Like everyone else, Richard Griffin talked about the Zack Greinke trade this morning. What got me is that Griffin admitted that the trade, at least with Drabek, Snider, Arencibia and Hechavarri as the ones going to the Royals, would be a mistake for the Jays, but then he says this:
Anthopoulos, forever brimming with youthful confidence, is still learning his craft and in this case was schooled by veteran Brewers GM Doug Melvin, a fellow Canadian. Anthopoulos is the Texas hold 'em player who always wants to see the flop, calling every hand, even with 9-7 unsuited, just in case things fall his way. Whenever the sophomore GM finds out a young talent is available and would be under club control for at least a couple of seasons, he makes the call to find out what it would take to get it done. In this case, Royals GM Dayton Moore was likely asking too much, especially if the Jays, as they insist, are still in a rebuilding mode.
Now I don't understand how Alex was 'schooled' by Melvin? Does anyone think that we should have made the trade with the players that Griffin mentions? Or is he saying Alex shouldn't have looked into what it would have taken to get Greinke? I'm glad we have a GM that takes an interest in any good player that might be available in trade. I'm all for seeing if a trade could be made, for terms we like, on any good player. It only makes sense.
In no way was Alex schooled. The Brewers felt they were in a spot where making that trade was a good idea. They are in a division where they are very competitive. The players they gave up are good, but I don't see any of them being very special. If we could have traded 4 guys that weren't likely to become special, I'd be all for the trade.
Is Griffin saying there is something Alex should have done differently? If so, he should tell us what it is, because I really don't see it.