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December 02, 2005

Wish List To Send North

From the Toronto Star the other day:

Some current Jays are on the trade bubble. Most GMs, entering a player's final year before free agency, try to lock him up long-term or make a trade before losing him for nothing. Jay players slated to become free agents after '06 include Hillenbrand, Schoeneweis, Catalanotto, Batista, Speier and Lilly.

None of these six figure into the team's long-term plans, so look for Ricciardi to dangle most of them — with the exception of Schoeneweis, the club's only experienced lefty setup man — at the winter meetings in Dallas next week.

I hope the Yankees are listening. Frank Catalanotto would make for an excellent DH in New York in 2006 - against RHP. And, Justin Speier would be a wonderful addition to the Yankees bullpen - as a 4th behind Rivera, Farnsworth, and Sturtze.

How much could Toronto want for both of them - given their contract status? Doesn't Carl Pavano's girlfriend like it in Canada? Nah, that's right, Brian Cashman wants to keep Carl - never mind. How about Scott Proctor and Bronson Sardinha - in a two-for-two? Only problem there is that I heard the Yankees might expose Bronson in the Rule V Draft - and after his good numbers in the AFL this year he might be taken.

It would be nice to see if there's a way that these two (or even just one of them) can come to the Yankees without having to give up any Grade-A prospects. At the least, New York should inquire - I would hope.

Posted by Steve Lombardi at December 2, 2005 11:59 PM

Comments

Steve, I wonder how much faith Ricciardi still has in Alex Rios. The power they've expected to come has not arrived (I think it's a mechanical issue with his swing...needs to crouch more or something). He's really a CF but with Wells on the team, they've slotted him as a RF...more reason to be disappointed in his power development. As a CF, he'd be less pressured to find his HR stroke and he's a great fielder. Ricciardi's no dummy but...

Posted by: JohnnyC [TypeKey Profile Page] at December 3, 2005 12:34 PM

Ricciardi's no dummy but...
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Given that BJ Ryan contract, and the way he was going hard after AJ Burnett, it's possible that he parts with Rios...

Then again, if Wells leaves after next season, it may make sense to have Rios go back to his "natural" position.

I'm not familiar with the Jays' system, so I don't know how their depth is WRT the OF

Posted by: Raf [TypeKey Profile Page] at December 3, 2005 12:41 PM

I remember a game in 2004, I was at the Stadium in RF, trying to catch a BP HR, when the Jays were in town. Rios kept going the other way, putting ball after ball into the porch on his turns in the cage. I thought to myself "Here's a kid that has a plan." And, we know he can run and throw. I wouldn't mind the Yankees picking him up - even if it was for RF (not CF) and then DHing Sheff.

Posted by: Steve Lombardi [TypeKey Profile Page] at December 3, 2005 01:42 PM