SATURDAY, 12:24pm: ESPN's Buster Olney says that the Jays will probably not be moving any of their relievers at this point.
FRIDAY, 8:09pm: Blue Jays relievers Scott Downs, Jason Frasor, Kevin Gregg, and Shawn Camp were all claimed off trade waivers according to The Toronto Sun's Bob Elliott (Twitter link). It's unknown who any of claiming teams were.
The Jays made all of their relievers available before the trade deadline, but no one stepped up and met their asking price(s). There has also been no indication that the team is trying to move any of the four, but Downs and Frasor are scheduled to become free agents after the season while there is a club option for Gregg's services. Camp is under team control as an arbitration-eligible player next season as well.
git r done AA
It Does not mean anything AA will only trade unless he is blown away by an offer… My bet is none of them are traded
I would bet against any being traded.
Congratulations Scott Downs, you are one of the most popular players in Baseball.
Overbay traded? he was pulled from todays game
Pulled due to illness.
i dont buy it….. “pulled due to illness” seems fishy
via Barry Davis’ Twitter (@SportsnetBarry): Overbay was removed as a precaution because he was “feeling under the weather”
He apparently was feeling dizzy and was taken to emergency.
Probably H1N1…..Romera had to stay away from the ballpark a few days prior
Wonder what H1N1 will do to his trade value? Does Elias factor this into their rankings?
Phillies better get one of these guys knowing Ruben he won’t. Thats why our bullpen sucks
The chance any of these guys fell to the Phillies is highly unlikely.
Doubt any of them made it out of the AL.
It’s a month too late for Ruben to fix the bullpen.
Amazing how good the Phillies are despite Ruben Amaro as GM.
But i will give him credit for this: He acquired Halladay and Oswalt without giving up Brown. Impressive.
But at least the Jays convinced him to part with Drabek, eastern league pitcher of the year.
I wonder where he ends up, in BA and ESPN top 100 Prospects.
I’m guessing somewhere between 15-25.
I’d say because of his 2nd half, 8-15. . stewart should also crack the top 40 as well
Drabek, maybe. I don’t think if Stewart was good enough to crack top 40. I think he cracks top 75 though.
I hope the Red Sox nabbed Downs, but even if they get him it may be too little too late. Although as of right now the Sox are beating the Rays 3-1 going into the 9th.
To be honest, I doubt Downs went as far as the Red Sox. Though he’d be great to have for the last month, especially if we are able to win the series in Tampa.
That said rumors were the Jays wanted top talent for Downs and my bet is their price tag hasn’t fallen. He’s a type A FA… right now the Jays kinda have a win-win situation and I personally don’t think trading for Downs is worth someone like Kelly, Rizzo, or Kalish.
Maybe the Jays have lowered their asking price and would be willing to take some 2 or 3 prospects from the still talented but not as A-list talent pool of Anderson/Bowden/Pimental/Reddick/Weiland. Considering the draft pics that Downs will yield, I think the Sox would still be willing to deal with the Jays if the Jays stopped asking for Kelly and Iglesias..
Bowden and “A-list talent pool” in the same line made me chuckle
Did you see that I was saying Bowden was NOT A-list talent?
Downs will return the Blue Jays a Supplemental First Round Pick, and likely an early 2nd Round Pick. Doubtful any team is going to match right now — but maybe a team desperate to make the playoffs like CWS or Bosox (who seem to be convinced they can still make it).
The only way any of them are moved is if the offer is good…AA won’t take junk and lose the compensation picks
There’s no guarantee that you will get compensation picks. All of those players very well may accept arbitration (if offered to them). Based on ages and majority of them being middle relief pitchers and Gregg really should be a middle relief not to many teams are gong to be willing to give up draft picks for these guys. If any of them decline arbitration they may become the next Juan Cruz (who didn’t get signed until recently, if he got signed, I can’t remember).
Then the Jays get a quality reliever for another year on a cheap contract and can trade them next season. Win/win. Therefore: no reason to accept a middling offer in trades.
Yeah I know that but all I said is no guarantee that you will get picks. The Jays won’t be able to compete next year (they are still about 3 or 4 years away IMO). Also they may not be able to trade them next year if the same thing arises, AA asking to much for them.
Kevin Gregg 2007-10 (Closer for Florida/Cubs/Toronto): Most common inning to start: 9th, 3.76 ERA, 1.271 WHIP, 113 Saves/137 Opportunities (82%), 8.9 K/9, 4.4 BB/9, 2.03 K/BB
He’s a closer. Fairly decent one at that. His home runs are back down to career norms from last year and, while walks will always haunt him, he’s good in high leverage situations. He comes with a club option that is rather cheap in contrast to other closers on the market, too. Asking price for AA should be comparable to the Matt Capps trade. Precedent!!!1
Scott Downs 2007-2010 (Full Time Reliever as a Jay): Common Inning to Start: 8th, 2.27 ERA, 1.157 WHIP, 7.9 K/9, 3.0 BB/9, 2.61 K/BB
This guy is definitely a set-up man. He can spot close if needed, but he really shines in getting the team to the closer. Easily one of the better left handed relief options going on the market this off-season and should be regarded as such when being talked about in trades. Doubly so, when you consider that there is a good chance he accepts arbitration. AA has been dead on with his asking price and I expect him to keep steady on it.
Jason Frasor and Shawn Camp are pretty much middle relievers at this point, both because they’ve shown glimpses of what they can be (Camp has been one of the most reliable arms all-year ’round for the Jays) or what they can regress into (Mostly Frasor. Sausage King got burned early on and it’s dogging his stats). Both are good pick-ups and Frasor comes with a Type B comp pick if you order now.
As for the Jays being ready to compete, I’d say that things are going to get really interesting in two years. Drabek, Stewart, and many others will be ready by then and Hechevarria should be challenging within the 2012 season, if not already on the 25 man roster. I do agree that the big push will start at least 3 years from now, though.
In summary: The asking price is high because there isn’t any reason why he should be selling low at this point. If nobody takes, he keeps his good relievers and the other teams can eat cake. That, and I think you’re right about when the Jays will really start to make the biggest pushes into the post-season.
I agree about gregg, the rest of your post was too long to read, gregg got a bed rep because of a high HR/Fly ball ratio last year with the cubs, the cubbies being a major market team it got blown out of proportion, just like 5 blown saves this year for the jays… he has been ok but if he was the yanks or red sox closer they would be calling for his head…. jays fans aka realists expect this type of performance from a 2 million or so relief pitcher and if anything are a little happy with his performance because of the negative things the cubbies fans had to say about him, downs is better than him but seems to have the tag of set up guy because he does it so well, all in all AA has a decision this summer for gregg, decline option and offer arb, pick up 1 option or pick up both…
They can compete next year. Depends on whether they want to spend the money, while continuing to build the system as they have been the past 12 months.
Would you consider a sizable raise over 4M via arbitration a cheap contract for a reliever not a closer? Not many teams do and as volitile as even steady in the past middle/7th inning guys can be (see 2010 Okajima) Have doubts that Downs will decline any arbitration offer if he thinks long and hard.
It helps that there is tons of interest out there from Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, and even teams like Rangers and White Sox. It’s likely Werth walks and they’ll get 2 picks for him so wouldn’t they consider giving up one of those picks and upgrading their weak bullpen? Or even the Red Sox, it’s possible Beltre or even Martinez end up leaving giving them potentially 4 picks and it’s entirely possible they use one of those picks to upgrade their weak bullepen. And even if they don’t, they still may consider getting Downs because they already have a strong farm and there will always be guys that fall out of 1st round due to sign-ability and due to Red Sox financial flexibility, they can flex their financial muscles and get those types of players. They are also a contending team that will look to contend next year and whenever you are contending, you are bound to make sacrifices.
it’s not about the picks though is my guess. Have a feeling Downs is going to realize that the sizable raise over 4M he will get via arbitration is far more than he will get than he will get in a multi year deal per season and don’t think he will be seeing anything beyond 2 years guaranteed at that. Age is going against him, plus non closers just don’t get the luxury of long term deals very often.
I see him being pretty much staying with Toronto for those reasons and maybe they want him back next year for that high figure, or value him more than the rest of the league. No disrespect intended towards him or anything. Just the way the market place toward non closers has been in the past.
Like I said, if teams are willing to part with their picks then it’s likely Downs get a multi-year deal. Look at those teams I mentioned, they could all badly use Downs as they all need another solid lefty reliever. And since the interest seems pretty high for Downs, I think it’s reasonable he could be offered multi-year contract even if it’s something like 3/12. He’ll get security and a chance to win a championship.
I get your point and maybe with someone who for sure is going to go out and sign another Type A Fa anyway, can certainly understand it. The NYY everyone figures will be in on both Crawford and Lee, maybe Werth as well, but would they (or Boston) be willing to give up say a 1st round pick for someone that would not be slated to either close, or even pitch the 8th inning for them? That is where the arbitration to accept/decline issue can get “fuzzy” for Downs on his part if neither of those 2 teams for some reason was to sign any other Type A FA this off season, which off course is really doubtful on the NYY part, but entirely possible on Boston’s end.
Just think this Downs issue will be the one interesting arbitration case to be worth watching if he remains with the Jays until the season is over. A choice on his part will be very interesting, much like fellow reliever Darren Oliver with Anaheim 2-3 years ago when he chose to accept arbitration.
I agree completely. I would expect Downs to accept arbitration if offered and if he doesn’t I don’t think his agent is doing his job. I highly doubt any team is going to give up a 1st round pick and sign a mid-30s set-up man to a lucrative multi-year deal. The only scenario where I see that happening is if a team like the Yankees signs a couple other type-A free agents and only have to give up a 3rd round pick for Downs.
I don’t think AA will mind…he sees next year’s draft as one of the most talent rich draft ever…he will take all the picks he can get.
Doesn’t the “market” factor into the arbitration decision?
George Sherrill FTW
Except it won’t be a cheap contract and there is no guarantee that the players will be as effective or healthy next year.
(1) This is Downs last contract, and he will get a 3 year offer from multiple teams. There is ZERO chance he accepts a 1 year deal from the TBJ.
(2) I agree with, as it relates to Frasor. He is so up and down, the Jays will be lucky if he declines arbitration and signs elsewhere. His agent will have a feel for it in advance.
(3) Despite what Jays fans think, Gregg has pitched very well (Austin Jackson hits triples against everyone..) and will receive a multi-year deal as well, and wont accept arbitration.
(4) Camp is not a Free Agent.
So what if they accept arbitration…better than giving them up for marginal players. Lots of high ceiling (although high risk) players available in 2nd round.
I heard a report earlier to day that the Brewers are going to outright Dave Bush… maybe they claimed one of these guys?
Downs goes Frasor!
Man. Too bad these guys gotta go through the AL first because the Braves could most definitely use one of them.
I wonder if AA has changed his asking price for these pitchers. If he ahsn’t I don’t see a deal getting done regardless.
Why would AA sell low now? I think he put them on waivers to see if teams are more desperate now to pay him closer tot his asking price, not because he’s more desperate to unload. AA said he’s good with just keeping them and getting picks by offering arb. . This next draft is deep. Would be nice.
he put them on waivers because worst case scenario he pulls them back, so why wouldn’t he put them on waivers, like 95% of players get put on waivers it basically means nothing
I’m not commenting on why they were put on waivers, but responding to some of the people who think that AA’s demands have lightened.
No risk move here. Contenders have had another month to establish their needs and how much they want this playoff push. If a good deal comes – great. If not, oh well, pull them back and soldier on.
The only one that AA might lower his asking price on is J.Frasor. Frasor would help himself and the Jays if his Elias ranking dropped back to a type B from the current type A. You have to assume that if Frasor remains type A, he would probably accept arbitration. Teams will give up a draft pick for Downs…not so sure they would give one up for Frasor (not to mention that JF really likes it in Toronto). So if AA wants to get something for Frasor, he might have to trade him.
Gregg is getting close to but his blown save today should bring that down.
Excellent point.
No need to worry….AA will get Cito to use Frasor in three inning outings to bring him back down to type B status.
come on just tell us who it is already.