Earlier this week, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported that the Boston Red Sox continued to pursue Toronto manager John Farrell even after the Jays amended a club policy that did not prevent employees from seeking a lateral position with other organizations.

Rosenthal added, the Red Sox, “never considered it likely the Jays would engage in serious discussions about Farrell, and the conversations failed to progress.”

But was the reason the talks failed to progress because the Jays asking price was simply too high?

That’s the story according to David Waldstein of the New York Times, who reports the talks ended when the Blue Jays asked for young Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz.

So the question for Jays fans is this: would you “trade” John Farrell for Clay Buchholz?
The 27-year-old Buchholz is coming off an injured plagued 2011 in which he made just 14 starts, pitching 82.2 innings with a 3.48 ERA and a 1.294 WHIP.

In April of this year, Buchholz signed a four-year contract extension, worth nearly $30 million. In 2010, he finished sixth in AL CY Young voting after going 17-7 with a 2.33 ERA and a 1.203 WHIP over 173.2 innings.

In his first season as manager of Toronto, Farrell’s team went 81-81 while providing a steady hand during a season with significant roster turnover. He also drew praise from several players for his communication skills.

And even though it appears Farrell will be back on Toronto’s bench for another season, given the reports of the past week, the question of who would you rather have is suddenly a fair one to ask.

We know Boston’s answer.

What’s yours?

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