Images like this one are tough to swallow for Jays fans everywhere.
Ever since the day I donned a yellow “Maxwell’s Camera” jersey and a red trucker-style St. Thomas minor baseball hat and stepped up to the plate in my first game of T-ball, I’ve been a baseball fan. In fact, it was around that same time that the Toronto Blue Jays won back-to-back World Series titles. I was hooked. Although my interest in the game has varied froms season to season, the team I’ve always chosen to support has remained unchanged. I’ve attended more Jays games than I could possible remember, chirped more left-fielders than could possibly be healthy (or funny for those sitting around me), and at times the team has even served as a source of national pride.
So I was a bit taken aback when my little brother Luke told me he didn’t want a Jays hat for Christmas, he wanted a Philadelphia Phillies one. It didn’t take me long to figure out why.
It was no surprise when the Jays dealt their ace Roy Halladay last week. the entire world knew he had to go not only because he was going to be a free agent after next season anyways, but because the Jays are rebuilding and trading him frees up a lot of money. I’ll always cheer for Roy Halladay, and even though I’ll be bringing my best material to chirp the Phillies outfielders when they come to town next summer, I’ll be on my feet cheering when the doctor tips his hat to the crowd.
What troubles me is what the Jays got in return. First, they got three players that aren’t even ready for major league action, and for all we know, may never be! Sure these could be franchise players, but BJ Ryan was supposed to be a franchise player as well (I still haven’t forgiven you for sucking BJ). There’s no J.A. Happ, nor is there a Phillipe Aumont, instead the Jays get three minor league prayers and are still stuck paying Halladay $6 million next year to come to Toronto and dummy the 2010 Jays.
I thought new GM Alex Anthopolous would be a step in the right direction, but the way it looks now, I want JP Ricciardi back!
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On an unrelated note, I’m glad that the Leafs are starting to come around, but I think the Leafs fans who haven’t already done so, should disown Brian Burke for his recent endorsement of Gary Bettman on the Phoenix Coyotes file.
That’s all.
1 response so far ↓
Anon // December 21, 2009 at 7:48 pm |
The Jays got a better haul for Halladay than the Twins got for Santana or the Indians got for Lee.
Kyle Drabek has a similar minor league track record to JA Happ, who I’m willing to bet won’t ever again touch his performance from last year.
Travis D’Arnaud is a solid catching prospect, #6 prospect in the Phillies system (IIRC) for an A-ball player is pretty damn impressive.
The only real gripes I have are that Anthopoulos traded Michael Taylor for Brett Wallace, who I think is an inferior player both now and going forward, and that he inexplicably sent money to the Phillies with Doc.
This trade had to happen. I’d take Kyle Drabek and Michael Taylor, and a solid, young catching prosect over the first rounder and supplemental pick the Jays would have gotten if Halladay had stuck around and just left next year anyways.
When the Marlins traded Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell, their fans probably had the same complaints you have about the return.
Now they have Hanley Ramirez, the second best player in the National League who is still on the good side of 30 and improving.
Don’t just knock a guy because he’s never played in the majors before. And besides, it’ll be a few years before the Jays will be making any sort of push anyways.