I'll be listening, and I really hope that Wilner and JP get into an argument about something, and Wilner doesn't back down.

want someone to ask him if the poor showing of Russ Adams so far in the fall league is of any concern and after he looks back at the 02 draft does he think he made a mistake drafting Adams(Although i know he is never going to admit it).

Also, i want to know just what he plans to do with Jason Werth this offseason and how negotiations between the jays and escobar are going.

I may be dense but I can't find any links at the Fan 590 web site to their live broadcast.

Chuck - http://www.fan590.com/eprise/main/fan/index.html

Click on the Listen Live icon in the left hand frame.

EZ as 3.1415, EZ. Thanks.

Mentioning the ZLC got me first in line tonight. I was the one who asked about the bullpen-by-committee.

J.P. started off by saying, "We've done a couple of things that we have to wait until after the World Series to announce."

Regarding six year free agents, Wilner joked, "If I know half the names, you've got to know the other half." J.P. replied that they had narrowed down the guys they are interested in, but it doesn't sound like a long list.

"As our club gets better at the major league level, our needs won't be as strong," he explained. "This year, we don't need as many, so we're looking for guys who can help right away, not guys we have to wait for."

Mentioning the ZLC got me first in line tonight.

Ryan's question about the bullpen got a great response.

"The idea is great; it's just having the right personnel to do it." J.P. doubted the Jays would be doing it next year, but didn't rule it out in the future. He cited the Cincinnati "Nasty Boys" and the Nelson-Rivera-Wetteland trio as examples of the right personnel, and said there was no way he'd pay five or six million dollars for a Proven Closer.

Mike asked about Delgado's future. "I don't think we're in any position to sit down with Carlos and talk about next year," J.P. hedged. He talked about more immediate priorities, like getting Roy Halladay signed to an extension, and suggested they wouldn't be making an offer to Delgado until he knows what the 2005 budget will be, or "until the market changes for us."

"David Bush is probably the closest," said the GM about his pitching prospects, with Arnold and McGowan also getting mentions.

"We're trying really hard to keep Kelvim here," J.P. said in response to a caller. "Our offer on the table is very fair, and at some point he'll have to make a decision whether he wants to be a part of what we're doing here."

"I know how your mind works," J.P. kidded Wilner, who pressed him about whether an Escobar announcement was among the ones forthcoming after the World Series.

As to the timing of offseason moves, Ricciardi said, "We're hoping to address some of our (free agent) needs early, and that we'll have some (money) left over in January."

Man, I hope the callers that tried to argue the definition of 3-days rest or suggested an 8-man lineup weren't from the ZLC.

Hey Guys , I only caught the last 6 minutes . Can anyone fill me in ehat I missed? I heard the escobar , 3 day to 4 day rest debate question , Bush & Mcgowan & Arnold comments and finally the 16 team in the playoff comment.

Any other question and comments that were said would be great, that someone can fill us in on.

Thanks , Jeff

Disregard my questions ! Sorry Coach , I did not see your commnets while I was typing slow.

Elijah, sometimes when you are screening baseball calls....they tell you hey want to talk about one thing....then when they go on air, they say another....like an 8 man line-up!!!!

I'm afraid to ask...but I will.

What did the 4-day rest guy tell you he was talking about?

He actually said he wanted to ask about the possibility of Escobar being in a jays uniform next season....those kinds of callers slip by , nothing you can do...although Mike does give me the "look" when they do get on the air!!!!

want someone to ask him if the poor showing of Russ Adams so far in the fall league is of any concern and after he looks back at the 02 draft does he think he made a mistake drafting Adams(Although i know he is never going to admit it).

Hindsight is 20/20, but if they knew they would get Hill this year I think the Jays might have preferred Joe Blanton to Russ Adams last year.

Not that I've given up on Adams, just at this point Blanton would seem to be the superior prospect.

"The idea is great; it's just having the right personnel to do it." J.P. doubted the Jays would be doing it next year, but didn't rule it out in the future. He cited the Cincinnati "Nasty Boys" and the Nelson-Rivera-Wetteland trio as examples of the right personnel, and said there was no way he'd pay five or six million dollars for a Proven Closer.

Not sure what it'd take to get him, but Juan Cruz would be a nice addition to the staff, and perhaps the rotation.

Escobar filed for free agency today according to ESPN along with 34 other players including Juan Gonzalez and Javy Lopez (who I still can't believe hit .328 with 42 homeruns).

Ponson, Urbina, Helling, Santiago, Todd Walker, Shannon Stewart, and Eddie Guardado were some of the other noteables.

Escobar filed for free agency today according to ESPN along with 34 other players including Juan Gonzalez and Javy Lopez (who I still can't believe hit .328 with 42 homeruns).

Has anyone eligible for FA NOT filed for FA? I've never understood why this is 'news' other than to remind people that they're FAs.

Javy Lopez has 2004 Baltimore Oriole written all over him.

Has anyone eligible for FA NOT filed for FA?

Sure. They could be close to signing with their current club, they could be retiring, or they could hold a player option that is worth more than their open-market value.

There's a new thread for FA discussion.

Javy Lopez has 2004 Baltimore Oriole written all over him.

To be perfectly accurate, though, the Orioles need to spend two months first trumpeting to the press that they are "very close to working out a deal with Vladimir Guerrero" (when in fact they are trying to get Vlad's agent to return their five phone calls a day, and trying to figure out how that funny "e-mail" machine in the basement works so they can contact him that way too).

Then, they will spend a month announcing that they are very close to signing "a couple of big-hitting star free agents".

Finally, the Orioles will trot out their new signings, who will of course be Javy Lopez and Eric Karros (or possibly Juan Gonzalez and Roberto Alomar). The O's will also engineer the signing of Proven Closer Rod Beck fron San Diego, and no doubt will trade for Jeff Conine again. And Jeff Fassero. The Orioles were MADE to sign Jeff Fassero.

Guys, guys. The O's immediate past is not necessarily their future. Mike Flanagan seems to have a working brain, and may be able to keep Angelos at bay. Their minor league system is in better shape than the Yankees or Red Sox system. There is no reason for them to repeat the errors of Angelos' first decade.

Actually, Angelos is probably the closest comp to Steinbrenner, although he comes from a different political background. Interventionist owner with dough, but doesn't know how to use it well. That certainly was the story of the Yankees in the eighties, until George realized the importance of the farm system and hung on the jewels (Jeter, Bernie Williams, Posada).

Well it's only news in the sense that they have 15 days after the World Series to file and they did so on the first day possible. Which suggests the Jays aren't close to getting anything done and aren't likely to if he starts getting signficant offers on the free market.

Still, if someone jumps on Escobar before December 7th then it's not necessarily a bad thing. The extra draft pick or two would be put to good use.

Javy Lopez has 2004 Baltimore Oriole written all over him.


I wonder who will cost more, Lopez or Pudge?

I don't think Javy Lopez is going to be a horrible Baltimore-style signing (like Dave Segui or Marty Cordova).

There was a good reason for his resurgence -- he spent last winter getting himself into shape and losing 30 pounds. If he stays in shape, I don't think he's going to regress back to his pre-2003 form.