SB Nation User Blog: bunner

Getting a little excited...

bunner — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:19:05 -0000

In the last 2 weeks the Jays have gone from a team with little to look forward to in the future with a weak farm system and too much competition in the division to truely compete with the team they had; to a team with what looks like an extremely bright future. THANK YOU AA! In two bold trades you have given me and hopefully other Toronto baseball fans something to really look forward to.

Looking ahead, as soon as late 2010 the Jays could have a young controlable starting rotation of Brandon Morrow, Kyle Drabek, Shaun Marcum, Ricky Romero and Brett Cecil which is truely a rotation that as it gains more experience could dominate for years to come. Added to that a middle of the order featuring Aaron Hill, Adam Lind, Travis Snider and Brett Wallace and potentially a re-energized Vernon Wells. Down on the farm there is the catcher of the future in either JP Arencibia or Travis D'Arnaud as well. The bullpen is already solid as is, however the possibility of a healthy Dustin McGowan bringing in those nasty side-burns from the bullpen as the future closer (might be a way to protect his arm/shoulder from future damage) will be intimidating for opposing batters!

Understandably there is the possibility of some of these players flaming out or injury taking them down but on paper this group of core players is as special as this team has ever had. There are still needs to fill long-term at leadoff hitter, SS and RF (potentially 3B too) but this what could be the beginning of something really special in Toronto and I just hope that Toronto baseball fans aren't too short-sighted to see it.

Go Jays!

Taylor or Brown

bunner — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:04:56 -0000

Being a Jays fan and knowing the Phillies are interested in a potential Doc Halladay trade I am wondering which OF prospect the Jays should target from the Phillies. Michael Taylor or Dominic Brown.

My questions surrounding the two are more about their defensive abilities, which OF spot would either likley play at the ML level? The Jays are in need of either a CF or RF and absolutely do not need another LF at this point. Also, it seems Taylor is closer to the bigs and put up huge stats last year, what is the major knock on him? is he an elite talent? Brown is a litte farther away it seems but also put up great stats last year, again what is the knock on him?

Thanks for your knowledge!

Yankees getting stronger?

bunner — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:13:33 -0000

3 team trade is about to go down (pending physicals):

Yankees get Curtis Granderson, the D'Backs get Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy, and the Tigers get Max Scherzer, Daniel Schlereth, Austin Jackson, and Phil Coke.

Great move for the Yankees and the Tigers IMHO but not too sure what Arizona was thinking...Scherzer is as good as Jackson now and has more upside. Schlereth has as much upside as Ian Kennedy one could argue. Maybe they just wanted to shake things up?

Jackson was one guy AA experessed interest in from the Bronx Bombers, the Yankees now have a well above average CF and didn't have to give up Hughes, Joba or Montero to get him...could there still be a Doc deal in there without Jackson?

Rangers Claim Joe Inglett Off Waivers

bunner — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:39:43 -0000

Rangers Claim Joe Inglett Off Waivers

Not too sure why the jays put him on waivers, I know they wanted to clear a spot to potentially grab somone in the Rule 5, but why Inglett? He was pretty useful.

Jays 2010 Starting SS is...

bunner — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:30:23 -0000

According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX (on his twitter) the new short stop is Alex Gonzalez. I'll assume it's the Alex Gonzalez that played with Boston at the end of '09 not the mid 90's hearthrob starting SS for the Jays :).

I'm not sure I understand this, they sign Johnny Mac who's an all glove no bat SS then sign another slick fielding no hitting SS to start? AGon has a bit more pop but isn't much of a hitter...wonder how much the deal is for...

Added to this I guess that an MLB ready young SS (a la Brandon Wood or Jed Lowrie) isn't going to be mandatory for the Jays in a Roy Halladay trade and they may focus on a younger higher upside SS in a deal and allow him to develop in the minors for a year.

The Good Doctor

bunner — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:19:54 -0000

There's been lots of chatter on the world wide web recently about Roy Halladay being on the market this winter. I get the feeling from AA that he doesn't feel the team is going to be a competitor in 2010 and made comments that the team is still building (though not rebuilding). Added to this Doc's desire to play on a winner; is the writing on the wall?

If so, where do you think Doc ends up? Personally I don't see how AA can trade Doc within the AL East so to me that eliminates Boston and New York right away. Personally I'd like to see Roy dealt to the Angels (if he's not staying here)...will let him play in Toronto to get his homecoming welcome each season and play on a winner plus the Angels could potentially offer up a package with Joe Saunders and Brandon Wood and have a need for an ace because they are likely to lose John Lackey to free agency.

Where else is a good fit for Doc to be dealt?

Best News of the off-season thus far...

bunner — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:03:14 -0000

And possibly the best news Jays fans will get this off-season at all:

"Anthopoulos confirmed that while the team's fourth free agent, utilityman Kevin Millar, won't be back, he does have some interest in retaining the other three."

Kevin Millar won't be back!!!! Woohoo...the other three being referred to are Scutaro, Barajas and MacDonald. The entire article can be read here:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5jwsP9iWfJBgBTci58kxav8bBRwJQ

Whether the Jays are rebuilding or adding payroll the one thing we can be sure of is that Kevin Millar won't be hitting clean up for the Jays in 2010 and that is the start of something good!

What could have been...

bunner — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:40:49 -0000

From MLBtraderumors.com:

ESPN's Keith Law, former special assistant to the GM in Toronto, mentioned a few interesting Blue Jays' non-trades in his chat today. He says that the Mets once offered 19-year-old David Wright for Jose Cruz Jr., but J.P. Ricciardi said "I'm not trading a major league player for some guy in the (Low Class-A) Sally League." Klaw also mentions that the Jays had a chance to trade Cruz Jr. for Rafael Soriano, but wouldn't do it unless the Mariners kicked in Clint Nageotte as well. What could have been, Jays fans.

WOWZA...David Wright for Jose Cruz?!?!?!?!?!?!? Guess that kind of shows what kind of an eye for talent JP had! Good Riddance!

Red Sox kicking themselves?

bunner — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:45:32 -0000

How huge would it have been to have Doc throwing 1 game vs. the Yankees this weekend? I bet after Smoltz 8 ER in 3 1/3 innings and his total lack of interest/passion last night the Red Sox might be wishing they were willing to give in to the Jays demands for Halladay.

The Red Sox still might be better served calling up Bowden for that spot in the rotation rather then automatically giving away wins by having Smoltz start....

Trade Thoughts

bunner — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:58:26 -0000

In a 10 team rotisserie league, one rule is you can't keep 'old guys' and if your 'old guy' is drafted within the first 10 rounds you get a comepnsation pick in the following years draft for losing him. That said, here is what I'm being offered:

I Give: Alex Rodriguez (old guy) and Ben Zobrist

I Get: Cameron Maybin, Max Scherzer, 6th round pick 2010, 1st round Free Agent Draft pick 2010 and the compensation pick for losing ARod (which would likely be a 2011 1st round pick)

Now, because I'd lose ARod no matter what at the end of the year, I think I'm getting a steal of a deal here, obviously I'm building for next year...what do you think?