MLB Free Agency Thread.

[Oxygen-Supply]

Reportedly the Jays have offered the following to FA
4/42 to Ted Lilly
4/38 to Gil Meche
1/3.5 to a 4th OF (Matt Stairs)
2/15 to Eric Gagne to be a setup man

http://www.forums.mlb.com/n/mb/messa...=38702.1&ctx=0

It is a rumor.

But if true
-Ted Lilly - will be gone for more money
- Hello Meche
- Matt Stairs - possibly be a jay soon
- Eric Gagne - 50/50 chance of signing him

[Oxygen-Supply]

Dodgers close to replacing Maddux with ace Schmidt

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2688596


The Cubs will now give lilly whatever he wants. Schmidt was a priority for the cubs.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Oxygen-Supply

http://www.forums.mlb.com/n/mb/messa...=38702.1&ctx=0

It is a rumor.

But if true
-Ted Lilly - will be gone for more money
- Hello Meche
- Matt Stairs - possibly be a jay soon
- Eric Gagne - 50/50 chance of signing him

Well if the Jays do get Gagne to be their set up guy do they try moving League into the rotation? I was under the impression that the plan would be to use guys like Accardo and League as 7th-8th inning guys. But if you can't find starting pitching for a good rate, than maybe making use of a guy like League is the way to go.

Its a bit surprising to see a guy like Stairs could still get that type of money. He's a decent hitter and he's a lefty which the Jays could use, but he's good for what a .260 average and being a part time guy. Thats a big chunk of money for a player like that.

[flames_1987]

Blue Jay Way talked about a few reports saying how Meche will make his decison today

[Saint Troy]

Globe and mail reporting that Lilly's agent has told the Jays Teddy is going to the Cubs or Yanks. Thank goodness, that much cash for a guy that mediocre is stomach churning. I certainly prefer Meche, he has better stuff, and Arnsberg is a pitching coach that demands his pitchers throw strikes, an area where if Meche improves, he could be a 15-18 win guy.

[HitterD]

Originally Posted by Saint Troy

Globe and mail reporting that Lilly's agent has told the Jays Teddy is going to the Cubs or Yanks. Thank goodness, that much cash for a guy that mediocre is stomach churning. I certainly prefer Meche, he has better stuff, and Arnsberg is a pitching coach that demands his pitchers throw strikes, an area where if Meche improves, he could be a 15-18 win guy.

Here's a link to the same story on ESPN

sports.espn.go.com/mlb/ne...id=2688676

I agree that Meche has the better stuff of the two, and could potentially be better than Lilly. I still wanted both though.

Hopefully Lilly signs in Chicago instead of NY.

[Jiggy_12]

Well that's too bad. I liked Ted...just seemed to be hitting his prime too.

[CaramonLS]

I think signing Gil Meche is an absolutely awful idea.

Has anyone looked at his numbers? Watched him pitch? For 8-9 million a year, you better be getting at least a guy who can put up 15 wins and have a sub 4 ERA.

Meche will not do that in the rogers center.

Lifetime Meche has a 3.91 ERA in Seattle, and a 5.37 on the road. Seattle, as you well know, is the 2nd best pitcher's park in MLB (2nd to SD and Petco). Rogers center (a hitter's park), combined with the AL East, will turn Gil Meche into nothing more than an expensive launchpad.

Paying for potential. Please. The guy has pitched 6 years in the bigs already, and you don't shell out that kind of dough for "potential". You do it for expectations. Something which Meche cannot live up to.

[Saint Troy]

Meche has better stuff than Lilly, imo, good fastball, solid change but has trouble with walks and is less of an odd-ball in the dressing room that Ted has been his whole career. Meche is certainly not worth what he is going to get paid, but in this marketplace who is? not really an argument anyone can make anymore.

[HitterD]

According to the Fan 590 (and a few Blue Jay's message boards have threads already on this)

The Blue Jays have signed Matt Stairs.

I don't mind this, I guess, depending on the money. He can fill in as a 4th OF or DH the odd game. He is a Lefty, which we need. He's Canadian.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

I think signing Gil Meche is an absolutely awful idea.

Has anyone looked at his numbers? Watched him pitch? For 8-9 million a year, you better be getting at least a guy who can put up 15 wins and have a sub 4 ERA.

Meche will not do that in the rogers center.

Lifetime Meche has a 3.91 ERA in Seattle, and a 5.37 on the road. Seattle, as you well know, is the 2nd best pitcher's park in MLB (2nd to SD and Petco). Rogers center (a hitter's park), combined with the AL East, will turn Gil Meche into nothing more than an expensive launchpad.

Paying for potential. Please. The guy has pitched 6 years in the bigs already, and you don't shell out that kind of dough for "potential". You do it for expectations. Something which Meche cannot live up to.

What are your alternatives. Tough to find good arms man.

[Jiggy_12]

Originally Posted by HitterD

According to the Fan 590 (and a few Blue Jay's message boards have threads already on this)

The Blue Jays have signed Matt Stairs.

I don't mind this, I guess, depending on the money. He can fill in as a 4th OF or DH the odd game. He is a Lefty, which we need. He's Canadian.

Dollar amount pending, I like this signing.

[HitterD]

I still haven't found a link to the Stairs signing, but the Fan 590 has reported it on 2 straight 20 minute updates (2:20 and 2:40)

I wonder why nobody else has this reported yet?

[Antithesis]

I didn't see it reported on sportsnet.ca, though they did have the report that the Jays are out of the Lilly "sweepstakes".

When I heard the Gagne rumour on Fan 960 this afternoon I wondered about the potential dynamic isues between him and BJ Ryan, whom I was very pleased with last season.

[JiriHrdina]

Lots of info in this story:
http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/...15bf34&k=79108

Talk about a deal nearing completion for Stairs, Lilly saying no and possible other pitching options.

Also talk about bringing back Chris Gomez.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

What are your alternatives. Tough to find good arms man.

Then don't.

We already have someone who has better stuff than Meche, has control issues and needs a spot on our ML roster.

Francisco Rosario.

He has pitched well in AAA last year and is now out of options. If we waive him, he is lost.

Is he a drop off from Meche? Yep, probably, but I'd rather pay him 300k per year and possibly have a good starter (he has been a very highly regarded prospect because of his stuff), than pay Gil Meche 8-9 for a known quantity of suck.

You pay for the elite or you plug holes with servicable minor leaguers. JP will not pay for the elite pitching (Zito, Schmidt, Pettite), so the best bet is to save your money and plug the hole for now.

Schmidt got 47 over 3 years. FYI, I'd rather pay that than pay for a guy like Lilly, who will never be an ace. Schmidt is.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

Then don't.

We already have someone who has better stuff than Meche, has control issues and needs a spot on our ML roster.

Francisco Rosario.

He has pitched well in AAA last year and is now out of options. If we waive him, he is lost.

Is he a drop off from Meche? Yep, probably, but I'd rather pay him 300k per year and possibly have a good starter (he has been a very highly regarded prospect because of his stuff), than pay Gil Meche 8-9 for a known quantity of suck.

You pay for the elite or you plug holes with servicable minor leaguers. JP will not pay for the elite pitching (Zito, Schmidt, Pettite), so the best bet is to save your money and plug the hole for now.

Schmidt got 47 over 3 years. FYI, I'd rather pay that than pay for a guy like Lilly, who will never be an ace. Schmidt is.

Did last year not prove though that you can't have an understaffed pitching staff. Even with the required 5 starters, you can't get through a season with just that. You need 6-7 guys capable of pitching in your rotation. Right now the Jays have 4, perhaps 5.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Did last year not prove though that you can't have an understaffed pitching staff. Even with the required 5 starters, you can't get through a season with just that. You need 6-7 guys capable of pitching in your rotation. Right now the Jays have 4, perhaps 5.

I thought the organzation soured on guys with bad outtings REALLY quickly. Rosario started 1 game. 1. And the guy had been a starter during his entire career in the minors, but now was moved to the bullpen.

Same thing with Scott Downs. He started great down the stretch in 05, but he has a bad outting or 2 and hes back in the bullpen.

Same deal with League.

Then of course Janssen gets unlimited rope to hang himself on after his unbelievable start and crash back to earth.

We do need another arm, but you cannot hang yourself on stupid, stupid contract for 4-5 years either.

[Otto-matic]

Larry O'Brien, the agent for the left-hander, delivered the news to the Blue Jays in a morning meeting Wednesday, and that his choices were down to the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees.
''At the end of the day, Ted decided he wanted a change of scenery,'' O'Brien said in an interview. ''The decision had nothing to do with length of contract or money. The offers are all about the same.''

Sounds like the change of scenery means more money to me.

Good riddens

[browna]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

Sounds like the change of scenery means more money to me.

Good riddens

Or a polite (and shorter) way of saying "I don't want the constant scrutinization of the dynamic between me and John Gibbons after last years thing, brought up after every start this year by the press looking to make something big out of something very little, so I am out of here if another decent team is willing to put up comparable numbers to the Jays".