The Southpaw gets creative!

Love this!

http://thesouthpawbaseball.blogspot.com/2008/11/thinking-big.html


"Randy Johnson needs five more wins to reach 300 and he's definitely going into his last year. He's thought to be seeking something in the neighborhood of $10 million and the D'Backs don't have that to spare. Certainly the dodgers and Astros will sniff around, but I think the Jays ought to be proactive and get him up here, even if they have to be creative. Hell, I would not be adverse to signing him to something unseen so far based on Roger Clemens late-start deals with the Yankees - a Half year contract!

Think about it - sign Johnson to a contract that pays him $6 million through the All-Star Break. He gets about 17 or 18 starts to get past 300 but he has the option of going home to the sunny southwest after the first half. The contract would include a $4 million player option with a proviso that the Jays hold his rights the rest of the season if he decides to play (no fair jumping to the Yanks for the second half)."

DH Discussion from Spencer Kyte

Bugs & Cranks cranks out another look at potential Jays signings, this time focusing on DH's.

http://www.bugsandcranks.com/toronto-blue-jays/spencer-kyte/blue-jays-hot-stove-dh-decisions/

My question is... do we really want to see Ibanez or Giambi hitting clean-up for The Jays? I don't really.

Milton Bradley seems like the right man for the job to me.

" Ideal world, Toronto inks Bradley to a two-year deal in the $7-$8M range and he puts up two seasons of output on par with his career averages. But we don’t live in an ideal world, so we’ll just have to wait and see."

rumors from Bluebird Banter

Bluebird Banter has a Monday review here:

http://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2008/11/10/657847/monday-bits

Burrell to DH?

"Pat Burrell hasn't received an offer from the Phillies yet. I wouldn't be against the Jays looking at him as a possible DH, if he could be had for a reasonable amount of money."

JP is busy?

"JP has talked to Rafael Furcal (yay) and Jason Giambi's agents. It is good to hear that JP is at least kicking some tires."

more Shortstop discussion

The fine people at Bugs & Cranks take a look at potential SS free agents for the Blue Jays...

http://www.bugsandcranks.com/toronto-blue-jays/spencer-kyte/whats-cooking-on-the-blue-jays-hot-stove/

and they love Furcal

"The 31-year-old former Dodger was limited to under 40 games last season and would most likely take up residency on a second installment of The Anti-Ripkens. He just can’t stay healthy; there is always a hamstring or an ankle or a wrist or a pinkie or something and it’s a shame because when he is healthy, Furcal is still a difference maker and the best option of the three. In fact, I actually endorse Toronto going after the former Rookie of the Year, provided it’s for far less than the $13M he made last year.

With the plethora of utility infielders in the fold in Toronto, Furcal could be rested two or three days a week in an effort to keep him as healthy as possible. That would ensure guys like Scoots, Johnny Mac and Voodoo Joe get their cuts in and Raffie would get the rest he needs. A couple days a week you find someone else to plug into the lead off spot and see what you get."

let's pencil in Derek Lowe as the #2

Beyond the Box Score does some analysis on free agent starters here:

http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2008/11/10/657328/valuing-the-free-agent-sta

"Derek Lowe deserves all the articles declaring him as the most underrated free agent pitcher. And his ground ball abilities can be leveraged by an organization with a slick infield defense. Philadelphia or Toronto, perhaps?"

I like the idea of writing in Derek Lowe behind Roy Halladay every 5 days, he's reliable and gets ground balls.

JJ Hardy talk

http://www.ghostrunneronfirst.com/2008/11/break-bank.html

Lloyd the Barbar (at the great Ghostrunner on first blog) suggests the Jays go after JJ Hardy.

highlights:

"Hardy won't be the answer to all the Blue Jays ills, but he is a good place to start. With the nearest shortstop prospect still better than 3 years away, the Jays need a more suitable stopgap than the Scutaros of the world. J.J. Hardy is all that and then some. "

"It is my contention that the JPs should pony up here. Short of Brett Cecil, nearly any (one) pitching prospect should be fair game."

Drunk Jays Fans weigh in...

Dustin Parkes has his round-up of Blue Jays Hot Stove news:

http://drunkjaysfans.blogspot.com/2008/11/irrelevant-rumour-roundup.html

and Stoeten follows suit:

http://drunkjaysfans.blogspot.com/2008/11/friday-everything.html

The Toronto Star dreams up a 2009 line-up

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Baseball/article/531507

some highlights:

2B
Signing ex-Jay Orlando Hudson would allow Hill to slide over to short. We're just saying.

SS
Rafael Furcal says he wants to stay in L.A., but this is one spot where the $24 million A.J. Burnett left on the table could be put to good use.

LF
Manny Ramirez. It's all about the money with Manny and, at last check, the Canadian dollar was marching toward parity again. This would allow Snider to move into the DH role full-time.

C
It might not make baseball sense to overpay Jason Varitek but it would be nice to stick it to Red Sox Nation.

DH
At 37, Jason Giambi can still mash. Even including a couple of injury-shortened years, he's averaged 32 homers a season since 2000.

SP
Derek Lowe. Despite his age, 35, Lowe's durability makes him the anti-A.J. In the past seven years, he's never made less than 32 starts.

Furcal Banter

more, again, from Tim Dierkes...

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/11/furcal-to-hit-t.html

Furcal To Hit The Open Market?
By Tim Dierkes

Furcal's agent Paul Kinzer met with Dodgers GM Ned Colletti recently, and they didn't see eye to eye. Kinzer doesn't want to compromise much on the term despite Furcal missing most of '08 due to back surgery. Furcal wants to return to the Dodgers, but may be "forced" to hit the open market to find the four-year deal he craves. At least seven teams have expressed interest, the Cubs, Giants, and Blue Jays among them.

They never even made an offer...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081105.JAYS05/TPStory/Sports

Burnett's agent, Darek Braunecker, delivered the news of his client's decision to Ricciardi at the general managers meetings in Dana Point, Calif. Somewhat surprising, Ricciardi said his club never tabled a formal offer to try to keep Burnett from opting out.

"At this point, there's really no need for us to make an offer," Ricciardi said. "The No. 1 thing for us is to make sure that he wanted to stay in Toronto."

Jays Hope To Send Overbay To Seattle?

more from Tim Dierkes

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/11/jays-hope-to-se.html

A rumor from Larry Stone of the Seattle Times:

Word out of Toronto is that the Jays want to trade Lyle Overbay to Seattle and are willing to pick up some of his salary. According to one source, Overbay was part of the package (along with reliever Jason Frasor) for Raul Ibanez that was nixed by the Mariners at the trade deadline.

Overbay, 32 in January, hit .270/.358/.419 in 630 plate appearances. He'll earn $14MM over the 2009-10 seasons. Also at that link, Stone puts on his GM cap and suggests some players for Jack Zduriencik.

Possible Jays Free Agents?

Tim Dierkes has his 2009 Top 50 Free Agents here:

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/11/2009-top-50-fre.html

I was surprised to see this:

19. Milton Bradley - Blue Jays. The buzz is that the Jays will take a look at Giambi, but Bradley is a nice fit as well at DH.

and this:

34. Brad Penny - Blue Jays. Not that the Jays need more injury risk, but they've been connected to Penny in trade talks before.