The AL East winner has had at least 95 wins every year since 2000 and the Blue Jays haven't had more than 87 wins during that stretch. Toronto finished fourth in the American League East with an 81-81 record this year, so they have some improving and developing to do before they make their first playoff appearance since 1993.
GM Alex Anthopoulos discussed the 2011 season this afternoon. Here are some highlights, from video on the Blue Jays' site:
- Anthopoulos declined to discuss his contract in detail, but said he's happy in Toronto. "I expect to be here as long as they want me here," he said.
- Anthopoulos likes the humility and drive to improve that first-year manager John Farrell showed this season. To see how Farrell and other new managers did in 2011, click here.
- The Blue Jays haven't decided how they'll approach Edwin Encarnacion ($3.5MM option, $500K buyout) and Frank Francisco (free agent) after the season. I predicted this month that they'll pick up Encarnacion's option.
- Kelly Johnson, who hits free agency in a month, did a "nice job" and is a possibility for the Blue Jays in 2012. The Blue Jays will reach out to his representatives this month.
- The Blue Jays would like to improve their rotation, but won't likely be shopping for back-of-the-rotation types.
- Anthopoulos says the Rays are arguably the best-run organization in sports and says they do "everything right."
- Anthopoulos suggested that the Blue Jays don't have the internal pitching depth to improve the bullpen as much as they hope to, so expect him to acquire relievers via trades or free agent signings.
AA needs to get
back end Bullpen help (7-8-9 inning guys) If FF wants to stay he could be plugged in to lat innings situations, but AA needs to get a dominate closer for sure.
A big bat at one of L, 2B, DH that can REALLY protect JoeyBats
2 Top 1-2 starter type guys
after last nite, i’m sure atlanta and boston think they need “dominant closer” types as well.
Franscisco was fine in the second half, and the system is stocked with arms. That AA thinks there isn’t depth suggests that some of the nascent starters may be on the move/they aren’t going to wait until 2013 to compete.
there is plenty of depth, the only thing is you can’t just start puting quality young arms in to the bullpen, because if you then have mid season injuries they can’t be stretched out again..
So yes a bullpen of hutchinson, molina, Carreno, Janssen, litsch, Perez, would probably be really good.. if romero, morrow, etc go down for any time, you won’t have anyone ready to step in to the rotation.
I think with Beck, Janssen, Villanueva, is a good start.
Can’t forget Carreno in the pen. The dude’s been lights out!
Wouldn’t you rather keep him as a starter though.. I mean do you legitimately have faith that next year Drabek or Cecil would be a better option then him?
Well considering Carreno had a walk rate over 5BB/9 in AA, yeah i’d keep him in the pen. Drabek I think deserves a shot as the 5th starter again, but if he still sucks, then in the pen he goes. Cecil I think sticks in the rotation for now too. The big factor is Carreno started off in the pen and found huge success. No sense in messing with it like they did Perez.
didn’t realize his k rate. but definitely got a point.
i hope drabek comes back rejuvenated, I unfortunately have lost faith in brett,.
I’d say Cecil gets 6 starts next year as an evaluation. If he blows, in the pen he goes (rhyme intended). By then, one of Hutchison, Molina, Jenkins or McGuire will have earned a shot.
I agree…I have lost faith in Brett as well. He has become a pie thrower. I don’t think he can even touch 90…let alone 92 on a consistent basis. And because he can’t keep the ball down…he ends up throwing a BP fastball belt high and the hitters usually make him pay. He gives up way too many home runs if you ask me. I would like for him to be able to get some of that arm strength back so that he could be our #5 starter…but I’m not counting on it.
He still does damage against lefties…so if things don’t work out better next year as a starter…I’m sure he could find a home as a specialist in our pen…or at least be used as trade bait as part of a package next year.
I agree…I have lost faith in Brett as well. He has become a pie thrower. I don’t think he can even touch 90…let alone 92 on a consistent basis. And because he can’t keep the ball down…he ends up throwing a BP fastball belt high and the hitters usually make him pay. He gives up way too many home runs if you ask me. I would like for him to be able to get some of that arm strength back so that he could be our #5 starter…but I’m not counting on it.
He still does damage against lefties…so if things don’t work out better next year as a starter…I’m sure he could find a home as a specialist in our pen…or at least be used as trade bait as part of a package next year.
I don’t have much faith in Cecil, but I think the Rotation will start out like this (if they don’t go out and get a #2.
– Romero
– Morrow
– Alverez
– Cecil
– McGowan/Drabek
If they get a #2 I think Cecil is gone or in the pen. If any of those guys flame out (probably one or two of them will), one or two of: Molina, Hutchison, McGuire, Jenkins, ect. will get a shot.
I really don’t see any room for giving Carreno a shot at starting when both Drabek and McGowan probably deserve to get a shot starting at the beginning of the year. As the year goes on who knows, they may pull what they did with Perez and stretch Carreno out midseason for spot starts.
McGowan is probably more of a lock to make that rotation then Cecil or Drabek.
yea i like him in the pen. kid has a swing and miss slider and he seemed to throw strikes.
by the numbers he struggled with his control in the minors as a starter. plus based on the fact that his stock is behind the other jays pitching prospects, he’s probably a bullpen guy long term barring a trade.
Rays are a good organization… If only the FANS cared!!
the jays are really only one good starter away from competing next year. all their young bats are gonna get better, like rasmus and lawrie and arencibia. they should invest in a cj wilson and one of the many closers and make their run.
I think we’re all cool with that as long as they don’t gut the farm while doing so.
This off season is going to be BUSY!!
AA offseason should feature the following..
Sign Pujols to play 3B, move lawrie to 2b, sign fielder to 1B… LOL j/k
-Pick up EE’s option
-Sign Kelly Johnson to a 2 year incentive laden deal
-See if he can move 2 or 3 of Cooper, Thames, Davis, Loewen, Mills, Litsch etc for a Reliever or 2
-Check in on Fielder, Pujols and Wilson and ultimately feel they are too expensive.
-Check on some reclamation projects, primarily Broxton
-Call Colby Rasmus, re introduce him to the wonderful world of walking and ask him to please be good again.
-sign Rich Harden, ask him if he is comfortable being moved in to the bullpen in late inning relief.
that’s all I see out of this offseason, unless he swings a trade for logan morrison.. which probably won’t cost more than Mike McCoy & Perez
you forgot about Yu Darvish and why not keep Harden in the rotation until the youth is there?
I actually think Darvish won’t end up being posted. . . but I don’t think its a good investment regardless.
Harden hasn’t had an injury free season since his second year (2004) and has never surpassed 200 IPs in a season. I just think that its time for him to try to lesson his role and try to give a club 80 late innings in hopes that he can stay health..
With his arsenal he would be a highly effective reliever and hopefully it will keep him healthy ..
BTW, AA doesn’t believe in incentive laden contracts. Options, he loves, incentives he stays away from like the plague.
You know you’re good when division rivals are telling you you’re better run than they are.
If the Cubs had the Rays front office…oh man. No more large contract tom-foolery.
But if the Cubs are good, we’ll only have Tony reagins to make fun of.
The rays front office was born out of limitations, which is why the cubs don’t have a front office like the rays
The Jays will surely pick up Encarnacion’s option. Even if they don’t want to pay him $ 3.5 million, several teams would be happy to, and they can get something back rather than giving him half a million bucks to walk. He’d be a great fit on the Tigers if the Jays don’t want him around.
Maybe he can deal Colby Rasmus…. LOL
Laughing at your own jokes, lame
You sound bitter about Colby Rasmus
He is a total scrub with a bad attitude. Plus Blue Jay fans are the most knowledgeable fans on the planet.
I call Edwin Encarnacion’s breakout year next season.
By Breakout, I mean 290AVG 20-25HRs 10SB
10 sb is probably going to be the hardest part of that slash line for him
this man is going to make MLBTR lots of fun this winter