Jul 13, 2012; Toronto, ON, Canada; Toronto Blue Jays shortstop

It’s a little ironic that Yunel Escobar was acquired, along with Jo-Jo Reyes, in return for SS Alex Gonzalez, RP Tim Collins (now with KC) and Tyler Pastornicky, a fellow SS who is beloved in the locker room and is noted for having players pull for him to do well. It’s ironic because the exact same thing that drove the Atlanta Braves to deal Escobar to Toronto at the time, is reportedly the same reason the Jays have made him available in trade. Well, that and the fact that Adeiny Hechavarria seems ready to assume the SS position in Toronto.

Until Pastornicky proves that he is able to become an everyday SS in the majors, it’s easy to call this trade a win for the Jays, particularly when you know the past struggles the Jays have had in filling the SS position. Escobar’s .276/.341/.378 over his 3 years in Toronto is much better than anything the Jays had prior to Escobar’s arrival. The problem is that the production doesn’t really match his talent, and that he has reportedly worn out his welcome in Toronto as well through a lack of focus.

You do have to question why the Jays ever signed Escobar to an extension if he really was a clubhouse issue. The Jays, or an acquiring team, still owe Escobar $5 million in 2013, and still have 2 team option years for 2014-2015 at $5 million a piece as well. What that contract tells me is that the Jays were more than happy with his clubhouse presence at the time of the signing. He signed that contract in mid-June 2011, so if the reports are true, he has worn out his welcome in Toronto over the last full year, and immediately after signing that contract. (more…)

Jul 4, 2012; Toronto, ON, Canada; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher

Carlos Villanueva threw a very effective game yesterday, as he changed speeds constantly on the Red Sox and only made one big mistake to Jarrod Saltalamacchia in the 2nd inning. Overall, he threw 101 pitches, 65 of them for strikes, and earned his 5th win (with no losses) of the season. To say that he, and Aaron Laffey, have stepped up in the wake of all of the injuries the Jays have faced of late is a major understatement. Both have been stellar, and deserve to be highlighted for their efforts.

Also important to note in this game was the inaugural appearances of both J.A. Happ and Brandon Lyon. I don’t know about you, but watching both of those guys help Darren Oliver shut the door on the Red Sox after Villanueva’s stellar start was, well, soothing. Neither got into trouble at all, although Happ did get one friendly call from the umpire at 1B, and neither allowed a hit or a walk. Happ needed only 6 pitches to get 2 outs in the 7th, while Lyon needed only 11 pitches to close the game out in the 9th. (more…)

July 18, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Brandon Lyon (37) pitches against the San Diego Padres during the sixth inning at PETCO Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

On first glance, I have to admit that the Jays are sending a whole lot of talent over to the Astros in return for a pitching upgrade. It’s far more prudent, however, to look through the entire package before jumping to conclusions. For this year, I absolutely love this deal. It gives the Jays a #4 caliber pitcher who can chew up a lot of innings and support the current staff. The Jays also improve the pen a great deal by simply dealing Francisco Cordero, but get even better since they can replace him with Brandon Lyon. Finally, the Jays improve a great deal on the bench and in the OF with the replacement of Ben Francisco with Travis Snider. As I proposed yesterday, all of this makes the Jays younger, and much better for the remainder of 2012.

For this season, it’s no contest, the Jays flat out win this deal. But what about the ever after?

Before we touch on anything else, we need to know the age, cost, and controllability of each player.

To the Toronto Blue Jays: (more…)