I believe a healthy EE can hit 30hrs.  - I dislike his demeanour intensely, but as numerous posters

have pointed out his numbers are pretty good and he's likely going into his best yrs. - a good signing and

a guy I could see been flipped at the deadline. Also, this likely means that Bautista (if he's still here) goes

to RF - another benefit

I apologise - didn't read the post - apparently he's going to be 1B/DH  - I think he's a better defensive 3rd

than Bautista - perhaps a 3RD. will be acquired

I always thought Encarnacion's only problems were with his arm. His range is pretty good. He could totally be a gold-glove caliber first baseman, if his bat lets him play there.

Oops, I meant 2012 option.

Was Beltre ever in the picture? I don't really like him much. He only seems to produce in contract years. Also, his irrational hatred of head-rubbing makes him look like an idiot.

Count me also amongst those who thought Encarnacion's defense improved markedly last year. Fangraphs agree's, for what it's worth.

As it stands I don't think Encarnacion hits enough to play first. His numbers with the Jays were about 240/305/470.

By playing EE at 1B and DH (hopefully mostly) the team can significantly improve his value, which we will see in his WAR, as his defensive numbers will not drag down that value.

A significant component of WAR is positional adjustment. The offensive bar at first base is much higher than it is at third base. It's not clear to me that his (presumed) defensive improvement moving from 3B to 1B will be near enough to claw back the loss his WAR will suffer in positional adjustment.

It's likely that he will platoon with Lind.

Encarnacion: .266/.373/.474/.847 Career vs Lefties (.255/.322/.446/.768 vs Righties)

Lind: .290/.342/.519/.860 Career vs Righties (.217/.264/.344/.608 vs Lefties)

Lind: .275/.327/.502/.829 Last year vs Righties (.117/.159/.182/.341 vs Lefties last year)

I didn't realize how bad Lind was vs lefties... A platoon could produce a nice overall statistical line. Encarnacion isn't bad versus righties, and might improve on that if he continues to improve at the plate.

I don't think this is a pure rebuilding year. I think there are a lot of good parts, which, if things go our way, could be competitive. I think spending to put us over the top this year is a bit of a waste, since a lot of talent will be maturing and may be ready to produce in 2012.

Mick

Beltre to the Rangers would be great news - Hello, Angels, we have this RH home run champion looking for

a home and can play multiple positions.

I my initial reaction was three words long and can better be indicated by the initials W, T and F.

I suppose if he isn't playing third, he isn't as much of a detriment...

....I didn't realize how bad Lind was vs lefties... A platoon could produce a nice overall statistical line....

A platoon of Lind and Encarnacion at DH or 1B might make some sense.  The problem is that this would cost $7.5-million in 2011 salary for a single position in the lineup, and I don't see Anthopolous spending $7.5-million on a single lineup slot -- not when he is obviously being extremely parsimonious this year.  Seems more likely that Lind and Encarnacion will have to cover two positions in the lineup, and neither is likely to be particularly great. 

Is this a surprise? AA has been saying he's building for the long haul since the day he was hired.

Well said Forkball - couldn't have said it better myself.

Players with at least 1000 matched throws total where the minimum of the two pair for each fielder is added to the total:

Best per 1000 throws

Berkman +4 runs, 2928 matched throws
Choi +4, 1361
Conine +3, 3100
Connor Jackson +3, 1790
Loney +3, 1679
Mientkewicz +3, 4344
D Ward +3, 1119
Olerud +2.5, 4481
Sexson +2.5, 6471
Tony Clark +2.5, 2880
Dan Johnson +2.5, 1774
Overbay +2.5, 4834

My best Howard Cosell impersonation...

The Juice is back!  The Juice is back! 

No.  Sorry, eh. 

The Milk is back!  The Milk is back! 

Yeah, that's better.

Who gave EE the moniker, "Milk?"  Any idea what it means?

I can't see anything to criticize about this move. The Jays didn't have a backup at 1B or 3B or DH and now they do. Encarnacion won't stand in the way of a developing player, and almost every observer seems to think there is a good chance that he will become a solid hitter.

Baseball-Reference has Morgan Ensberg as Encarnacion's #1 comparison.  At age 29 (E5's $3.5M option year) Ensberg hit 36 home runs with a .945 OPS.  Some other guy at #5 on E5's list of comps also had a monster age 29 season... you guys might have heard of him.

Of course, there are a few other players in his comp list that aren't as impressive.  B-R sure thinks E5 still has some potential, though.

.....The Jays didn't have a backup at 1B or 3B or DH and now they do.....

Why do you assume that Encarnacion won't be a starter?   True, there's still time for the Jays to acquire a better 1B or DH, relegating Encarnacion to a back-up role, but Anthopolous is running out of time and a lot of the better options are gone.  It could also be argued that the Jays gave $1.5-million to John McDonald to be a back-up, so maybe they could give $2.5-million to Encarnacion to be a back-up;  but remember the howls of outrage from many Bauxites when McDonald was given such a hefty contract?  I would have thought that the fury would be even louder if we thought Encarnacion was signed at $2.5-million to ride the bench.  It seems more likely that he's been signed as a starter.

.....almost every observer seems to think there is a good chance that he will become a solid hitter....

Encarnacion was once a solid hitter -- from the ages of 23 to 25.  Since then, he has been in decline.  He's not exactly a young prospect who might be expected to improve.  He will be 28 in a few weeks.  To expect improvement from him, at this stage, seems risky at best.

Mylegacy, I was thinking the exact same thing.

The Rasmus rumours have gone cold... which probably means that AA is constantly harassing Mozeliak

But it'll take a lot more than Gose to get him...

I wonder if the Jays were the highest bidder for him or he wanted to come back or the Jays just matched the best offer?

At a certain point, players will actually want to come to Toronto to play, especially if it means being able to beat down Bos and NYY.

I like the move.  Not too surprised by it, except for the commitment to move him to 1B/DH....which I agree with, just surprised by.

We still have a fairly gaping hole at 3B or corner outfield.  Time is ticking.  I wonder what AA is working on.  The conspiracist in me says he is the mystery player on Beltre, but is waiting to see if he can land Grienke first.  The Vulcan in me says he is trying to find a young 3B man or outfielder as a permanent solution and will fall back on Davis/Thames if he can't.

We still have a fairly gaping hole at 3B or corner outfield.

Don't forget the Mike Green hypothesis of signing a second baseman and moving Hill to 3B. Orlando Hudson on a one-year deal would buy the front office some time to sort out the infield situation.

Orlando Hudson on a one-year deal would buy the front office some time to sort out the infield situation.

AA ruled a move like that out when he said that he'd only move Hill off second if there was a permanent solution that he had in mind - not to make room for a stop gap solution.  Or maybe I dreamt he said that.

Gregor Chisholm has a few words from the GM.

"We always felt there was potential to Edwin's bat," Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. "We think now being completely healthy going into next year and getting everyday at-bats ... he can be a pretty impactful bat in our lineup, and we think there is a lot of upside to him going forward."

Encarnacion is expected to get the majority of his playing time at DH while backing up Adam Lind at first base. Lind appeared in just 11 games at first last season, but the Blue Jays would like to experiment with him at the position next year.

talking Cashman into taking Vernon

Can he pitch?

AA ruled a move like that out when he said that he'd only move Hill off second if there was a permanent solution that he had in mind - not to make room for a stop gap solution. 

Thanks. I hadn't heard that.

Unfortunately for the teams with the open wallets, recent history suggests that giving contracts of 3+ years to a relief pitcher is generally a terrible idea. Here’s a list of free agent relievers who have received deals for three or more years since over the last four off-seasons.

Danys Baez (2007-2009), 3 years, $19 million: -0.4 WAR
Justin Speier (2007-2010), 4 years, $18 million: -0.2 WAR
Jamie Walker (2007-2009), 3 years, $12 million: -0.5 WAR
Scott Schoeneweis (2007-2009), 3 years, $11 million: -1.5 WAR
Chad Bradford (2007-2009), 3 years, $11 million: +2.0 WAR
Francisco Cordero (2008-2011), 4 years, $46 million: +2.8 WAR
Mariano Rivera (2008-2010), 3 years, $45 million: +7.8 WAR
Scott Linebrink (2008-2011), 4 years, $18 million: +0.5 WAR
David Riske (2008-2010), 3 years, $13 million: -0.6 WAR
Francisco Rodriguez (2009-2011), 3 years, $36 million: +1.7 WAR
Damaso Marte (2009-2011), 3 years, $12 million: -0.2 WAR
Brandon Lyon (2010-2012), 3 years, $15 million: +1.0 WAR

12 relievers were deemed worthy of long term deals as free agents. Half of them performed below replacement level and were a complete waste of money. Four of them were simply disappointments, ending up as semi-productive relievers making far too much money. One of them had a good first year, but still has to justify the decision with two years remaining on the deal. And the other is Mariano Rivera.

Now I'm not as stringent as the author of this article ( read the comments as well) , but I think you'll see the gist of why signing free agent relief pitchers can be dicey.

"he can be a pretty impactful bat in our lineup, and we think there is a lot of upside to him going forward.."

Going forward, I think Mr Anthopolous could have a more impactful upside if he could sprinkle a little more plain English into his speech....

I laughed out loud at this. The brutal misuse of the word impact by almost everyone is painful.

The brutal misuse of the word impact by almost everyone is painful.

The thing is, if almost everyone misuses it, it isn't misuse.  If everyone uses a word to convey a point, wouldn't it become a definition of the word?

The thing is, if almost everyone misuses it, it isn't misuse.  If everyone uses a word to convey a point, wouldn't it become a definition of the word?

It can be widely understood but still incorrect! To be fair there is apparently disagreement on whether impact can be used as a verb... I'm in the no school.

Jonny German & electric carrot

Well done!  You win a cookie.

The origins of EE's moniker "Milk"?

When I was in the Canadian military, I was taught how to "neutralize the enemy with extreme prejudice".  This involved a lot of traipsing around the boondocks shooting people and being shot at.  

In order to preserve some semblance of civilization to the activity, a truce was called at 10AM and 3PM everyday on order to observe that wonderful old Canadian tradition, coffee break. 

In those days, Tim Horton was still toiling on the Leafs' blue line.  So we were obliged to drink a tepid, foul-smelling brown liquid which was delivered to the troops in gigantic urns, accompanied by sugar and canned Carnation milk.

If you say EE's name fast three times, it sounds like "Edwin and Carnation".  Hence, the nickname, "Milk".  Appropos, because the proverbial Milk of Human Kindness courses through EE's veins with a vengence.  His .951 fielding percentage represents the gifting of a free out to the enemy every score of chances.

I can't understand why "Milk" has never caught on with Jays fans everywhere.

Yes indeed, Anders. Nero Wolfe hated anyone who used contact as a verb...one can only imagine his ire at impact's more brutal fate.

I thought signing Edwin Encarnacion was a good deal, then I stumbled on to this http://jaysjournal.com/2010/12/16/edwin-encarnacion-returns-to-the-jays/ and then this http://jaysjournal.com/2010/12/17/why-having-edwin-encarnacion-on-the-2011-blue-jays-isnt-a-bad-thing/ .   Now I'm sure it's a good thing.   We were able to buy out Gregg and Olivo, resign Encarnacion, all for approx. $1.25MM-$1.50MM less than keeping him initially.   We save approx. $5.0MM-$6.5MM on players who might not be as good as he can be?

It is interesting to see Boston signing Bobby Jenks http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/red-sox-to-sign-bobby-jenks.html ,perhaps A.A. could trade for Jonathan Papelbon (@ $11.0MM).   He'll be a high ranked Type A Free Agent after the season, possibly letting A.A sign a Type A Free Agent, while keeping a First Round Pick.   Or he could be that good, worth keeping for possible Mariano money.   Otherwise the Closer market is getting old and thin.

Orlando Hudson is off the market.  

The remaining Free Agent catching list sucks, so any upgrade at Backup Catcher will need to be on the trade market or sign Josh Bard?

And I don't have a clue, whether we sign any relievers, as most of those with any value are gone.   I just hope A.A. doesn't go as long between acquistions, next time.

I'm no etymologist (or entomologist for that matter), but I believe that a great number of nouns have become verbs, because, well, it just seems to make sense. Hit someone or something with a club and the verb club is born.

Same with contact and impact and dialogue and e-mail and Google and Facebook and friend and ...

I would have been happy if Hudson had signed here for that number, and Hill was moved to third.  So far, it is hard to see that this off-season is setting up an effort to compete in 2012, let alone in 2011.  I guess the club is hoping that Lawrie will be ready to take over at either second base or third base by then, but it would not hurt to have both Hill and Hudson under contract for 2012.

The impact of the tedious run-on sentence as it relates to over-kill...

Impacting the vital subject at hand to a considerably more far-reaching extent, in the opinion of many of those who still care about the English language, and at the same time broadening its parameters in terms of being a remarkably useful tool of expression available for employment by the vast majority of English-speaking peoples (as it pertains to considerable oral and written communication which should appeal to those individuals who value the possession of a good deal of flexibility in both the formal and, indeed, the often much more-relaxed casual social interchange many of us have come to expect from our fellows), and could well be achieved by the usage of a form of the word "impact" as a gerund, an example of which I have attempted to achieve to either greater or lesser success--depending upon one's personal views, preferences and comfort levels relating to this particular area of English usage--as outlined in this painfully lengthy, run-on sentence, which now, in deference to what little remains of the possibility of maintaining good form, shall be brought to its merciful conclusion.

The remaining Free Agent catching list sucks, so any upgrade at Backup Catcher will need to be on the trade market or sign Josh Bard? And I don't have a clue, whether we sign any relievers, as most of those with any value are gone.   I just hope A.A. doesn't go as long between acquistions, next time.

I thought at least a backup catcher and serviceable late inning reliever (closer) could be signed. Josh Bard and Kerry Wood were economical solutions. IMO, trading Marcum for Lawrie surprise quite a few people but it went along AA's philosophy of building for the long haul. I don't know but trade seems to bring better benefits to the Jays. Ample examples include League for Morrow, Alex Gonzalez 2.0 for Yunel Escobar etc. So some other factors have been the cause, Is the Jays being the only Canadian MLB team always a factor in negotiating free agent signing?

ayjackson,

There was also mention of Lawrie moving to RF.  Another possibility for 2012, if Hechavarria develops as hoped this year, would be to have Escobar move to 2B, Hechavarria start at SS, and Hill move over to 3B, with Lawrie taking over in RF.  That would shore up the infield and the outfield through at least 2013, after which time Escobar and likely Hill (assuming the Jays don't pick up the 2014 option this year) would become free agents.

"Roughned Odor. ..., but it appears as though Odor has checked out. I like Odor..."

I don't know, smells funny to me.

Is the Jays being the only Canadian MLB team always a factor in negotiating free agent signing?

The Canadian Tax situation for Baseball Players is more of a factor.   Being the only Team to have an artificial surface and one of the few with a Dome are more of a factor.  

Of course, some Players like the City so much, they keep coming back to it.

... if Hechavarria develops as hoped this year, ...

If you cover a lot of Jays news / blogage on the web, you pick up stuff that can be hard to source.   2013 may be the earliest we see Adeiny Hechavarria as he hasn't developed as well as they would wish, hence Tony Fernandez's hiring.

... and Hill move over to 3B ... 

Brett Lawrie will take over as 3B or RF, whichever he adjusts to first.   He's got that good and accurate an arm, so it won't be wasted at 2B.

Aaron may be with us through 2014, through only 2013,or, a Free Agent after 2011.   His Spring Training and his 2011 season will be the deciding factor in how long he stays.

Who plays 3B, not named Tony Bautista, will be interesting.

Just thinking more about AA's description of Encarnacion as "pretty impactful."  Some of the better players in MLB are described as "impact players."  What is the relationship between "impact player" and "impactful"?  Is it something like the relationship between "truth" and "truthiness"?

And if Encarnacion drops a throw at 1B or runs lazily on the bases, is it "impactful" on the team's chances of winning the game?

Mylegacy

Dear ESL Cirrhosis-Challenged Profane Friend

If you are sitting home today, getting an earful from "She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed" for the usual, your transcendent premium single-malt scotch consumption, here's something to take your mind off your troubles.

Try constructing a sentence on Blue Jays baseball of 25 words or less, utilizing the F-word six times, including two adverbs, one ending in "-ly". 

This type of foul-language mastery separates the men from the boys.  You know, raising profanity usage to the level of an art form. 

Must close for now.  I blew my pension cheque on umpteen cases of economy French shiraz yesterday or order to have something to do over the weekend.

Have a good one.

Your pal

BumWino

The Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club have a brilliant young executive in charge of day-to-day business operations, whose tireless, tough-minded, utterly focused approach to improving the organization's playing personnel in terms of "real baseball value" should pay major-league dividends to Rogers Communications shareholders for years and years into the future. 

Like the old Old Milwaukee beer TV spots opined:  "Fellas, it doesn't get any better than this."

Of course, if you're a Jays baseball fan, well, that's a little different.  On the one hand, if you're an aficionado of the endless acquisition of inherently great, high-risk/high-reward, sure-fire, can't-miss, real-baseball-value prospects, you've found Nirvana.  On the other, if you'd like to cheer on an actual contender once in a while, sorry, you're out of luck.

Does Alex Anthopoulos have a hidden agenda? 

Maybe. 

All he has to do is get 80 wins out of his economy crew for the next couple of seasons to mollify the remaining fans (while concurrently building the Fantasy Island juggernaut) and keep the payroll down near the bottom of MLB to please Nadir, the Head Bean Counter, then some other team is going to reward AA with a contract for five to ten times what he's earning right now. 

Does Alex Anthopoulos have a hidden agenda? 

Maybe. 

All he has to do is get 80 wins out of his economy crew for the next couple of seasons to mollify the remaining fans (while concurrently building the Fantasy Island juggernaut) and keep the payroll down near the bottom of MLB to please Nadir, the Head Bean Counter, then some other team is going to reward AA with a contract for five to ten times what he's earning right now. 

BW, just give it up.  Really. 

You portray yourself as an Irishman - and I choose to believe you.  Why?  Because unless I have reason to prove that you aim to mislead, I take you to be truthful.  I do not assume that you are trying to pull one over on the rest of us, nor that you have a hidden agenda.  I do not, for example, accuse you of being an employee of Bell or Telus, with a hidden agenda to undermine the reputation of Rogers.

So listen to what (that Irishman) Oscar Wilde had to say about cynics:  What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.  You seem to decide on how serious (or even truthful) a team's management is, not on whether they field a team that is fun to watch, or increasingly filled with future stars, or likely to play all-out every game, but rather based on what price management paid for that roster.  You show no interest in that roster's value: the performance they can deliver, OR their likelihood of offering several years of contribution to a consistently contending team, OR the value they bring for the dollars spent, none of that matters to you. 

How much does AA spend on his roster?  That's all you can see.  If AA makes smart moves without spending a ton (Gonzalez, Morrow, Buck, Olivo...), that does not matter.  If anything, it proves him a cheapskate.  If he trades a more expensive player for a less expensive one (Gonzalez for Escobar, Marcum for Lawrie), their relative upside or years under control do not matter, any such deal proves him a cheapskate.  Maybe we should criticize AA for getting EE for $3MM less than last year:  "Aha, you see, he's a cheapskate!"

But wonder of all wonders, it is not even your money in any sense - you do not apparently buy a single game ticket of your own.  You also promise not to do so until Rogers throws a whole lot more money at this team (amount unspecified).  When you have no skin of your own in the game, why should we take your viewpoints seriously?

But, its worse.  If he does not spend to your standard, he is not merely a miser, he has a hidden agenda, mollifying the fans long enough to leave town and to get paid "five to ten times what he's earning now".

Do you have any basis for this slander?  Do you know what he is earning now?  Do you know what he gets incentive payments for?  Do you know what other GMs get paid, and whether any other MLB team pays a new GM much more than he is making?  Do you know any of this at all?

AA has made many assertions about his deep desire to bring a long-standing winning club here to Toronto.  You are essentially, without using these precise words, suggesting that he is a liar and is just in it for a fast ticket out of town.  Why do you have to go there?

There is actually a perfectly legitimate point of view that says that AA, John Farrell and Rogers are all naive about how little money it will finally take, to turn Toronto into a perennial pennant contender.  There is a respectable view that says that they are taking longer to build up the team than they need to, that they could contend sooner.  There is a defensible view that says that they are taking the wrong risks on players like Hech, Gose, and even Drabek.

Absent any facts, there is nothing legitimate, respectable or defensible about your suggestions that AA is pursuing a hidden agenda.

Does Alex Anthopoulos have a hidden agenda? 

$78,689,357.00

That's the bar A.A. has to exceed.   A.A. saves Approx. $16.5 MM for monies off the books for Halladay, Ryan and Ruiz.   A.A. saves approx. another $ 25.5 MM for Free Agents, Waivers and Non-tenders.   Salary increases are approx. $10.0 MM.   Arbitration raises are approx. $15.0 MM.   Pre-arbitration raises are approx. $ 3.0 MM.

$64,689,357.00

The new bar we start from.   A.A. spends $2.5 MM on E.E.

The Team surprised everyone with 85 wins - with a lot of holes.   The object of the entire off-season was the fill the holes while making the Team better. 

I beg to differ, but A.A. is not filling the holes and making this team better.   Just watch as A.A. spins this off-season, but don't drink the Koolaid.  

Time to go to work.

That's the bar A.A. has to exceed.

So in your world this off-season will be considered a success if the Jays simply spend more money than last year?  I think of all the scales and metrics you could use to judge success or failure that's got to be the absolute bottom of the barrel.

earlweaverfan

Thank you for your long and comprehensive criticism of my recent post regarding the possibility of Alex Anthopoulos having a hidden agena.

I particularly enjoyed your citing my brilliant fellow Irishman Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde's comment on cynicism.

Right along these lines, a famous Napoleonic Brigadier-general, whose name escapes me at the moment, joined the newly formed Royalist army after Napoleon was sent off to St. Helena.  An old friend jokingly asked him how he came to believe in the Royalist cause so suddenly.  The General replied with a grin, "I'm much more realist than Royalist."

Yes, there are cynics, realists, the naive and the ignorant.  It is all very, very subjective and most often depends upon the exact positioning of one's butt on the great spectrum.

Earl, you state that I have "slandered" Rogers Communications' reputation.  That, Earl, may be libelous.  Against me.  But you're entitled to your opinion, erroneous or not.

Rogers Communications routinely misleads millions of people and recently has apparently crossed the line and lied to millions of people in order to discredit a competitor and boost the company's profits.  The upshot of this is that the federal government has charged Rogers with false advertising and Rogers stands to be fined in excess of $10 million. 

In view of this, Earl, do you actually believe that the communication from the mouths of Alex, Paul and Nadir to Jays fans is always factual, complete and pure as newly driven snow?  That there is absolutely no chance of a bit of hyperbole or even the sin of omission in order to put more warm bums in the chairs at Rogers Centre? 

I spent twenty-five years publishing business magazines so it behooved me to be intimately acquainted with the laws of libel and slander.  Stating the truth or a probability based on historic precedent is neither libelous nor slanderous.

Does Alex Anthopoulous have a hidden agenda?  Maybe.

What's the probability of AA eventually going to another team to earn considerably more money?  Well, let's look at historical precedent.

Scott Downs came to Toronto from another team, did well, and has gone to another team for more money.

John Buck came to Toronto from another team, did well, and has gone to another team for more money.

Alex Anthopoulos came to Toronto from another team, is doing well, and will eventually be staying in Toronto for less money?  Going to another team for considerably more money?   You're entitled to an opinion; I'm entitled to an opinion.  Fair enough?

Last, I've been accused many, many times of wanting to throw money at free agents because I have criticized the Jays of being penny wise and pound foolish in terms of the teams' personnel moves vis-a-vis putting the best possible product on the field.   Absolute nonsense.

I've made hundreds of posts and never once have advocated spending ten of millions of dollars on superstar free agents.  I believe in building the team from within, including very selective trades and the rare free agent signing of slightly better than league-average players to short-term contracts in order to fill specific needs.  This can be accomplished with a less than league-average payroll.

However, part of the building process should be to retain the team's league-average or better players until comparable or better young players come up through the system and push the veteran players aside. 

Then and only then, should those veteran players be disposed of through trades for prospects, waived, DFA'd, etc.  However, retaining veterans like Buck, Downs and Gregg would have cost the team (say, last August) perhaps $12-$14 million per year for the next two or three years. 

Other teams believe that these three players are certainly worth the cost.  But Rogers Communications doesn't.  Rogers goes with the cheaper alternative virtually everytime at the cost of on-field performance. 

If the concept of retaining competent veteran players until equally competent rookies/replacements push them aside is considered foolish spending, then my opinion is wrong.  But I'm still entitled to it.

I think it's silly to suggest that Anthopolous has a "hidden agenda" based on a desire to get a bigger salary at another team.  But there's one tiny kernel of truth in this:  it's fair to say that the Anthopolous agenda is not EXACTLY the same as the agenda of the average fan.  (And here, when I say "average fan," I certainly don't mean "average Bauxite." I think the average Jays fan, compared to the average Bauxite, is less interested in prospects, less interested in long-term development, and more interested in short-term gratification.)  Anthopolous is paid by the owners, not by the fans, and he is very aware of that.  Whereas the average fan would like the Jays to push hard for the playoffs every season, Anthopolous prefers not to push hard for the playoffs every season, for a variety of reasons -- some of which are perfectly defensible and others perhaps not.  And because he will never explicitly tell the fans that he is "writing off the season"  (although he might hint at it), it can be argued that his agenda is at least partially "hidden" from full public view. 

To be a little more provocative about it:  it is easier for a GM to satisfy the owners (and the Bauxites) than the ordinary fans.  The goal, for the average fan, has a very precise and rigid metric: the MLB standings.  Either you make the playoffs or you don't.  Success or failure can be measured instantaneously and quite harshly.  But for the owners, and the Bauxites, the goals are slightly fuzzier and easier to satisfy:  keep the payroll down, be frugal, build a good farm system, improve the scouting and drafting, have an intelligent long-term strategy, acquire lots of young prospects.  Since the fuzzier goals are easier to achieve, how could that not have some influence on AA's thinking?

On a psychological level, Anthopolous must feel that there is less pressure and stress on him when he is in rebuilding mode.  And, as a relatively new hire, he knows that he has "carte blanche" to rebuild for two or three years before he will be expected to push for the playoffs.  Again, how could this not have some influence on him, at least at a subconcsious level?  He had a free hand in 2010 and he has a free hand in 2011 and perhaps 2012.  There's no pressure on him to push hard for the playoffs.  So, unsurprisingly, he won't.  It's human nature to take the easier path. 

I know that this is counter-intuitive, since people might assume it is "easier" to think short-term than to think long-term.  But for a newly hired GM, employed by owners whose concerns are more financial than sporting, I would argue that it is easier to think long-term.

BumWino,

You are so correct - With AA 's performance as a GM, I'm in Nirvana.

Looking at what the Brewers give up, I would have been willing to include our own Escobar in a deal for

Greinke.

With another outfielder in Cain, I'm hoping AA tries to get Alex Gordon out of KC to play 3rd. - With a change of

scenery, I think he's a breakout candidate and still yrs. away from FA.

.....Tampa didn't do that and competed.....

Many other teams also did not spend much money.  Of those that went cheap, the vast majority did NOT compete.  If you don't spend money, the odds are very much against you.  One or two exceptions, like Tampa, don't prove anything.

No matter what he wants, the only way Anthopoulos will ever have an opportunity to go somewhere else for more money is if he wins in Toronto.

If he leads the league in mouthing off per 48 minutes for a few years, I'm sure ESPN will come calling.

The approximate equivalent of the Brewers' package for Greinke would be Snider, Stewart, Gose and another arm like Sanchez/Jenkins/Alvarez.

                                                                 and

Not sure what the equivalent in Jays prospects would be. Hechavarria, Snider, Stewart and a PTBNL, maybe?

Where/Who in the Brewers package rivals the talent of Snider? Gose maybe with Cain (who I see is projected as fourth outfielder quality) but I don't see anything given up that matches Snider's power output potential, etc.

"the Yankees offseason heading off the rails."

I really don't think the Yankees are as bad as many fans see them, they didn't have Lee last year and they still won 95 games.  Pettitte will likely return and Hughes was excellent for the first 2/3 of last year anyway and Nova will likely be better than Vazquez was.  Their offense is still amazing and they have one of the games best trade chips in Montero and I believe are in the running for a top ten farm system according to BA.

Boston looks incredible and the Yanks will still be strong, personally I'd prefer AA to stick to his plan rather than make some moves hoping he can sneak by the yanks and get the wild card.

China fan

Couldn't agree more. 

Tampa is not a legitimate exception to the rule because the team had to finish last for nine of ten years in order to amass all those top-5 draft picks which have been responsible for its fleeting success in the AL East.

Due to financial constraints, Tampa's inability to retain of its top players as they reach free agency will likely start the team into a slow but inevitable downward spiral. 

The difference between the Rays and Jays is that the latter can afford to retain its key players.

Best offseason news for Blue Jays fans thus far, and the best in years to be frank: Commisioner Selig all but confirming an extra wildcard team will be added in the near future.

2011 is not going to be our year, was really hoping we would be in on Greinke, but by 2012 with an extra wildcard slot and the Jays young talent further developing we might actually be in a position to witness playoff baseball in Toronto again. 

Not hard to tell that we are in the `dog days`of the off season.  ``Hidden Agendas`` and trying to win a World Series on a shoe string. REALLY!!! AA said that he operates without a budget,maybe I am the few that believe him. He alot of time and money into scouting and developing high upside talent. At this stage of the Jays quest to win a World Series the amatuer draft is the number 1 priority. Draft picks are like gold to him. Downs,Gregg,Olivo, and Buck were like chess pieces that could be turned into Draft picks. I believe all 4 could have been making league minimum wage and they still would have been flip for draft picks.

One question. When considering the talent difference between Greinke and Marcum who got the better deal, the Jays or the Royals

That's the bar A.A. has to exceed.

So in your world this off-season will be considered a success if the Jays simply spend more money than last year?  I think of all the scales and metrics you could use to judge success or failure that's got to be the absolute bottom of the barrel.

Ryan C

You don't know diddly-squat.   My favorite time of year is the Off-Season when the numbers start to flow.   And I've been a Baseball Fan since 1965, so I've got a reasonable idea of what's needed by a team and whether or not a GM is "doing it right".   How many people consider this a watershed (an important point of division or transition between two phases, conditions, etc. - Dictionary.com) year for both the GM and the Team?   I just don't see how you can't.

Anyone who heard Bud 'Light' Selig say "I'm thinking about increasing the playoffs teams by 2 teams by 2012" should have expected a frenzy trading / signing period where everthing costs too much.   The actual inclusion of this matter in the Winter Meetings just made things worse A.A.  spent almost 4 weeks "sniffing around" Justin Upton and Zack Greinke before deciding "they want too much", not, that he didn't want to take a risk.   (I'm shocked Milwaukee got Greinke, comparing the pieces of the trade, might suggest, we had better stuff to trade.)

We needed a Closer (better than Gregg) and an improved Bullpen (10th of 14 teams - Carlos Villanueva is not enough),  a Third Baseman (better than Edwin Encarnacion), a D.H. (who can take over 1B when Adam Lind fails), a better Catcher than Jose Molina (who can be our # 1 Catcher, if needed).   How has A.A. made this team better.

By the time the series was over, A.A.'s staff should have given him a list of the best 5 Free Agents and the best 5 Trade Possibilities at each needed position.   Failure to sign or trade for anyone is tantamount to giving up.   I assume everyone knows what Spin (to cause to have a particular bias; influence in a certain direction - Dictionary . com) is, A.A. does it enough.

I might have gone after Upton and Greinke, but stepped away weeks earlier.   I would have gone after Yoakim Soria for Closer and given Russell Martin, 3 years + option year, at $5.0 MM per year; Year 1: 100 G., Year 2: 81 G., Year 3: 62 G., if needed.   Signing E.E at this time in the off-season - he's as equal as most anyone else not signed, just cheaper - is giving up any possibility of Lind failing or really getting hurt.   Who's left at 3B or as a(n) reliever(s) to make us better.

If you can't add at least one piece to the core each off-season and perhaps in every other in-season is to be considered a failure by any GM.   When A.A. said he was going to trade for his needs rather than signing Free Agents, I laughed and said "He'll learn."   More later.

• He had almost no chips to play with in the upper minors.  Now he has several (Drabek, Stewart, Lawrie, Rzep, and yes, JPA are all primed; all will make mistakes, but all will flourish in this league)
• The lower minors had few players with apparent high upside.  Now he has several (name your favourites here)
• He had a limited scouting capacity and little meaningful presence in the Latin America.  Now he has re-built both of those capacities to a substantial degree.  He has signed up an additional minor league team to bulk up the system.   Most of all, he listens to his scouts and acts on their advice
• He had an on-field manager in Cito who was close to retirement.  Now he has someone who is primed for a long career of excellence, a system-thinker, with equivalent smarts and equivalent ambition to be AA's partner in crime.  Together, they have kept the best coaches in the Jays' system, and added others who will enrich that squad
• His starting rotation was very young, many just off major injuries, and with many other holes in the lineup.  The starting three are now grown up and set up to be a long suit, under team control for a long time.  The best of Drabek, Stewart, Rzep and Litsch will deserve to be #4 and #5 from the outset, and the other two will deserve a place in the pen, as soon as they arrive there

I wonder who was awake and who was asleep this Off-Season.   A lot of blockbuster stuff occurred to totally change this Off-Season into a watershed moment for most teams.

1) Bud Selig says "I'm considering adding 2 Playoff Teams to the 2012 Post-Season."   He very rarely says anything of this caliber that doesn't happen.   And prices go up.   Did A.A. notice?

2) The addition of 2 Playoff Teams to the 2012 Post-Season is discussed at the Winter Meetings.   And the prices go up.   Did A.A. notice?

3) The Signing of Cliff Lee by Philadelphia crushed the Yankees and opened up the A.L. East.   And the prices go up.   Did A.A. notice?

4) The Signing of Carl Crawford (N.Y.Y. backup plan) by Boston opened up the Wild Card Race.   And the prices go up.   Did A.A. notice?

5) Milwaukee Brewers acquire Zach Greinke for a lot less than they asked Toronto for.   Did A.A. miss an opportunity here., the Wild Card Race is even more open.   And the prices go up?   Did A.A. notice?

Does anyone beside myself consider the Upgrading of the Bullpen and the Improvement in OBP was to be more than a one year task (because it hasn't happened yet)?  

1) You needed a Catcher better than Jose Molina, because you didn't think Jose was good enough to be your # 1 Catcher if needed.   How's that going A.A.?  

2) You need your D.H. to be capable of being your Primary 1B if needed.   Oops! How did that go A.A.?  

3) You need a 3B to be defensively better than E.E. but at least offensively equal with E.E.   How's that going A.A.?

4) You need to upgrade / improve your Bullpen (10th out of 14 teams). Losing your best pitchers only makes it worse (keeping them wouldn't make it better).   Acquiring Michael Hinckley, Winston Abreu and Carlos Villanueva aren't anyone's answer to better.   How's that going A.A.?

5) How does re-signing Edwin Encarnacion and acquiring Rajai Davis upgrade OBP?   How's that going A.A.?

When did Alex Anthopoulos give up on the 2011 Season?   He didn't try to trade for a Rule 5 Pick upgrade.   He didn't go after any Non-Tenders.   He didn't go after any Free Agents of any significants.   I could go on but even I get bored.

It is the middle of December, there are two and a half months to go until the start of spring training. 

I wait until people are finished a job before evaluating them.

P.S. , some answers to your questions:

Did A.A. notice? (5 times)
Yes. It's his job to notice. It's also his job to not overreact!

How's that going A.A.? (5 more times)
Well, as Gerry said ... it ain't like he's done yet!

I could go on but even I get bored.

Next time say nothing and give us all a break.