Blue Jays megatrade

[JohnTavares]

As someone who doesn't follow baseball that closely, can someone tell me what makes reyes so impressive? His stats don't look that impressive to me, but he's a $100m ss?

[Tortorella's Rant]

Doesn't matter; won't contend for a playoff spot for the 18th straight season or whatever the hell they're at now.

[Rey]

They're big players.....

You legit don't know who Reyes and Buerhle is ....?

[Sidney Crosby.]

Looks like a great deal for the Jays. Going to create quite the buzz in Toronto to rebound from a disappointing year for the Jays. I would much rather see AA aquire these elite level players through then overspend on a free agent like Grienke.

Also I think now is a great time to make a move. The AL East is a changing landscape and the extra wildcard gives teams all the more chance to make the playoffs. The big 2 AL East dominate ball clubs seem to be dropping off; as the Yankees are getting older each year and the Red Sox have fallen off the face of the earth.

Finally with John Buck arriving, what does this mean for J.P.?

[shiznak]

I don't get why people think the Jays "won" the deal. Yes, they got the better players now, but they gave up a lot of young prospects who could very well be just as good as the players they got.

Jose Reyes, has always dealt with injury problems in the past, and has never played more than 130 games, with the exception of last year. Josh Johnson is only signed for one year and we aren't even sure if he even wants to re-sign with the Jays after his contract expires. He had major shoulder surgery that made his miss the entire 2011 season, who knows if he can be the player he once was. Plus, he's coming over to one of the best hitting division in the league, not sure how well he'll fair. Mark Buehrle, is a great pitcher, but the AL East just dominates him. In fact, every team in the AL East is hitting above .300 against Buehrle in his career, except for the Orioles.

[Rey]

I don't get why people think the Jays "won" the deal. Yes, they got the better players now, but they gave up a lot of young prospects who could very well be just as good as the players they got.

Jose Reyes, has always dealt with injury problems in the past, and has never played more than 130 games, with the exception of last year. Josh Johnson is only signed for one year and we aren't even sure if he even wants to re-sign with the Jays after his contract expires. He had major shoulder surgery that made his miss the entire 2011 season, who knows if he can be the player he once was. Plus, he's coming over to one of the best hitting division in the league, not sure how well he'll fair. Mark Buehrle, is a great pitcher, but the AL East just dominates him. In fact, every team in the AL East is hitting above .300 against Buehrle in his career, except for the Orioles.

[Hobbes!!!]

Barely even a fan of baseball but even i know who Buerhle and Reyes are.

HUGE deal. wow. I think I'll start following the jays.

[UFCanuck]

Really good move, but they wont make the playoffs. Especially if the Sox rebound, they'll have no chance.

[Standing_Tall#37]

Barely even a fan of baseball but even i know who Buerhle and Reyes are.

HUGE deal. wow. I think I'll start following the jays.

[Standing_Tall#37]

Really good move, but they wont make the playoffs. Especially if the Sox rebound, they'll have no chance.

[boxiebrown]

Don't know any of these players? Can't be that big seeing as the casual baseball fan doesn't know them.

[burebure84]

What a great day to be a Jays fan. I've been waiting for this to happen and it looks like Canadas team will finally become contenders. Way to get the fans in the stands AA!

[gmen81]

How many players not on the Blue Jays, Mariners, Yankees or Red Sox can you name?

[Jägermeister]

Don't know any of these players? Can't be that big seeing as the casual baseball fan doesn't know them.

[g_bassi13]

I'm not a big baseball fan, but I do follow the Jays from time to time.

Even with my limited knowledge I know that the Jays got 2 players (Reyes and Buehrle) in return that were considerably better than anyone they traded away.

[Rey]

I would say Josh Johnson will likely have even more of an impact than those two. The guy is a potential ace.

[Baercheese]

if we get Doc back next year....

[Rey]

Arencebia

Lind

Izturis

Reyes

Lawrie

Encarnacian

Bautista

And a rotation of;

Johnson

Buerhle

Romero

Morrow

And they don't have a chance??? I'd agree that they're not favourites but I would say that they probably now have a chance for the first time in 15 years or so

[theminister]

This trade is huge for several reasons.

1) The Jays have had flagging attendance and interest for the last decade, mostly due to their lack of quality depth, and this trade when combined with their already steady players and good farm system gives them the real potential to be playing meaningful ball late into the season. This should push the gate receipts close to 3 million for the season. Toronto is the 5th largest market in baseball and the city has shown interest when the teams have been good. Unfortunately, that's been awhile. Showing the fans that the richest ownership in baseball is willing to spend some money is bound to reinvigorate interest.

2) Rogers, the owners of the team, can now sell their advertising space on their own network for a lot more. TV viewership might well be double what it was the last few years.

3) Retaining and attracting FAs. TO has always had a problem getting high quality FAs to come play in Canada, except for a brief period in the early 90s, and this trade balances those chances out quite a bit. Firstly, adding to the line-up through trade means their reliance on improving the team by attracting FAs in lessoned. Since the Jays filled 3 of their holes through this trade they might only need to add two middle of the road players and they should have a lot easier time doing it now. For example, the Jays will have a much easier time convincing Darren Oliver to return and Villanueva to re-sign.

4) The Jays need to find an experienced manager and they were going to have a difficult time getting a good one with all of the question marks they had on the field. With these additions that should be a lot easier. This team could get any manager looking for a 3-4 year contract interested as they have all of their key players signed long term, with the exception of Johnson, to go along with a still excellent crop of prospects many of whom have a good shot to help out in the next two years; Gose, D'Arnaud, Stroman, etc.

5) The on field product. This trade addressed 3 of the Jays biggest needs on the field. Primarily, the Jays needed starting pitching and just shored up 40% of their rotation with this move. Johnson if healthy, and he should be, is a legitimate Cy Young contender. Buerlhe can be a solid mid rotation guy who can log 200 innings and save the bullpen. If Romero can return halfway to form and Morrow can start 30 games then the Jays only need to choose one more player from Happ, Hutchison and Drabek, with the others helping out the pen. If they want only one LHP in the rotation then Happ will be excellent in long relief. The team already got deeper in the pen last year with the addition of Lincoln and Delabar, and adding Emil Rogers a couple of weeks ago.

5b) Though Reyes has had some injury problems he gives the Jays the best leadoff option they have had since Shannon Stewart. What the team has been lacking is a player who can post a .350+ OBP to bat in front of Bautista and Encarnacion. With Reyes he also combines incredible speed and extra base power with a quality glove. He is also a switch hitter and the Jays needed more help from the left side of the plate. With Reyes, Rasmus, Izturis, Lind, Cooper and Bonaficio this gives the new manger many more options and cannot be understated.

5c) Speed. The Jays may now have the fastest line-up in the bigs, on par with Tampa. Reyes should get 40+ SB, Bonaficio 20+, Lawrie 20+, Davis 30+, Izturis and Encarnacion 10+, and Gose could get 30 or more depending on playing time.

Right now the Jays only glaring needs are a closer, which they may already have in Santos or Janssen, and a quality LH bat for LF. right now they have 5 months to fill those holes before the season starts though conceivably they could go with what they have currently and compete for the AL East.

My only major concern is what will happen if Reyes gets injured for any amount of time. As the Jays moved two SS in this deal they don't have anyone on the farm who is obviously ready to help even only defensively. Hech was that guy who, though he had a pitiful bat, could be relied upon to help anywhere in the infield. Bonaficio by all accounts is mediocre with the glove. Fortunately Izturis is quality whether at short or second.

Right now I'd put the line-up like this:

1) Reyes - SS

2) Izturis - 2B

3) Bautista - RF

4) Encarnacion - DH

5) Rasmus - CF

6) Lawrie - 3B

7) Lind - 1B

8) Arencibia -C

9) Gose- LF

Bench: Davis, Cooper, Bonaficio, Buck, Sierra

1) Johnson

2) Morrow

3) Buerlhe

4) Romero

5) Drabek/Hutch

Bullpen: Santos, Janssen, Happ(LH), Oliver(LH), Delabar, Lincoln, Perez(LH), Fraser, Rogers

[theminister]

Arencebia is likely to be traded, maybe for prospects. Top prospect D'arnaud is expected to start with maybe a veteran in Buck to help him out.

Who knows? Maybe the jays will sign Marcum as a #5. That would be insane. Welp, it*s good to be optimistic. Some say the Jays are in on Hamilton and/or Cabreara. Would be really going all in if that were true.