I understand that they're making some strong additions to their lineup, the latest being their trade of their closer and their 2B (Batista and Hudson, respectively) for a prospect and Troy Glaus.
If he stays healthy, Glaus WILL hit 35 + HR.
Obviously the team could afford to trade Batista now that they signed BJ Ryan. We might have helped them a lot by trading John MacDonald back to them, since they now have 2 middle infielders in him and Russ Adams, though he wasn't anything impressive offensively.

So here's the reason I ask what they're doing. With the addition of Lyle Overbay to be their regular 1B and now Glaus, they have a TON of conrer infielders. Sure, you can put one at DH, which it would make sense to do with Glaus so maybe he can stay healthy, but that still leaves Shea Hillenbrand, Cory Koskie, Aaron Hill and Eric Hinske who can play 3B or 1B.
Not a lot of chances to get all four of those guys in the lineup.

So is their a mutually beneficial trade possibility with Detroit? Do you think one or both sides would be interested in Cory Koskie staright up for Omar Infante? It gives them another guy that can play either middle infield spot, possibly even start at 2B, and help their depth there. Meanwhile Koskie could become our everyday 3B, something we were considering him for as a free agent last year. Admittedly, he had a rough season last year, batting only .249 with 11 HR. However, he missed over 2 months after breaking his thumb. If healthy and not having to come back from that type of injury, I think you can safely say he would have hit .255 and 18 HR. That's not amazing, but it's roughly what we got at 3B last year, only with much better defense. Personally I think he could do even better. Meanwhile, Inge has the flexibility to back-up any infield spot (though it would be with poor defense) and should be an ultra-utility guy anyhow. Infante struggles mightily with batting average, but has some surprising pop in his bat. He always seems to figure something out in the winter league. It's his ability to backup both middle spots that makes him attractive to this Toronto team that is only 1-deep at both spots.

Thoughts? By the way, I'm interested in the same thrade for any of those 4 guys, I just think Koskie might make the most sense for Toronto. The others have more offensive potential.

I wouldnt trade Omar straight up for him. Omar is 24 and has a lot of upside. Can play 3 positions and in that park would hit 270 with 20 HR and 30 doubles.

I do like Koskie though and think they should make a run at him.

Koskie or Shea have to go though. The market is stronger for Shea than Koskie at this point.


Art

Koskie hasn't done much in the last 2 years, so I am not sure how much of an upgrade he is over Inge. But I do like him and he does bat LH so that is plus.

But I wouldn't trade Infante for him though. As Art pointed out, Infante has a ton of potential and he did have an impressive season in 2004. I would hold on to Infante for now but I would be open to trading Vance Wilson for Koskie though.

You think they'd trade with another American league team? Might come back to bite them.

I don't think they would have any problem trading with an AL team as long as it wasn't AL East. They can't honestly believe a trade with the Tigers would come back to bite them.

I don't understand why the FA's are going there. First off, they do not support baseball like they do hockey. Second, you are in the AL east. What hope do you have of winning that division? Whatever.

I think the reason free agents go anywhere is often a domino effect. In baseball, that's part of the reason it's so important to come out of the gates with a big signing. The minute they signed Burnett and announced to the rest of the world "We have money, come and get it" the interest was automatically there for these other guys. But keep in mind, Overbay and Glaus weren't free agent signings - they came via trade. But Ryan was. At this point, any decent FA left on the market would likely go there if the money was good. Same thing is happening in LA. Mind you, they have climate, support, tradition and a winable division, but they sucked last year. But once you get that Furcal signing, Lofton, Mueller and Garciaparra follow.

I understand that if you are in a good baseball town, or a good climate or something...but Toronto? It's no better there than here. In fact, it's worse. At least you have a chance of contending in the central. You play Chicago, KC, Cleveland and Minny (seems to be declining a little) instead of Boston, NY, Baltimore all the time.

We overpaid for FA's the last 2 years, but it didn't attract anyone else. I sure hope our farm system comes thru so we can make this city attractive again.

Tornoto overpaid for BJ and Burnett and that screwed up the market for all the rest of the teams. The FA market was so bare, but teams like Tornoto got a huge boost in how much they could spend that they just spent it rather than get something that was worthy.


Art

Toronto has a great shot at making the postseason. They're better than every team in the AL East(except the Yanks), and every wild card team in the last few years has been out of that division.

I dont agree necessarily they are better than the Red Sox. The Red Sox have much better SP 1-5. And they have Manny and Ortiz still. It hurts not having Damon to lead off, but I dont think Boston is done yet either.

Yankees are going to be great on O, but I dont think their SP is all that great, just another year older in the case of Moose and Randy.


Art

I dont agree necessarily they are better than the Red Sox. The Red Sox have much better SP 1-5.

Much better pitching than Toronto? No way. Last year, the Blue Jays were 11th in the majors in ERA while the Red Sox were 23rd. They both added pretty good starting pitchers in Burnett and Beckett, but look at what both teams had in their rotations before the adds. Roy Halladay is a stud, and Towers and Chacin are both great young pitchers. Lilly had an off year last season but is still pretty good. Add Burnett and you have the best 1-5 lineup in the division.


And they have Manny and Ortiz still. It hurts not having Damon to lead off, but I dont think Boston is done yet either.

That's all they really have, and there are no key free agents who can get on-base like Damon did. Damon was a big reason why Manny and Ortiz batted in so many runs. The Blue Jays doesn't have an individual as good as Ortiz/Ramirez, but they have more hitting depth. Vernon Wells is a 30/100 player with GG defense, Hillenbrand is good, Glaus is great and they have a few other good hitters.

I wish the Tigers were half as aggressive as the Blue Jays.

Their fans have to be loving that their ownership is out making the team better and spending money on players in their prime.

We got two old, overpriced pitchers.

I still can't believe we paid 41 year old Kenny Rogers $8M per for 2 years when guys like Matt Morris are getting $9M/per for 3 years.

I would take Beckett and Schilling over anyone on the Blue Jays staff for one reason...they have done it when it counts.

I also think Mike Lowell has a huge year in Boston. As the #5 hitter I expect nothing less than 30/100 and he plays solid D. He is an upgrade on Mueller, if last year was an aberation rather than his norm for the next few years.

Blue Jays only better in the bullpen to me. Too many DH/3B/1B types. See what they get one dealing one or two of them.

Wells probably will get traded and I suspect he could be headed someone place that will get them another OF, preferably one that plays D.

I will say this, which ever ex Marlin stays the healthiest will determine, which team has a better season out of Burnett and Beckett.


Art

I would take Beckett and Schilling over anyone on the Blue Jays staff for one reason...they have done it when it counts.

Schilling played great last year against the White Sox! OH SNAP!

And what exactly does "when it counts" means? Boston won't be competing this year so they won't be doing anything "when it counts". Curt Schilling is 38 and just about burned out. Are you telling me you'd rather have him than a younger(and better) Roy Halladay?




Wells probably will get traded and I suspect he could be headed someone place that will get them another OF, preferably one that plays D.


Why would they trade their best player, and one of the best two way players in the league? They're contending, so there is no point in trading him.

As far as the SP debate goes with Toronto vs Boston, Boston has the edge but it's not huge. First of all, Burnett hasn't proven much to me. Yes, he started the season 12-6 with a 2.90 ERA, but 0-4 with a 5.93 ERA in September won't win anyone a playoff spot. I would put him probably on par with Matt Clement for Boston. Halladay and Schilling are probably comparable if healthy. That leaves Towers, Chacin and Bush or Lilly against Beckett, Arroyo and Wakefield or Wells (who will liekly be traded).

Two good games in the World Series and all of a sudden Josh Beckett is a great pitcher. Josh Beckett hasn't proven much himself. He's been on the DL for every season he's been in the majors and has never pitched over 200 innings.

Halladay and Schilling ain't even close. Schilling is 38 years old coming off a serious injury. I just don't see how he can go back to his old form with such obstacles.

I suspect that you will start hearing alot more about the blue jays in the years coming.

Ted Rogers is slowly but surely putting together the basics for getting a consistent winner out of his team. He got the skydome for a song (a 500 million stadium for about 30 mil, iirc), he's put some money into it, and now is putting the money into the team to bring the people out to games. He has the money and the other businesses that can prop up a bit of a team deficit if he has to run one.

He'll make it attractive for FA's to be there. He'll pay to have the winning records, and the fans will come out of the woodwork to games (skydome used to break single season attendance records back in the 92 and 93 seasons). He'll develop a culture of winning there, and for the most part i suspect it'll be them and the yanks fighting for top spot most years.

I suspect that you will start hearing alot more about the blue jays in the years coming.

Ted Rogers is slowly but surely putting together the basics for getting a consistent winner out of his team. He got the skydome for a song (a 500 million stadium for about 30 mil, iirc), he's put some money into it, and now is putting the money into the team to bring the people out to games. He has the money and the other businesses that can prop up a bit of a team deficit if he has to run one.

He'll make it attractive for FA's to be there. He'll pay to have the winning records, and the fans will come out of the woodwork to games (skydome used to break single season attendance records back in the 92 and 93 seasons). He'll develop a culture of winning there, and for the most part i suspect it'll be them and the yanks fighting for top spot most years.

If he wants to win he should maybe think twice about just throwing money at mediocre stars. It's great the guy wants to win and all but you have to be smart about things, and really, none of the moves they've made so far can really be considered "smart".

If he wants to win he should maybe think twice about just throwing money at mediocre stars. It's great the guy wants to win and all but you have to be smart about things, and really, none of the moves they've made so far can really be considered "smart".

I agree about signing mediocre stars...... for this year. But he overpaid, IMHO, for them, and I submit that is just as important as who he got this year.

Let me just qualify by saying I am not a Jays fan. But being on the Canuckistani side of the border, I see alot of the press about them. Rogers is stupid rich and it looks like he's willing to put forward the money to get free agents - ergo, he's willing to attempt to buy a winner - and that will go well down the road as other free agents see what he's willing to offer.

Why are the Yankees the Yankees? Because Steinbrenner is willing to put out and sign stars every year. I think, and will say that Ted Rogers is starting to look this way himself - but it will take time to make Toronto that attractive to free agents, but he is trying from what I can see.

In baseball I don't think overpaying is as big a deal as in other sports. If players are rated 1-10, with 10 being the highest, and your team has very few players rated more than 5 or 6, I think it's ok to pay 9 or 10 money to get a few 7 or 8 players. Your team gets better, that's the bottom line. You have no cap so it doesn't take away from anyone else. If ownership is willing to do it, it's what you have to do. Hopefully after 2 or 3 years of doing that you're borderline competitive and you don't have to overpay anymore. I think the biggest problem with overpaying is what it does to the market. It tends to force even the best teams to overpay, simply because the market gets inflated.

The Jays this year as I see it

they made hefty FA singings because thats what you have to do to get people to come to a market like toronto (or detroit) they had some extra money to burn fine great good job 2 pitchers

the trading is where everybody should be impressed they basically traded 1 good player (hudson) and got overbay, glaus and so on although trading Zach Jackson might come back to bite them in the rear he's a hell of a prospect

Lineup:
1B Overbay everyday
2B Aaron hill - great start last year impressive defense
SS Russ adams - impressive
3B Glaus as much as his back lets him Koskie as backup
DH Hillenbrand koskie will platoon this position and hinske will be dumped waived sent down whatever (rookie of the year and junk since then sad sad sad)

LF Reed Johnson - models his game after ty cobb leans into balls and gets hit walked does whatever he has to do to get on base
(there is talk of turning hinske into an outfielder because he has a decent average against RHP)

CF Vernon Wells - enough said

RF Alexis Rios/ Frank Catalanotto........rios isnt living up to potential but theres still time

SP Halladay
burnett
chacin
towers
lilly........young and i'd say better than boston which is filled with mediocre pitchers and stars on the long decline

CL BJ ryan....their first legit closer in a long time


I honestly think they have a shot at 2nd place in the AL East this year which nobody would have thought possible only a few months ago

Boston looks lost without Theo Epstein
Baltimore is falling apart
and theres always the TB Devil Rays to rack up 19 wins on........

Bengie Molina 1 year $4.5 Million with an option for next year.
Zaunby can back him up. JP makin another splash with this 2 time gold glover