Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos held a press conference with several reporters this afternoon to discuss the club's offseason strategy. Toronto's FAN 590 has the audio. Here are some of the highlights…
- There is no "defined number" for payroll next season and ownership is prepared to provide funds if the right "baseball opportunity" arises.
- Anthopoulos believes the Jays "can be up there with the Anaheims and the Chicagos, and even the Bostons" with a "sustained model of success" and financial backing from ownership.
- But he thinks building a team through free agency isn't the way to go. Building a core through good drafting and scouting is the strategy Toronto will try to employ.
- Anthopoulos is actively involved in trade talks and with free agents to improve the team, but won't do anything to jeopardize the future makeup of the club.
- He has been aware of the availability of every player that has been traded so far this offseason, and directly involved with talks for some.
- Anthopoulos said he has to be open minded about listening to trades for Roy Halladay this winter, but that Roy is "a guy we want to have here."
- That said, Halladay "wants to win" and the Blue Jays were a 75-win team last year. "We haven't met his criteria for winning… and his timeline for winning might not match ours." A contract extension seems unlikely.
- The Blue Jays are "not actively shopping" any of their current players at this moment.
