The non-waiver trade deadline came and went, and for the Toronto Blue Jays, nothing changed. The club still managed to lose a game by leaving too many runners on base, and GM Alex Anthopolous made no moves. Earlier in the week, Anthopolous acquired fielding prospect Anthony Gose in exchange for first base prospect Brett Wallace.
Gose was a player that Anthopolous tried to get initially in the Halladay deal with Philly, but instead ended up with Michael Taylor. He flipped Taylor to the Oakland Athletics for Brett Wallace. Once the Phillies traded Gose to the Astros in the Roy Oswalt deal, Toronto was able to acquire Gose for Wallace straight up.
So what’s the difference really? It seems that Anthopolous was after potential in chasing Gose. Gose has drawn comparisons to Michael Bourn and Carl Crawford, a defensive specialist with explosive speed along the basepaths, but many scouts and GM’s are saying he has the potential to become a 5 tool player in the majors.
Much of the outcry over the move came from impatient Jays fans, as Gose only turns 20 on August 10th, while Brett Wallace is just about ready to make a break through to the majors. Many Jays fans, impressed with the club’s performance so far this year, were hoping that the addition of Wallace, and perhaps Arencibia and Drabek, to next year’s club could mean playoffs.
But, Anthopolous has a plan in place, and that plan includes going after elite-level talent. Wallace is a solid prospect and could be a great power hitter at first base for an MLB club some day, but Anthopolous knows that power hitters at first base are not that uncommon in the majors and he should be able to address that need through a free agent acquisition or another trade.
As for the deadline, Anthopolous did his homework, and he knew what he could expect in compensatory draft picks should players like Overbay, Downs, Buck or Frasor walk away from the club next season. While many deals were talked about, none gave the Jays a better chance for elite level talent than the compensatory picks. The Jays could be looking at as many as 6 draft picks in the first 50 at the end of the season.
Ultimately this plan appears to be long-term, as Jays fans are just going to have to wait until players like Gose, Drabek, Maguire, Arencibia and Johnson are ready to step in, before we can see the realiztion of Anthopolous’ plan, but at the very least, we can rest comfortably in knowing that he won’t make a trade for the sake of making a trade.
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Born and raised in Northern Ontario but currently living in Toronto, Tyler wouldn't have it any other way. Home to his two favourite sports teams, Tyler revels in the day to day sports experience that is Toronto. 
You know I’m really starting to like this guy. He seems pretty level headed, doesn’t cave and make silly trades for the sake of them, nor plays silly little games. Plus he isn’t into the whole Beaney-ball BS which is a bonus.
Best GM the Blue Jays have had since Pat Gillick? Starting to look that way.
he has a good head start on those that preceded him that’s for sure.
Why did we have to move Wallace? We could have finally gotten rid of that underperforming lump Overbay with someone that actually has a bit of future to them, and doesn’t’ cost a fortune for what we get from him.
Overbay’s done at the end of the year, it’s probably the last we’ll see of him in a Jays uniform. Wallace did seem like our ‘future’ at 1B, but I’m confident AA can find someone to fill that spot easily. Power hitting 1B’s are plentiful in the MLB.
You said it. It’s not like first base needs someone that can do anything more than be a big target to aim for. Hell that’s what teams used to do with their lousy fielders before the DH gave them another option, and finding a hitter that can hit better then Overbay and have the fielding range of a statue isn’t exactly a challenge in this day and age.
I’m sort of surprised that we didn’t deal Bautistia myself. Figured with his age, and the fact that were’ out of the race, his value is high and we’re rebuilding, that he’d be expendable. At least we got Gose. Take that Phillies.