TORONTO – Quick thoughts on the Toronto Blue Jays’ second blockbuster of the week, reaching agreement on a deal for ace lefty David Price with prospects Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd and Jairo Labourt heading to the Detroit Tigers.
• Making this type of deal for a two-month rental is very unlike GM Alex Anthopoulos, especially considering that Norris would likely have been a candidate to help fill the looming void in the rotation next year. But some members of the front office have long been pushing Anthopoulos to seize the moment, recognize the opportunity in the division and with the current offence, and make something happen. Norris has been inconsistent and while he’s going to be very good, he may not time with the current core. Boyd and Labourt, who pitched in this month’s Futures Game prospect showcase, have less upside.
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• Adding Price gives this rotation a significant boost, pushing everyone else down a slot. They’re much better. Think Price, Mark Buehrle, R.A. Dickey, Marco Estrada and Drew Hutchison. I still wonder if they may yet go after another more mid-range type of starter – think Mike Leake on the top-end of that scale or Ian Kennedy on the lower end. Removing Norris and Boyd from Buffalo leaves Randy Wolf, Scott Copeland and Jeff Francis as the top depth layers. With Aaron Sanchez now pretty much locked into the bullpen, they’re an injury away from being in scramble mode.
• Since the Troy Tulowitzki deal took place, I’ve been suggesting the Blue Jays might be looking at outfielders. Still think they might do that, Ben Revere and Gerardo Parra make the most sense, but they may no longer have the resources.
• The Blue Jays have moved six pitching prospects this week in the Price and Tulowitzki deals but feel confident in their system with 2015 first-rounder Jon Harris, Sean Reid-Foley and Conner Greene all coming. Add in that Kendall Graveman and Sean Nolin were used in the Josh Donaldson deal, and that’s a remarkable amount of pitching moved in a short span. The Blue Jays’ focus on taking arms in the draft creates that currency.
• Pending pitching free agents: Price, Buehrle, Estrada and a $12 million option on Dickey. Potential in-house candidates for 2015 rotation: Marcus Stroman, Hutchison, Sanchez, Roberto Osuna.
• There’s little incentive for a pitcher two months from free agency to sign an extension and the Blue Jays will certainly want Price to focus on the task at hand, but they will get an opportunity to make him feel good about the situation here before he hits the open market. That could give the Blue Jays a head start on wooing him in the fall, although you’d think the five-year max contract rule might be an impediment.