Jays need a closer

Jays need a guy still that comes in the ninth inning and gets them 1-2-3, done.

To date, I hear that Krod is being sought, and here is the item.

Jon Heyman reports that Francisco Rodriguez is on the Blue Jays' radar.

Heyman adds, however, that the Jays are trying to trade for a closer first. Rodriguez posted a strong 3.04 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 73/18 K/BB ratio in 68 innings this season for the Brewers while recording 44 saves in 49 chances. He's only 32 years old, so the asking price is probably pretty high. 

 

The above photo is Rollie Fingers, maybe in the discussion of most successful closer, 3 WS titles with the 70's Athletics. 

 

 Mo Rivera is of course the modern age standard for closers, and perhaps the best ever.  Well he had Jeter at shortstop, so he defense behind him. Ha ha , just kidding, makes him even more valuable.

Will Jays get a someone or a committee ?  I would spend to get a someone, but it ain't my money so spend some Rogers. Krod, or someone with a reputation for not blowing up.

The free agent market is pretty thin for quality closers, not to mention the fact that you often have to overpay for pitchers with high save totals. Francisco Rodriguez and Rafael Soriano are both still available as well as recently released Brian Wilson who could be signed for an extremely team-friendly contract. The options through trade are obviously endless, but acquiring a team's closer is often a pricey endeavor.

 

My choice is Brian Wilson, and here is why,

 

The Dodgers officially cut ties on Friday with relief pitcher Brian Wilson, releasing the right-hander, a team source confirmed.

Wilson was designated for assignment on Tuesday to make room on the 40-man roster for Brandon McCarthy. The team had 10 days to try to make a deal for Wilson, or put him on waivers.

"We have had conversations with other clubs leading up to this to see if there is interest out there," general manager Farhan Zaidi said on Tuesday. "We have a few days to sort that out."

The Dodgers are on the hook for Wilson's $10 million salary in 2015, the result of his exercise of a player option for 2015. The right-hander parlayed 19⅔ great innings in 2013 (including playoffs) coming off Tommy John surgery into a one-year deal plus an option that will ultimately pay Wilson $20 million.

Wilson put up a 4.66 ERA and 4.29 FIP in 61 games, with 54 strikeouts and 29 walks in 48⅓ innings.

Should Wilson sign elsewhere in 2015, the Dodgers' financial obligation would be reduced. In other words, look for some other team to pay Wilson no more than the major league minimum of $507,500 in base salary. 

 

Alex would be glad to pay the Beard $ 507,500 and lett he Dodgers pay the balance and let Wilson try to rebound.  Reduce the walks Brian, and watch the ERA plummet. 

 

I would say, give it a shot, why not. What can you lose.  If someone emerges as a better closer, gteat, sign him for 2 years, the second year being a club option.

 

There you go Alex, problem solved.   Next blog I will hope to make sense of second base.

The Trade before Christmas.

It was the trade before Christmas andall throught the house, I was grinning ear to ear.

Happiness is a warm gun, quote the Beatles, but for me it is a wonderful off season fantasy baseball trade.

I finished in the wild card slot, due to a unspectacular September, and the loss of Garrett Richards with a season ending injury, then the Rays shut down Drew Smyly just to make sure my carcas was done.

So we lost an owner after the season ended, it happens, but up sprouts a new owner, eager and looking for deals.

He sends Pedroia for Machado, which I think is okay in my books,  then after a few e-mails, where upon I ask about 23 year old Marcus Stroman,and he offers me Lorenzo Cain, and Stroman for my 8th round pick and Brett Gardner.  I asked the junior partner ( my son ) and faster than Jackie Robinson can say Jackie Robinson, he says make the deal before he changes his mind.

The deal in half an hour is concluded before anyone get get on their kerchielf or night cap and winter's naps have begun.

Visions of a strengthened centre field defense danced through my head, and an ace on the mound, and it's ain't Saint Nick, but young Stroman out on the new fallen snow, gave a lot of luster, despite the lack of snow.

Wax poetic, I do, it is the happiness of a wonderful trade before Christmas.

Now if I can permitted to be a sight Scrooge like in looking for some replacement picks perhaps for young Santiago, and longtime Elephant Matt Holliday.

The Window just shut

The window on the Blue Jays just shut with the report that the Red Sox have added The Panda, and also Hanley Ramirez.   We thought the Sox would re tool after dealing John Lester. and they have.

I can only imagine what those Bronx Bombers are thinking today.  The Red Sox are reported to have snageed 2 large prize additions.  Hanley will play short or perhaps the outfield while The Panda will patrol 3rd base. At least for a year until David Ortiz retires, then The Panda will replace Big Papi at DH. 

And then they will get started at re tooling the rotation. And then let's wait for Steinbrenners kids to start screaming at Brian Cashman, and then those Yanks will start up. Depending on whether they have sent Arod and his contract to the curb. They will need the money, but frankly when has spending money been a problem for New York.

Don't forget about the Birds, they have re sign Nelson Cruz, or get a suitable replacement.  Anyway you slice it, with the Red Sox getting a jump on Black Friday, and Xmas shopping, let's agree that adding Russell Martin was a nice Canadian come home story, and move on.

Let's enjoy the fact we were in first for a stage, and be nostalgic.  The window folks, has just shut on 2015.

September

Find me a newspaper, I cannot stand internet reading any longer. Into September I crave to read the paper and box scores, look at the games ahead, the games in hand, and upcoming serties.

Life is already fast paced, isn't it ?

That is why I crave the krinkle of the sports section, the feel in my hands, folded , rolled, bent and yet always there and reliable, like a good chair to observe the baseball world.

There are times, I am happy to look at my tablet/ipad, but I always rely on the net , passwords, and being able to avoid the tedious process to get to what I really want to see.  Have the Dodgers clinched, will the Pirates have a chance. Who is matched up today for Oakland, what pitcher is throwing against what pitcher.


To me, I can do all that on one page, and I carry that image around all day, and can relive that experience on the way home.

It is a comfort, in September, when it counts the most, less than a dozen games, then down to 10, who's out and who's home and cooled.  How often are the O's playing their regulars, are the Nats pitching Strasbourg more than 5 innings, what kids are playing, how's that new Boston Cuban OF doing, Rusney something.  Boy is Jeter gone cold.

I get more from reading boxscores that Steven Hawking gets from a slide rule, or at least, I get more out of reading them.

Days were when I kept the Saturday scores and last 2 pages because they showed the top 50 hitters, and pitchers, innings, won-loss, era leaders, they do not need to, as there is somewhere out there on the net you can filter, and look at.

I wish for simpler days, but I won't get them, but they were far easier to fathom.

By the way, regarding the home squad, since Joey Bats explained after the O's clinched and he did not care about the division, they have not won a game.

And are falling again. 

My next entry will be after the season is over, let the playoffs begin.



Come with me now, watch the Angels

So the song is stuck in my head currently, even as I watch the game. This Spouth African quartet and their cajun styling and thumping lrics have me hummin their damn song all the way home.

Don't they know I am trying to pay attention to the game, I have pitchers pitching I gotta pay attention to.
These Kongoes or Kongos or whatever the hell they are called are screwing up my mojo.

A week ago I watched an Ice Bucket Challenge starring Paul Bissonette, and this song is playing. The trailer for Expendables 3 is on, and this song wafts through.

Anyhow,  can you believe the Angels luck ?

Tyler Skaggs, Tommy John surgery
Garrett Richards..really hard to watch...not as gut wrenching as the Dave Dravecky ( go on youtube ) injury.

Enter Matt Shoemaker..1 hits the Fish.. Hec Santiago churning out 5-6 innings keeping his team in the game. Albert has picked up the slack, and if Josh Hamilton can kick it up, theses guys have the every day players to make noise.

SHHHH !!!

So please do not disturb the local ball club, they are trying to curl up in a ball and ignore the rest of the world. Based on their recent road performance, I question whether they even showed up at all.

Since they have come home, they have eked out a single win over the Rays, and given Boston new life.

The Sox had gone 8 straight without seeing a win, then the landed in the land of milk and honey, and shazzam, suddenly they can pitch, they can hit, they field, and they have taken the first 2 games so far.

Are these guys still sleeping, or just sleep walking ?   If it matters , we are at the end of August, the dog days have ended, dogs are sleeping. You all know about letting sleeping dogs, leave them alone.

So while the Jays do not matter, I will offer some insights on the American League.

>

The Orioles are home free

The Tigers are toothless

Royals are team of destiny

A's - who the christ knows

Angels lose 2 starting pitchers, and keep winning

Rays..looks like 2015 will be good

Rangers..holy christ..what happened to them, weren't they in the World Series a few years ago

Yanks..gotta give it to the pin stripes, they got game

White Sox....fire sale anyone

Mariners..still think they are pretenders..but  a 1 game playoff with Felix...I like their chances if that happens

What will happen in the off season for the sleepy Jays, change the bedding, change some pieces but what direction will they be headed in.

What do I see ?

Royals or Angels playing the Orioles to get into the World Series.  So much for the Tigers and A's dueling it out.



The Jays look run down

The field looks so big, and the team looks quite small at this stage of the season. I think they got the most they could, but appear they are still a .500 ball club who had a hot May.
They lost players, but so does many teams, Just look at the NY Yankees rotation, not the stuff of legends there. I think the current GM is maybe on his way out. Reason I say that is that I am not sure how long the board will let Paul Beeston stay and Anthopolous is a Besston boy.

I think the die is cast, profits grew , fans appeared, at a considerable cost, but like the Leafs, the Jays are skidding off the to the side like a old car and will plummet below not only the Yankees, but Tampa eventually. A 4rth place finish when they perched in first by 6 games spells doom for the GM and manager.  Gibbons was Alex's choice, so should Alex walk, Gibbons will follow.

I like both guys, don't get me wrong, I though Anthopolous was a breathe of fresh air versus Riccardi, a spin doctor of the worst kind. But new shake ups in ownership have alerted us that Rogers wanted product placement, not championships. Blackberry's using Rogers air space, promos, TV spots, and new customers.

The team looks like they wish August 31st was September 30th, and September they have numerous games against top teams, and they will have nothing left.

I think they need to shut Hutchinson down now, and perhaps if they fall to 4rth soon, Strohman in early September. What's to be proven to let them achieve 200 innings. Hutch already had 3 very rough outings, Strohman less so but he came up part way into the season, but had his worst outing last weekend. He is fresher, but his psyche is fragil, despite his birth certificate. 

Lind has scuffled, Edwin is not in the groove and let's face it, too many Triple AAA types litter their line up.  They just look spent. The farm system was gutted, and needs a few good drafts now to recover. USA rate the Jays farm system in the bottom 10 of the majors, and bottom 10 is a compliment. So have other baseball evaluators.

GM's don't see the next wave of solid prospects, which is why they were asking for Sanchez and Strohman at the July deadline, or everyday players. The cupboard is sparse.

The problems the Jays will face is that they have money tied up in Buerhle, RA Dickey, Bautista, Reyes, and long deals. I expect these guys are all on revoccable waivers, such as the TExas Rangers have Darvish, Beltre and Rios, and Andrus. In hopes of returning kids and reducing payroll.

3 of their big money players need to move on, use that capital wisely and re stock the shelf with draftees and kids from other teams.  Next year cut ties with Rasmus, try and re sign Melky, get Gose back in CF, find a bloody 2nd baseman and put safety bubble wrap on Brett Lawrie,  Strohman, Hutchinson, and Sanchez are your core arms, try and move  out the deadwood, or the expensice kindling before they burn up. 

Hire Ernie Whitt as your next manager. He knows how to talk to kids, knows the market and the history, and go back to drawing board. See if you can pry Ortiz out of Boston, he always hits well here, and for him, a change of scenary might help for a year. Meld smart savvy vets with the kids.

They look old and tried to me, do they to you ?