From: "mike walker" <mike.walker@canrem.com>
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: jays 15
Date: 7 Sep 92 05:29:50 EST
Reply-To: "mike walker" <mike.walker@canrem.com>
Distribution: rec
Organization: Canada Remote Systems


FS>Keeping in mind that Carter, Henke, Key, Lee, Maldonado, Winfield, and Cone
FS>are all up for free agency here are the 15 Jays I would protect:

Just to be pedantic about the whole thing, Maldonado & Winfield are
not unrestricted free agents;  the Jays have the option to offer
salary arbitration within 5 days of the free agency declaration. They
only become free agents if the Jays do *_NOT_* offer arbitration. Both
have had very good seasons thus far; I would like to keep both,
although I doubt Maldonado would be attractive to a new team, given
his salary and age (no, I am NOT convinced Derek Bell will make it; but
then, I said the same about Lloyd Mosby!). So I'd pass on each and try
to resign them after the draft. Dave Steib and Mark Eichhorn are also
possible free agents; the club has an option for each for 93, and they
become free agents if it is not exercised. It looks to me as though
Steib is toast, esp. since he is a 10/5 men and must be protected if
resigned. I would pick up Eichhorn's option since the team may lose
Henke (I would therefore have to protect Eichhorn, see below). Fredo
Griffin, Pat Tabler and Rance Mullinicks are also eligible for free
agency; I'd release all 3, esp Rance who as a 10/5 man must be
protected if resigned.

Realize that by doing the above one is exposing 9 players from the
current 25 man roster to free agency, 11 from the 40 man. Are any of
these guys "franchise players", individuals a team is built around? A
case could be made for Carter and perhaps Winfield, but I can't see
too much danger in exposing any/all of these 11 players.

FS>John Olerud 1B
FS>Robbie Alomar 2B
       xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Kelly Gruber 3B (sue me I've always liked Kelly)
       xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Devon White CF
FS>Turner Ward OF
FS>Derek Bell OF
FS>Par Borders C
       xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Carlos Delgato (sp?) C
FS>Ed Sprague C
FS>Jack Morris P
FS>Juan Guzman P
FS>Todd StottlemeyerP
FS>Duane Ward P
        xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Mike Timlin P
FS>Randy Knorr C

I would not protect Gruber or White. I would hope to keep each, but
would be willing to bet that an expansion franchise would not be
willing to pay the big bucks for two ordinary players who are getting
on in years. I'd rather risk losing them than let younger prospects
go. I don't know if one must protect Delgado; 1992 is his 4th season
and he is 20. He signed in '88 at age 16. Does anyone know the exact
wording? If he is draft eligible I would protect him and keep 4
catchers; I think they will be premium commodities in the expansion
draft. I would let Timlin go, I am not convinced he is a "keeper".

I would add to your protected list:
Mark Eichhorn RP
David Wells RP
Domingo Martinez 1B

If Delgado does not need to be protected I would keep any one of:
Eddie Zosky SS (with both Griffin & Lee gone, who's the back up?)
Tom Quinlan 3B   "           Kent    Mullinicks  "   "   "   "
Butch Davis OF (had a good year in Syr.)
Mike Maksudian C ( "    "    "     "    - why not 5 catchers?
Nigel Wilson OF  (Like Delgado, 1992 is his 4th year - ???)
Rob Butler OF  (Had a great year in A, does he need protecting?
Juan Delarosa F (  "                AA   "      "     "       ?

I don't think any of the minor league pitchers should be protected,
but that exposes:
Pat Hentgen
Doug Linton
Al Leiter (!)
Dave Weathers
Bob MacDonald
Rick Triliceck

Now if Pat Gillick would just listen to me we need to pick up ..
---
  DeLuxe 1.12 #165  Young gorillas are friendly, but they soon learn.
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario/Detroit, MI
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball