By general custom, baseball executives don't make roster moves until after the World Series is over, as they don't want to draw attention away from baseball's "showcase". (Note the quotation marks: for me, and for many people I know, the season is already over.) However, we at Da Box are not bound by such limitations. So here's my idea: let's suppose that you have been put in charge of the Blue Jays. What moves would you make? Assume a budget roughly similar to this year's.
My own choices: I'd keep the offense more or less intact, and give the kids a bit more time to mature down on the farm. Gross, Rios and Quiroz can all use more AAA seasoning, and why bother starting the service clock earlier than you have to? The only hitter on the current roster that is currently on the "sign or not?" bubble is Catalanotto, and he is eager to come back, so why not sign him to a 1-year deal if he'll take one? (One with an option may be the only realistic choice.) Good lefthanded hitters aren't that easy to find. I'd also re-sign Myers, if he'll come back, and possibly even re-sign Wilson, though maybe he should be an NRI at this point.
The only other change I'd make to the offense is to sign a quality glove as backup shortstop (assuming Bordick can't be talked into returning). The Jays will probably have to live with Woody at short next year, as Hill and Adams are at least a year away and probably two. But somebody with a lighter bat but better glove would be a useful late-inning defensive replacement, and could start when Halladay is pitching (Doc gets ground balls, and gives up fewer runs, so the offensive loss would be offset by the defensive gain).
As for pitching: priority #1 is to lock up Halladay. Prime pitching costs money, so most of the Jays' discretionary budget will probably be eaten up by Doc's contract. He'll be worth it. The rest of the money should be used to sign a flotilla of mid-level and NRI-level starting pitchers (such as, say, Hentgen). If the best way to develop pitchers is to sign a whole bunch of them and wait for the cream to rise to the top, the best way to acquire pitchers is to do likewise, no? A couple of them will develop under the protective wings of the Jays' coaching staff (just as Kershner did this year). If the Jays can use the money that went to Lidle to sign a new #2 starter, so much the better, but I think all that money will have to go to Doc.
As for the bullpen: it's actually not in bad shape, assuming that Lopez, Kershner, Miller, and Politte are all healthy. They need to pick up another pitcher or two, but, again, that just involves beating the bushes.
At this point, I wouldn't trade a top prospect to fill a hole.
By 2005, the farm system will be starting to produce quality players. Gross, Rios, Quiroz, McGowan and Bush (the Fab Five) should all be ready by then, so we will start to see J.P.'s team on the field.
My own choices: I'd keep the offense more or less intact, and give the kids a bit more time to mature down on the farm. Gross, Rios and Quiroz can all use more AAA seasoning, and why bother starting the service clock earlier than you have to? The only hitter on the current roster that is currently on the "sign or not?" bubble is Catalanotto, and he is eager to come back, so why not sign him to a 1-year deal if he'll take one? (One with an option may be the only realistic choice.) Good lefthanded hitters aren't that easy to find. I'd also re-sign Myers, if he'll come back, and possibly even re-sign Wilson, though maybe he should be an NRI at this point.
The only other change I'd make to the offense is to sign a quality glove as backup shortstop (assuming Bordick can't be talked into returning). The Jays will probably have to live with Woody at short next year, as Hill and Adams are at least a year away and probably two. But somebody with a lighter bat but better glove would be a useful late-inning defensive replacement, and could start when Halladay is pitching (Doc gets ground balls, and gives up fewer runs, so the offensive loss would be offset by the defensive gain).
As for pitching: priority #1 is to lock up Halladay. Prime pitching costs money, so most of the Jays' discretionary budget will probably be eaten up by Doc's contract. He'll be worth it. The rest of the money should be used to sign a flotilla of mid-level and NRI-level starting pitchers (such as, say, Hentgen). If the best way to develop pitchers is to sign a whole bunch of them and wait for the cream to rise to the top, the best way to acquire pitchers is to do likewise, no? A couple of them will develop under the protective wings of the Jays' coaching staff (just as Kershner did this year). If the Jays can use the money that went to Lidle to sign a new #2 starter, so much the better, but I think all that money will have to go to Doc.
As for the bullpen: it's actually not in bad shape, assuming that Lopez, Kershner, Miller, and Politte are all healthy. They need to pick up another pitcher or two, but, again, that just involves beating the bushes.
At this point, I wouldn't trade a top prospect to fill a hole.
By 2005, the farm system will be starting to produce quality players. Gross, Rios, Quiroz, McGowan and Bush (the Fab Five) should all be ready by then, so we will start to see J.P.'s team on the field.
