Simmer Down on Halladay
OK, so Roy Halladay made some slightly-less-than-vaguely-ominous comments about the direction of the Jays.
Hold the phone, so he really is human after all? He noticed that the Jays have been mediocre for what seems like decades, and wants that to change? Holy shit, stop the presses!
Yes, I know it's rare for Roy to come out and say something, especially if it's negative, and I know it's a bit of a slow news day, what with the All-Star break and everything, but honestly? Fuck off.
To me, this just isn't a story at all. Of course Halladay is frustrated. Of course he'd strongly considering moving to a team where he'd have a chance to win by the time his contract expires at the end of 2010. But if the Jays aren't in a position to seriously contend over the next couple of years, there probably wouldn't be much sense in keeping Halladay beyond that anyway.
And furthermore, for fuck sakes let's keep what's happening this season in perspective. True, they've pissed away a perfect opportunity to play meaningful baseball down the stretch, but even though they've looked just abysmal at times, they're still hovering around .500. The pitching has, for the most part, been fantastic, and apart from Burnett (and McGowan, depending on what Dr. Kremchek says), it's not going anywhere. Yes, the hitters have been positively fuckawful, but am I wrong in thinking that with a surplus of cheap pitching and the Burnett and Thomas contracts coming off the book it shouldn't exactly be a herculean task in the off-season to find a more complete shortstop and a proper DH?
Plug those into this team-- shit, plug in the 2007 versions of Stairs, Hill and Rios-- and surely you claw back a few of those 9 games that the Jays sit behind the Red Sox.
No, Boston, New York and Tampa don't exactly look poised to turn into... well... the Jays or Orioles, but things in baseball don't always work out the way folks envision them-- ask the Tigers, or the Indians, or the White Sox and Twins, or the Mariners, or the Rockies, or the Mets, or the Jays. Of course the safe money is on the Yanks, Sox and Rays being very strong clubs for the forseeable future, but holy fuck, getting your panties in a twist about Halladay's comments on what might happen in 2011 is just a little fucking ridiculous.
There's no reason to expect the Jays to suddenly fall off the map in the next two years-- and isn't that all they really need to avoid? Why the hell shouldn't there be enough optimism in the next couple of off-seasons to make any discussion of this-- especially now-- completely fucking pointless?
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44 comments:
You simmer down!
2010 is armageddon!
Halladay walks out on the Jays.
Bosh leaves the Raptors.
Who cares about the Leafs???
I'm bored at work - ARMAGEDDON!
for those who don't have their heads up their asses, there's no reason to simmer down becaus we've already come tho the realization Doc isn't re-upping whne his contract is done. Are his comments really a surprise?
Bosh and O'Neal, and they have like a jillion dollars of cap room freed up for what's supposed to be an amazing free agent class. I doubt Bosh will go. Halladay either.
And I base this on absolutely nothing.
Apparently AJ has Philadelphia on his list of 15 no-fly teams, which pretty much ends any hopes of getting Jason Donald.
For those of us who know how to spell, please explain why you're so sure of that.
Bosh and O'Neal, and they have like a jillion dollars of cap room freed up for what's supposed to be an amazing free agent class. I doubt Bosh will go.
Raptors will resign Bosh and use O'Neal's money to sign LeBron book it.
I doubt AJ's no trade is going to be an issue. Something tells me he won't have a problem with letting that clause be bought out of his contract.
Are you the same anon who knows Halladay's not coming back?
I'd trade Halladay for Lebron.
Halladay's comments were fairly neutral and acted to light a fire under everyone's asses. What's wrong with the comments? He still likes being here, and who knows what the team will be like 2 years down the road?
There's no way LeBron's "team", let alone the people who run the NBA, would allow him to sign in Toronto. He'll be in New York. Book that, and I don't know a goddamn thing about the NBA.
After a few days of optimism, I'm back on the "nobody will ante up enough" train of thought for an AJ deal, so draft picks it is.
Here's another question for the "reading too much into things" club (I'm a charter member)....so with Doc stating his preference that he wants to see Ricciardi stick around, does that change your opinion on firing him? What would Godfrey do if he was backed into that corner?
He might reup IF another GM comes on board and gets some offense to actually win. Guys like Thome and Burrell could make the Jays a wild card team. They might have to trade someone else,like Rolen or Wells to free up money but so be it. BTW Rolen is not the greatest Jay ever, Doc is. Someone of Doc's caliber should be in the playoffs not the layoffs!
The Jays would do well to to get either one of Carrasco or Marson + Donald from Philly for A.J.
They are more likely to get Golson & Donald if anything happens but thus far the Phils have refused to discuss any of Carrasco/Marson/Golson.
^^^ Agreed about Doc-- the Rolen stuff is tounge-in-cheek-- and about getting some offense. I don't think money is the issue, though, or that anyone would take Wells (or that you should sell low on him). I also don't think it would make a difference if JP or another GM got this team's offense back on track. Ack, as to your question, I think he was just being polite-- I don't read too much into it, and I think a new GM would be a breath of fresh air, even if I don't necessarily think JP has been a complete failure.
Jim Thome? No, but Burrell is an interesting name. Or dare I say... Delgado?
Ok - so maybe armageddon was too strong a word.
I'd be surprised if Bosh left - BC is doing his best to make sure that Bosh's wants get addressed every year.
If the Raps don't improve in 08/09 I'd look to see JO get moved in the offseason to a team needs cap space and that has a SERIOUS shot at landing Lebron. (Brooklyn Nets, Knickerbockers)
Lots of young talent/draft picks available if they do that.
Shit - baseball blog...not Raptors.
ARMAGEDDON!
Halladay could walk but I'd consider this more of an attempt to light a fire in the front office. Doc is sick of JP's shenanigans?
Regardless 2010 is 2 seasons away - worry about getting the team moving in the right direction and the pieces will fall into place.
If BC didn't come on board and start to right the Raptors ship - Bosh wouldn't be here and 2010 wouldn't be an issue.
Oh shit...baseball...ummm baseball thoughts. Stoeten you STILL think you're gonna win the AL/NL fantasy leagues???
ARMAGEDDON!
I'm just blown away that this is even news... what was Roy supposed to say:
"I love this team because we are pretty predictably mediocre. We take various different ways to get there, but we're never a contender. It's nice to know that I'll never be busy in October and it helps me line up my hunting/fishing/fantasy football schedule."
Actually that would be cool and funny.
^^ ack
Doc said he wants JP around? Did I actually have to click and read an article to see that?
So much for calling shenanigans...
Both leagues, yes. I will win them. Seriously.
I thought all the sky-is-falling articles today were hilarious. Guess they weren't lying when they said today is the slowest sports news day ever; nothing to recap AND nothing to preview.
any way we can land matt holliday?
Silvestre, just as long as AJ doesn't say it . . .
If he did... ARMAGEDDON!
^^ jay......here's the quote:
"You can't predict the future," Halladay said. "I like to see what people are about and go from there. But obviously, I love J.P. [Ricciardi, the Blue Jays' general manager] I'd love to have him stay. But again, I think you address the issues once they come up. It's hard to do that in advance."
Stoeten! Stop stealing my titles
Are you the same anon who knows Halladay's not coming back?
No, I'm the smart anon.
Hahaha. Hmm... I thought I was stealing Parkes's title-- which, I'm sure, was stolen from me.
I knew that, anon. No worries.
^^Joanna! Stop stealing my comments! - from last night:
"...but after my reverse boner withdrew from my stomach, I realized.....what in the fuck do you think he's going to say? "Yeah, I'm OK with mediocrity. Winning isn't that important. Rebuild? Sure." "
....minus the reverse boner part, of course.
I'm blaming this one on Mike Toth and his ambiguous inflection when he read the quote.
well, I'm not worried about stealing titles from Parkes...I'm pretty sure he owes me.
that post you linked to had no comments, back when our blogs were equal.
and ack...you're a genius.
^^ my sarcasm detector hasn't been working right lately, so I'm not really sure if I should say "hey thanks!", or "fuck you very much"....so feel free to choose whichever is appropriate and apply at will.
^^ Stoeten
Hahahaha. hahahaha. HAHAHAHA. Ok I'm done.
Granted no one on here really cares that your fantasy baseball aspirations are no more than delusions of grandeur...
But like I told you after the home opener - you have a shot at NL, no chance in AL.
Up for some type of wager? You DJFers like to bet and stuff.
If you do win both pools...ARMAGEDDON!
I'd be embarassed if he wasn't upset about the direction of this team and said he didn't want to win the World Series. I don't ever want to see him leave the Jays but he sure as hell deserves to pursue a championship if it's his desire.
Oh, and fantastic podcast as always, gentlemen.
Call me crazy, but I'm thoroughly underwhelmed by your AL team. I don't get it.
I dont know how an 18.5 game lead over 2nd place with Hill, Papi and Carmona on the DL for and extended period of time is underwhelming?
Maybe my starting lineup with these injuries isn't the bees knees - but my OF should carry me for a while.
And I'm not saying I'm a lock to win it...just that you're a lock NOT to win the AL.
Good thing you leave the fantasy posts to Bergkamp ;)
I'm going home for the day...
ARMAGEDDON!
Oh the lead? Not to sound like a dick, I played hockey for one month this year, and watched the Euro for another. I'll be fine. All I need is a playoff spot. And if Wang, Hafner and Blalock come off the DL around playoff time, I'll cruise-- if not, I'll just win.
UNLESS both Burnett and Blanton end up in the NL, which is very possible. Then I might have to work at it.
Before I go...I should say that your latest podcast was the cows milk AND the bees knees.
Cheers!
about that podcast who the hell kept stepping on the cat or was one of you being castrated?
CARMAGEDDON!!!
any way we can land holliday?
have a look at his home and away splits over his career...
Stoeten, you'd be up for Delgado but not Thome?
b-b-b-b-b-b-b-bonerrrrr.
read the latrest on the Globe site from Doc.
"They [the fans] shouldn't be worried I'm leaving," he said.
"There's no chance if I have anything to say about it that I'm going anywhere. I can understand maybe disappointment with the way we're going. But as long as it's up to me, I'm staying."
and by "latrest", I of course mean "latest", ass holes.
Now Joanna, don't you have a post to go write?
zzzzzing!
Delgado needs a change of scenery, and where better than to try and recapture his glory days?
Thome needs a casket.
Anon: Re: Thome & Delgado
Yeah... I didn't really think of it that way-- I guess I just like Delgado way more than Thome, for obvious reasons. But clearly, Thome's having a better season overall. So yeah, I'm going to have to eat my words on that.
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