Yesterday, the Blue Jays declined to exercise their options for Aaron Hill's 2012-2014 seasons. While they will still be able to pick up the 29-year-old's options for '12 and '13, the decision could reflect the club's uncertainty regarding Hill's long-term future in Toronto. After churning out a .286/.330/.499 slash line with 36 homers in 2009, Hill saw his OPS drop more than 150 points and his HR total dip to 26 in 2010.
Even if the Blue Jays aren't high on Hill at the moment, one has to think that the second baseman could attract plenty of interest if he shows flashes of his old form in 2011. After this season, Hill can be retained for $8MM in 2012 or, for $16MM, kept through 2013. While that's not exactly chump change, it's not an exorbitant price to pay if Hill can bring a 5.4 WAR to the table like he did in '09.
Do you envision GM Alex Anthopoulos flipping Hill to another club before this season is through?
The Mets need a 2B. Think there might be a match? The Mets could use another power bat and although Hill’s AVG wasn’t all that great last year he still hit 26 HR’s. Not sure what it would take to get him away from the Jays though
The Mets need a billion dollars even more than they need a 2B.
No 2B in the system. Johnny Mac/McCoy/Nix aren’t viable long-term solutions. Lawrie is at-best a 3B, probably RF. So I don’t see it.
From what I had heard, Lawrie did fairly well at seaond. Baustista has RF or 3B locked down, so I guess Lawrie COULD play the other, but if Encarnacion hits, then they don’t need Lawrie at 3B OR RF.
Finding an OF is easier than a 2B, so I think they should try Lawrie at 2B before anything else.
Lawrie is not going back to second, it has been well documented. Bautista is in RF from now on too. The only internal thing that I see coming if Hill gets traded is either Hech or Escobar moving to 2nd and the other staying at short.
Escobar certainly won’t be moved from SS anytime soon….
Hech won’t be in the majors anytime soon either. I don’t expect that to happen but for Hill to be traded something like that would have to happen.
Yeah, but if it comes to that it’s safe to say that Hech will be playing 2B. I don’t know much about his defense, but Escobar is one of the best in the game at short.
I would say that the Jays would rather rid themselves of Encarnacion before Hill and use Lawrie at 3B, and Hechavarria at 2B if they moved Hill. Too bad they lost Emaus.
I would loved to have seen a Jays infield that consisted of Lawrie, Hechavarria, Emaus, Cooper at some point.
that sounds terrible.
Who would replace Hill? I believe they will pick up his options after the season and really just didn’t want to have another 10 million gauranteed.
I see him going before 2013, but not this season. Alex is intent on building his own team with his own draftees, I don’t see many guys from the old regime sticking around for long.
would be prudent of Amaro to inquire.
AA would trade his mother if he could get the right deal. If Hill isn’t going go have his options picked up AA will move him for something greater than what he would get if Hill walked.
LOL! first comment that I read and liked all day
Yeah the extensions he gave to Lind, Romero and Bautista proves your point …..er I mean disproves
This should be an interesting vote to watch – all the Jays fans will vote No and all the fans of teams without 2B will vote Yes.
Until Hechavarria proves he can hit he’s nothing more than a John McDonald, so there’s really no reason to think the Blue Jays would even consider trading Aaron Hill.
As a Jays fan, I actually voted yes. I could see both arguments, but for some reason I’m starting to not see Hill as a core player on this team, mostly because of his questionable ability to get on base.
That said, I can also see the Jays picking up the options, and then being open to trading him in the offseason.
The Phils have young talent up to their ears and a possible need if they want to win it all. Phils could also make it also work long-term with Utley or Hill going to third. If AA wants to get really creative, what if he dealt Hill for Reyes? If Toronto is still in it, they would improve their club for the stretch run, and likely just let Reyes walk after the season (should get two high picks for him). On the other hand, AA has shown to be aggressive with below-cost extensions…. might be a chance to lock up Reyes for a little bit if they choose.
locking up reyes is not below-cost extension
relatively speaking
Trust me when i tell u, AA will get more than just a player who will walk and give him “only” two first round draft picks
Reyes for Hill might be the worst idea I have heard on this board, and there have been many. It doesn’t make sense for either sides and especially the 2 draft pick idea is terrible considering you could keep Hill for 2 more years which will help the team out a lot more with no apparent 2nd baseman stepping up.
Not a fan of Hill but seems like the Phillies would be a great fit at least from Philly’s stand point. It would add a righty bat with 20 homerun power, obviously it doesn’t replace Utley’s production but it would give them better production than a guy like Valdez. Not sure what the Jays would want for him though.
The problem with the Phillies is that they don’t know how long Utley will be out. The Jays have no need to trade Hill and no immediate successor at 2B, so they’d have to get a good return to move him. The Phillies wouldn’t want to give up much since they might end up just sticking Hill on the bench if Utley returns sooner than expected.
It has been said many times over that the Phillies are basically tapped out on the budget. I see no way that they are going to be able Hill’s contract.
The Cubs will take him. You can have DeWitt AND Baker!
How about….
Hill to MLBTR for “Free_AEC” with his parents picking up his future allowance? Blue Jays get an unreasonable fan who will give you 4,000-5,000 ‘Longoria to Jays’ comments and MLBTR gets to run a little bit smoother….
Right now? Absolutely not. Maybe next season or the one after you consider it if there is someone that can replace Hill but right now, it shouldn’t be a consideration.
never in 1,000,000 years will Alex trade Aaron. Simply put, AA took the Jays off the hook in 2014 by not extending the term. Hill can still be renewed between now and the end of the season for 12,13. It was a wise business move. If Hill proves he’s worth a contract in 2014, then good for him, maybe good for Jays. If he sucks, or is chronically hurt, good for Jays.
IF the Jays are out of the race at the deadline and AA can get a package that will help the Jays long term it could happen. If Hill has another year like 09 then 8 milllion for the next 2 is a steal. IF he hits .210 then he can walk. TO sum it up AA has options.
AA is not looking to trade hill, but If the right deal was in place I dont see why he or any GM wouldn’t!
I can’t see why the Blue Jays would trade away a very solid 2B entering the prime of his career and can be had at an afforable rate (16 million for 2012 and 2013). His defense seems solid and although he had a down year in batting average, his BABIP was ridiculously low (.196). He should bounce back this year and post a respectable average around .270, while hitting 20+ HR.
I think it’s a dumb move. Batista cannot carry the team all the time.
I don’t think Hill is allowed to leave until Hech or Sweeney are ready to join the infield…however that won’t be until 2013 at the earliest so Hill is staying for now
If Hill can rebuild some of his value then yes.
I think it’s too early to say.
The Jays have reasonable dollar 2012 and 2013 options on him, and Hill is coming off a really bad year, so they have to figure out his market value before making a decision.
Without knowing what kind of season 2011 will be for Hill, there’s no way to project his market value now, and market value vs. Jays value is what will make the decision for them.
This should be a wait and see situation, unless a team gets really hot for Hill and begs the Jays to make him available for an attractive package.
hill for a good prospect and a player to replace him for the time being
I expect roster turnover even during contention years for the Jays, who will still likely trade aging players and soon-to-be free agents for prospects in order to keep a steady flow of impact prospects coming. With that in mind, and Hill’s age after his contract, expect a Hill trade in the next few years coupled with a temporary stopgap solution. We should get a middle infield prospect in the trade or have one already who’ll be fairly close to the majors (from another trade most likely).
The Jays, when operating correctly, should have above average or star players at several positions and serviceable solutions elsewhere (positions that prospects will be counted on to fill eventually). When their good players become expensive or begin to age, they’ll be traded for more prospects and filled with stopgap players until prospects take over.
EDIT: Double Post
i dont see him being traded, they declined his option just to make sure he regains his old form before they pick up his options for the next 2 seasons. nothing they have in the system can match aaron hill’s production when he is on form, and very few 2B’s in the major leagues can either.
premium defense and solid offensive production at a reasonable price. the jays would be fools to trade an asset like that, unless of course some GM comes along and blows the doors down with a ridiculous trade offer
If hech learns how to hit like an average major leaguer, he would be a fantastic 2B
Hech and Esco as 2B/SS would be fun times.
And the entire internet suggested Lawrie will never be able to become even average at third base(parts of it suggested he’d barely be able to hold down LF). He seemed fine to me during ST. A lot of people were jumping on the kid for not doing well at second despite it being the first season he ever played the position. That being said Lawrie isn’t going back to second and Hill isn’t getting dealt until somebody is ready to play second.