According to Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Blue Jays have struck again and signed starting pitcher A. J. Burnett, their second premier free agent of this offseason. This comes relatively hot on the heels of the Jays signing relief pitcher B. J. Ryan to be their closer. The Ryan deal (5 years, $47 million — the most total dollars ever given to a reliever) has been widely criticized. I'm sure the Burnett deal (5 years, $55 million) will be too. Yet I can't help but think these are the best deals the Jays have made since they traded Fred McGriff and Tony Fernandez to the Padres on December 5, 1990, for Joe Carter and a young secondbaseman named Roberto Alomar.
Why do I think these are good signings when it seems like a lot of years and a lot of money in both cases? A few reasons (the stats are based on the the last three seasons):
Burnett and Ryan. As a Jays fan down here in the Maritimes I feel roight foine today. I ain't been this excited about the Jays since '93. I'm hungry to see who the hitters are that Ricciardi comes up with to complement these pitching moves. I'd love to see Jonny Gomes in Jays uniform. I'd do Batista for Brad Wilkerson in half-a-second. Would JP? How about about Chacin and Alexis Rios for Wilkerson? I'd do that one even quicker. But what do I know? Nothing, that's what -- except that JP ain't done and I ain't gonna bitch and moan about who he trades and whoever the hitters are that he comes up with until I see how the '06 season plays out. I do believe I learned a little from the Hillenbrand deal. The Jays are halfway to where they need and want to be and I don't think the GM is geared for halfway measures. Might be spring before we see how the lineup and rotation shake out. I can wait, and I'll be waiting with anticipation rather than trepidation.
Why do I think these are good signings when it seems like a lot of years and a lot of money in both cases? A few reasons (the stats are based on the the last three seasons):
- Both pitchers are entering what should be their prime years. Ryan will be 30 when the 2006 season starts, Burnett will be 29.
- Ryan murders opposing batters. He has struck out 12.23 batters per 9 innings pitched. That's a high ratio even for a reliever.
- Burnett is no slouch with the Ks either. His ratio is 8.41 K/9. Considering that 7 K/9 generally points to an effective starter, Burnett is already looking good (Roy Halladay's ratio is 6.77).
- Neither Burnett nor Ryan allow many home runs, their HR/9's respectively are .68 and .37.
- Why so few home runs? Maybe it's because they give up more ground balls than fly balls: Burnett's G/F ratio is 1.73 (it was 2.42 last season), Ryan's is 1.34.
Burnett and Ryan. As a Jays fan down here in the Maritimes I feel roight foine today. I ain't been this excited about the Jays since '93. I'm hungry to see who the hitters are that Ricciardi comes up with to complement these pitching moves. I'd love to see Jonny Gomes in Jays uniform. I'd do Batista for Brad Wilkerson in half-a-second. Would JP? How about about Chacin and Alexis Rios for Wilkerson? I'd do that one even quicker. But what do I know? Nothing, that's what -- except that JP ain't done and I ain't gonna bitch and moan about who he trades and whoever the hitters are that he comes up with until I see how the '06 season plays out. I do believe I learned a little from the Hillenbrand deal. The Jays are halfway to where they need and want to be and I don't think the GM is geared for halfway measures. Might be spring before we see how the lineup and rotation shake out. I can wait, and I'll be waiting with anticipation rather than trepidation.
I only have one question. With Halladay and Burnett at the top of the rotation, how often is the the infield carpet at Rogers Centre scheduled to be changed?
6 comments:
Hey, Josh. I actually worry more about Ryan than Burnett. I see just now that the Jays just got better offensively and defensively at first base by trading Bush, Gabe Gross and Zach Jackson to the Brewers for Lyle Overbay and the ever-popular player to be named later. That means at least one, and hopefully, two, of the trio of Hinske, Hillenbrand and Koskie can now be thrown into a trade for another bat -- one with more home run power than Overbay.
As far as Beckett goes, yeah, he's good. But I'm sure the Red Sox are praying his shoulder holds up. Apparently they almost canceled that trade when got a look at the MRI of his right shoulder. I'm sure Loretta has one more decent year in him, but I wonder who's going to catch Wakefield's knuckleball?
Fantasy league -- you know, Josh, we should really deepen the rosters next year. I'd like to add an MI, CI, OF and util spot, a couple or three more pitching spots and 200 more innings. You think we could talk the boys into doing that?
So many deals the stove is piping hot. I can't wait to see the fantasy bbl impact of these.
I might be interested in deeper rosters. It would dampen the luck factor for sure.
I'm more interested in the idea of a keeper league. But of course have little desire to run it. I'd like to eliminate trade veto in a league like that. Well I think we should scrap trade vetoes entirely.
Dylan
Speaking of deals, Dyl, how about Renteria to the Braves for Andy Marte? How the hell did the Sox pull that one off? It's like Epstein never left Boston.
A keeper league means a lot of detail work for the commissioner. The ideal candidate for the job would be a non-abrasive obsessive-compulsive self-starter. Do we even have anyone in the league who fits that first criterion? Maybe we should take out an ad.
well if the Red Sox can get Tejada it would be insane. But I thought division rivals tried to steer away from big trades. I figure the Sox will just get Nomar.
dylan
omg Troy Glaus a Blue Jay but no update on your take on the deal. Goddammit.
dylan
I like both the Glaus and Overbay deals. I'll post about them sometime in the next day or so.
Post a Comment