Should The Blue Jays Trade Marcus Stroman?

May 2, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles right fielder

(23) at bat against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Travis Snider – Travis Snider came up through the Jays minor league system with an enormous amount of hype. He was perhaps the most powerful hitter the Jays had in their farm at the time, and fans anticipated his arrival. A first round pick in 2006, he debuted in Single-A Dunedin in 2008, and shot his way up to the BIgs in August of that same year. The hype around Snider is something I believe that most Jays fans can remember, and was a prospect that was cherished and considered “untouchable.” 

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Yet, as time went on, Snider’s hitting woes occurred more and more, and perhaps the Jays were better off dealing him while the hype was at its peak. He never quite hit his stride with the Jays and spent most of the time finding his swing in the minors. Who knows what the return would have been if Snider was packaged other lower level prospects? Certainly, if the Jays struck while the iron was hot, they would have gotten more in return than they ultimately did when they traded him to the Pirates for Brad Lincoln.

Feb 18, 2014; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher

Ricky Romero

(24) throws as the Blue Jays workout at

Bobby Mattick

Training Center. Mandatory Credit:

David Manning

-USA TODAY Sports

Rickey Romero – Romero was drafted 5th overall by the Jays in the 2005 amateur entry draft. It took him a while to debut for the Jays, but in April of 2009, Cito Gaston showed confidence in the young prospect and placed him in the rotation. Although he demonstrated some injury concerns, during his time with the Jays between 2009-2012, he showed some promise to be able to be a leader in the rotation, as Jays fans saw him as the one to take the reigns from Roy Halladay. However, as his tenure with the Jays continued, Romero started to show trouble with his control and command. The consensus was that Romero’s biggest problem was between the ears and perhaps a short trip in the minors could help regain his confidence. We all know the story; it was all downhill from there. Romero began to struggle for the Jays, lasting fewer and fewer innings with each start. He became somewhat of a regular down in Triple-A for the Bisons, until he underwent knee surgery in June of 2014, ultimately being released by the Jays earlier this year. Although Romero produced quality starts for the Jays early in his tenure, he is ultimately another example of a prospect that perhaps would have made more sense to deal while he was at his peak

Next: Two More Untouchables