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Offseason In Review: Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays are next in our Offseason In Review series.
Major League Signings
- John McDonald, SS: two years, $3MM.
- Alex Gonzalez, SS: one year, $2.75MM. Includes $2.5MM club option for '11.
- Kevin Gregg, RP: one year, $2.75MM. Includes $4.5MM club option for '11 and $8.75MM club option for '11 and '12.
- John Buck, C: one year, $2MM.
- Total spend: $10.5MM.
Notable Minor League Signings
- Jose Molina, Shawn Hill, Raul Chavez, Joey Gathright, Jeremy Reed, Lance Broadway, Steven Register, Jorge Padilla, Chris Lubanski, Willie Collazo
Trades and Claims
- Claimed P Sean Henn off waivers from Orioles
- Claimed 2B Jarrett Hoffpauir off waivers from Cardinals
- Claimed SS Mike McCoy off waivers from Rockies
- Acquired P Zech Zinicola in Rule 5 draft from Nationals
- Acquired SP Kyle Drabek, OF Michael Taylor, and C Travis d'Arnaud from Phillies for SP Roy Halladay and $6MM
- Acquired 1B Brett Wallace from Athletics for OF Michael Taylor
- Acquired P Brandon Morrow from Mariners for RP Brandon League and OF Johermyn Chavez
- Acquired P Merkin Valdez from Giants for cash considerations
- Acquired P Dana Eveland from Athletics for cash
Notable Losses
- Roy Halladay, Marco Scutaro, Rod Barajas, Brandon League, Kevin Millar, Brian Wolfe, Joe Inglett, Brian Bocock, Russ Adams, Michael Barrett
Summary
Alex Anthopoulos' first winter as Blue Jays GM started off quietly, with an October waiver claim for Henn. His major moves came a few months later, as he traded Halladay, Taylor, League, and Chavez and netted Drabek, d'Arnaud, Wallace, and Morrow. His free agent moves were sensible, affordable replacements for Scutaro and Barajas. There was also a typical smattering of minor league signings and the interesting under-the-radar pickup of Valdez.
Anthopoulos' moves should be judged on two criteria: did he waste significant money trying to stay respectable in a rebuilding year, and did he get enough for Doc? Gregg was a free agent head-scratcher, but it's hard to quibble with the other $7.75MM spent. The answer to the latter question appears to be yes. If we judge the Halladay trade on what we know now, Anthopoulos acquired at least two badly-needed top 50 prospects in Drabek and Wallace.
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