feel it's the best for his development. He leads the league in walks and is very similar to AJ Burnette, too frustrating to watch. Send him down to AAA and let him work on his command.

Yes because the best way to learn how to get MLB players out is in AAA.

[Gozer]

Originally Posted by Matty81

I am really disappointed that Thames got sent down.

For me the outfield is relatively set - Patterson deserves to stay in the lineup, Rivera deserves to keeping getting ABs - so I'm fine with sending down a prospect to keep him playing.

I expect he remains a candidate to be recalled.

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by Gozer

For me the outfield is relatively set - Patterson deserves to stay in the lineup, Rivera deserves to keeping getting ABs - so I'm fine with sending down a prospect to keep him playing.

I expect he remains a candidate to be recalled.

I hear you - Patterson and Rivera bring in comp picks if they perform too which is huge at this stage for the jays and they are both hitting lately. For a young rebuilding team the jays sure don't have a lot of youth at the MLB level in the batting order though, other than Cibia they've gotta have the oldest rebuild lineup ever.

Pitching is another story but I would really like to see somebody with more of a future with the club in the LF/DH slots. Snider seems to be getting worse at AAA though and as long as Patterson is hitting you're right, it makes no sense for Thames to ride pine.

Seems like it will be McCoy and Nix who get booted when McDonald and Lawrie join the 25 man and that will be it for roster moves for a while.

Although I can't believe David Cooper is batting .401 through 150 ABs in Vegas, going to be hard to keep him down there if he keeps it up.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by Matty81

I hear you - Patterson and Rivera bring in comp picks if they perform too which is huge at this stage for the jays and they are both hitting lately. For a young rebuilding team the jays sure don't have a lot of youth at the MLB level in the batting order though, other than Cibia they've gotta have the oldest rebuild lineup ever.

Pitching is another story but I would really like to see somebody with more of a future with the club in the LF/DH slots. Snider seems to be getting worse at AAA though and as long as Patterson is hitting you're right, it makes no sense for Thames to ride pine.

Seems like it will be McCoy and Nix who get booted when McDonald and Lawrie join the 25 man and that will be it for roster moves for a while.

Although I can't believe David Cooper is batting .401 through 150 ABs in Vegas, going to be hard to keep him down there if he keeps it up.

I could probably dig this out somewhere but how many players does Toronto have that could end up providing first round compensation next year. And what's the criteria?

[Machiavelli]

Lind 4 for 4 with 2 homers today!

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by Flames in 07

I could probably dig this out somewhere but how many players does Toronto have that could end up providing first round compensation next year. And what's the criteria?

I'll give it a shot although I am far from a baseball expert - They use something called the Elias Rankings as criteria, basically they compare all players at each position over the last 2 years. If a free agent player reaches type A or B performance, the Jays offer them arbitration and they turn it down, the Jays get a first rounder (type A) or a second rounder (type B) from the signing team when they sign elsewhere.

Most free agents turn down arbitration. Also the top 15 draft picks are protected. If one of those teams signs a type A, their second round pick is given instead.

Here's the most recent Elias that was on MLBTR;

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/elias-rankings/

Molina is barely a type B at this point (largely on average I'm assuming, probably won't last:

Patterson and Rivera are creeping up the list, though both had bad 2010s so it is an uphill climb.

Almost the whole Jays pen is A or B and that's their best shot at comp picks as there are quite a few free agents there.

I think the Jays will make a splash this offseason themselves in free agency and might lose their 1st next year, but that's just guesswork.

[Sylvanfan]

Well I suppose the silver lining in the Lawrie injury is that the Jays can have a bit more confidence that the moving shape shifting target that is Super 2 will be hit. So they won't use up one of those arbitration years. Next years team should be pretty interesting as you can bet Lawrie will be there as the every day third baseman, and I would guess that at least one of the younger guys will be in left field. Maybe this thing does come together in the next couple years.

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Well I suppose the silver lining in the Lawrie injury is that the Jays can have a bit more confidence that the moving shape shifting target that is Super 2 will be hit. So they won't use up one of those arbitration years. Next years team should be pretty interesting as you can bet Lawrie will be there as the every day third baseman, and I would guess that at least one of the younger guys will be in left field. Maybe this thing does come together in the next couple years.

If I'm dreaming, they also add one of the huge bats on the market like Prince Fielder or Pujols to split 1B/DH with Lind and pick up one more reliable starting pitcher via trade or free agency. Or maybe since I'm living in the magical land of leprechauns and rainbows anyway Dustin McGowan comes back into the rotation at his old effectiveness. Hear he's throwing 95 already so one can hope. If Lawrie is even half as good as advertised I think they would be a playoff contender at that point.

The thing is, I am almost certain of the Jays spending huge money in free agency next year because everyone is saying that the draft signing caps will get fixed soon. Since the Jays draft budget was 16 million last year and is supposed to be 20 this year, I think they will have some serious coin to throw around somewhere.

[Caged Great]

The Jays select RHP Tyler Beede 21st overall. He's 6'4" and a projectable high school arm. Upside is a #2 starter.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

The Jays select RHP Tyler Beede 21st overall. He's 6'4" and a projectable high school arm. Upside is a #2 starter.

Sounds like he could be tough to sign...

Which I would guess is the type of player the Jays will go after....

[Caged Great]

The first and compensation rounds are complete. AA went for 5 high school players that have a ton of upside. All of them will be hard to sign, but the Jays have apparently budgeted 20 million for the draft due to the savings from ditching Vernon Wells.

RHP Tyler Beede - 6'4", projects to be a top end of the rotation pitcher, has some nasty stuff, but will need to work on some things.

OF Jacob Anderson - 6'4" 190, he's a big power hitter and came close to hitting a ball on to waveland ave as a 19 year old. His swing is very smooth and looks somewhat similar to Alex Rios on his follow through.

RHP Joe Musgrove - 6'5" 230, He's big and he's got dynamite stuff. He projects to be a top end of the rotation type pitcher.

OF Dwight Smith Jr. - 5'11" 180, The son of former major leaguer Dwight Smith, he has by far the sweetest swing in the entire draft and projects to be a good centerfielder, or a Shannon Stewart type.

RHP Kevin Comer - 6'3" 205, I saw his scouting video, and his stuff is dynamite. Probably wouldn't look out of place in the pen right now.


All in all, probably the best first day of the draft I can recall in years. Awesome job by the Jays and AA

[Frequitude]

Is this bad?

One complication in Beede's development is that he has already committed to play for Vanderbilt University and has no plans to go immediately from high school to professional baseball.

According to media reports, Beede sent a letter to scouts in New England before the draft, saying that he intends to honour his commitment to the school and is asking that teams do not contact him.

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=368094

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

Is this bad?


http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=368094
[/SIZE][/SIZE]

Probably a negotiating tactic on his part. The Jays had a couple of players do that last year, that they signed. It will come down to money. The Jays apparently have a $20 million dollar allotment towards the draft, taking about 8 million from the Wells contract leaving and throwing it on top of their budget. It'll probably take 3 or so for them to sign Beede. Not a big deal.

[Caged Great]

All 5 of the players are more difficult to sign than your average player and between them will likely cost 9 or 10 million.

Beede will probably be the toughest and most costly, but shouldn't be more than 3.5 million

Anderson should be semi difficult but should be able to come to terms for around 2 million

The other three are significantly easier to sign but not easy signs. As long as they pony up the $, they will get them signed.

[Caged Great]

Well, Joe Musgrove is going to sign for sure.


“I know Toronto had somebody charting me at almost every game I pitched this season,” Musgrove said. “So when they picked me I was excited more than surprised.”


“I want to finish up my senior year (he graduates June 16) and get out there in time for the start of rookie (league) ball,” Musgrove said. “This is what I’ve been working toward, so I want to sign and get going on my career.”

[Sylvanfan]

I think a guy like Beede should take the money now. Sounds like the Jays will be willing to pay him like a top 10 pick. Pitcher is a position where injuries occur pretty frequently. Take the money now, and if you get injured you can go to school with a nice fat bank account.

[Matty81]

With everyone saying there will be hard caps on signing draft picks after this season, I bet any of these guys who pass on first round money over slot this year are going to regret it later.

There's no reason not to sign unless your top priority isn't MLB or you think you can pull off the longshot of bumping yourself up 5-10 slots in a future year, which still probably wouldn't get them the kind of money they will see this year.

I don't think signability is going to be as much of a factor this year given the negotiating climate - I think they are all still fishing for over slot but most will ultimately play for the Jays.

[Cheese]

Jays take the top Canadian in the draft, RHP Thomas Robson.

[Caged Great]

The Jays have taken

LHP Daniel Norris - Another High school pitcher. He was supposed to go in the middle of the first round.

RHP Jeremy Gabryszwski - Inconsistent but projectable high schooler.

RHP John Stilson - Another HS player, he was supposed to go in the same area as Norris.

After that, I'm not sure about the picks. Still, AA is doing awesome.