Earlier today, Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos took questions from reporters and denied rumblings that he's scouring the trade market early on in the year. Here's more from the GM's presser courtesy of MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm..
- There has been talk of the Blue Jays prioritizing a big bat for some time now but the GM said that isn't exactly the case. Anthopoulos believes that the talk started when he was asked a hypothetical question in an interview about what he might look to add early in the season and responded by saying that he would seek out offense.
- As for this week's rumblings that he's diligently looking for an impact starter and a bopper? "I’ve had zero dialogue with GMs right now on anything remotely resembling that," Anthopoulos said.
- It's unlikely that you'll see the Blue Jays go after elite free agents, thanks in large part to payroll constraints and the club's aversion to long-term deals. Anthopoulos said that it's much more likely that the club will add impact players via trade in the coming years. AA talked about the team's policy on contract length and the possibility of exceptions being made last month.
- In the past, Anthopoulos has implied that doling out more than $100MM to an import such as Yu Darvish was risky, but the GM backed off of that assertion. “I think when you’re spending over $100MM on a player, no matter who it is, there’s always an element of risk there. But like anything else, obviously very talented, great stuff, good athlete…whether it’s a player from here or a player from Japan or anywhere else, there’s always an element of risk no matter how good the players are."
Isn’t the owner of the Blue Jays one of the top 5 richest owners of the MLB? I’m surprised their payroll isn’t at least 100M.
The owners are Rogers Inc and they run it like a business i.e. profitable.
Considering Rogers own the tv rights without any deals and an entire nation watches Jays game, I suspect the payroll could easily go 100MM+ but likely won’t.
toronto pro sports teams are so cheap. they are owned by the richest company (ROGERS AND BELL) in canada maybe top 5 in NA. but are tOO CHEAP!!!
Rogers doesn’t like to lose money. They are easily the most expensive phone/internet/television provider. No questions.
If they Blue Jays don’t EARN them money, no point of having them around.
The Jays are a marketing platform more than anything else. Rogers is more interested in the ads around the stadium and the expensive commercials during broadcast than the players on the field.
That being said, they missed out an oppurtunity with Darvish. The amount of advertising revenue would have been incredible. “Generic Japanese tech company? You want a poster infront of the bullpen? Sorry, that will be 5x the regular price”
The real truth is that if Rogers puts out a winning team, they’ll get Canadian ratings and all of North America watching the World Series on their broadcast. But shoveling money does not make a winning team. A winning team is made up of solid draft picks that mature through the minors and develop into a great core team, which takes time.
People need to cool down, grow some team loyalty and cheer for the team whether they win or lose and be grateful if they win, rather than betrayed if they lose.
I have always felt that the size of the payroll is usually connected to attendance, regardless of who owns the team. Toronto’s ranked 25th out of 30 in people per game, so once the fan base comes back the payroll would probably jump.
Yet some teams can bump their payroll if they get a lucrative TV deals?
Reds? Angels? Dodgers likely?
Jays will never get a lucrative TV deal because they are owned by a cable company that gets TV rights automatically which is watched by entire nation. Jays attendance should be the secondary source of income for the organisation.
I’m here in Seattle and we have had attendance drop steadily for 5 years, and the payroll drops as well.
That sucks though for Toronto. Also, the stadium itself isn’t that great or new, so there’s that as well.
So you figure Rogers gives zero value to the Jays for their ratings on their TV deal?
Typical AA.
Says nothing. Gives out nothing. He basically talks a lot without saying anything.
1 – He is looking for a big bat + pitcher
2 – He will never accept that he is looking for the aforementioned.
3 – Rogers will never dole out another huge contract which he hides in a team policy of max 5 year contract which is absolute garbage.
its easy to say this now after Darvish has performed and looked good.
The reality is that Free Agency is not the way to build a team, cheap or not. They’ve modeled themselves after the Rays and Rangers, and it takes some time for winning to come to fruition.
Rangers took a huge risk with Darvish, that was a huge investment, but they are a much much much better team, so a risk like that could put them over the top. There is zero need for AA to take such risks like that at this point.
Its easy to sit back and say oh they are cheap oh they are this, but the reality is this is the most exciting team that the jays have had in a long time, and the park is still empty. So the fans aren’t holding up their end of the bargain.
It frustrates me that we don’t even know for sure if they even bid for Darvish or not.
Modelling themselves after Rays is a good way but Rays will never be over the top contenders until they dish out some contracts.
Modelling themselves after Rangers is perfect but you have to accept that Rangers did ultimately dish out big contracts to Beltre and Darvish. Which every contender has to, otherwise you can’t grow all stars at every position.
I just don’t want Jays to be the next Rays, they have the talent to win but will never be over the top like Rangers/Yankees/Detroit because they don’t have the payroll.
I agree fully about the rangers, but the rangers weren’t good over night.. They developed stars then added on the pieces to take them further. Jays willl get there, it just wasn’t there year..
and knowing about the bid for darvish would be worse I feel like. It if was 50.7 million, people will be pissed that it was so close, if it was 32. million people will be pissed it was so low.
so damned if you do really
Agree completely. It takes a lot of time, and some, ok a lot of, luck. The Rangers have taken numerous risks and hit on them more times than not. Colby Lewis has performed better than they ever dreamed. Hamilton for Volquez. Napoli for Frank Fransisco. Teixera for Andrus, Harrison, Feliz, and Salty. All made possible by building a fantastic farm with the right coaches. Then there’s Darvish. It was a huge investment/risk, but one the Rangers could afford to take. So far it’s panned out. They did their homework and got their guy.
The Jays will get there. They’re already a really good team. Drabek looks sharp.
It’s a shame the fans still aren’t filling the Rogers Center.
Maybe it’ll just take the Jays getting to the postseason to rejuvenate the fan base. That’s what did it for the Rangers.
It will be a fun series coming up. Darvish/Drabek bill.
I’d say typical of any GM of any sports team. I mean, what are they suppose to say besides good things about the team. Not like they’d thrash their own players that they acquired.
meh, just need a Jeff Baker or two – some RHB with big platoon splits that can play multiple positions – to take some platoon bats away from Lind or Thames.
Reed Johnson.
D’Arnaud is an unbelievable prospect, a couple years away from having an impact. Gose will be as productive as Raja Davis and Drabek will be a solid MLB starter when we throws strikes. There is a lot more to very excited about in the farm system (a lot). But we do need to make moves, especially when there staring you in the face in the off season. Darvish would have been PERFECT for toronto (ask Brian Colangalo) not to mention the many other All-Star caliber players that moved this off-season (not fielder of Pujols, lets not dream). There needs to be proven talent to go along side all of the developed gems.
I hope Gose is better then Davis.
They can always sign Vlad Guerrero if they want a better hitter in the lineup, and play EE in left. Has to be some way to improve that lineup, that may be it.
Shoulda signed Manny
Thames hasn’t been there worst hitter at this point so no need to consider replacing him…
1B and catcher are the big holes right now, and apparently rightfield too.
In fact he has been one of the best, and is hitting over .300 vs Lefties and Righties
the league will catch up to him though, he doesnt have a good approach
What “big bats” are gonna be easily acquires? Pablo Sandoval? Peter Bourjous? Torii hunter? Carlos Lee?
No doubt. They are definitely ruining their PR with being so disgustingly cheap.
This has to be one of the worst posts I’ve ever read on this site, and thats saying A LOT..
You name one year fillers that were signed as temporary pieces, or pieces to acquire draft talent, but don’t mention Lawrie, Escobar, Rasmus, Johnson, D’arnaud, Gose and the rest of the absolutely stacked farm system.
And money had nothing to do with Roy Halladay leaving, he was tired of losing, so he asked for a trade. He moved on.
I seriously hope you’re not a jays fan
You clearly just lack the understanding of the situations, which makes me wonder why you speak so confidently on them.
Roy Halladay took a 3/60 extension from philadelphia, probably about 100 million dollars or so under value. So explain to me why money would have convinced him to stay, when he took an insane discount to be on the phillies?
I don’t see how the fact that Johnson, Rasmus and Escobar don’t have playoff experience has any relevance.. especially when they are all pretty young and last I checked it was a team sport.
NEWSFLASH: Rasmus and Johnson have both played in the postseason before.
They already tried to “buy” a championship team while Doc was in town.
JP brought in/signed
BJ RyanAJ Burnett
Shea Hillebrand
Scott RolenFrank Thomas
Troy Glaus
and many more…
and that didn’t work too well
seems like a leaf fan to me
You’re in a fantasy if you think Halladay alone (IF he would’ve signed an extension with the Jays, which is debatable) would get the Jays to the playoffs in the AL (b)East.
the yankees are ony good because of the money they spend, if they had a 80 million payroll like most teams do they would be a last place team period
hahaha okay marc, 3/60 extension was market value for the best freaking pitcher in baseball..
His friend cliff lee came the next year for more than double that, but you’re right, I must not understand. or maybe you know nothing about baseball.. hmmm
+ the option dont forget
and cliff lee took less money to be there too.. Doc would have easily gotten a bigger deal then Lee. Unbelievable what someone will argue
lol
So, you’re saying the Jays should fire AA and hire Tony Reagins or Omar Minaya as GM?
Because Reagins/Minaya isn’t afraid to throw money around to woo players.
Tony Reagins works for the jays does he not? He did last year atleast
Well, professional scouts disagree with you, internet commenter, on D’Arnaud being a long way away and not being a strong potential impact player.
And the Rangers, since he gave the Rangers the division with the Napoli trade.
True, some players sign for a bit less to play where they want. Cliff Lee is the latest example but not the only one, I’m sure. You don’t always here about others except when it’s “hometown discount” talk.
Only for fans that value the Jays based on how much they spend.
I don’t think anyone hates Thames, most like me just feel like Snider has the higher ceiling and havent like the way he’s been handled to date.
When you account for Thames horrible defense, he’s probably around league average for a left fielder, which is fine I guess. He’s come on since butching that ball in baltimore, so hopefully he keeps up that pace.
The reality is that if Thames does prove himself, the jays will be able to fit snider and thames in to the lineup, especially when lind isn’t doing himself any favours.
Thames is a very below average left-fielder with a solid bat. Snider is a good defensively while hitting .400 with 5HRs and 18 extra base hits in AAA this year, in my eyes he won the job out of spring training as well. Thames DH, EE on first.
I agree with Bautista playing 1B, he’s looked a tad slow in the outfield this year. Jays simply cant exist with their worst hitter playing 1B, so that would be a nice way to correct it. Rasmus LF, Gose CF, Snider RF would be a terrific outfield
that would probably be the best lineup the jays could produce right now. Lind must have some blackmail material because I’ve never seen a player get this much rope
If Napoli never goes to Texas he might have never caught fire and exploded offensively the way he has.
…A rebuild?
seems like a sens fan talking about the leafs.
I’d line them up as Snider/Rasmus/Gose, but, I agree.