chisox2334 Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 By JEFF BLAIR BASEBALL REPORTER Saturday, December 11, 2004 - Page S1 E-mail this Article Print this Article Advertisement Follow This Topic Have the news stories that matter most sent to your inbox daily. Follow the news… on Toronto Raptors on National Basketball Association Create your own alert ANAHEIM, CALIF. -- The crying and the spinning are done, and now the Toronto Blue Jays must deal with the most important aspect of Carlos Delgado's departure: replacing his offence. Even with Delgado, the Blue Jays finished third last in the American League in batting average (.260) and on-base percentage (.328) and tied with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for the third fewest home runs (145.) Bringing free agent Corey Koskie in, getting a full year from Frank Catalanotto and hoping that Russ Adams gives them an upgrade at shortstop alone doesn't make them a better offensive team. "We've said we'd like to add two bats," general manager J.P. Ricciardi said. "You aren't going to replace Carlos's 35 or 40 homers and 100 RBIs with one guy. We need two, then maybe chip away elsewhere." No wonder Ricciardi spent part of yesterday's first day of the winter meetings dismissing suggestions he would consider trading Vernon Wells or Alexis Rios. Ricciardi was also scheduled to meet late last night with Pat Rooney, Koskie's agent, and he and his lieutenants are closely monitoring the activities of the Chicago White Sox, with an eye toward acquiring left fielder and designated hitter Carlos Lee, who also played first base. The White Sox's general manager, Kenny Williams, needs to regain some of the sports pages from the Chicago Cubs, and Lee or first baseman Paul Konerko could be dealt as he attempts to clear the decks for a significant free-agent acquisition to remake a team that has already lost free agent Magglio Ordonez. Lee, a 28-year-old right-handed hitter, batted .305, with 31 homers and 99 runs batted in, and had an on-base percentage of .366. He interests the Blue Jays, even though he will make $8-million next season (as will Konerko, who has his own supporters in the Blue Jays' front office) and even though adding him and Koskie means the Blue Jays would move either Eric Hinske or Miguel Batista, or both, perhaps throwing a prospect such as Gabe Gross in as a sweetener. Hinske will get a raise to $3-million next season, while Batista will earn $4.75-million. Reports that Ricciardi approached the Washington Nationals about a trade that would send Rios to the National League club for Nick Johnson are wrong. Officials with both clubs say it was the Nationals who approached the Blue Jays and that Ricciardi was properly dismissive, since Johnson will be a free agent in two years (the Blue Jays have Rios for five more years) and is too often hurt. Rios is on an intensive weightlifting program this off-season to see whether he can improve his power numbers. "But he's weightlifting naturally," Ricciardi quipped, referring to baseball's current obsession with steroids. Wells was the subject of some interest on the part of the Anaheim Angels until yesterday's signing of Steve Finley. "I would have to be bowled over to even think of trading Vernon or Rios," Ricciardi said. "Know what? It ain't going to happen. We already have enough offence we need to replace." Wells will make $2.9-million in 2005 in the third year of a five-year deal, making him hugely cost-effective for a team with a $53-million payroll. While Ricciardi described some of the free-agent contracts signed in the past two days as "eye-opening," he said it probably won't have an impact on the players the Blue Jays are pursuing. Koskie and pitcher Matt Clement remain the Blue Jays' free-agent focus. The Cleveland Indians, considered to be the front-runner for Clement's services, believe the right-hander is now out of their price range because of the bloated contracts offered to other pitchers. But Ricciardi said last night that he thought the Blue Jays were "still in the picture." Designated hitter candidates such as Tony Clark and possibly even former Blue Jay John Olerud are in the background. "Not plan A," as Ricciardi described them. The team is interested in bringing back former closer Billy Koch in a setup role -- "we've always like the arm," Ricciardi said. Ricciardi confirmed that the Blue Jays are considering making a formal offer to left-handed reliever Steve Kline, a key member of the St. Louis Cardinals' bullpen, who was not offered arbitration by the club. Kline, a former member of the Montreal Expos, whose wife is from Montreal, was left off the Cardinals' World Series roster. A durable pitcher who had a 1.79 earned-run average last season, Kline made $1.7-million and will likely expect in the neighbourhood of $2.5-million. He underwent surgery last month to repair a torn tendon in his left index finger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 Carlos played 1B? That's news to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Bartman's my idol Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 Who are Toronto's starting pitchers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chisox2334 Posted December 11, 2004 Author Share Posted December 11, 2004 carlos delgado buddy geez lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CubKilla Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 Who are Toronto's starting pitchers? I'd have interest in Roy Halladay and would listen to offers involving Ted Lilly. Vernon Wells too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3E8 Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 I have interest in David Bush. :wink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MurcieOne Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 There isn't one player on the Jays Roster that I would consider better than Lee.... (Halladay is coming off injury) i would take Halladay and Wells for Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshPR Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 Carlos played 1B? That's news to me... Carlos played 3rd in the Minors and was signed as one. Played First in the AFL and in winter league when he played 2 seasons in Venezuela. Also he takes infiled practice at first too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Bartman's my idol Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 Maybe Wells and Lilly, Halladay had arm problems last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulokis Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 I have interest in David Bush. :wink I want Hudson and 1 good pitcher from them dont know who they have that will fit for us and if they'll give up Halladay. Hey 3E8, who is that on the sox jersey? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshPR Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 Hey 3E8, who is that on the sox jersey? Looks like some latin dude. Hudson is good. Hudson and Lilly? Or maybe Rios and Jason Frasor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHarris1 Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 Halladay please. I'd take my chances on him, he's a f***ing stud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upnorthsox Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 The question is, can the Jays put a package together for Konerko that the A's would want(along with Garland) for Hudson? If so, then a Lee for Vazquez deal could go down too and we'd be on our way.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 Halladay please. I'd take my chances on him, he's a f***ing stud. No doubt, but I still highly doubt that they would trade Roy but what the hell do I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indywallin Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 Halladay and Wells are both studs and I can't see Toronto dealing them. For the Sox to deal Lee to Toronto, a third team would have to get involved. Rios is a young outfielder with a ton of potential and Hinske is intriguing as I think he can regain his rookie of the year form. Still, they aren't worth the price of giving up Lee or Konerko. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshPR Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 I would pass on Hinske, But that's just me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beast Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 Carlos played 1B? That's news to me... Lee has played 1st base before in the minor leagues, I could have sworn he was brought up as a corner infielder...on one of his earlier baseball cards it said he was a 3bman. Besides, we are committed to Crede... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 Just looked at the bluejays board and here's what I found:Just heard this on the Score from Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail... Are you a Paul Konerko fan? Hope so because according to Blair either Konerko or Carlos Lee could be headed to the Jays in a blockbuster that would see, gulp, Eric Hinske and/or Miguel Batista with prospects going the other way. To put this in perspective Konerko is owed $8M next year which is the final year of his contract. I think Hinske makes between $3 and $5 mill and Batista makes 3.5M so the Jays would be taking on some payroll. Batista is a pretty solid pitcher but the thing that worries me about him is his era was over 6 after the allstar break last year :puke . Hinske would provide some left handed pop that the sox could use. I'm not really up to date on what Toronto has down in the minor leagues but I'm sure someone else could help me out on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chisox2334 Posted December 11, 2004 Author Share Posted December 11, 2004 this is why this deal makes sense whitesox trying move either lee or konerko big salary to fit need of 5th starter with bautista , have everett play left and hinske dh. Also frees up money to get a cheap 2b or maybe have money sign ss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 Batista is not the Pitcher I was hoping for this off-season, thats for sure. All this move is basically cancelling out saleries, which I guess I what the Sox have to do, but I would have to imagine the Sox can find something a little better. This worries me. I agree, now if we can get either Lilly or Halladay then I'd definitely be excited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHarris1 Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 My prediction...if that deal goes down, we make a FA splash. The more you look at it, if we do make a FA splash after the deal... Which would you rather have? Konerko or Hinske, Gload, Batista, and a FA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chisox2334 Posted December 11, 2004 Author Share Posted December 11, 2004 Guys if sox make trade and camke signing of renteria u wouldnt be happy??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 My prediction...if that deal goes down, we make a FA splash. The more you look at it, if we do make a FA splash after the deal... Which would you rather have? Konerko or Hinske, Gload, Batista, and a FA Could be that or then they sox could potentially use Garland to get a top of the rotation starter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 yes, but my years of being a sox fan have told me to not believe that that would happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHarris1 Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 Actually their salaries are about equal so there would be no FA money to use. f*** my idea. Don't do this Kenny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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