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Over at ESPN (subscription required), Jim Bowden suggested a 'move' (trade or free agent signing) for each team in the AL. Here is what he suggests for the Jays:
The Move: Trade Brett Cecil, Ryan Goins, Matt Dean and Anthony Gose to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for second baseman Brandon Phillips and backup catcher Ryan Hanigan.
From the Jays side, I don't mind it that much. We aren't giving up a lot. we have lots of bullpen arms. Goins doesn't have a lot of trade value, as much as I'd like to keep him around as a utility infielder. Dean is years away from the majors. Gose I like having around, he can fill in at any of the outfield spots, but I'm not sure he'd got a great major league career ahead.
As much as I don't see the appeal of Ryan Hanigan, offensively his entire value seems to come from hitting in front the the pitcher. Last year he hit .198/.306/.261, with 29 walks, 9 of them intentional. If you take out the intentional walks, his OBP drops to .281. The question is 'how many of his other walks were semi-intentional.
He had a much better line in 2012, .274/.365/.338, but with 13 intentional walks. without the intention walks that OBP drops to .341. Again, the question against is how many of the other walks were semi intentional. With no power at all, no one is going to intentionally walk, or pitch around him in the AL.
But then, a good glove and some OBP from the catcher's spot would be an improvement over what we've had..
Brandon Phillips would be a huge upgrade at second base, he's good defensively (4 Gold Gloves), he's had 18 home runs in each of the past 4 seasons (what are the odds). He is coming off a poor season with the bat, .261/.310/.396, but his career numbers are nice, .271/.320/.429. He's just 32. He's owed $50 million over the next 4 seasons, not too bad.
The Blue Jays would love to have Jose Reyes and Phillips together up the middle, which would arguably become the best defensive double-play combination in the game.
I'm not sure I agree with the second half of that, I don't think they would be the best defensive pairing up the middle but they would be massively better than what we had last year.
Anyway, from the Blue Jays side, I'd do thing. I'm not sure I'd do it if I was the Reds. Let's have a poll.