Well... I like that the Jays no longer have to face James Shields all the time, but did the Royals just hand over the #1, #3 and #6 prospects from one of the best systems in the league for Shields and Wade Davis? Myers is probably the best hitting prospect in the world right now. I get that they're still only prospects, but the Rays just completely took advantage of a very, very desperate Royals team.

Screw the traditional AL East complaints... I hate that the Jays are in the same division as Andrew Friedman.

And Dempster to the Red Sox. 2/26.5

It took me a few days but I love this trade now. Shields was only under contract for another two years and was the old man of the staff; Davis, pfft--spare part. Tampa's pitching depth will be shallow by their standards next year (although still deeper than Boston's), but I love the prospects we nabbed, especially since our farm team was starting to look a little depleted. And it frees up around $12 to sign the DH and extra bullpen arm we need in the short-term. Between this and the way he's massively overhauled our infield defense, Friedman's doing a hell of a job this year. Of course, talk to me in July, maybe, when we see how this all plays out--but I'm pretty excited right now.



Laugh-out-fucking-loud, John Lackey 2.0.

Is Dempster that bad? I'm reading that he's going to have a tough transition to the AL East. At least it's just a two year deal. Lackey was five, I think.

I started the off season somewhat hoping the Tigers would resign Anibal Sanchez. He then asked for 6/90, and thought they should let him walk. I am now convinced he is going to get 6/100, and under no circumstances do I want them to sign him. He and his contract are going to end a GM's career

Anyone think Dempster's ERA will be below his career mark (4.33) this coming season? I'll be $20 it isn't.

5/80--what do you think now?

I mean, contract-wise, it's not anywhere near Lackey--and neither are the Napoli and Victorino signings--so in that respect, the Sox are doing okay (i.e. you're right, they work...sort-of...as band-aid solutions). I just meant that Dempster is, like Lackey, overpriced and on the decline. I can't imagine a guy like that (5.09 ERA with Texas last year in 12 games) who's also 35 is going to have much success with Boston. Which is why I said sort-of band-aid solutions. They'll help, but I still think the Sox are more likely to be battling for last than a playoff spot.

Everyone knows I am not a fan of Cherington at all, but I think the Sox have done a good job this offseason. Aside from the Gomes signing(which I still think was incredibly retarded,) they have done just about as good as they can do without hamstringing themselves with bad long term contracts. I would rather overpay Napoli and Victorino for 3 years, then have Adrian Gonzalez for the next 6 or Josh Hamilton for the next 6(I know he signed for 5, but whatever.) I would rather have Ryan Dempster for 2 years than Zach Greinke for 7. Really, if they could somehow get a 1/2 starter without pissing away the farm system, they would be as much of a contender as anyone else in the AL.

Well... I like that the Jays no longer have to face James Shields all the time, but did the Royals just hand over the #1, #3 and #6 prospects from one of the best systems in the league for Shields and Wade Davis? Myers is probably the best hitting prospect in the world right now. I get that they're still only prospects, but the Rays just completely took advantage of a very, very desperate Royals team.

Screw the traditional AL East complaints... I hate that the Jays are in the same division as Andrew Friedman.

And now apparently the Jays are making a similar trade for R.A. Dickey. Dickey probably has more upside but more risk than Shields, but the big difference is that the Jays looked like a real contender before the trade, while KC looked to me like a .500ish team.

This makes me think of when the Jays got David Cone for Jeff Kent.

wheres the risk with Dickey? that he'll forget how to throw the canuckle ball (yes, thats a canadian knuckle ball) theres far less health risk with him since he has no Tommy John ligament, and throws the easiest pitch to throw.

I'd much, much rather have Gonzo than the combo of Napoli and Victorino. That Gonzo contract was a very good one, so good and appealing that it made an impossible trade possible.

The Dodgers will be very sorry that they made that trade, just as much because of the Gonzalez contract as the Crawford one. Gonzalez is a lazy stiff that completely vanishes when games start mattering. He also has injury ridden malingerer written all over him once he hits the back end of that deal. I was just as happy to get rid of Gonzalez as I was Beckett and Crawford, he would have been as much of an albatross as any bad contract the Red Sox have signed in the last 10 years.

I don't really care what the splits say, I watched the actual games. The guy is useless when you need a hit an pads his numbers in blowouts. My perfect example of Gonzalez was last year in an 18 inning game when he was struck out on 3 pitches by orioles 1b Chris Davis with the winning run on base, he didn't just strike out he was completely overmatched by a position player. There's a reason Gonzalez has been traded by every team he's played for, even with those fantastic splits.

I don't really care what the splits say, I watched the actual games. The guy is useless when you need a hit an pads his numbers in blowouts. My perfect example of Gonzalez was last year in an 18 inning game when he was struck out on 3 pitches by orioles 1b Chris Davis with the winning run on base, he didn't just strike out he was completely overmatched by a position player. There's a reason Gonzalez has been traded by every team he's played for, even with those fantastic splits.