The Blue Jays are one of the most serious suitors for left-handed reliever Brian Fuentes, according to Newsday's Ken Davidoff. The Blue Jays appear to be one of many teams pursuing Fuentes, who would like to close according to FOX Sports.
Though the Red Sox may be done adding lefties now that they've re-signed Hideki Okajima, AL East teams appear to have heavy interest in Fuentes. Along with the Blue Jays, the Rays and Yankees have also been linked to Fuentes this offseason. Not every AL East team is bidding on the 35-year-old, though. He appears to be too expensive for Baltimore, though the O's are looking at more affordable southpaw relievers.
Fuentes would be a fit for the Rays, if they can afford his asking price ($5MM-plus per season on a multiyear deal). The Blue Jays could also use left-handed relief help after losing Scott Downs and Brian Tallet. Jesse Carlson, Wil Ledezma, Rommie Lewis and David Purcey figure to compete for spots in manager John Farrell's 'pen this spring.
Octavio Dotel is the favorite to close in Toronto, but Jason Frasor could win the job and Fuentes would likely have a chance at it if the Jays sign him
if the jays do sign him we should use dotel/cordero/fuentez as a 3 headed closer. wouldn’t it be fun to guess who is going out there each night.
Chad Cordero? He hasn’t been a closer since 2007.
I wonder if AA realizes the #1 most similar player to Fuentes on Baseball Reference is BJ Ryan. eeeep.
at least it won’t take $47 million to sign Fuentes
So you’re expecting injuries to ruin his career too?
I could see them signing Fuentes, wouldnt be a terrible add either… He is a solid asset come a trade deadline whether that be 2011 or 2012 at the very least.
Sign him for 10 over 2.
this would definitely bolster the bullpen while adding experience at the back end. Good thing he is a lefty also. Only thing that sucks is that every Jays rumour this year never came to be.
this would definitely bolster the bullpen while adding experience at the back end. Good thing he is a lefty also. Only thing that sucks is that every Jays rumour this year never came to be.
Let the Rays or Jays sign Fuentes.
I was never a fan personally.
I don’t think Frasor will close any this season.
Not with Cito gone, anyway…
Frasor didn’t come into form until around July. His fastball was back in the 90’s and his changeup actually started to sink and move. We need a full time closer and I have to say i’d like a closer by committee between Dotel for righties and Fuentes for lefties, it could be interesting. At the very least he’s a very moveable arm at the deadline.
I don’t think i’d like this move that much, unless it was a one year contract (which I doubt it will be). He’s very effective vs Lefties, but struggles a lot vs righties, perhaps they want him to face a lot of lefties while Dotel owns righties, which could be effective but you know they will try to stick with one guy closing out games. If they were to do this, I think the best option would be having Frasor close games, Dotel face a lot of rights, and Fuentes face a ton of lefties…could turn into an effective bullpen. The thing is, Fuentes is probably going to ask for more money than both Frasor or Dotel, and for at least 2 years. I just don’t understand the signing unless they think a 35 year old Fuentes can actually be effective against righties again like he was a few years ago, even then him combined with Dotel spell for a lot of walks late in games which worries me. I’d almost like to see what Purcey can do this year at a fraction of the cost, rather than pay Fuentes for a multi-year deal.
Sign him. Now. CAN NOT STOMACH DOTEL IN 9th. Nor Frasor. Nor Cordero. Fuentes or Soriano.
if its more then a 2 year deal, then you might as well have just signed downs.
but we get 2 draft picks when LA signed downs and it costs us no draft picks to sign fuentes.
I think Bambino11 has the idea. Replace Downs with a pitcher who may give a similar performance, and gain 2 draft picks.
I don’t think AA is dumb enough to make it more than a 2 year deal. If we do sign him, it’s a 2yr/8-10 deal at best. But I’d think AA would sign him for 1 year + club option. Fuentes gets the opportunity to close and get a multi-year deal next off-season (Jays would likely decline that option).
Why would Fuentes sign a one-year deal as a 35 year old so that he can hit the market again as a 36 year old? That suggestion makes no sense at all. The only reason he signs a one-year deal is if the annual salary is highly disproportionate to the annual salary he could get in a two-year deal.
I think Sniderlovers comment is looking at it from AA’s point of view, and I agree. AA has said on the Fan590 that the reliever market is way too expensive right now, and I don’t see him signing a reliever to more than 1 year plus an option contract. If Fuentes takes it, great…if he doesn’t, move on to plan B or C….
we need him if we want to compete with boston
lol not sure if fuentes is going to be that guy that puts us over the top lol