Jays in on Gio

Hey, check it out!  The Blue Jays are apparently trying to get Gio Gonzalez.  The A's are pretty much doing a firesale, trying to get rid of all of their expensive guys, and moving their awesome starting rotation for prospects.  And they may as well, right?  They can't sell any tickets, they can't keep their free agents, and they sure as shit aren't going to win much with the Rangers and A's in their division.

But they still have to field a team everyday out there.  Selling off their young, controllable starting pitchers is a pretty good way to get some impact prospects in to your system, as they just did with Trevor Cahill the other day, but they'll need to get some kids on the field in the meantime.  If the Bluejays really want another front of the line starting pitcher, Gio is certainly a guy who can fit that mold, especially if he ever stops walking 4 guys per 9.  But shit man, 197k's last year... those are "Brandon Morrow over a full season" numbers.

And hey, the Jays just acquired Ben Francisco.  Coincidence?  Probably, but maybe not.  The A's just lost their entire outfield due to free agency, and, like I said, still need to put 25 guys out there everyday, no matter how terrible.  You know, I really kind of doubt that the A's have much interest in Ben Francisco, a 30-year old 4th outfielder with no upside, especially when he costs $1.5-2MM.  This is a guy that the Jays are going to keep around for this year, because they're trading someone else.  You know who would be enough of an impact player to move for Gio?  Travis Snider.

Obviously it would cost more than just Snider, since he's coming off a complete dogfuck of a season, but maybe there isn't much room left for Snider, given the way they sent him down to the minors twice last year, the way Eric Thames hit right handed pitching last year, the pile of outfielders that the Jays already have, and the imminent arrival of guys like Anthony Gose, or Jake Marisnick in the next couple of years.

Would AA really move Snider?  I feel like AA is the kind of guy who would if he thought it was the right move and improved his team's chances of winning this year, or in the long term.  It's not like we couldn't adjust to life without Snider; we hardly got to see him last year, but I'd still like to have him around.  Fuck knows that Thames and Francisco aren't really going to be longterm options, and that the cost of Gio, if Snider was involved, would be at least one other top-10 prospect, plus more.  It would really hurt to see Snider, and say, Noah Syndergaard, become all-stars elsewhere, especially with Gio's walk-rate.

Basically, I'm just sitting here overreacting, reading in to a minor trade that may or may not have future implications.  It's certainly weird, given how crowded the Jays outfield is already.  I worry too much, I suppose.  That's why my friends call me Whiskers.