Blue Jays Rumors: Burnett, Manny, Ryan

The Jays should trade BJ Ryan. They have the best bullpen in the league, and I think they'll continue to do well without Ryan.

I really do think the Jays are one bat away from contending/winning if in any other division. However, "contending" is not nearly enough in the AL East. Full seasons of Wells/Lind/Hill/Snider should help without a doubt, and adding one more bat would be nice. I could see a low-cost starter, like a Randy Wolf, being added as well.

Snider probually should not be with the Jays in 2009. he may have had a good September, but so did Lind in 2006 and showed in 2007 he wasnt ready. if the Jays want to contend in 2009 adding a slugger for LF/DH would mean Snider is back down in the minors. however since the Jays probually wont be in any position to contend in 2009 giving a full season to Snider might not be a bad idea.

i think the Jays need more than just a low cost starter to help their rotation. if they expect to contend they need to add someone similar to Burnett. (maybe Sheets?) Marcum will be gone for all of 2009, and the rest of the pitchers behind Halladay just arnt enough. after Halladay right now Litsh is the next best, and thats just not good enough to contend with NY/BOS/TB. even adding a front line type starter might not be enough.
according to http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2005/01/toronto-blue-jays_05.html
it says Ricciardi is signed through the 2010 season. im guessing he is going to want to do what he can to build a contending team before then.
adding a slugger like Manny would be a nice addition to the lineup, but i dont think the Jays can afford him. even if they are able to shell out enough money for Manny, can they still afford anyone good enough to help the rotation? and in that case maybe they take a shot with a low cost starter like Wolf/Byrd/Garland/Looper/Moyer/OlPerez/OdPerez (allthough i think any of them are a mistake).
if the Jays dont really add any significant free agents they likely wont be in any position to contend so i could see then them just see them going with guys like Purcey/Richmond/Romero/Parrish/other pitching prospect for the roation in 2009.

IMO Ricciardi shouldnt even be the GM right now, he should have allready been fired.. but maybe he is being given another chance because the Jays arnt that far away from contending if they can add a good SP and a good offensive bat. if not Manny, what about someone like Bradley/Ibanez/Burrell/Giambi/Abreu ??
its unfortunate Riccardi made the comments about Dunn, because IMO he would be a really nice fit batting 4th between Rios and Wells.
IF the Jays cant sign any significant free agent offensive player, THEN they should give the job to Snider. i dont want to see any low end offensive player like they had this past season (Mench/Wilkerson/Stewart)

They have to trade Ryan if they want to improve. He's a big, attractive piece to other teams (Mets, Cards) and they probably wouldn't miss him (Downs, Carlson, Accardo or League could close). Trading any other player would leave a void (Wells, Rios, etc).

Although, if Ricciardi says trading Ryan's isn't a priority, then it's probably priority number one.

Burnett wants moer than Lowe, less than CC? I see Lowe wanting at least $15 million per, maybe he means more years than Lowe. Lowe is a couple years older than AJ, so I expect him to sign a 3 year deal for around $45 mil. Does that sound about right? So what is AJ likely looking for - 5 years?

in a trade for Rios from the Yankees it would have be Hughes PLUS more.
last offseason the SF Giants were realistically considering trading Lincecum to get Rios. it would have to be that type of impact SP coming back in return. the Jays dont want a plus of average prospects.

"last offseason the SF Giants were realistically considering trading Lincecum to get Rios"

That doesn't really count, does it? First, it was Sabean, second, it was more Cain talk than Lincecum, third, Rios took a step back in patience and power last season.

Fourth, I guess, is that I know its not happening so the first person to scream that it won't happen loses $10 MLBTR points.

Is Melky an impact bat?

There are less than 30 I'd rather have if starting a team, but I'm partial to CFs (or OFs capable of CF) and even more partial to the toolsy types. I think people value him as a stud because he has stud in him if everything comes together. Like McLouth was better (offensively) last season but Rios's ceiling is still way over McLouth's.

not joe morgan-No, melky is not an impact bat in my opinion.

bjsguess-Thats fine if you prefer sum1 other than rios, but in my opinion, there are not even close to 30 guys id rather see in CF than rios..Rios' value isnt just his cieling or however you put it. .300, 20-25 homers, 20 sb so on and so forth are 1. great numbers 2. you pretty much know he will put them up every year consistantly (or at least be close to that) 3. Hes proven he can produce anywhere in the lineup (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th) 4. he plays great defense and is speedy in the outfield 5. he isnt that expensive.. hed be like free for the yanks basically to add him to the payroll...6. Hes 28... aka the time where players head into their prime 7. NOT injury prone
overall hes an awesome player and id have him on my team as a LF or CF any day..
players id rather have would have to be pretty elite..

Right, but if you only look at his April 2008 numbers and extrapolate them over a whole season, that's .299/.370/.494 with 30 HRs and 18 SBs! All-Star!

I'm a Yankees fan who is being very sarcastic about "the Melk Man". I'd kill to have a great young CF to follow for a decade or so.

Toronto really needs to unload Ryan on somebody bad. He looked absolutely awful at the end of last season and they would save 20 million over 2 years at a position they are already very strong at as well. Maybe even get a good SS in the deal?

"Toronto really needs to unload Ryan on somebody bad. He looked absolutely awful at the end of last season"

This really needs to stop. Sure, his ERA and WHIP were a tad inflated at 2.95, 1.27, but can anybody actually remember that this guy finished 2008 only 16 months removed from Tommy John surgery? The fact that he was able to put up a full season and only lose 1mph or 2 off his fastball was actually pretty remarkable, and most Jays fans expect Ryan to return to his pre-TJ levels (read : pure sickness) in 2009.

As for Rios, he would probably slot just below Sizemore, Beltran, and Granderson on the CF rankings chart, right there with Upton. Not Joe Morgan, there is no way Rios would move to NY without at least Hughes or Chamberlain coming back, don't be ridiculous.

"second, it was more Cain talk than Lincecum, third, Rios took a step back in patience and power last season."

No, it was pure Lincecum talk, and any Cain talk was manufactured by the media. And while Rios' HR total and BB total did dip a little, it's a bit much to be calling it "taking a step back". No player puts up identical seasons year after year, so I guess you think A-Rod took a step back as well.

"This really needs to stop. Sure, his ERA and WHIP were a tad inflated at 2.95, 1.27, but can anybody actually remember that this guy finished 2008 only 16 months removed from Tommy John surgery? The fact that he was able to put up a full season and only lose 1mph or 2 off his fastball was actually pretty remarkable, and most Jays fans expect Ryan to return to his pre-TJ levels (read : pure sickness) in 2009."

I understand full well that he overcame TJ surgery and was down a few notches only, someone here on this board brought it to my attention that his pre surgery FB was not in the mid-90's as I though it previously was before and not having excellent control can be from the long layoff.

My reasons for trading him are also because their bullpen is so deep and they could get Scott Downs to close if they choose to not slide him into the rotation.

I do not think picking up any of his salary would be required if he would be traded during the off season. However, if he struggled at the begining of the next season, then trying to trade him picking up some, if not all of the remaining 20 million would be a major problem.

The 10 million per season would allow some flexability to address the SS position also and maybe a power hitter in the outfield, like Aubry Huff maybe? Could he stay healthy? His salary may be reasonable.

JohnS, paying for Aubrey Huff's age 32 season after a great season preceded by 4 down ones and expecting big production is a bad idea.

"NJM, Toronto's farm system is a lot better than Baseball America gives it credit for, which is what I assume you are basing your assumptions on. I always laugh how people take one magazine's thoughts as gospel."

You're supposed to leave those sort of comments vague or else me letting you know I don't read baseball america screws the whole thing up. Good bit of BP, Law (who admittedly may have a bias in this case), Sickels site mostly.

Hughes & Joba get more hype than the Blue Jays group because their ceiling is higher. Even if Marcum were healthy, I can't imagine Toronto would turn down that 3 for 3 offer, can you?

"Did I miss the moment that Alex Rios became a stud player?

Last check a guy who hits 300, knocks out 20-25 HR's, and steals 25 bases is valuable. But he isn't outstanding. The guy will be 28 next year. And while he is signed to a team friendly contract his salary creeps past $10m+ for the years following 09.

I think Rios is a fine outfielder - I also think there are about 30 OF'ers I would rather have."

Usually it seems that I agree with alot of your posts, but I have disagree here. Maybe in you're looking at Rios as strictly a RF, it's possible that you could like 20-25 guys more than, but the only reason he's in RF is because of Vernon Wells. Put him in CF where almost any other team would play him, and I don't know if there are 15 guys I'd take over his combo of offense and defense.

tim
dude, i'm not a trade low guy but sometimes you gotta do

dump typekey for what you can get

blown saves, man, blown saves

If the Jays added Manny would they be willing to trade Wells for Derek Lee?

"Vernon Wells for Alfonso Soriano, Felix Pie and Chad Gaudin."

Im not crapping on the idea for a trade, but I have to crap on this offer.

The Jays have no need for Felix Pie whatsoever. Period. Rios will be capable in centre for a long time to come.
Also, the Jays had Gaudin a few years back before he was traded to the A's, Im not sure theyd want him back.
Probably need a different set of prospects if that one was to match up.