I'm so furious about Paxson its not even funny. There is absolutely no rationale for drafting a Boras client that you have no intention of signing unless your farm system is stacked.  I've been frustrated with the AL East connundrum for years, and have been mad that JP was kept in charge for so long. However, the Paxson decision came from above... AFTER we made the pick.  I swear the only things keeping me tied to this club right now are Roy (how long?) and October 23, 1993.  The idea of having a high level Canadian player to follow through the minors really excited me, and that was just ripped away. Newsflash Rogers, these flashback weekends are only going to interest me for so long. 

The worst part is that I just moved from London (where the Tigers were an option) to Ottawa.  God!!! How nice would it be to have the Expos right now... I guess I could follow the Mets?

There were 2 unsigned first rounders (not including Crow, who didn't face a deadline yesterday), 2 unsigned 1s rounders, 2 unsigned second rounders and 3 unsigned third rounders.

So that's 9 unsigned players from the first three rounds and the Jays and Rays accounted for 5 of them.  Not the way to compete in the AL East.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Jays soured on Eliopoulis at that slot after watching him throw some more (little was known about him at the time of the draft), but selecting known overslot players like Paxson and Barrett and then not closing the deals is a mistake.

You know, I actually thought that it would be a good idea to stockpile picks for next years draft by not signing Elio and Barrett (both of whom I never liked as picks). Of course, I also wanted to use that money to ensure that Paxson signed. So given that neither signed, not signing Paxson looks even more BRUTAL to me on the surface.  Now, if the Jays legitimitely feel that Paxson was asking for too much, then they should publicize that number.  It would be a good strategy to save PR, and if its over 7 million, then I'll take back everything I've said today. Its not like we have to worry about angering Boras in the future anyway (we never deal with him).

I just got back from musky fishing up north, went to this site, and learned that the Jays didn't sign their 1st round supplemental, 2nd round, or 3 round picks.  I thought they were going to win by going over slot with high ceiling guys in the draft?  What a slap in the face.  I am done with this team, and I've been a fan since I was a child.  I've purchased flex packs and driven to Toronto at least 10 times every year until this year.  I've only been to Rogers Centre once this year and I don't plan on going back (Comerica is only 30 minutes farther, a nicer park and not ridiculously priced).  For the first time in about 15 years I've found myself watching something else on TV even when there was a Jays' game on.  I even cancelled an order of the latest jersey I bought.  The Jays might have saved a little money by not signing Paxton, but if there are more frustrated fans out there like me they'll be losing more and more money as fans lose interest and spend their money elsewhere.  This franchise has no plan and has shown no real commitment to winning.  Maybe my wife and I will take our Irish heritage to Fenway next year.

While not related to the overall negative vibe of the non-signings, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Snider has been called up:

NOTE -- 51s outfielder Travis Snider didn't start for Las Vegas and is expected to join the Blue Jays today. Toronto's top prospect, Snider was hitting .337 with 14 homers and 40 RBIs in 48 games and 17-game hit streak.

This has not been mentioned any where else that I can find, so it may be innaccurate.

I only picked the Mets because they're the next closest (non-Yankee) team.  I'm just looking for alternatives for the first time in my 25 years of following the Jays. That's what I've been driven to, through a combination of the AL East Curse, and JP Riccardi and his/management's terrible PR decisions (Dunn, announcing Halladay, BJ Ryan's "back...). 

Bringing up Snider would have been a good PR decision, if it happened two months ago.  Now its just a case of too little too late. Besides, super 2 only matters if you're not planning on paying the guy what he's worth.

In yet another shining example of bad PR, Anthopolous has got alot of nerve going on the radio and saying what he said a day after the team's actions suggest (once again) that they're gonna be cheap. Actions speak louder than words and we got Jenkins (who was an easy-sign guy) and let all of the above slot guys walk.  Couple that with Rios, Rolen, and the Halladay talk and we're looking at a cheap organization.

The funny thing is, as I've said in the past, I don't blame Rogers for this strategy as long as we're in the AL East.  I'd do the same thing until MLB realized there was something wrong. But you have to give the fans SOMETHING. You simply can't couple a losing season (check) with the removal of all hope for the following year (check), and the removal of all long term hope via a poor draft (check).  If you lose 90 games and trade your 2 best players- you had better make sure you draft well so that you don't completely screw your hardcore fans.

And most of all, I would prefer not to have sunshine blown up my butt while they're screwing us. If I want sunshine and BS I'll tune into JaysTalk. 

RB: Have the challenges of building a team in this division surprised you over the years?

JP: It’s not a a surprise. Nothing has changed. From the day I took the job in Toronto the Red Sox changed, with the new ownership coming in. All of a sudden you didn’t have to worry just about the Yankees, you had to worry about two super teams as far as having to be able to do things. The division has only gotten harder, but it’s a great division in because we like competing against those guys. It’s not easy, but anything you strive to do in life is not going to be easy.

RB: How do you view your team after all of this dust has cleared?

What we have to do is take a step back and start looking at ways that we can start building to get great. I think with the Cecils and the Romeros and all the young arms we have, along with the Hills and the Linds and the players we have coming we have a really good foundation and nucleus to get there. But I think we have to be smart about the fact that right now we’re not great and you have to be great to win this division.

Hearing this a lot lately. Remains to be seen what they'll do about that.

I think it’s extremely important. You have to realize that we’re a club that had a $20 million cut in payroll this year. So with that savings going into next year, along with the Rolen savings along with the players we acquired for Rolen, we were able to hopefully utilize that money to address some of our needs. I’ll only be able to answer the question over the next five years how that money works in our favor.

What ho? Is this a public semi-conformation that the payroll will rise? lets work this out a bit - let us say, for the sake of discussion, that the "normal" payroll is roughly $100 million (as in 2008). So they bank $20 million in 2009, and add it to the "normal" figure in 2010 - that's $120 million.

Is that what he's implying here? Because otherwise the "savings going into next year" makes no sense - even if they add $20 to the $80 they spent this year, that only gets back to the $100 million of 2008....if they only went to $100 it wouldn't be "banked" money to be used later but "saved" money gone back to Rogers.

We have a really good foundation here. Our ownership is great. Our ownership isn’t one that gives into pressure and understands that it’s a long haul and understands there’s a method to the madness. We’re pretty confident we’re going to be OK going forward. Every year brings different challenges and hopefully one of these years we’ll stay healthy to put the right players out there.

He doesn't talk like a guy who expects to be fired but then I suppose no one ever does.

The Jays spent $3.7m in the first 10 rounds of the draft, good for 23rd spot in the Majors.

Though I do feel better having listened to the Anthopoulos interview.

JP reveals his master plan:  "What we have to do is take a step back...."

Well, he's certainly achieved that.  Or several steps back.  So now we are moving forward by moving backward.  Classic JP double-speak.  He would have been a good military propagandist during Vietnam:   "We saved the village by burning it...."

Bleakest story-"The Road" by McCarthy; "Nineteen Eighty Four" by Orwell or the Blue Jays by Riccardi?

Winner! I don't think it's controversial to say they had the worst draft this year. They didn't sign three of their top five picks and I don't see where they made up for it afterwards. (Yes, they spent a little on Webb and Hutchison, but Webb was awful this spring, I had a cross-checker threaten bodily harm if he ever saw Webb on a top 100 list of mine for this draft.) They never made a serious run at Barrett and they didn't sign Eliopoulos over a fairly trivial (in my opinion) amount of money. I still have plenty of friends in that organization and I'm sure I'll catch hell from them now, but I can't justify their strategy in this draft.

The JP quote about a 20 million dollar pay cut is being taken the wrong way.   What has been said is that there was 20 million this year to work with.  They didn't use it because of all the pitching injuries.  It was a huge surprise that they started hot.  Almost unfortunate because it raised expectations. Everything I have heard indicates there will be money to work with going forward. 

It is to bad that they didn't sign the 3 young pitchers.  But I would bet anything there is more to it then meets the eye.  This is an organization that has an excellent track record in signing and developing young pitchers.   Look at how fast Cecil, and Zep have come along.   Romero is finally working out.   Marcum and Litsh did have Tommy John, but if just one of them recovers we will have huge depth next year. 

After getting a better look at these guys there were probably things that the organization didn't like...  Injury, Salary demands, mechanics, I don't know.  Ofcourse they should of figured this out before the draft.  It is a screw up.  And a major one.  But not the end of the world that everyone is making it out to be.

I believe alot the exciting guys in the lower minors are international signings, Alvarez, Sierra, Chavez, Pierre, Perez.  Wouldn't surprise me if the money went into collecting more of them, and into the draft next year. 

The Jays have promoted Tyler Pastornicky, John Anderson and Matt Daly to Dunedin.  Ryan Goins has been promoted to Lansing to take Pastornicky's spot.  Brian Van Kirk is promoted to New Hampshire.

Tim Collins has been promoted to New Hampshire.

 This gives these players a brief, 3 week, audition at their new level to prepare them for next season.

Finally some good news!

How can even the most naive person on earth even remotely believe ANYTHING that Jays ownership or management says? Now we are to believe the Jays will use these recouped draft picks on similar, high-upside/risk players next year? Just how idiotic are we supposed to be?

If you fail to sign a player with a draft pick you received as compensation from the previous draft-you do NOT receive endless compensation picks. If they don't sign em next year the pick is lost-PERIOD. The picks will be used on easy signability guys-believing anything else goes way beyond gullible. The other choice is to take the high risk sign and either pay through the nose because said draft pick is fully aware the team has no leg to stand on-OR get nothing from a high draft pick. 

And once again the Paxton selection especially is no excuse. Boras clients NEVER lower their demands. If you're not taking that into account your draft strategy is just completely flawed unless your system is stacked and you are willing to gamble. I think the latter pretty clearly does not describe the Jays farm system.. As to people saying the Jays somehow soured on Eli or Barrett between the draft and now without either throwing a professional pitch-then the scouts just aren't doing a good job.  

As for the interview with AA, what is he supposed to say? He's not going to admit to anything that might make the Jays look even more pathetic than they already do. He's the PR at this point.

Tim Collins was his usual self in his first AA appearance, three up, three down and two K's. 

Tyler Pastornicky was 2-4 in his Dunedin debut.

How does failing to sign their high risk guys this year make it plausible that next year, with more picks who will need signing in the top rounds, they will be able to pony up the cash for said high-risk picks. Even the safe slot guys eat up money that cuts into the draft budget. So does having a higher first round pick who will require a higher bonus.

Say they do go safe with slot guys for the comp picks, how much money would slot players in those positions eat up? I would guess at least a million, with probably at least an extra milion going to the higher first round pick. That's already cutting away an extra two million into the draft budget before TALKING about going over slot for some high-risk guys with your normal draft picks. Given what has just transpired, do you find it likely the Jays will suddenly live up to their word next year and sign a few high risk over slot guys early on? Sure its possible, anything is. But you'd be one hell of a sucker to count on it. I mean the only thing they proved this year by going over slot to Marisnick, Hobson, Hutchison and Webb was that they are willing to draft themselves inferior backup options should the top-round guys they 'really wanted' not cave into their price range. That way they at least look like they're trying to spend their draft bugdet.

And I don't believe I said or implied in my post that any team in MLB goes over slot with every draft pick, so don't put words in my mouth. I was just saying that it now means the Jays will have to go with cheap college signs with these comp picks because otherwise it's too risky. Deferring picks year after year is a fools strategy. They take long enough to develope as is without waiting an extra season to get them signed.

There will be a new MLU thread up later tonight or sometime tomorrow to discuss last night's games. It will presumably be a suitable venue to discuss the efforts of the players who were promoted earlier today.

Unfortunately, not all of us are able to write game recaps and post them immediately after the games end.

It also stands to reason that an organization doesn't take three players in its top five who they are unable or unwilling to sign.

It also stands to reason that an organization doesn't take three players in its top five who they are unable or unwilling to sign.