The Jays have completed their trade with the Mets. The Jays acquire RA Dickey, Josh Thole and Mike Nickeas in exchange for Travis d'Arnaud, Noah Syndergaard, John Buck and Wuilmer Becerra. My contention is that AA lost his Ninja status with this trade.

The trade is now official. The Jays received RA Dickey, Josh Thole and journeyman Canadian catcher Mike Nickeas in exchange for Travis d'Arnaud, Noah Syndergaard, John Buck and Wuilmer Becerra. We have a poll up and running on the left. But the poll is anonymous. It's time to go on the record.

Today's POTD brings you on to the field of Nat Bailey Stadium with a special prize at the end.

Anyone who has hung out in section 518 with me can tell you that I can yell. I've always had good control of my voice, but a high school drama teacher taught me about my optimum pitch and altered the way I speak forever.

I thought nothing would ever again change the way I speak in such an extreme way. I was wrong.

Well it certainaly seems that this Dickey thing has legs. Usually when you hear that the Jays are in on a deal it doesn't happen but there are leaks on this like a rusty tea pot. What a coincidence that JP Ricciardi is in New York now. Could it be that JP is saying I'll see you your cone of silence and raise you a wall of coverage? Or it could be that the Mets are trying to persuade other teams to get into the negotiations.

The news this morning suggests the outline of a deal is in place and that each team is reviewing medicals. If that is true an announcement could come today sometime.

The Vancouver Canadians held an Open House at Nat Bailey Stadium in November to give fans an opportunity to buy season tickets, shop for souvenirs and tour the premises. Here is a look inside the clubhouse of your back-to-back Northwest League champions.

So, we now have Baseball Prospectus' top 10 to go with Baseball America's, FanGraphs, John Sickles, and our own.  How do they compare? 
Note: MLB.com just added in to expand the diversity of the lists.

As fans, we are often undone by our expectations.

Example: 2004 wouldn't have been half as bad if 2003 hadn't had so many improbable bright spots.

In a long-rumored deal, the Texas Rangers have swapped framchise hits leader Michael Young to the Philadelphia Phillies --  where the fprmer Jay prospect, previously dealt as part of a package for the memorable Esteban Loiaza, is expected to start at third base for the Phils.

Philly will ship southward right-handed reliever Josh Lindblom and minor league righty Lisalverto Bonilla to the Rangers to complete the deal. Linblom will get a chance to stick in the crowded Rangers bullpen, while Bonilla looks to fill the "prospect" role in this deal. 

Young agreed to ignore his 10/5 rights to block a trade as part of a side deal with the Rangers.

The Baseball Hall of Fame operates in mysterious ways and one of the biggest mysteries is how they select the winner of the Ford C. Frick award.  The winner gets to be represented in the Hall of Fame.  Tom Cheek is this years winner.

The Hall of Fame is not a part of MLB.  They are a private institution.  As a private institution they want people to come and visit and, in my opinion, there is always a pull between naming broadcasters who are alive versus dead.  Dave VanHorne, who was elected last year, is most definitely alive and therefore can go on multiple TV and radio shows and talk about what a great place the Hall of Fame is and in that way generate publicity and revenue for the Hall.  Tom Cheek cannot do that.  That is speculation on my part as to why it has taken so long for Tom Cheek to be named.

The winter meetings started yesterday and John Gibbons and AA met the media to answer some questions.

Elsewhere the Red Sox added Mike Napoli.  Angel Pagan stayed with the Giants.  Rafael Soriano is rumoured to be close to signing with the Rangers.  And A-Rod will have hip surgery in January and will miss four to six months.

The 2013 Hall of Fame ballot has been released, and it's a big one. There are 37 names this time around, ten more than last year. There are 13 players returning from last year and 24 who will be on the ballot for the first time. And some rather notorious names are among them.

The Toronto branch of the BBWAA held a meeting today and AA and Paul Besston joined the writers to answer questions. Gregor Chisholm at MLB.Com has posted a full transcript at his blog. AA discussed the roster in light of the winter meetings next week.

We did this a few years back, and it seemed like an obvious idea to put it up again...

It's still only November, but recent events have us already thinking about 2013, right?