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Jays Journal: A.L. East Predictions for 2011 Season

Mat Germain — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:00:58 +0000

With the season just about set to begin and most of the position battles settled, I’m ready to set forth and make some bold predictions, and others not so bold. I’ll post my MLB wide predictions (most of which are unlikely to come true but make for good stuff to talk about), and hopefully I’ll come up with a few gems that will make some sense (as my 2010 prediction of the Jays finishing above .500 and Texas winning the West did last season).

Here are my A.L. East predictions, going from last to first, just to make things more interesting and to build up to the surprise team that I expect will win the A.L. East.

#5 – The Baltimore Orioles – Record: 78 – 84 (more…)

Is Toronto a Viable Option for Albert Pujols?

Mat Germain — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 11:21:31 +0000

image courtesy of farm2.static.flickr.com

As I hear about how the talks are souring between the St-Louis Cardinals and Albert Pujols, I sit here, I wonder, I dream. There’s arguably a 0.05% chance that Albert Pujols will not be a Cardinal in 2011 or 2012, and probably a lesser chance that he would become a Blue Jay if he were available. However, let’s imagine for one second that talks did get so bad that St-Louis executives realized that they had little choice but to move him for as big a package as they could find. Let’s also imagine that Alex Anthopoulos would be in the front row of the pack chasing him, as he has been for the majority of available players, making inquiries, offering an attractive package that includes pieces from the team with the 4th best minors system in the majors.

Before I get into the Pujols market, however, I wanted to add that I’m not the only one looking into the possibility of Pujols becoming a Toronto target. Alex Anthopoulos wants to target the very best at each position, and we all know Albert is the best 1B OR DH. The last part is particularly important, because it tells us that Pujols may want to bring his craft to the American League for his next contract in order to prolong his career. If he signs a 10-year contract in St-Louis, what are the chances he’ll be an effective 1B at the end of it? It’s also important because it means that even if the Jays want to add Pujols AND keep Adam Lind, they can do so. If they do have to deal Lind to get Pujols, it’s really no big deal because Lind can’t hit LHP. (more…)

Should the Blue Jays Go After Lars Anderson of the Boston Red Sox?

Jared Macdonald — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 02:04:52 +0000

Last week I touched on the departure of Mike Jacobs from the Blue Jays organization and the hole it opened at 1B on the Las Vegas 51s/Toronto Blue Jays depth chart.

Apart from internal candidate David Cooper, who played with Double-A New Hampshire for the second straight season in 2010, the list of available Triple-A first basemen in the Blue Jays’ system is slim.

Looking to the trade market, one name that jumps out is Lars Anderson, who is now the top-ranked first base prospect in the Boston Red Sox Minor League system. He’s positionally blocked after a trade sent Anthony Rizzo (plus three more prospects) to the San Diego Padres, which netted the Red Sox their shiny new toy: Three-time All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. (more…)