Saturday Bantering: Rumors and Cecil signs with Cards

Just as I was about to hit post, I saw the news (from Jeff Passan) that Brett Cecil signed with the Cardinals, 4 years, over $30 million. I’ll miss Brett, he’s been a favorite of mine for years now. When I started on the site, he was one of our top prospects. It has been interesting watching his career.

I wrote about Cecil here.

It is rumors season and, it seems, that Shapiro and Atkins share one trait with Alex Anthopoulos, they talk to everyone. It is a good idea, never know when someone might be looking for less money than you think or when someone might really want to play for your team.

In my mind, the Jays should be looking for:

• two outfielders
• a first baseman
• two or three relievers
• a backup catcher

Perhaps the Jays are thinking differently than I am, but that’s where I see us.

If I was doing things, I might just look for one outfielder and then tell Dalton Pompey that the other corner outfield spot is his. I’d tell him “you are getting 300+ at bats, don’t worry about being replaced, just relax, play good defense and we’ll work on the offense as the season goes”. I think it is time to either give Dalton a job or forget about him. Maybe the Jays have already done the latter.

Course, the Jays could go full nuts and give the corner spots to Pompey and Anthony Alford and go from awful corner defense to great corner defense. Add a ton of speed, and figure that the loss of offense will be made up by the gain in defense. Can you imagine the defense? The team would have Upton and, like, Carrera to back them up.

Want to change the ‘character’ of the team, get more athletic. There you go. And you would save enough money to be able to sign Edwin for first base.

Relievers? We need at least one lefty, but I’d like two. And I’d like another late inning right-hander.

Maybe the club thinks A.J. Jimenez can be their backup catcher. I do think you have to, sometimes, make the call that a prospect should come up to the majors. I’d want someone I’m sure could play 40-60 games and be a decent enough hitter that we don’t think we are giving up.

Anyway, rumors and stuff:

• Not a rumor, but Devon Travis had knee surgery. They say he’ll be ready for spring training, but you never know.
• The Jays have ‘had contact’ with Carlos Beltran. All I can say is please no. I guess he could be a one-year bridge to Alford.
• Atkins told reporters that the Morales signing makes it ‘slightly less likely’ that they sign Edwin, but that it is still a possibility. I get the feeling that the Jays think Edwin isn’t getting the 5-year offer he was expecting, and think he might come back to their 4-year offer.
• Atkins said that the Morales signing has no effect on the odds of signing Bautista (which you could read as ‘we weren’t going to sign him anyway’. What worries me is that they still see Jose as an outfielder. I don’t.
• Atkins also said that Michael Saunders is still ‘on their radar’. I really can’t see signing Saunders as an outfielder, he was as bad as Bautista in the outfield. I could see moving Saunders to first, but only if you think he can hit like he did in the first half last year. Missed that it is Michael’s birthday. Happy birthday Michael (now I feel sorry about saying he shouldn’t play the outfield.
• I don’t see us working out a trade for Adam Eaton. If the club isn’t wanting to sign a free agent who would cost us a draft pick, I don’t see us giving up the prospects that Eaton would cost. That said, I’d think he would be a good fit.
• I would like us to go after Dexter Fowler. A leadoff type that gets on base? He’s the wrong side of 30 and will likely get a contract would be longer than I’d feel comfortable in giving out, but I’d rather give up the one draft pick than the prospect (s) Eaton would cost.
• Sean Rodriguez would give us options, he can play anywhere on the field, and has some power.