Quote:
Originally Posted by JayP
In baseball, tomorrow.
The way baseball is set up guys like Snider are much more valuable than an equivalent youngster in hockey. Teams like the Jays absolutely have to take advantage of the entry-level and arbitration years. That's why teams like the Twins and Indians have been successful in recent years
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Those are your examples? come on! At least use the Rays. They at least have experienced a modicum of playoff success compared to the other two you mention. Sure you could also use Colorado as an example, but still I rebut with the fact that these teams have no championships to show for all of their suppossed success. Florida is the last team I can truly think of to experience success, with their slash and burn techniques/ draft 'em and sell 'em off for more options. So, would a model like Florida be a better solution to our little discussion? I don't think that is how a team with a payroll like the jays should treat their fans. There is one MLB team in Canada who has won two world serieses. Also, I don't think young players are more valuable to a BBall team in comparison to an Hockey team. In the NHL cap era, young players that produce on their entry level deal or second contract are vital. I use anaheim as an example. They had Perry and Getz contribute at levels that far outweighed their contract. Those two playing at that level were able to secure a stanley cup with two high priced stud defenceman in the stable that were taking up the majority of their cap. You even see a team like the flames needing their young players like Backlund to potentially be installed, prematurly, into the line-up with high expectations. But, I'm sure the decision on him will be made in camp, yet I digress.
Young players are valuable for many reasons, but I still look at my original question of Tomorrow's chance or reinforcing for today's chance. I still say, that if you have a noticable chance to improve your team to be able to contend with the depth of the big boys then you do it. I think JP is doing that now, but with a bit more reservation and patience than I prefer. I see our team as being able to contend for a wild card birth and if that offer was around this year instead of last year I would still take it. You then offer Bay around 15-20 per year and a guy like Beeston understands that and won 2 rings with that same philosophy. And I think Steinbrenner is the Socrates of this thinking. He knows that there is money to be made, but only with a successful product. I know we don't have that kind of money, but the Ontario's Teachers union and the Rogers Corp have deep pockets, deeper than other teams in the league. They just don't want to financially be on the hook for a non-guarantee, IMO. But, why spend the money on Wells in the first place then?
It's a tricky thing, if this deal goes through and Bay is signed long term, would he still apply for american citizenship? Is that a bad thing? Perhaps no, but now he won't be planning to assist Canada's international baseball program instead focusing on USA baseball, IMO. This is all premature thinking but it's still food for debate.
Personally all of my pessimism would be quelled if there was a division re-alignment, but that's just me.
