Rincewind:  What should be done about the DH spot?

Hugo:  The Jays should get the best bat they can afford over the next two seasons, in my view.  For the past two seasons, their starting pitching, defense, and bullpen have been lights-out, and the hitting has killed them.  2008 taught them that the offense wouldn’t improve with the same players just because the year ended in a different number, so let’s stop thinking that.  

The problem is that the Jays can’t afford to give up too much in a trade due to the thinness of the team in the high minors, so it has to be through free agency or a creative trade.  With Halladay under control, Marcum, McGowan, and Janssen hopefully at full strength, Snider, Cecil, Arencibia, and Lind on the Rise, and Rios, Hill, and Wells still at or near their primes, 2010 could be a big year for the Jays if they have a big bat to complement the lineup. 

I like Bradley.  I really like Blalock.  I’m intrigued by the idea of Butler.  I wonder if, given the price the Yankees paid for Swisher, the Jays could get Thome or Dye cheaply.  But let’s bring in somebody, and make Moonraker our contingency plan. 

Rincewind:  The nice part about having a hole at DH, is that it should be an easy hole to fill. Of course, JP couldn’t fill it all last season, but that says a lot about JP’s ability as a GM. There must be 60 players the Jays could pick up cheap that would be better than what we have. I’d prefer a right handed bat, since we didn’t have anyone that could hit a lefty at all last year.

I love the idea of Blalock because he could fill in at first or third at times and we didn’t have much to back up those spots. But then we don’t have much to back up the outfield spots either and Bradley could do that. I’m not sure about Butler, I think I’d just as soon have Moonraker up as have him be a DH for us. Butler doesn’t get on base that well, though he is young and will likely improve.

I do wonder how much money Giambi will be looking for this year but he’s pretty limited as just a DH. He does have the power and ability to take a walk that the team could use.

Hugo:  JP said signing Bonds was selling his soul, so I don’t see him taking on Giambi, though you never know.  Giambi is one of my least favourite players ever since he whined about Ichiro winning MVP in 2001 – he was hardly in a position to complain seeing as he spent the year cheating -- but I have to admit it could help the team.  He has been a little uneven in his production though, and his health issues seem much more chronic than Bradley’s.  Blalock or Bradley would be very nice.  The good thing about Butler would be his low cost and the number of years he’ll be under team control, but you’re right, he’s hardly a sure upgrade for this season based on what he did last year, though he does offer depth.  I’m not sure the Royals are going to part with him, anyway.  With any of these guys, you’re taking on a risk, but that’s okay because the Jays have Snider waiting in the wings.  

My gut tells me that J.P. waits out the winter meetings and signs the best bat left over in January, when the player’s leverage is gone.  But we’ll see, it's hard to say how the economy will affect the market when all is said and done, and what that will mean for the Jays.  And of course according to Richard Griffin, Russ Adams should be our DH, so, yeah.

So no, we don't think we're Oppenheimer and Einstein, haha.  It's just one of my favourite pictures.

Part 1: Good and Bad of 2008
Part 2: Jays Priorities for the Offseason
Part 3: Should the Jays Rebuild?
Part 4: Who Should Lead Off For the Jays?
Part 5: How Should the Jays Fill Out Their Rotation
Part 6: Part 6: Can the Jays Complete with Barajas catching and Scutaro at Short?
Part 7: Should the Jays Trade From Their Bullpen?