I'm hoping this somehow turns out like the Bautista deal - sign him after career year, turns out to be an actual major improvement rather than a blip. The PED warning flag flies pretty high on this, but at 8 million a year for only two years, it's not a contract you can't essentially ignore if everything goes south for him.

I'm hoping Cabrera comes back like Braun did this year and just keeps going like before.

So, it looks like the OF is all set, leaving a possible upgrade at firstbase, and the catchers to sort through. Maybe those two solve each other?

I think it's legitimate to be worried that Melky is a BABIP creation, but his walk and strikeout numbers improved last year and the sample size for the last two years is over 1200 PA. I am not so worried about the PED suspension but I assume that is why Melky signed so quickly.

It's great news that the Jays want to go for it and this is great news in that vein, but otherwise I don't like this deal at all.  Melky is a terrible defender and pre-PEDS was a near replacement level player.  Unless his doctor's follow him North I think this contract will be bust - it won't be crippling at that price but the money could be better spent.

WOW.

That's all I really have to say.

I'd prefer Wak as well. I don't like the way that Cleveland team blew up last year. But the signs seem to point to Acta.

Yay, Cabrera!  Melky Cabrera and Maicer Izturis were the two hitters that were at the top of my personal shopping list this offseason.  It's fun when the GM makes the same moves that I would make, it happens so rarely.  I was hoping for just a one year deal for Melky, but I'm fine with two.  He's a perfect fit for us, and our top of the lineup has the potential to be deadly next season.

Any chance that we could talk Lance Berkman into coming up north to DH for us?  More realistically, we're going to see a Lind/somebody platoon or a trade for a new first baseman or DH (Ike Davis is my target), but if we could sign Berkman for "old guy hopping on a bandwagon" dollars, that would be pretty amazing.  He would make an excellent Dave Winfield part 2.  :)

Great signing.  I've been hoping for Cabrera for quite a while, if the Giants didn't resign him.  Like Bonifacio, Cabrera came up to the majors before he was ready, and his first few seasons reflect that.  He had his breakout year in 2011 with Kansas City at age 26, the same age as Bonifacio when he had his first really good year.  I think this is one of the "market inefficiencies" that is exploitable now.  Look for guys who came up too early, and are undervalued as a result of struggling at the major league level at 21-24 years of age.  I fear the Jays may have fallen prey to that themselves when they traded Snider, but time will tell on that.

Cabrera's 2011 with Kansas City looked very good to me, at a .305 average, .339 OBP, 18 HR's, 20 SB and I was impressed the Giants were able to steal him for Jonathan Sanchez.  Looked more like a breakout than a fluke to me, as some feared.  I think he took another step ahead last year, even if you take away the steroid impact.  He was playing in a great pitchers' park that was really hurting his numbers.  His road OPS last year was 1.015.  I think we'll see some excellent numbers from Cabrera in the much better hitters' park in Toronto.  Wouldn't be surprised to see an OPS over.850.

Most switch hitters are much weaker against left handers, leaving you vulnerable against them if you have a few in your lineup, but that is not the case with the guys the Blue Jays have acquired.  Cabrera is virtually dead even righty/lefty for his career, and in fact hit much better last year vs lefties.  That may also have been something that finally started to click for him as he matured as a hitter.

Hoping for 1 more starting pitcher.  Wow, it's great to have a team that is willing to spend some significant money again.  

Nice.  LF is solved.  Gose needs to be in AAA one more year.  (It also gives an option if a OF gets hurt)

One more starter is all we need.  I don't see them overspending and I sense that they really want to give Happ a chance to win the job.  I think someone like Liriano might be good experiment.  Liriano I think we be great in the bullpen if he didn't work out.

Lind, Rasmus, JPA and Bonifacio\Izturis are your bottom 4. It is better than Seattle's top 4.  I can live with it.    if they falter, it could be Cooper, Gose and D'arnard.  (AA is not one to sell low, so I see this 3 getting a chance)

I would rather have Bonificio\Izturis as util, but I am happy with that.  I would be really happy if McCoy was in AAA. 

With the Big Trade and the Cabrera signing becoming official soon-ish, the 40-man roster will contain 42 players - not (CBA) possible.   It just might be possible A.A. might D.F.A. two people.   It's possible a trade is in progress.

A.A. is, by all reports, after another quality Starting Pitcher, perhaps another front-of-the-rotation type.   What about Happ?  He's a precious resource in the Bullpen, a MLB-quality (#6) Starter.   What about the Bullpen?   I see Sergio Santos, Casey Janssen, Steve Delabar and Esmil Rogers as locks.   Brett Cecil, Jeremy Jeffress and Cory Wade are without options.   Brad Lincoln, Aaron Loup and Joel Carreno have options.   Darren Oliver is still deciding his future.

If A.A. is going "all in", 1B/DH (Lind), 2B, CF could use an upgrade.  

Decisions need to be made about catchers J.P. Arrencibia, John Buck and Bobby Wilson - trade J.P. or D.F.A. Wilson (Buck's not tradeable).

I don't think we can assume A.A. is done until mid-February at the earliest, and I can't wait to see what happens next. 

The Jays are close to announcing their next manager. Two of the final names they discussed were Jim Tracy and Jim Riggleman.

Oh my.  Those names are very troubling. 

The same report also suggests that team disposed to hiring someone in tune with the running game.

1) Hit a grand slam home run in his selection of a Manager. 2) Trade Adam Lind.
3) Acquire a top 1B, or Justin Morneau from the Twins.
4) Acquire a top 2B.
5) Trade Colby Rasmus and acquire a top CF, or trade Rajai Davis, keep Colby and still acquire a top CF.
6) Acquire a #1 Stud Pitcher.

• See if Carlos V. is willing to come back in a swingman role, but we'd have to wait until it's clear he won't be signed as a starter. Not sure he wants to be back, though.

• Or sign Shaun Marcum as a Free Agent, and Happ becomes the unhappy swing guy. Between JJ, Marcum, and Romero, I bet he'd get his share of starts.
  

Cheap, simple, local.

And a Tiger.

The problem with acquiring a # 1 starter (especially if it is long term), what do you do with the injured(Hutchinson, Drabek,etc) and some of the young studs coming up? 

I don't see the jays getting another #1.  I could see them getting an asset that is a low cost\high risk\high return player.  Then you perhaps flip one of these assets if your hand is forced.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to see a number 1 starter too.  But, I can't see it. You never know, but I can't see it.  If it does happen, it might be at the trading deadline. 

This is Thanksgiving week in the US.  Most baseball related activity will shut down midday Wednesday until next week.  The Marlins trade should be announced today or tomorrow.  If the Jays are close on a manager it will be announced in the next day or two also; if not it will be next week.

Bob Elliott suggested this morning that the Jays are doing background checks on Mike Hargrove.  There had been a previous suggestion of Hargrove a week or two ago but it was uncertain if he was interested.

I would never fault any team for acquiring a number 1 starter, if the only impediment is injured players and young studs.

That's a bit of a vacuum, obviously, but "number 1"'s don't grow on trees, and if you have them, you keep them.

It seems to me that AA makes a list of relievers throughout the majors and anytime one who he feels is better than another one on the 40 man is avaialble he feels a need to grab him.  Then, once another slightly better one is out there bye bye to the last one and welcome to the new guy.

A bit surprised it was Joel Carreno who was let go though as he is fairly young (entering age 26 season) and has been around awhile.  He has good K/9 figures for a 13th reliever slot.  Still, not much need when you have 22 pitchers on your 40 man roster.

Sheesh - 22 pitchers, 4 catchers, 7 infielders (3 limited to 1B/DH), 6 outfielders and a DH.  Might explain holding onto McCoy for now as that infield is seriously shorthanded.  Just 4 guys to cover 3 positions (2B/SS/3B) - namely Brett Lawrie, Jose Reyes, Maicer Izturis and Mike McCoy.However, Emilio Bonifacio is listed in the outfield so it isn't quite as tight as it seems.  Thus McCoy is the backup if anyone gets hurt (Bonifacio would then be everyday).  Ick.  Prefer if McCoy is the 2nd or 3rd guy called up instead.

I think Lind or Cooper (or both) have to be cleared out soon.  Neither is likely to produce a 120+ OPS+ in 2013 and for DH/1B (outside of Encarnacion) we really need that level of production.  Also one of the 4 catchers.  Sadly I doubt any combo without d'Arnaud would get much of anything, and even with him would still be short of real value.