Putting the Pieces Together

Just briefly - The Jays avoided arbitration with Accardo, Bautista, and Frasor by signing them all to one year deals.

From the Globe and Mail;

The Toronto Blue Jays have avoided arbitration with three more of their players after coming to terms with pitchers Jason Frasor and Jeremy Accardo and infielder Jose Bautista for the 2009 season. Frasor, 31, has agreed to terms on a $1.45-million (all currency U.S.) after posting a 1-2 record in 2008 with a 4.18 earned-run average. Bautista, 28, who was acquired by the Blue Jays on Aug. 21 in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates, has agreed to terms on a deal that will pay him $2.4-million. Bautista appeared in 128 games with Toronto and Pittsburgh, hitting 15 home runs with 54 RBI. Accardo, who will earn $900,000 this season.

If it hasn't sunk in yet, it should. The Jays with minor exceptions will be fielding the same team as 2008.

FYI - Shawn Camp and Billy Tallet remain unsigned.

Jays Brass Faces Season Ticket Holders

An interesting meeting happened in Jays land. Appearently it wasn't pretty...

Mr. Beeston and company met with season ticket holders on Tuesday to discuss the current state of the team, and short term plans moving forward.

A quote from The Star link = http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Baseball/article/574495 :

And in the night’s most dramatic moment, another demanded more honesty from Beeston, who began the night with brave talk of competing with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox only to later say how the team might take a step back in 2009. He drew roaring applause

Over the past few years JP and Godfrey have had the luxury of telling these folks that the team is prepared to increase payroll, but with the team set on a different direction for the upcoming 2009 season there was some explaining to do.

Some specific baseball talk included (again from The Star)

There was some baseball talk, with Ricciardi saying that Casey Janssen will be used as a starter as long as he shows during spring training that his surgically repaired right shoulder is up to the task.Only Roy Halladay, Jesse Litsch and David Purcey are sure things for the rotation.

Season ticket holders are vital to a teams future and they must be listened to in order to keep them around for future investments’. Depending on annual income of course buying season tickets is not a cheap investment.

Hopefully Beeston and the parent company do not take the concerns of season ticket holders lightly.

Princesses and Lollipops

For kicks and giggles I thought I would create a "Best Case Senerio" blog regarding our horrid offence. Remember this is if all the stars come together in a fairy and princess land.

The lineup is no particular order.

Name: Homeruns/RBI/BA/OPS

Hill 15/75/.290/.815
Scutaro 10/55/.290/.785
Rios 28/95/.315/.900
Wells 31/105/.301/.885
Rolen 21/80/.280/.840
Overbay 17/70/.280/.835
Barajas/Barrett 16/55/.265/.760
Lind 18/55/.275/.775

Snider 22/68/.275/.790

*I am living in dream world.

New York and Boston

With the Yanks signing Tex to that massive 8 year contract I am actually finally starting to buy into the propaganda that the Jays will have a hard time competing in the American League East for the foreseeable future (basically as long as the Yanks and BoSox can continue to massively outspend the Jays).

Sure the Jays have Roy Halladay, and a growing list of impressive young starters coming up behind him, and they finally have some real hitting prospects in Snider, Lind and Arencibia. However it's just not enough. The Yanks and BoSox can just spend the money needed to trump any good young player we have coming up. A good example of this would be a Snider vs. Texieria comparison. Sure there is a good chance that Snider turns out to be a good ballplayer, but will he be as good as Tex? Who knows. Another example is the case of our young starters in Marcum and McGowan. They both have real good stuff, but due to the Yanks deeps pockets they are able to counter those nice up and comers with established vets like Burnett and Sabathia.

You get my point - When they Jays have a nice prospect coming up, that powers that be just buy a player that is proven to be better. Add in the fact that the Tampa Bay Rays just made it to the World Series and should be very competitive again this year. 2009 is going to be a long season in Jays town.

The Mench in Japan

Just throwing this out there on a slow news day. Kevin Mench signed with a team in Japan for approx. $1.8 million. Maybe the global economic downturn hasn't hit Japan yet....

"Not spending anymore money" - Tank mode?

If you are wondering where I have been, and why I haven't been posting - basically I have been waiting for the Jays to do something or give some indication on how the offseason will pan out for the team before I made and new posts.

Well here you have it......

source --- http://hotstove.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/12/ricciardi_were_done.html

Don't expect the Blue Jays to be involved with any high-profile free agents for the rest of the winter. On Tuesday, Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi told MLB.com that he expects to stand pat as the offseason winds down, with the possible exception of some minor moves.

"We're done," Ricciardi said. "We won't be spending any money."

Earlier this week, Ricciardi mentioned free-agents Orlando Hudson and Jason Giambi in an online report, and the Blue Jays were involved with free-agent shortstop Rafael Furcal (re-signed by the Dodgers) earlier this month.

Ricciardi also indicated that the Jays won't be involved with any high-profile free-agent arms. Toronto will continue to consider reclamation project-type pitchers.

So there it is - straight from the mouth of the General Manager. Just happens to be on the same day that the Yanks sign Mark Teixeira to go along with their two other prize signings this offseason in Sabathia and Burnett.

I guess it wouldn't even really matter if the Jays had extra money to spend anyway. The way the AL East is currently shaped it would take I'd say about $40 or $50 million more for the Jays to compete. So with that said I am fine with letting the kids play, however I do feel sorry for Roy Halladay. However don't fret Doc, your contract ends just after 2010, so you'll be able to get outta dodge soon enough.

They Jays should finish in 4th place this upcoming season and will be hard pressed to reach the .500 mark - but again it could be fun watching the likes of Snider, Cecil and Lind receiving full-time major league duties.

The interesting offseason I predicted clearly didn't pan out like I thought it would.

Jays Considering Decrease in Payroll?

As reported on TSN.ca it seems that the downturn in the global economy may seriously hinder the teams plans this off season.

To quote JP Ricciardi:

"The economy is definitely having an effect on us, so maybe our spending has slowed down a little bit."

With that said it looks like the Jays will be either stand pat or will attempt to unload some salary. The Jays are currently hampered by massive contracts (Wells, Rolen, Ryan), which are in all likelihood impossible to move. The only possible way I can see the Jays being able to move these players is by eating massive portions of their respective salaries.

The Jays do have some young options for 2009 in Lind and Snider, but they will not be good enough to carry an offence that has been bad for 2 seasons into the playoffs. Combine that with the fact that the starting rotation is now a complete mess, perhaps a real option should be to hold on to these contracts, let them expire, and re-build properly.

I hate to say it, but it seems that Roy Halladay needs to be traded.