AA Got One More Splash In Him? Part 2

Dec 6, 2011; Dallas, TX, USA; Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos answers questions during the MLB winter meetings at Hilton Anatole. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY SportsMy previous post “AA Got One More Splash In Him?” was originally supposed to be about what the title implies. It was about that for the first half of the article. But then I ended up rambling about Kyle Lohse long enough to decide to just call it a day. My laziness ended up making the post look all about Kyle Lohse (which I suffered for in the comment section) and not what I really meant for it to be about: the possibility of Alex Anthopoulos still doing something this offseason.

So with that in mind let’s continue looking at splashes AA could still make this offseason.

Like the idea of the Blue Jays signing Kyle Lohse to be a swing man any splash the Blue Jays were to HYPOTHETICALLY make would be for the sake of being greedy and making an already stacked team almost darn near impossible to beat. Also what’s the point of calling Anthopoulos a ninja and a silent assassin if we all know when or if he’s done making moves?

The Houston Astro’s recently traded Jed Lowrie and rumors are floating around about them trading other players in an effort to keep rebuilding. When you are as far from contending as the Astro’s are they’d be crazy to not at least listen for offers for every player they have including Jose Altuve. Altuve is coming off an all-star season, he’s just 22 years old, he’s not arbitration eligible until 2015, and not even a free agent until 2018 so the Blue Jays would definitely have to give up a lot to get him. The Blue Jays have such little stability at 2nd base for the foreseeable future and already have so much money committed to other players that acquiring an all-star 2nd basemen that’s cheap, young and under control for so long makes sense for them, especially if the Asrtro’s made Altuve available.

Michael Bourn is still a free agent. Like Lohse he’s a Scott Boras client and will cost a draft pick but right now would definitely be an upgrade over Colby Rasmus. Rasmus still has potential but if he has a repeat of 2011 and 2012 is he really worth keeping around as his salary increases? Bourn is just 30 years old and had a 6 WAR season in 2012 and a 4 and almost 5 WAR seasons the 3 previous years. Signing Bourn would also make Rasmus expandable even though the Blue Jays would have to sell low on him. The Jays are hoping Rasmus turns his career around but bringing in Bourn now definitely fixes a problem the Jays have now and could have next offseason.

I’m not saying the Blue Jays should make these moves or that any more moves need to be made. Even if AA did make another splash it would almost definitely be a move that’s a lot less obvious than the ones I’m thinking of. That’s why they call him a ninja and a silent assassin. Let’s just not suck the fun out of the offseason just yet and completely rule out AA making one more splash.