2012 Toronto Blue Jays Season Thread

[Jason14h]

Detroit needs a 2B and 5th Hitter.

Move EE and Johnson and grab their pitching spects! They have 2 decent ones I believe.

[dustyanddaflames]

Jacob Turner is the only one that comes to mind...

[flames_1987]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

Detroit needs a 2B and 5th Hitter.

Move EE and Johnson and grab their pitching spects! They have 2 decent ones I believe.

If the Jays decide to move EE, they better get a massive return.

[403ep3]

Wow lots of JPA haters on this site huh? I'm defnitely not saying JPA is a good catcher; I am just saying that he's not the worst, overall. The majority of the catchers in the MLB don't have that great of overall statistics. Hopefully D'ar can become a top 10 catcher..

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by 403ep3

Wow lots of JPA haters on this site huh? I'm defnitely not saying JPA is a good catcher; I am just saying that he's not the worst, overall. The majority of the catchers in the MLB don't have that great of overall statistics. Hopefully D'ar can become a top 10 catcher..

JPA is the worst because he's not good defensively, and is not even decent offensively. I'd rather have Mathis being the regular starting catcher because at least he's great defensively.

[Flickered Flame]

Not sure it has been mentioned yet but Fan 590 is reporting Luis Perez is done for the year thanks to a torn UCL is his left elbow.

[KelVarnsen]

I would only trade for starting pitchers who have years remaining on their contracts.

[Caged Great]

I'd trade for pitchers that have only this year as well as long as it's someone like Jenkins/Cooper/Thames going the other way.

[Matty81]

Time to pick up even a middling arm as long as it's major league quality, pay the cost or some of the fan momentum is going to be lost. Sick of seeing the Jays sign total washouts like this Baltimore guy they picked up today. Even just pick up a junky 3rd or 4th guy like Millwood from Seattle who won`t cost much, just get a 160+ inning guy to take some pressure off the team, Laffey, Cecil and Charlie V have done admirably but it`s just a matter of time before the team implodes with this rotation. Morrow should be back soon so one innings eater gets you halfway there.

If Rasmus is for real the team is ready to get themselves into the playoff mix IMO.

[flames_1987]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Time to pick up even a middling arm as long as it's major league quality, pay the cost or some of the fan momentum is going to be lost. Sick of seeing the Jays sign total washouts like this Baltimore guy they picked up today. Even just pick up a junky 3rd or 4th guy like Millwood from Seattle who won`t cost much, just get a 160+ inning guy to take some pressure off the team, Laffey, Cecil and Charlie V have done admirably but it`s just a matter of time before the team implodes with this rotation. Morrow should be back soon so one innings eater gets you halfway there.

If Rasmus is for real the team is ready to get themselves into the playoff mix IMO.

I have no desire for AA to make a move to keep up with fan momentum. Fans in Toronto will come to see a winning baseball team. You don't run an organization like that, you don't try to race to be .500. You build a team that can win championships.

Millwood would easily cost quite a bit in this market right now. He's going to cost more then just a spare part right now.

Morrow is not close to being back.

There are a ton of other teams needing starting pitching and right now, no bodies are moving anywhere.

[flames_1987]

Litsch, Mcgowan, Santos, Perez, Morrow, Hutchison, Drabek are all down right now. You don't trade anyh long term prospects to get some guy just to eat up innings and keep the Jays closer to .500. Clearly AA is looking for pitching, just listen to the amount of Jays scouts for some starters.

[Matty81]

Don't doubt that the Jays are looking, just saying that I am personally fine with seeing the Jays pay the price to bring in a starter. even if it's steep. Not just for now, but even for next year, McGowan and Litsch are probably never coming back and who knows what Drabek and Hutch's recoveries look like. Frankly with the years the AA guys have had, I don't think anyone from the system is remotely close right now either. I'd like to see the acquisition be someone good, but I think the bare minimum is a middling innings eater right now... the stopgap fixes in the rotation have been bushleague for a team with the kind of offence the Jays have.

I think that when fan support ultimately fuels your budget and your ability to sign free agents and re-sign your own guys, you can't ignore your paying customers and keep telling them that their tickets will result in a real good team.... in a couple years. Also I saw an interview with Jose at the all-star break where he said everyone in the clubhouse knows they need starters and he is hoping Alex can get one... I think it's a necessary step for the team right now in a lot of ways.

Also thought I read about a week ago that Morrow was back doing long toss already (although his ribs still hurt when he sneezes?) and that he was improving faster than expected, building his arm strength and the Jays are optimistic on late July early August.

[Sylvanfan]

Can you even count McGowan anymore? He's been injured for so long, I think you honestly have to consider him as a lost cause.

[flames_1987]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Don't doubt that the Jays are looking, just saying that I am personally fine with seeing the Jays pay the price to bring in a starter. even if it's steep. Not just for now, but even for next year, McGowan and Litsch are probably never coming back and who knows what Drabek and Hutch's recoveries look like. Frankly with the years the AA guys have had, I don't think anyone from the system is remotely close right now either. I'd like to see the acquisition be someone good, but I think the bare minimum is a middling innings eater right now... the stopgap fixes in the rotation have been bushleague for a team with the kind of offence the Jays have.

I think that when fan support ultimately fuels your budget and your ability to sign free agents and re-sign your own guys, you can't ignore your paying customers and keep telling them that their tickets will result in a real good team.... in a couple years. Also I saw an interview with Jose at the all-star break where he said everyone in the clubhouse knows they need starters and he is hoping Alex can get one... I think it's a necessary step for the team right now in a lot of ways.

Also thought I read about a week ago that Morrow was back doing long toss already (although his ribs still hurt when he sneezes?) and that he was improving faster than expected, building his arm strength and the Jays are optimistic on late July early August.

Haven't heard anything about a late july return for Morrow at all but could be mistaken. That is a very optimistic timeline, I don't see happening or are they going to rush him.

The Jays fan base is going to be energized because the Jays pick up some slouch that can just pitch innings? I have no problem with a lot of assets going back in return for a starting pitcher the Jays have control over for more than this year, but it would be idiotic to overpay for a soon to be free agent or someone on the decline of their career. You've done an incredible job stockpiling assets, don't waste them now.

Nobody could've predicted under any circumstances the Jays would see this many pitching injuries. May I remind you, Morrow, Drabek, Alvarez, Hutchison are all people AA brought in. Not to mention the amazing pitching talent in A Ball right now.

The Jays have been a .500 team all season and the fans have still come. Do you honestly think if there was an innings eating pitcher out there for dirt cheap, the Jays wouldn't have got him already? That AA would somehow say no to that or not be aggressive? Fact is, there is no trade market at all right now and so many injured pitchers, that so many teams are after quality pitching all the way from someone to fill out the back end, to the start rotation. The Jays are not going to move any young prospects or assets for a pitcher that can't help them for more then this season. You giving the example of Kevin Millwood and the idea he can be gotten for spare parts is laughable. A 3.69 ERA in 16 starts this season, in this market, that is not coming easy to any team.

And that offense you talked about, had it actually been consistent this season, the Jays would have a much bigger cushion. This is far from a sure thing offense that if the Jays just had pitching, would be a world series contender. Adam Lind is still batting 5th for us, Lawrie's overall numbers are still weak, Kelly Johnson hit his first homer in Months this week and as much as I love me some Colby Rasmus, he is not a sure thing to keep this pace up.

This was never suppose to be a make or break season for this team. AA has continued to stockpile young talent and draft well. It's obvious to everyone in baseball and who follow the Jays, that he's doing everything he can got go after starting pitching right now. The guy deserves the benefit of the doubt, that if something was out there at a reasonable price, he'd snap it up. End of story

[flames_1987]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Can you even count McGowan anymore? He's been injured for so long, I think you honestly have to consider him as a lost cause.

He's a total widlcard, I don't think any fans or AA believe him to be anything else

[Otsy]

Originally Posted by dustyanddaflames

Jacob Turner is the only one that comes to mind...

Drew Smyly is the other. However, I don't see them moving either for prospects. They're in win now mode and the only guys they'll be traded for is a stud pitcher Dempster, Garza or Hamels.

[sketchyt]

Caught this image in the Toronto Star. Made me laugh:

[Gord Wappel]

Nice pic above.

Originally Posted by flames_1987

This was never suppose to be a make or break season for this team. AA has continued to stockpile young talent and draft well. It's obvious to everyone in baseball and who follow the Jays, that he's doing everything he can got go after starting pitching right now. The guy deserves the benefit of the doubt, that if something was out there at a reasonable price, he'd snap it up. End of story

I agree but ...
Anyone else getting bit worried about Bautista making noise at the All Star game about how they should either get pitching for this year ... otherwise its not logical that they don't use him as a trading chip. He even conjures up Doc Holiday's ultimatum (albeit in an indirect slightly veiled manner)
for example in: http://www.thestar.com/sports/baseba...jays-as-buyers

[flames_1987]

Originally Posted by Gord Wappel

Nice pic above.


I agree but ...
Anyone else getting bit worried about Bautista making noise at the All Star game about how they should either get pitching for this year ... otherwise its not logical that they don't use him as a trading chip. He even conjures up Doc Holiday's ultimatum (albeit in an indirect slightly veiled manner)
for example in: http://www.thestar.com/sports/baseba...jays-as-buyers

Not at all. AA has said this team is buyers and has continued to say that. Bautista has stated he is hoping the team will go for it this year. He's the best power hitter in baseball and has been nothing but great for his teammates and organization, I have no problem with him saying this

[dustyanddaflames]

Jamie Campbell was on 960 this morning I think, may have been yesterday, and said Morrow won't be back until August at the earliest.