Where Jays-Marlins blockbuster started

Everyone thinks this is great for the Blue Jays, but I think Toronto just set their franchise back. They managed to unload crappy contracts for Vernon Wells and Alex Rios only to bring in Johnson, Reyes, Buerhle and Buck on big contracts. Toronto will regret this deal.

I don't think the trade is as one-sided as Miami fans fear; Miami got back a decent (if flaky) SS, and some young pitching. But it makes Toronto a better team now, and unloaded a player who has some serious attitude issues.

This year may be Toronto's best chance to win the East. Boston is looking like a last place team, Baltimore is unlikely to win 26 of 27 one-run games again, Tampa will put their usual 500 team on thee field and count on Joe Maddon and the schedule maker to make them look a little better than that. NY's core is aging, and they are trying to shed salary, but can't shed the core due to their no-trade status, so they may fall back a bit.

I think Anthopoulos sees an opening, and has made a bid to strike now. I like the move.

QUOTE(#1):

Originally posted 09:33 AM ET  11.23 by ...the best policy

Everyone thinks this is great for the Blue Jays, but I think Toronto just set their franchise back. They managed to unload crappy contracts for Vernon Wells and Alex Rios only to bring in Johnson, Reyes, Buerhle and Buck on big contracts. Toronto will regret this deal.

take one gold coin for one bronze coin, what do you know? the way they did to the halos and the white sox, the marlins did it to them plus they not only took the hefty contracts the jays paid a hefty prize in giving in return top quality prospects, at the end i don't WHO got hurt more the jays, the marlins or the fans!!

QUOTE(#2):

Originally posted 11:19 AM ET  11.23 by Traded to Seattle

I don't think the trade is as one-sided as Miami fans fear; Miami got back a decent (if flaky) SS, and some young pitching. But it makes Toronto a better team now, and unloaded a player who has some serious attitude issues. This year may be Toronto's best chance to win the East. Boston is looking like a last place team, Baltimore is unlikely to win 26 of 27 one-run games again, Tampa will put their usual 500 team on thee field and count on Joe Maddon and the schedule maker to make them look a little better than that. NY's core is aging, and they are trying to shed salary, but can't shed the core due to their no-trade status, so they may fall back a bit. I think Anthopoulos sees an opening, and has made a bid to strike now. I like the move.

about if the jays got the right chemistry to win the division pennant championship, its a little stiff here not to mention their worse mistake or move was, the wrong manager, should toronto had hired brad ausmus as their manager?? things could have been alot different!!!

the yankees are walking backwards, the red sox unload contracts and quality players, the rays got the chemistry and the right strategic and game plan in their books except, their stadium its a tough obstakle to swallow!!!

the orioles would likely be in the top 3 teams fighting for the first place!!!toronto wouldn't have any easy task and goals to achieve!!!

QUOTE(#2):

Originally posted 11:19 AM ET  11.23 by Traded to Seattle

I don't think the trade is as one-sided as Miami fans fear; Miami got back a decent (if flaky) SS, and some young pitching. But it makes Toronto a better team now, and unloaded a player who has some serious attitude issues. This year may be Toronto's best chance to win the East. Boston is looking like a last place team, Baltimore is unlikely to win 26 of 27 one-run games again, Tampa will put their usual 500 team on thee field and count on Joe Maddon and the schedule maker to make them look a little better than that. NY's core is aging, and they are trying to shed salary, but can't shed the core due to their no-trade status, so they may fall back a bit. I think Anthopoulos sees an opening, and has made a bid to strike now. I like the move.

Toronto has a nice window open the next couple of years to possibly win the AL East. I like a lineup with Reyes-Bautista-Encarnacion-Melky-Lawrie and others.

The key, to me, is Johnson. Healthy, he is a stud. But that is a rarity. A rotation of Johnson-Romero-Buerhle-Drabek is pretty good.

The prospects Toronto sent are just that prospects no way in knowing what they will turn into, the hometown media usually builds up prospects for this sole reason trade value. For all of you people that think getting nice core prospects is a nice return. Tthe Marlins got for Andrew Miller, Dallas Trahern, Eulogio De La Cruz and Burke Badenhop, outfielder Cameron Maybin, and catcher Mike Rabelo for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis (same situation salary dump). Which at the time was considered a nice propsect return. How did that work out. This just boils down to jealousy Toronto got the drop on the rest of the league, please tell me if the Yankees pulled this off everyone would be gushing of the crafty move.

The Jays kept key young players like D'Arnaud, Gose, and Drabek, and they got pitching and some more bats. I don't expect Reyes to bat .350, or Buerhle and Johnson to win 20 games, but this will definately help. Buerhle, and Johnson have the bats they didn't have in Miami. Tampa has a great rotation, but lack in great bats, the BoSox suck, and the Yankees have holes in thier rotation. I think the Jays can win the Al East, if they all stay healthy.

Bonafacio,Reyes, Bautista, Encarnacion,Cabrera,Lawrie, Lind, Rasmus, Arencebia, Izturis. That is a pretty good order... Buerhle, Johnson, Morrow, Romero, Drabek... pretty good rotation.

They could even still grab a couple more pieces in free agency, and dump Lind and or Arencebia.

QUOTE(#1):

Originally posted 09:33 AM ET  11.23 by ...the best policy

Everyone thinks this is great for the Blue Jays, but I think Toronto just set their franchise back. They managed to unload crappy contracts for Vernon Wells and Alex Rios only to bring in Johnson, Reyes, Buerhle and Buck on big contracts. Toronto will regret this deal.

Set their franchise back??? They haven't seen the playoffs in a generation! The team had to prove to fans that they are serious about contending again. You cannnot be the Minnesota Twins in the AL Beast. Boston and New York are simply too strong and rich to let the Twins or A's model of building cheap to succeed. The Jays still have a host of young players (Rasmus, Lawrie, Arrencibia, Drabek, Romero, Gose) to build upon. They needed some proven players to get over the hump. This trade has generated more excitement in T.O. than at any time since bringing the Rocket to town.

There are concerns all over this deal (Reyes' motivation, Johnson's health) but the team HAD to make a splash with the Yanks in slash-payroll mode and the Bosox rebuilding. You don't get a large window of a chance in this division. Anthopolous rolled the dice at a great time. It was his only chance to take a run, sell some tickets and possibly steal a division title and possibly run into October.

QUOTE(#7):

Originally posted 12:22 PM ET  11.23 by ...the best policy

Toronto has a nice window open the next couple of years to possibly win the AL East. I like a lineup with Reyes-Bautista-Encarnacion-Melky-Lawrie and others. The key, to me, is Johnson. Healthy, he is a stud. But that is a rarity. A rotation of Johnson-Romero-Buerhle-Drabek is pretty good.

Depends on Morrow staying healthy, and Romero returning to at least 15 wins and an ERA below 3, and finding a fifth starter. Drabek, for all intents and purposes, is never going to be the killer he coulda been after 2 Tommy Johns. The order, assuming Joey's wrist is 100%, is as solid as you can find in the majors.

QUOTE(#11):

Originally posted 01:16 PM ET  11.23 by joec

Set their franchise back??? They haven't seen the playoffs in a generation! The team had to prove to fans that they are serious about contending again. You cannnot be the Minnesota Twins in the AL Beast. Boston and New York are simply too strong and rich to let the Twins or A's model of building cheap to succeed. The Jays still have a host of young players (Rasmus, Lawrie, Arrencibia, Drabek, Romero, Gose) to build upon. They needed some proven players to get over the hump. This trade has generated more excitement in T.O. than at any time since bringing the Rocket to town.There are concerns all over this deal (Reyes' motivation, Johnson's health) but the team HAD to make a splash with the Yanks in slash-payroll mode and the Bosox rebuilding. You don't get a large window of a chance in this division. Anthopolous rolled the dice at a great time. It was his only chance to take a run, sell some tickets and possibly steal a division title and possibly run into October.

Really, I get all that. Truly I do. But the Marlins and the Angels won the winter sweepstakes in 2011. Did either of them make the playoffs in 2012? No.

Plus, Toronto added a lot of payroll.

It may work out, but I am highly skeptical.

QUOTE(#11):

Originally posted 01:16 PM ET  11.23 by joec

Set their franchise back??? They haven't seen the playoffs in a generation! The team had to prove to fans that they are serious about contending again. You cannnot be the Minnesota Twins in the AL Beast. Boston and New York are simply too strong and rich to let the Twins or A's model of building cheap to succeed. The Jays still have a host of young players (Rasmus, Lawrie, Arrencibia, Drabek, Romero, Gose) to build upon. They needed some proven players to get over the hump. This trade has generated more excitement in T.O. than at any time since bringing the Rocket to town.There are concerns all over this deal (Reyes' motivation, Johnson's health) but the team HAD to make a splash with the Yanks in slash-payroll mode and the Bosox rebuilding. You don't get a large window of a chance in this division. Anthopolous rolled the dice at a great time. It was his only chance to take a run, sell some tickets and possibly steal a division title and possibly run into October.

Yes.

QUOTE(#13):

Originally posted 03:17 PM ET  11.23 by ...the best policy

Really, I get all that. Truly I do. But the Marlins and the Angels won the winter sweepstakes in 2011. Did either of them make the playoffs in 2012? No.Plus, Toronto added a lot of payroll.It may work out, but I am highly skeptical.

I think you missed the point. Whether it "works out" or not is almost secondary. The CHANCE to work out is what fans in Toronto have been looking for since '93. Hope is all we ask for and now we have some. End of story.

QUOTE(#15):

Originally posted 03:31 PM ET  11.23 by cookinj

I think you missed the point. Whether it "works out" or not is almost secondary. The CHANCE to work out is what fans in Toronto have been looking for since '93. Hope is all we ask for and now we have some. End of story.

Hmmm. I get it. I just think that type of thinking rarely works out.

Again, look at Miami last season. How did that work out?

Toronto added five players - all flawed - from a last place team, took on a lot of salary, and gave up young players to do so.

Good luck with that.

QUOTE(#13):

Originally posted 03:17 PM ET  11.23 by ...the best policy

Really, I get all that. Truly I do. But the Marlins and the Angels won the winter sweepstakes in 2011. Did either of them make the playoffs in 2012? No.Plus, Toronto added a lot of payroll.It may work out, but I am highly skeptical.

I totally get you there. Toronto's deal looks awesome on paper, and so does a lot of other things; and yet "on paper" rarely turns into reality.

But at the same time, the fact that "on paper" often does not translate into reality does not mean you should make moves that look bad on paper. Can't always keep dealing for potential or you turn into a perennial farm team for other teams.

Besides this move, amazingly enough, was not primarily aimed at October 2013. It was aimed at November through April, when the Jays are trying to sell tickets for next season. Because if they can get higher attendance and revenue next year than they did this year, the Jays will be able to afford a higher payroll going forward. That's why these contracts being backloaded is a good thing.

Sure Reyes, Buehrle, et al may be overpaid. But if they went on the free agent market this season with their pre-contract year stats, they'd be getting even bigger contracts, because of the inflation from the TV revenue. In another year or two, they may even look like bargains.