From: golchowy@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca (Gerald Olchowy)
Subject: Re: blue jays-eichhorn??
Organization: University of Toronto Chemistry Department
Distribution: rec
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 15:12:36 GMT

In article <1992Dec23.4235.52870@dosgate> "mike walker" <mike.walker@canrem.com> writes:
>
>Okay, so I don't understand what the Jays are doing this off-season.
>Too much $$$ to Carter (much as I like him), too little in return for
>Gruber (much as I DISLIKE him). Molitor for Winfield sucks, since
>they're playing almost exactly twice the money for a guy only
>marginally better. I'd rather have Winfield and another $2 million a
>year to spend on a shortstop or 3rd baseman. I liked Candy and Henke
>but can see it was time for them to move on. Now they let Lee go and
>say the job is Zosky's??? They've gotta be kiddin'....
>

Even the Blue Jays have financial limitations...Henke, Maldonado,
Lee, Gruber were all financial decisions to free up money to
pay for Carter, and the arbitration decisions, this year and next
year for Olerud, Ward, and Borders, and to have the financial
flexibility to be able to pursue a free agent or two next year.

Winfield's agent
screwed up negotiations with the Blue Jays, that much is clear.
Klein messed with Gillick without realizing that the Blue Jays, like
Winfield, had options.

>My real question is Mark Eichorn's status. The papers here are quiet,
>I don't know what's going on. I thought the club had an option, but if
>so they didn't exercise it. In one report he was listed as being
>offered arbitration at one point, but no mention, however, as to
>whether he accepted it. What is his status?
>

Mark Eichorn was offered arbitration, but refused it...which means
that Eichorn and the Jays have till Jan. 8(?) to agree to a contract.

>A little history. The Jays got Ike in early August when he had a 2.48
>ERA over almost 60 innings as Calif. set-up guy. They gave up 2
>players, Greg Myers (a pretty decent catcher) and Rob Ducey (an
>almost-but-not-quite outfielder for too long) for him. Seems to me he
>pitched pretty well for the Jays although he only got about 30 innings
>and ended up with a 3.08 ERA for the season. He wasn't used as set-up,
>of course, since Ward had that nailed down. He also didn't see much of
>the post-season, if memory serves.
>
>Now, however, with Henke history the Jays need a set-up guy. They are
>talking Timlin, which simply doesn't fit, from what I've seen of him.
>They seem to be totally ignoring Ike and are now reported to be going
>after Oakland's Jeff Parrett, the papers claim. According to the Elias
>ratings in BB Weakly, Eichorn is a class A free agent, #12 in the
>league, while Parrett is class B, #44 (for what that's worth). What
>gives??? Is Eichorn's salary to high? Is he somehow damaged? Anybody
>got a better read on this one? . . . . Mike

The Blue Jays probably want to sign one of the two...if they negotiate
and make known their interest in Parrett, they gain bargaining power
with Eichorn.

The other interesting tidbit in the Globe and Mail today was that
Gillick supposedly attempted to make a last offer to Key before he
signed with the Yankees, but was unable to reach him.

Gerald

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