Free agency is now open to all 30 teams.  It's a good time to be a free agent.

The Jays bullpen looks like it will be a strength for the team next year and at the very least it won't be a weakness.. It has a strong back end of the bullpen with Jeremy Accardo, Scott Downs and Casey Janssen. Although not household names the three of them did an admirable job this year and even if they don’t repeat their performance in 2008, none of them look to be a flash in the pan. After those three will come some combination of Jason Frasor, Brian Tallet, Brian Wolfe, Brandon League, Joe Kennedy, Mike Gosling, Davis Romero, Josh Banks and any other free agent signings. Even with the inherent variance found in the performance of many relievers year-to-year I am reasonably confident the Jays will be able to find seven serviceable arms out of that group. Oh yeah, and BJ Ryan will be back, and presumably as good as new, by the middle of the year.

So why do I want the team to team to spend millions on a 33-year-old reliever who has never pitched in the majors before?

Time's ripe for a discussion based on Blue Jay history (props to Matthew E. for his great start down that road) and Hot Stove memories ... the question on the table is this: What is the dumbest move (transaction or game/season management -- both are open topics) in Toronto Blue Jays history?

Michael Young for Esteban Loaiza? David Wells for Mike Sirotka? Letting Cecil Fielder escape to Japan? The Sil Campusano Project? Name the players -- and give your reasons.

To be fair ...

Here's what everyone remembers about the 1988 Blue Jays.

They remember that the Jays lost the last seven games of the 1987 season, allowing the Tigers to win the division. They remember that the team tried to shift McGriff and Fielder to first, George Bell to DH and Moseby to left field, so that Silvestre Campusano could take over in centerfield. They remember that Bell didn't like it, that it caused dissension on the team, and that this would contribute to Jimy Williams's firing a year later. They might remember that Bell hit three home runs against the Royals on opening day. They certainly remember that the Jays didn't win the division that year, but were somewhere vaguely near the top of the standings, and they certainly remember that Dave Stieb pitched two one-hitters in his last two starts of the season, with both hits coming with two outs in the ninth.

And if that's all they remember, they don't remember the best part.

It was reported earlier this afternoon that Matt Stairs signed a 2-year, $3.5 million contract with the Blue Jays. Time to deal with some of the questions arising from this news.

It's that time of year again ... time to select candidates for the 2008 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually to a baseball broadcaster for major contributions to the game.

As the online ballot explains, "Three of the 10 names on the final Frick Award ballot will be chosen by fans throughout the month of November. Select up to three (3) candidates from the ballot ... You may vote once each day during the month of November. The final 10-name ballot, featuring the three fan selections, will be announced on December 5, 2007. Click a name to see a brief biography of [each] broadcaster."

Yes, Jerry Howarth is on the ballot. So are some other names you'll recgonize. You can cast up to 30 votes, people ... don't waste this opportunity! Vote now!

Which way you going, Slappy?

Um, okay ... the Rockies' hot streak is now officially over. Red Sox win, 13-1. 

So here are today's questions and comments ...

Okay, even with the World Series yet to get underway, the off-season Hot Stove League has opened in Toronto early again, continuing a streak of more than a decade that all Jays fans would like to see broken in 2008.

But let's all "play GM" for a moment and see if we can't dream up some trades that would help the Jays break that streak next season. (J.P., are you ready for some uninformed suggestions?)  Just a couple of ground rules ...

At this writing, our two polls (see left side of this page) show Bauxites believe the Red Sox will win the World Series, but they are heavily rooting for the Rockies -- early on, even "Don't care either way" is outpacing the Sox vote.

Write whatever Series thoughts you have here, but let's start with a "fun" question/prediction. Who will win the 2007 World Series MVP? Will it be a big name like Beckett, Ramirez, Holliday or Helton? Or some lesser light, in the line of past winners like Bucky Dent, Steve Yeager and David Eckstein?

The first correct prediction will win a retro Batter's Box NO-PRIZE. Serve it up!

TSN.ca is reporting that that Tony LaCava has been promoted to Assistant General Manager.  LaCava's name has surfaced several times as a candidate for other general manager jobs.  With most GM jobs filled for next year the Jays have moved to promote LaCava.  The promotion would not likely stop LaCava from pursuing other GM opportunities.

It is not clear how this will change LaCava's day-to-day responsibilities.  Those details will likely come out by tomorrow.

Here are some random thoughts about the 2007 season from a Blue Jays fan's perspective.

Usually members of the Roster disappear without much fanfare. Articles with their name at the bottom simply stop appearing on Battersbox. People could get the wrong idea. So, my disappearance will be public and friendly, consistent with the truth that Battersbox is a pena, not a junta.

Courtesy of John Northey.

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I found the following information about payrolls and exchange rates:

Got predictions? Observations? Questions, comments, concerns? Post all your Red Sox/Indians witticisms and dissertational items right here, Bauxites!