Blue Jays Make Big Trade. Exchange the Future for the Present

Going into the Blue Jays off season there was alot of concern from the fan base. All the optimism that was present in the Winter of 2012 had evaporated because many of the prospects that were going to be relied upon to play significant roles, were not as dominant as projected when called into action this past year. Now that five year plan was quickly turning into a 10 year plan. Along with the players not being in place, there was major concerns that Rogers would not fulfill its promise to spend more money to bring in front line players if there was an opportunity to do so. Fans cited the Yu Darvish situation as an example of the owners being tight with the payroll. Then the Jays lost their manager to Boston and still have not replaced him and the names being thrown around haven't really impressed most.

All the worries about this not being a productive off season were wiped out with one big move from General Manager Alex Anthopolous on Tuesday evening. A blockbuster of a trade with the Miami Marlins were 12 players are changing uniforms. The Jays acquired several all-star, proven big league talents, while sending back trouble makers and prospects. So who got the better of the deal? Immediately the reaction is that the Jays have robbed the Marlins blind. The Jays World Series odds dropped from 45/1 to 15/1 when the trade was announced. A whopping 89% of people on ESPN responded that the Jays won the trade. The cynics in Jaysville will say that we gave up the farm (prospects) and will pay for it later on, but will they care when they are celebrating a World Series on Yonge Street?

This is the type of move that winning franchises, Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Angels have made for the past decade. Acquire players that are ready to win now. You know the talent level that you are acquiring, you are happy with it and you know that it will make an immediate impact. These franchises trade away prospects. Prospects are always fun to have because you can dream about how good the future is, but you are never sure if that five-star prospect will actually be able to hit or find the strike zone once they are in the show. You don't win World Series trophies by having the most prospects ranked in the top 100 by Keith Law.

The players that the Jays sent to Miami may or may not become major league stars or even just major league players, we don't know right now, but what we do know is that the Jays acquired two top of the rotation players and an all-star.    

Once again, Jays fans have a Winter of hope. Spring Training can't come fast enough...

For a full list of names involved in the big trade, check the ticker...

Blue Jays on the Move

The second half of the baseball season has started and even though the Toronto Blue Jays aren’t mathematically eliminated from contention yet, the odds are shrinking daily and being in the American League East doesn’t help.

So what is a team that is hovering around .500 for the season to do? They play in a very difficult division where the chances to win are very slim. With the trade deadline looming, the Jays can either be sellers or buyers.

Becoming buyers in the AL East wouldn’t be prudent. The Jays have a very good farm system and have acquired some good prospects in trades during the past two seasons. It would not be worth risking the long-term development of the franchise to make a run at the title this year when they are already 12 games out of first place in the East and 9.5 out in the wild card. Especially since the Yankees are a class to themselves and will spend to win. They don’t need much, but will probably go out and get another elite starter anyways. The Tampa Bay Rays have all the pieces in place and are primed to make another World Series run. The Boston Red Sox are on the outside looking in at the moment, if for no other reason than they have the injury bug this season. Their stars will return soon and make a return for a run at the playoffs.

So that leaves the Jays as potential sellers this August and with contenders trying to shore up fielding, offense and pitching the Jays just might have what some people are looking for. They have already moved one piece – Alex Gonzalez to the Braves, so who else would teams be interested in?

John Buck – a good catcher is hard to find. Buck is having a career year after being released in the off-season by the Kansas City Royals. He is on a one year deal with the Jays which makes him very attractive to potential suitors. Although it would be sad to see him go after a very good season, GM Alex Anthopolous should be able to get a good prospect for an every day catcher.

Scott Downs – With a 1.02 WHIP over 39.1 inning, Downs has been a lock down in the middle innings for the Jays. He has been so lights out that the Yankees have expressed interest in him. Another player with a manageable contract that would be easy to move to a contender, but it would be a blow to the Jays bullpen. If everyone was healthy was Dirk Hayhurst to Dustin McGowan it might not be so difficult to have him leave, but with the uncertainty of their return to form next season, it would be a shame for him to leave town.

Jason Frasor – The closer in waiting might have to get his saves in another uniform. Frasor was beaten out in spring training by the newly acquired Kevin Gregg. Although, Gregg has been shaky as of late, and Frasor is great to have on hand, but Frasor is still the pitcher that more teams would covet.

Lyle Overbay – The elder statesman of the Jays might be a good piece for many contenders. He is a great fielder, which is always nice for a team in contention. A former gold glover who can not only be a defensive replacement in the 7th inning, but he can also swing the bat. A consistent hitter, who makes contact is never a bad thing for a team trying to win the World Series.

So who do you think the Jays should move, if anyone?

NBA Trade Deadline

The NBA trade deadline has come and gone without a peep from the Toronto front office.

Matt Devlin, the Raptors broadcaster twittered early in the day that the Raps were looking to acquire Sasha Vujavic from the LA Lakers in exchange for Marcus Banks. This is similar to a trade that was floated earlier in the season, but had Jose Calderon going the other direction. Ultimately, GM Bryan Colangelo decided to stand pat after deadline moves the last couple of seasons didn't product the desired results.

Not making a move (ie. trading Chris Bosh) was probably the best decision Colangelo could have made this season. He made a big splash in the off-season and the players are just now starting to come together and play well. Breaking up a team that is beginning to gel, might have affected any chance they have of doing well in the post-season. Never mind the fact that Colangelo probably couldn't find any takers for some of the huge contracts the Raps are holding.

On the other end of the spectrum this trade deadline were the NY Knicks. The Knicks unloaded enough contracts and took less back to allow them enough space to sign two max players during the off-season. This is important because the 3 of the top free agents of all-time will be available this summer. Of course I am speaking of the trio of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.

As per Fanhouse

The Knicks and Heat can offer two players max contracts, and the Nets, Clippers, Bulls, Kings, Wizards and Wolves can go after one player each. Of course, the Cavaliers can keep LeBron James at max salary, the Raptors can keep Chris Bosh, and so on. But if there's movement, these teams are in the best fiscal position to make a bid.

So there you have it...the teams that could land the elite of the league. Where would you go?

Knicks - mecca of basketball, but can you win with only two players?
Bulls - you will always be compared to Jordan. Get to play with a great young point guard in Derrick Rose
Kings - the Maloofs will do anything to make you happy, but ugly uniforms and no prime time love
Wizards - only if they trade Gilbert Arenas, you don't need any guns pulled on you
Wolves - too cold and no winning history, not even KG could turn the franchise around
Nets - not unless they move to Brooklyn and I get to hang with Jay-Z
Heat - good climate, good nightlife, fans are passionate when you win, definitely a front runner
Clippers - good climate, good nightlife, sponsorship dollars, plus you would have an instant rivalry with Kobe which I would enjoy

NHL Trade Deadline Special

Hockey Christmas as some fans call it - the NHL trade deadline ended today at 3pm with a total of 22 trades, involving 45 players and 21 draft picks. It is probably the most active of all trade deadlines in the major sports, if you can still call hockey a major sport.

The deadline deals that occurred were for the most part so insignificant that it is hard to believe that the major Canadian sports networks spent 8+ hours of coverage on it. Is our nation really that obsessed with hockey - I guess so.

As a sports fan, I pride myself on knowing what is going on in all the leagues. Who has the top teams, who is leading in scoring and which celebrity hottie is now dating another Ottawa Senator. With this trade deadline however, I find myself scratching my head over why these players were traded (economics for the most part), who these players are and how they will help their new team get better. In the case of the Maple Leafs, who made two trades, it was helping them get worse, so they can get a better draft pick, which in turn will make them better.

In the other major sports, the teams that make moves at the deadline are normally involved in the playoff race. Either they are on the bubble of making the playoffs, so they acquire a piece to push them into the big dance or they are already a championship contender and they obtain the "hired gun" to win that elusive trophy. I don't see that in hockey. General Managers seem to be making moves, just to appease the Canadian sports broadcasters or their own egos. How does Columbus and Ottawa making a trade effect the destiny of either of these teams? Carolina and LA Kings. Both teams out of the playoff picture, both in serious economic trouble, is it worth it?

The one trade that might actually help a team was the acquisition of Olli Jokinen by the Calgary Flames. The Flames add a number one centre to a team that is making a push for the Stanley Cup. The only issue I see with Jokinen is his playoff inexperience. He has the most games played of any player without going to the playoffs. Is this really the guy you expect to carry you to 16 wins in April, May and June? He has never grown that playoff beard, will it come in patchy, will it be too itchy for him, you just hope that the Flames did their homework.

Maybe I should just keep to the sports that I enjoy more than getting four vials of blood drawn.