As long as the Jays are diving into the bargain bin, here are a few names worth handing out spring training invites to.
Like just about everyone else in these tough economic times, Blue Jays General Manager J.P. Ricciardi has been forced to drive past the high-end stores and head to the baseball equivalent of 'Value Village' to try and fill his Christmas wish list. He never really had a shot at A.J. Burnett, no matter what spin he puts on it, reportedly had conversations with representatives of Rafael Furcal and Carl Pavano at the winter meetings, and only came away from Las Vegas with right-handed starter Matt Clement, who hasn't thrown a pitch in anger since June of 2006.
Now, let me state for the record that I've never been a big fan of trying to catch lightning in a bottle. It hasn't worked yet under his watch. Come and gone have been the likes of Tomo Ohka, John Thomson, and Victor Zambrano, and that was in times when the team had some money to spend. With the payroll now being peeled back due to the sinking loonie and questions regarding the team's ownership following the death of Ted Rogers, all that Ricciardi can do is 'kick tires', as he likes to put it. Sure he could try and deal prospects, but with the team being not even close to contention, what good would that really do?
Gazing into the bargain bin, I see a handful of players/pitchers, all of whom should be non-roster invitees that could fit in with the Jays as they try and field a team next season:
RHP Tony Armas: Another classic case of being held back by injuries, the most starts he's made in a season to date is 34 back in 2001 for the Expos. Still just 30 years old, Armas had a 2.54 ERA in 17 AAA starts last season and is currently pitching in his native Venezuela this winter. Seems like the perfect non-roster invitee to me.
LHP Mark Hendrickson: The tall lefty, who started his Major League career with the Jays back in '02, has at least been healthy. He has pitched better as an American Leaguer, and perhaps a return to Toronto might be just the tonic to turn around a career that might be on its last legs.
RHP Jason Jennings: The 2002 N.L. Rookie of the Year, like Clement, would be an injury reclamation project. Elbow woes limited him to just five starts with Texas last season, but the fact that he's just 30 years means it wouldn't cost anything for a look-see.
RHP Braden Looper: A one-time closer turned starter had back-to-back, 12-win seasons for the Cardinals in 2007-08. Of the lower-tier free agents, he seems to be the healthiest, having only made one trip to the DL in his career.
RHP Mark Prior: As long as we're trying to find a diamond in the rough, why not take a look at the former ace of the Cubs, who has only made nine starts since the end of the 2005 season. Like Clement, Prior hasn't pitched since 2006, and if he could ever regain his health, they might have something here. And he's still only 28.
C Javier Valentin: The switch-hitting catcher would be the perfect compliment for Rod Barajas as the Jays wait on the arrival of prospect J.P. Arencibia. Valentin is used to being a back-up and not likely to chirp about lack of playing time.
As I've stated in the past, I have no problem with the notion of taking this team back down to the wood and completely rebuilding it. If the level of talent coursing through the minors is as good as we're being told, then it would interesting to watch this unfold. Unfortunately, this is Toronto, not Kansas City or Miami, and the fan base is now dwindling. Based upon the multiple blogs I read and comments from fans that I come across on the street, Jays' fans are running out of patience.
Now, before you devoted blog-meisters start going crazy and ripping apart this column, just remember: I'm on your side. I hate the way this off-season has played out, but it is what it is. Sitting around, wearing your 'Oh, woe is me' t-shirt, isn't going to get the Jays any better. Can we, at least, enjoy Christmas?
