Why Jonathan Papelbon to the Blue Jays won't work

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Aug 6, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz (51) puts his arm on the shoulder of pitcher Jonathan Papelbon (58) after defeating the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies defeated the Cubs 9-8. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Reason 3: The move simply doesn’t make sense

A move of this nature would signify a hint of desperation on the part of the Toronto Blue Jays. With arms like Francisco Rodriguez and Rafael Soriano still available on the market, the Blue Jays still have options for available closers. However, the team may not need to go down that road.

Brett Cecil has shown in every way over the last two seasons that he can be a shut-down reliever, and his natural progression at this point would be into the closer role. Additionally, there is talk of still considering top prospect Aaron Sanchez for a relief role, a role he excelled in during his late season call-up a season ago.

That said, with the available funds the Blue Jays still have to spend this winter (somewhere in the $7-$8 million range), Toronto could better allocate those funds to multiple arms in set-up roles rather than sinking the whole nut into one guy who can throw just 5-6 innings a week. The Blue Jays are still in the mix for guys like John Axford, Burke Badenhop, and more. Adding two of these guys will fill out the bullpen and negate any need for a hasty move for Papelbon or any other closer.

Steering clear of Papelbon not only makes more sense financially, but also in terms of the future. By preserving the farm system, the team can build for the future, either through development or through better allocation of trade resources down the road.

What do you think fellow Blue Jays fans? Would you bring in Jonathan Papelbon or would you look for a better alternative elsewhere?

Next: Jays Journal Top Prospects #19 - Matt Dean