Arod out for half the season for hip surgury.

Jacen299;342011 wroteArod out for half the season for hip surgury.

not new information. Doesn't change who the Yankees are.

The Prophet 22;342010 wroteReally?

You are assuming Edwin Encarnacion will do what he did last year.
I'm not assuming anything. I'm expecting him to hit .270/25hr/85rbi.

CF position could have been improved.
I'm willing to give Rasmus more time and with adding top of the order on base guys like Reyes, Cabrera, Bonifacio, Izturis, Rasmus can go on hitting .230 and it doesn't hurt nearly as much.

Our bullpen is middle of the road at BEST.
Because we don't have a name guy like Rivera or Papelbon? That is absurd. There is depth here that most teams dream of. Janssen, Delabar, Lyon, Lincoln, Frasor and Oliver are money. If Santos comes back to the level he was at he slots in at the top and everyone else is even better. These guys are not the Cordero's and Francisco's they added the last couple years, they are dominating arms. Bullpen is 100% top 5 in the AL next year or I'll eat my Jays cap.

Second is really unknown.
I'll take an Izturis/Bonifacio timeshare there until we see who's best and have no problem. In all likelihood they're the #9 hitter in this line-up acting as the table setter for the best 1-4 hitting line-up anywhere. As long as they play defense with anything more than the ineptitude we've had since Aaron Hill, we're ahead.

I think this city expected more productivity out of Lawrie especially from the power side of the game.
LOL, he turns 23 in January.

Bautista's .241 average doesn't cut it for a number 3 hitter.
His batting avg is almost meaningless. His run production with Reyes and Cabrera hitting .300 in front of him is all that matters.

Anthony Gose was suppose to be our Michael Trout, not anywhere near that level and doesn't look like he will be at this point. He looks lost at the plate
Please post link that proclaimed Gose as anything near what Trout was supposed to be. Trout is a freak of nature and always was the top prospect in baseball. Gose was supposed to be and likely still will be, a good major leaguer with great speed. Oh, and he turns 23 next August.

There are more holes in this team than I think you care to admit.
Trust me I can recognize holes in teams I like just as much as teams I don't like. Adam Lind is the only player I hate to see start the season in this line-up and even he has a chance to hold his own. He's the reason why I wanted them to keep Napoli from the Wells trade 2 years ago and why I wanted them to sign Fielder last year.

Again, I hope I am wrong, but I don't think so at this point
On that we will disagree

Comments bolded.

Don't take my word for it. The Bleacher Report ranks every team starting with the horrible Astros. Caution Brent, it's one page per team starting at #30 going to #1...there are a lot of clicks to get to the Jays.... but you'll get to see your Yankmees on the way.

Power Ranking All 30 MLB Lineups Post-Winter Meetings | Bleacher Report

And an excellent arm by arm, inning by inning breakdown of the Jays bullpen

http://mopupduty.com/spitballing-the-2013-blue-jay-bullpen-090412/

I love baseball talk in December!!!

Filled with hopes and dreams of another winner in the 4th largest market in North America. A city that has proven it will support a team willing to contend. The Jays attendance was up 15% last year and maybe if they can get there win total to within single digits from the playoffs, they will spend enough money needed to win a championship again.

As far as your comments about being 23, I realize that but Harper and Trout are even younger. I do think Lawrie is the real deal. I just expect a few more HRs from a guy at 3rd base.

EE to hit 25 HR is a bit of a stretch considering prior to this year he has only done it once in his career going all the way back to A ball.

I set the number at 86 games, are you taking the over Chris? I will also set the over/under at 91.5 for the AL playoffs. Again, you taking the over/under, I will go 20.00 on each!

Hellmuth's Mole;342016 wroteDon't take my word for it. The Bleacher Report ranks every team starting with the horrible Astros. Caution Brent, it's one page per team starting at #30 going to #1...there are a lot of clicks to get to the Jays.... but you'll get to see your Yankmees on the way.

Power Ranking All 30 MLB Lineups Post-Winter Meetings | Bleacher Report

And an excellent arm by arm, inning by inning breakdown of the Jays bullpen

Spitballing The 2013 Blue Jay Bullpen

You have me all wrong Chris!!! I love the Jays and want them to win!!! I just don't think they have the stones to make the moves necessary to win. They proved that last year by not signing Fielder or Pujols, and again this year by not making an offer to Hamilton or Dempster. Greinke, was never going to come here.

But seeing as you are lumping me as a Yankee fan and the Bleacher Report says the Jays are better, I will give you another 20.00 that the Yankees finish higher in the standings than the Jays. And you won't have to eat your hat.

Back to you!

I'll take $20 on the Jays.

moose;342018 wroteI take over on 86 games.

Done. that is two guys and I don't even know who the other guy is, but he has posted a few times.

I have 60.00 left and will give Chris 24 hour (Noon Dec 16th to except EST)

Prophet22

JohnnieH;342020 wroteI'll take $20 on the Jays.

To make the playoffs? Or that they get over 86 games and still won't make the playoffs?

Prophet22

Ps 3.25 am going back to bed and Seoul in the morning.

Johnnie is reserved, last 40.00 is on reserve for Chris

The Prophet 22;342022 wroteTo make the playoffs? Or that they get over 86 games and still won't make the playoffs?

Prophet22

Ps 3.25 am going back to bed and Seoul in the morning.

Johnnie is reserved, last 40.00 is on reserve for Chris

Over on 86 wins.

Jacen299;341969 wroteCare to make a wager? If playing in wild card game is considered in the playoffs ill bet you $20.

Jacen299;341969 wroteCare to make a wager? If playing in wild card game is considered in the playoffs ill bet you $20.

moose;342018 wroteI take over on 86 games.

Hellmuth's Mole;342052 wroteAlready said I would take the over 86 for 20.

Buzzzardd;342050 wroteOver on 86 wins for whatever you got left Brent.

Closed note the one guy who I don't is the Jays won't make the playoffs

moose;342024 wrote

Nice! Hope you win! Now I gotta get some sleep!

The Prophet 22;342017 wrote
As far as your comments about being 23, I realize that but Harper and Trout are even younger. I do think Lawrie is the real deal. I just expect a few more HRs from a guy at 3rd base.

EE to hit 25 HR is a bit of a stretch considering prior to this year he has only done it once in his career going all the way back to A ball.

I set the number at 86 games, are you taking the over Chris? I will also set the over/under at 91.5 for the AL playoffs. Again, you taking the over/under, I will go 20.00 on each!

a) Trout and Harper are 5 star blue chip prospects. The Jays have never had one of their ilk.

b) In fact if you extrapolate EE's stats to the 542 AB's he got last year to every year he has played previously he would have averaged 24 HR and 78 RBI for his previous 7 MLB seasons. Note that average does not include his gaudy numbers from last season.

c) I will take the over 86, but it's a fools game. Set some odds with the following parameters based on health and I will be happier to put my money up.

- Buerhle, Johnson and Morrow start at least 28 games each or a total of 90 combined.

- Bautista plays 140+ games. Reyes, Cabrera, Encarnacion, Lawrie are DL'd for no more than 30 days in any one case or 100 days combined.

You don't get a pass to the playoffs if the organization can't deal with the health of it's players and if things don't go their way. The team AA has put together as of now is not good enough to get to the Divisional Title in the AL East period and therefore have to count on a wildcard spot and I am saying a wild card spot will be somewhere around the 91 win mark at the lowest and that would still leave the Jays 5 games out.

But I will still say the Yankees will pass the Jays in total wins, even though your beloved bleacher report has the Jays as the 3rd best team and the Yankees as 16th. 20.00? and take the issue of the playoffs out of the equation.

And I will even give you a tip as to why it would be a bad bet from your stand point! What you and they (Jays) and everyone else fail to realize, the Yankees will buy another contract when a player goes down to keep their playoff hopes alive where the Jays say maybe next year.

Do we have a bet on who has a better record Jays u or Yankees me?

Prophet22

moose;342009 wroteYankees sign Youkilis. I think it lowered their ave age. Aroid plays where?

The Prophet 22;342012 wrotenot new information. Doesn't change who the Yankees are.

Moose mentioned Youkilis and Arod position. Is why I stated what I did. I am not a yankee fan, sorry if my note suggests it changes who they are.

Reports indicate the jays are very close to aquiring RA Dickey from the Mets. Although it would add to the starting depth and be a short term win I suspect the cost would likely be Gose and Arencibia and I would not be happy giving up that much long term potential for a short term fix in the form of a 38 year old knuckler.

Over on 86 wins for whatever you got left Brent.