Blue Jays reporter Alex Anthopoulos spoke with reporters today; here's the latest. All links go to the Twitter accounts of Shi Davidi and Gregor Chisholm.
- Anthopoulos says any employee interviewing for another job isn't part of current planning, implying that Tony LaCava is out of the loop as he interviews for the Orioles' GM gig.
- While the Blue Jays have the flexibility to acquire a designated hitter, Anthopoulos says it's "very low on our priority list." My David Ortiz prediction isn't looking so hot; make your pick in our new free agent prediction contest.
- Anthopoulos expects most of Edwin Encarnacion's at-bats to come at DH, though Encarnacion is playing left field in winter ball and in spring to add flexibility. The Blue Jays exercised their $3.5MM club option on Encarnacion yesterday.
- The Jays have not closed the door on re-signing reliever Jon Rauch after declining his $3.75MM club option yesterday.
AA: The reporter and the GM. Geesh, the guy can do it all.
I wonder if he ever interviews himself?
I knew AA would be too rational re: Ortiz. Dammit. Where’s Reagins when you need him?
“My David Ortiz prediction isn’t looking so hot; make your pick in our new free agent prediction contest.”
That’s because your David Ortiz prediction was nuts. I imagine Toronto’s about the least likely spot I could envision him ending up considering the draft pick cost. Serious question here, are you expecting the Sox to not offer Ortiz arbitration?
honestly can’t see him not accepting arbitration. He will be a red sock next year.
Unless a team like seattle does something stupid
I don’t see Seattle going for him. Honestly, the most likely target from my view would be Baltimore and that’s a big stretch.
I’m fine with him accepting anyway. Yeah, he’ll be overpaid, but at least we won’t be stuck with him forever.
Doesn’t Baltimore have vladdy still?
Vlad was only on a 1 year deal and I dont see him coming back unless its more of a bench role.
Ortiz is the 6th highest ranked free agent available meaning he would be awarded a handsome raise if it made to the the arbitrator. The Red Sox will not be offering him arbitration just like they didnt offer Varitek arbitration last year
how is this crazy concept so popular. boston would love to have ortiz on a one-year deal
they are worried about his decline long-term – not in 2012 – and would gladly overpay for a year to limit that risk. the only way he isn’t offered arbitration is if he agrees to a deal before then
Who knows, who cares? If the Orioles are incompetent enough to sign Ortiz with or without Vlad, they’re incompetent enough to put Vlad in the outfield. It really depends on who their new GM ends up being.
You mean, aside from every National League team, right?
National what?
no “homie” reunion for ortiz and bautista?
If Boston offers arbitration to Ortiz, AA won’t pursue him. If not, maybe AA will have a talk with him. What AA says isn’t that they won’t pursue a DH, he just said that there’s other spots that need to be filed first ( top of rotation arm + ‘pen ). Then, if he’s able to clear those areas and if Ortiz is still available, AA will seriously look at him since he picked the cheap E5 option, making him a valuable guy on the market. I’d rather have a Ortiz for 2 years than E5. Plus, I think we can get something “good” in return of Encarnacion on the trade market.
I guess you noticed there’s a lot of if’s in my comment. It says it all about the probability of this happening.
The Jays probably cannot get something good for EE unless one of three things happens:
1) He has a 1st half that resembles his last half and then gets moved at the deadline
2) AA uses his jedi mind tricks
3) *insert Reagins joke*
Little known fact, getting Reagins installed as GM of the Orioles is step six of AA’s cunning plan to destroy the rest of the AL East.
I don’t know…looks like the O’s are doing a good enough job themselves (LaCava)
Jay trade for Votto. Lind & E5 L/R platoon at DH. No Ortiz needed.
hmmm…AA’s insight on how Jays restrict employees interviewing with other teams from participating from current planning suggests Farrell wasn’t interviewing with Boston because Farrell did iterate his present focus was on current planning for Blue Jays.
Huh?
don’t worry Eric…we understand that post had too many words for you to comprehend…do you need me to provide you with 3 to 5 word sentences?
Had AA not picked up E5’s option (it was a stretch thinking he wasn’t) I would’ve seen the Red Sox jumping all over him. Play 3B/DH giving Youk and Gonzo some games at DH to alleviate playing in field 160 games a year. E5 as a flyball/pull hitter would have been a great fit. I’d even trade for him now but it ain’t happening
I don’t see E5 with the Jays in April. He is now a trading chip that can be included in AA’s desire to acquire a front-end starter and 2nd baseman. He is also signed for 2012 at 3.75M, which is payroll friendly to every team in the majors. He is a huge risk however, since in 2010, he had four great weekends, amounting to 20 home runs, the rest of the year he was invisible. In 2011, he was invisible the first 3 months and then hit in the second half. In 2012, will he pick up where he left off or go invisible again for the year? At 3M, he is worth the risk to some team, even as a bench player.
Ortiz isn’t going anywhere A, and Colon is not going to get a contract offer from the Red Sox B. It goes beyond what they think Colon would do on the field. The distraction of the whole ‘shot’ thing and how MLB has Still turned it’s head the other way is beyond me. If it were Roids or HGH (which it pretty much is!!) they’d flip their lid. Just because he hadn’t yet paid for the surgery doesn’t excuse looking the other way. As a die hard Sox fan, if they sign Colon I’d be pissed.
Encarnacion= Breakout player of the year
I’ve said that 2 years in a row. lol
why dont we make a deal for matt garza if the cubs decide to rebuild
Toronto: matt garza
Cubs : deck mcguire , adam loewen and travis snider
yep….I think there is a good chance AA targets Matt Garza…especially given Garza has one year left on his contract and ranks as Type A
not even that, garza loves pitching in rogers center.
I think that deal is a little bit lopsided the jays way though.. really the cubs are just getting a mid rotation starter a prospect with huge question marks and a bench player.
Last year maybe, but they have this new GM, and that ish probably wont fly.
agreed something more than snider and mcguire would be needed maybe something like a marcus kneght