@ greenfrog

Also with LAA, he'd get to DH at the back end of his career and with the LA market, he might be able to get more endorsement deals?

The plus side for signing with the Marlins would have been a lack of state tax.  California's state tax on income over $1M is 10.3% whereas Florida does not have a state income tax.  I'm not entirely familiar with the jock tax but I believe that about 1/2 his income would be taxed in California.  Assuming that the report that the Marlins offered $275M is correct (and who knows if it is), that means that he's taking home $3.8M less annually than he would have if he had signed with the Marlins.  I'm sure that no one feels too bad for Pujols but it certainly does look like he left alot of money on the table.

What an awesome problem to have.

Both those contracts are crazy.  They might win the next couple years, but ouch. 

Nobody picked the Angels to get anybody.  I hope AA goes out and gets Darvish and calls it a day.

Looking way ahead -- and apparently, Moreno has already acknowledgedt this -- if Albert stays Phat through all 10 years of the contract and averages "just" 32 homers a year, that would give him 765, passing Bonds* as the record holder. And that is THE North American sports record, and would almost certainly pay for the back end of the contract alone.

Of course, not long ago it was hard to imagine A-Rod NOT breaking that record, and he may yet, but it seems less likely, So things can change quickly!

Vladdy won the AL MVP in 2004 in his first season with the Angels; Pujols is a good bet to do the same in 2012.

Vladdy was 29 in his first season with the Angels and Pujols will be 32.  Vladdy began breaking down in 2009 at age 34.  If Pujols begins breaking down at the same age the Angels will have a very expensive part-time DH on their hands for more than half a decade.

There may be a WS ring along the way however...

The way the Blue Jays have managed this offseason has been a PR disaster.   Beeston's threat: show up or else we won't spend the money.   He said it better, but the message is the same.

At some point, early this offseason, they should come out and say Adam is our 1B and we're not going after Fielder or Pujols.   Instead they talk about not going 8, 9, 10 years.   Any talk about Adam is very off-key, insignificantly and by Farell.   Alex then talks of free agents, about liking the money, but not the term, or, liking the term, but not the money.    Then A.A. starts talking about 5-year deals, what happened to 6s, 7s?

Alex has always said he'd rather make a trade than sign Free Agents.   Then he agonizes about about trading Molina, after he's made the trade.   He mentions payroll parameters several times seemingly out of the blue.

Now there's indication of Toronto and Oakland looking for a third team in a Gio trade.   What about Darvish?   A.A. can drive you crazy, or, to drink, often.

Was anything written about Dice-K's economic impact on Boston? If so please share it

Here's something about his lack of impact. The article is from 2007, so I don't know how much the economic downturn has impacted Japanese advertisers.  Even though Boston couldn't take much advantage, if the ads behind home plate at RC are priced competitively (and they should be if the Jays are as small market as they make themselves out to be), Darvish starts could bring significant advertising dollars.  

Sorry, forgot the link in my previous post ( and I can't even blame single malt)

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2007/04/25/sox_have_dice_k_but_rivals_reaping_ad_dollars/

"Just now reading how Arte Moreno got rich.  ..."   Chuck

         I think he just got even richer by finding out how much the Dodgers were worth and that the bankruptcy judge was throwing out the Fox Network's negotiating exclusivity clause in their broadcasting contract with the Dodgers.   Who would you prefer to watch ?  A team that has been run into the ground for years or the one with Albert Pujols that plays the Ranger$, Yankee$ and the Red $ox.

It's not all salary but it is all money and unfortunately that is what Rogers doesn't seem to want to commit to the Jays.

I understand how some think that because Rogers is a corporation all they care about is their shareholder, which is entirely true.  The problem with that belief is the concept of materiality.  Rogers has a net income of $1.7 BILLION annually and 570 million shares which means that expanding the annual payroll by $30M for the Jays assuming a nil increase in revenues (which is unrealistic) would result in a drop of 1% in earnings per share... maybe 1-2 cents lower in dividends.

That's why as a fan, it drives me nuts that Rogers doesn't invest more into the team.  Obviously they have no obligation to me as a fan unless I pay money to support the team.  But surely they have to understand that fans have no obligation to the team unless they invest some money, ESPECIALLY when it's pocket change to Rogers.  Toronto is a big market, Rogers is the richest owner in MLB, increasing payroll is immaterial to Rogers so therefore why does AA have to operate under small market type constraints?

Complete side note:

Rogers and BCE have just acquired MLSE (which means the Leafs and Raptors) for $1.2 billion.

I'm not a hockey fan at all so I don't know what the Leafs payroll budget is like but typically the Raptors spend in the middle of the pack in the NBA (close to the luxury tax threshold but never above).  It'll be interesting to see how the corporate culture will change and how Rogers/BCE will operate the Raptors (e.g. - spending cuts).  I'd be suprised if they change the Leafs due to the outcry they'd likely face if they tried to shed salaries.

1. Richest owners in MLB

2. 4th biggest market in MLB

But...  We act like a small market.

Sometimes, I think about mailing my Toronto Blue Jays garb back to them.

That's not true - while it's true that more people will watch a winning product, people will watch crappy product - see Leafs/Jays/raptors/

That's not true - while it's true that more people will watch a winning product, people will watch crappy product - see Leafs/Jays/raptors/

Perhaps. I should say I'm only going to watch ( and erode into my data plan substantially ) over my smart phone if the team is actually competitive . I imagine many people are like me.

With the Darvish posting fee, you have to consider there is no CBA restriction on signing Japanese Players.   The restrictions on Draft signings will save the team approximately $4.0 MM per year.   Over the next 6 years, that's $24.0 MM they can no longer spend on the Draft.   ($24.0)   The restriction on the International Free Agents, this team likes to sign, will save the team approximately $3.0 MM per years.   Over the next 6 years, that's $18.0 MM they can no longer spend on IFAs.   ($42.0)   If Paul Beeston can't spin off at least $3.0 MM in overseas-generated business/advertising from the signing, he should be replaced.   Over the next 6 years, (the Darvish contract length) they could generate $18.0 MM they didn't have before.   ($60.0)   Now you have to decide the value ($5.0 MM - $25.0 MM) you'd like to pay to post.   You could easily have $65.0 MM - $85.0 MM for a posting fee, most of it on CBA-enforced savings.   So don't tell me they don't want to do it, because it's cost effective and part of the A.A. Plan.

Now I know why every one was a little distant/distracted the past few weeks. http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=382315   It remains to be seen how this impacts the Team, it will be interesting.

-Guy from the Star asked about the Jays and said Rogers has been a poor , cheap owner

Thank you, Guy from the Star.  It's frustrating to see 2 major upgrades in Fielder and Darvish available and have almost no sense of confidence the Jays will even make a reasonable attempt to acquire either.

That being said, are the Jays as unreasonably cheap as some of us make them out to be? Quite a few moves the Jays have made are reminiscent of the Tampa Bay model. It certainly is cheap, but the success of the Rays shows the power of intelligent allocation of resources. Was AA constrained into making these moves or would he have made them even with no budget parameters? We really don't know how much is Rogers, how much is AA and Beeston as well.  

Last years acquisition of Rasmus also brought along deadwood Miller, Tallet and Teahen with (I'm assuming) somewhere  over $8 million in salary committments. That was not a Tampa-type move. Hech cost $10 million, also far from penurious.

As far as the "crappy' product  on the field, yeah I wish the Jays would buy a few stars, but even as is, this team is more exciting than half the others in MLB.

Lastly the fact  the GTA is the 4th largest sports market in North America keeps getting brought up. This somewhat reminds me of Jack Kent Cooke's quote about attendance at LA Kings games. Cooke had been told that there were more than three hundred thousand former Canadians living within a three-hour drive of Los Angeles, and remarked, "Now I know why they left Canada: They hate hockey!"  In other words, we don't have the amount of  hardcore baseball fans much smaller American markets have. 

There are fewer Japanese-Canadians than the Jays would typically draw for a three-game home set with the Yankees or Bosox, so it's not realistic to expect a major Darvish attendance spike from that constituency.

Darvish is half Iranian. Lots of Iranians in Toronto.

Darvish is half Iranian. Lots of Iranians in Toronto.

Yeah, he should attract all 6 Iranian baseball fans in Toronto to his games.

How can anyone really say Rogers is cheap? Nobody will say LAA is cheap after spending 250 mill on Pujols, but Rogers just spent twice that amount on MLSE.

Definitely NOT cheap. They'll spend money if they want something.

I remember the previous owners couldnt even buy the skydome. Rogers bought it pretty quickly. Again not cheap.

If Rogers spend 250 on Pujols, next year they probably come in 4th place, miss the playoffs, and draw 22 000 a game. Id rather wait to make the splash.

If I remember, when Rogers bought they Jays they were losing the most money in all of baseball. People were talking about them having to relocate. The franchise is in much better shape now.

Now I hate the Jays finshing 4th as much as the rest of you, but I want to see how this rebuild plan works out, and not go off course because then we'll never know. I mean just look at TB's success. I think their success is a great reason to stick to the gameplan of acquiring controllable assets at a good value.

 ... Mohamed stated championship teams drive revenue ...  as per Wildrose  

    AA should be scrambling to locate this video so he can save it before it is erased and disappears into the ether ...

If I remember, when Rogers bought they Jays they were losing the most money in all of baseball.

You're awfully trusting to have accepted an accountants' shell game version of the truth. Corporations have their money in many, many piles. A nip here, a tuck there and voila, the piles are configured as desired to best support the desired narrative.

Rogers may decide to invest in the team. And they may not. I guess we'll see. I certainly don't accept it as a given that they will invest in the team simply because they have said they will. Turnip trucks and all that.

Everything we've always been told by all parties (at least prior to AA using the infamous word "parameters") is that AA has but to ask, and Rogers will give him the money.

So why is Rogers being blamed for being cheap? If what you say is correct (and there's no proof it it is or it isn't), AA/Beeston are the ones who have been cheaping out, not Rogers.

At some point, AA will get poached, the way Epstein was this off-season. Greenfrog this is my biggest fear when it comes to the Jays. AA does not look to be the same happy man he did when the season ended. Now I am not sure if this has more to do with a vicious cold (he sounded horrible in his interview), with being hounded by dumb questions, or (my fear) becoming fed up with his employer. I can say I don't doubt AA's desire to win nor his desire to be put into a position of having the money to spend. I think he is a company guy who puts on a happy face while he works within the parameters/constraints that he is given. It appears from afar that the industry thinks the world of him. That said, anyone know when his contract is up?

I would never say "I hate the Jays" but I can tell you (and this has been for a long time and not always because of their onfield decisions) I do strongly dislike Rogers Corp. From my experience they are run like a bunch of bottom line greedy suits where customer care/service is certaintly not found within their mission statement. This whole lack of spending WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT is just another reason for me to dislike them more than I did before. I really wish there was another option for me to go when it comes to cable, cell, etc (Bell is no better).  Oh how I wish Mark Cuban (or someone of his ilk) was a Jays fan.

I will always love the Jays though.

A.A. values Players differently than we do.   1) Years of control: how long do we have this player under our control, how much do we need to spend on his years of service?   2) Age: how close is this player to Prime (or better Early Prime, or much better Pre-Prime But Good)?   3) Upside: How much improvement is attainable/should be attainable?   4) Risk: Value of investment and the need to be right.

...Everything we've always been told by all parties (at least prior to AA using the infamous word "parameters") is that AA has but to ask, and Rogers will give him the money. Up until now he hasn't asked for it.  He and Beeston have said all along that they plan to build the team efficiently, with a solid core, then once they prove they can win, they will be willing to spend on premiere free agents...  

For something more current than the "parameters" thing we're going here: http://gregorchisholm.mlblogs.com/  you find:   Could you go to Rogers and ask for more funds…   “We don’t need to. I have more than enough resources to put a good product and a competitive team on the field. It’s on me to be able to do it. There has never been an issue with that, there hasn’t been a problem at all with all of that stuff.   That being said, if there’s something out there that makes a lot of sense, we always have the ability to go to ownership. They’ve always been willing to help and try to make the team better.”

Yu Darvish is The A.A. Plan: http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=darvis001yu-  I can't see A.A. not trying for him, although as this is his first posting, will he bid enough - no second chances here?

Looks like Arizona is getting Cahill - will be interesting to see what they give up

while I'm disappointed about the AA "parameters" comment, I'm very happy with the job AA has done including this offseason so far - I like the Santos trade, selling high on Molina

am not in favour of signing fielder if more than 5 yrs, on the fence on Darvish and look forward to what else AA does this offseason - I'll comment on the moves made and worry less if there is actually going to be money available "when the time is right"

 ...I'd rather watch our guys develop 

If you don't take risks, you don't gain very much - and that boring.   And sometimes, you just have to thin the herd.   A.A. will wait to see who wins the bidding for the Darvish Posting.   He might, then he'll use prospects for the Bullpen acquisitons..

If not, he'll want to finish rebuilding the Bullpen first (paraphrasing his words, not mine), then see about a front-line Starter.   After that, offer Fielder a 4-5 year deal, if he's still available.

"They'll [Rogers] spend money if they want something.' ... an above quote from 'pubster' on Rogers spending $533M to purchase 37.5 % of MLSE ...

On PrimeTimeSports this PM ... Bob McCown to Nadir Mohammed  "...since you brought up the Jays ... call him [Paul Beeston], demand Beeston take some more money, [to] get some more players ..."   NM chuckles ..." never known Beeston to be shy "  ... so to get to the top, it's up to mountain ...

Is the cupboard now bare ?  Is it to late ?  ...   Watching these Bell & Rogers guys sitting down at the same table, bristling with the 'good natured gibes', their combative natures barely suppressed, one senses that these guys are super competitive , almost manically hyperactively so ... if they could only be convinced that the best way to grow their investment is by winning, then they have the incumbent DNA to morph into a Steinbrenner/Trump/Turner leviathon and the resources to make all their enterprises winners ... but it has to start with the team that is only a couple of players away, the closest to winning, the Jays

A Less Optimistic Look at the June Draft for the Jays ...   AA pissed them off even more than I thought .     17, 22, 55, 58, 59      

 http://www.twinkietown.com/2011/12/7/2618369/current-mlb-rule-iv-draft-order

Batters Box needs a new poll (haven't had one in awhile).

Agreed/. And I apologize -- I used to post about 3/4 of the polls published, at least one a week, but I haven't been able to use the site's poll creation gadget in about two years and nobody else on the Roster has been able too figure out or tell me why .... it just doesn't work for me, access-wise.

Well Mick

This site needs two things to happen to it.   Upgrade to "state-of-the-art".   Develop this site into an "APP" for all phones and pads.

I just don't have a clue how to do either or both, nor who can do either or both.   I just know it will cost big-time in time and money.

for the record....

I would go as high as $65.0 MM on a posting fee, because NYY will be $60.0 MM-$62.5 MM on a posting fee.   Six years @ $15.0 MM per, with an option year or two, seems about right.

Yes, that's precisely what I meant. AA did not care if the team won or lost games in 2011. Or are you forgetting what he gave up for Rasmus and Lawrie?

To acquire Brett Lawrie (was a no-brainer), Toronto gave up http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/marcush01.shtml a #3 Starter, on a good pitching staff, (if anyone thinks he's better than that, why are you on this site?) after trying to sign him long term (couldn't agree on term or price).

To acquire Colby Rasmus and Mark Teahen, Toronto gave up Zach Stewart http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stewaza01.shtml (who's been passed by Alvarez - 2012 rotation; Molina - traded to same team, for top asset; and soon to be passed by http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=t_ibp&cid=463 most of the pitching staff.   Toronto gave up Jason Frasor http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/frasoja01.shtml another of those cheap bullpen arms everyone talks about.   Of course to get a #3 starter http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jacksed01.shtml you must give value for value.   Toronto gives up that #3 Starter, Marc Rzepczynski http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rzepcma01.shtml , Octavio Dotel http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/doteloc01.shtml and Corey Patterson http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/patteco01.shtml , not that high a value to trade.

More importantly, we discovered the value of Alvarez, Beck, Carreno, Perez just to name a few.   Anybody can blame A.A. when their mind is to small to see a bigger picture.   Morrow was disappointing, Drabek turned out to be afraid of his own fastball, Cecil, out of shape (?), loses 5 mph on his fastball, Reyes just shows he can't be consistent, Francisco was out of shape, Dotel was used wrong - and it was A.A,'s fault.   BULLPUCKEY!

because NYY will be $60.0 MM-$62.5 MM on a posting fee

You got someone on the inside?

What does the masses here think of Wei-Yin Chen? I didn't know much about him until I noticed Kieth Law ranked him as his number 19 top ranked free agent (2.68 ERA and 94 in 25 games).  According to the Baltimire Sun at least a dozen teams are interested in this Taiwanese pitcher currently pitching in Japan.  Apparantly he was permitted to declare free agency as of Dec 1st and he would not cost a posting fee.  I can determine if he indeed opted for free agency yet.

As per Law.... "Chen was born in Taiwan but has pitched in Japan's NPB for several years. He's had good results, but a decline in his stuff this year probably will limit his market. He had been sitting low 90s and touching 95 in past years but was more 88-92 early in 2011, and his slider didn't have its usual bite. By the end of the year, he was back up to 92-94 and the slider was sharper, so MLB teams' interest might depend on when in the year they saw him. He has a decent split-change that should make him more than just a lefty specialist, although it's not an out pitch for him. Chen still has plus control, with 31 walks in 164 2/3 innings this year for Chunichi, but after striking out more than 21 percent of the hitters he faced in his first three full seasons in NPB, his strikeout rate dropped to 14 percent this year. He is only 25 and offers more upside than the typical NPB refugee, both due to age and the chance for the slider to become a consistently plus pitch."

Farnsworth was, IMO, a targeted acquisition

Aren't most FA signings targeted acquisitions?

Peralta was a trade

No. He was signed as a FA after (I believe) the Nats non-tendered him.

I mention guys like Kotchman and Lopez specifically as "what the heck?" type acquisitions

Don't disagree with Kotchman, but with Lopez, there seemed to be a specific goal in mind.  Lopez was the last remaining unsigned  Type B. To prevent another GM becoming desperate and doing something stupid by signing Lopez to a major league deal, Freidman signed him to a minor league contract. That ensured the Sox would get no compensation.  It was a smart low cost chess game move on his part. 

After being so bad for so long, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Tampa_Bay_Rays_first-round_draft_picks you should have a very good core to work with, and a good minor system.   That was what Andrew Friedman started with.  A.A. started with a lot less.    It almost makes it a priority to maximize every move you make (extra draft picks), of course having Type A  Free Agents is an added bonus.   A.A. didn't have that advantage.

Once you get into the Postseason, your fans expect it to happen every year.    That's why Friedman took so many gambles.   He needs 6-7 players having a career year, 6-7 players having a good or better year, 6-7 players having an average or better year and 6-7 players being only slighly below average.   We can be thankful A.A. isn't under those pressures.

IMO, A.A. is the best GM in baseball and as such, he won't make everyone happy, just ask 92-93.

Baring an A.A. Ninja moment, the Rotation is a work in progress; the Bullpen is a work in progess; Adam Lind, Kelly Johnson, Yunel Escobar, Brett Lawrie, J.P. Arencibia, Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, Colby Rasmus are locks; Left Field could be an adventure; the Bench looks set, but...

1) 4th Outfielder: Rajai Davis (under contract: $2.75 MM).   He could be the Starting Outfielder for at least 10 Major League teams (Oakland in 2010, Toronto in 2011).

2) 2nd Catcher: Jeff Mathis (final arbitration year - $1.8-$2.0 MM?).   He started 79 games last year for LAA and was successful.   He CAN'T HIT (every poor hitter who came here hit better) but does the other stuff well.

3) Infield (2B/SS): Luis Valbuena (last pre-arb year).   I think we can be better here, I just don't know who.   He's 26, so he may get better.   At least we can avoid Mike McCoy here, before someone's hurt.

4) Infield/Outfield (1B/3B/LF/RF): Mark Teahen (under contract: $5.5).   I think we can do better here, but I do know A.A. will keep Mark if he can't trade him.   You do not pay twice for the same roster spot.

Makes me wonder how a prospect could be ranked so highly while walking over 3 batters per 9 innings.

Maybe because of his pops.