Cormack on MLB: Worth a click, Nov. 13

So Alex Anthopoulos has an itchy trigger finger.

Or at least that’s the story this morning according to Ken Rosenthal:

Rival exec: #BlueJays‘ Anthopoulos targeting starting pitching, “itching” to make a trade.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 13, 2012

The report shouldn’t come as surprise, especially to those who read Anthopoulos’ comments last Friday in Shi Davidi’s GM meetings wrap-up column.

The Blue Jays GM was a busy man last week, signing free agent infielder Maicer Izturis, acquiring reliever Jeremy Jeffress from the Kansas City Royals and signing free agent right-hander Justin Germano to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training.

And, as Anthopoulos told reporters, he was also at work laying the groundwork for potential trades.

“We’ve really been able to narrow our focus,” Anthopoulos said Friday. “You come here with about a million different scenarios, and if you can start to eliminate some of those, it’s been a productive three or four days.

“The longer I’ve done this you learn to work a little smarter and you get a sense of what things have a real chance of happening and what doesn’t,” said Anthopoulos. “You might have 10 opportunities out there but realistically, eight are long shots and two have a chance, we’ll focus on the two that we have a chance to do.”

Anthopoulos also made it clear last week that he is willing to deal one of his young, core position players (wink, wink, likely Yunel Escobar, J.P. Arencibia or Colby Rasmus) for rotation help.

Of course, probably 90 per cent of the teams in MLB are also looking for the same thing. What 90 per cent of teams don’t have however is the Blue Jays’ ability to offer players from a variety of positions and potentially take on additional payroll.

In yesterday’s blog we listed some pitchers rumoured to be available on the trade market this winter including the likes of Matt Garza, Jason Vargas, R.A. Dickey, Jonathon Niese and Gavin Floyd.

Other arms that could be dealt this winter include Justin Masterson, Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle.

It’s also worth noting that earlier this off-season Anthopoulos hinted some pitchers we might not expect to be traded could become available.

The Blue Jays know what they want, what they are willing to give up and, according to Rosenthal, are anxious to get something done.

It appears the only thing now standing between them and a trade for a pitcher is a willing dance partner.

FORGET BRETT ANDERSON:

For months now it has been speculated the Blue Jays would target Oakland A’s left-hander Brett Anderson in a trade. The 24-year old returned from Tommy John surgery this past summer to post a 2.57 ERA and 1.029 WHIP in 35 innings over six late-season starts.

The belief was the A’s would be open to moving Anderson, likely for a shortstop, due to their rotation depth and the fact that Anderson is due to earn $5.7 million in 2013 with an $8-million team option for 2014 and a $12-million team option for 2015.

But following the A’s surprising playoff appearance in 2012, GM Billy Beane is telling teams they do not intend to trade him, according to Rosenthal.

Whether that’s merely gamesmanship or not on the part of Beane, we should know by late December.

WHAT ABOUT DICKEY?

It says here the most intriguing name on the starting pitching trade market is R.A. Dickey.

Tomorrow evening when the NL Cy Young winner is announced, the 38-year old could very well become the first knuckleballer to win the award. With just one year and $5 million remaining on his contract, Dickey would have a long line of suitors and the Mets have gone on the record as saying they are open to dealing him if they decide against pursuing a contract extension.

Dickey wants to stay in N.Y., but it’s out of his hands. The Mets don’t figure to contend in 2013 and have several holes to fill, most notably at catcher and in the outfield.

One man in favour of the Mets not only retaining Dickey, but extending him is Dave Cameron.

He writes: “And, because of the pitch that he specializes in, we need to throw away everything we think we know about a normal pitcher’s career after age 38.”

Dickey went 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA and 1.053 WHIP in a NL-high 233.2 innings in 2012. He also led the league in complete games (five), shutouts (three) and strikeouts (230).

BLUE JAYS MANAGER SEARCH GETS WEIRD:

In recent weeks Art Howe and Ken Macha have expressed their interest in the Blue Jays’ vacant managerial job to Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun.

Perhaps emboldened by these public pleas for employment, another man has thrown his Yamaka into the ring for the job.

Zev Icyk, a 25-year-old Thornhill, ON native currently studying at the Rabbinical College of America in Morristown, N.J. tells Elliott:


“The Jays would be the most aggressive and exciting team in the bigs. I am the only rabbi in the world with the ability to manage in the majors.”

Icyk pitched for the Canadian Thunderbirds and attended Muscatine Community College in Iowa and later D’Youville College in Buffalo.

“One thing for sure, if a Chabad rabbi is the manager, the Jays will be the most hyped team in 2013,” said Icyk. “The hype paired with the young talent-filled roster that the Jays already have could be something very special. What do they have to lose?”

On a more serious note, Elliott did add another name to the managerial mix: former Baltimore Orioles manager and current New York Yankees executive, Lee Mazzilli.

The 57-year old played 14 seasons in the majors, including the final 28 games of his career with the 1989 Blue Jays following a mid-season trade with the Mets.

He managed 269 games with the Baltimore Orioles between 2004-05, going 129-140 (.480).