Wednesday Rockpile: Blue Jays also interested in Yorvit Torrealba; Lincecum's big raise might handcuff Giants

by Rox Girl on Nov 25, 2009 9:30 AM MST in Rockpile

As a fan of the Rockies, I have to say that I don't want Yorvit Torrealba to leave the team. As good as I think Chris Iannetta can be, and I certainly believe he should probably be the starter given the information we have, CDI's struggles last season show exactly why you want a quality second catcher like Torrealba around.

There's so much required of the position defensively, that even your good everyday catchers will typically be inconsistent season to season on the offensive side of things. Putting aside the fantasy of having a Joe Mauer type of demigod behind the plate, the next best option would be to have a pair of solid complementing catchers that fall in a tier or two below. That's what the Rockies have had the last two or three seasons with Torrealba and Iannetta, and I've got to say despite either player's individual flaws it's worked out quite well for us. As a fan of the players, however, I want the best opportunity for them, and in Torrealba's case, a really solid one seems to be opening up if these rumors of interest from the Toronto Blue Jays are true.

In Colorado, Torrealba has to compete with Iannetta for playing time. Were he to go to San Francisco, he'd be only a place-holder until Buster Posey was ready. But Toronto, now there's a team that doesn't really have anybody crouching in his way.

Speaking of the Giants, it will be interesting to watch how close to their indicated salary budget cap of around $90 million that Tim Lincecum's 2010 contract will push them to. With a huge raise for Lincecum from 2009's $650,000 salary, as well as bigger than expected first year arbitration bumps for Jonathan Sanchez, Brian Wilson and Ryan Garko, the team could be forced to eat into what they have set aside to fix their offense, thereby downgrading the quality of the players that they can target. This would be the ideal scenario for Rockies and Dodgers fans, whereas Giants fans will probably be rooting for the team to win with low-ball offers.

In a sidebar question, Colorado Springs Independent columnist Ralph Routon asks why the Rockies shouldn't trade for Roy Halladay. In our seemingly never ending quest to educate the folks that probably should have known this stuff before they got hired: Ralph, the Blue Jays asked the Dodgers for Chad Billingsley, would it be that unreasonable to suspect that they would ask the Rockies for Ubaldo Jimenez? The real question is why on earth any GM in their right mind would give up a player like that for one year of Halladay. Until Toronto becomes more motivated to deal their ace, this is exactly the kind of move you don't want a team like the Rockies to make. Just quit feeding ignorance to fans by hinting it might be a reasonable idea at this point. It's not.

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So just to repeat a conversation that began in the other thread that's getting deleted...

From Buster Olney:

It sounds like the market for Halladay may still exist, but the Jays’ demands aren’t going to be met. Olney is suggesting 1 top flight prospect, one should-reach-the-majors-but-won’t-be-anything-special prospect, and maybe a case of Labatt.
If we offered Friedrich or Chacin and then someone a bit farther down in the system, or maybe Chris Nelson or someone, do you think we might land us some Doc Halladay

from RoxGirl

Oh gr8…et tu RMN?
I just scolded a columnist for suggesting that the Rockies should look into it and now it makes and now you start a discussion. I need more evidence that the Jays are reasonable than this column from Olney. We know what they wanted from the Dodgers, and it seems that their demands are still in a hurt you now and hurt you tomorrow category for Halladay rather than just a prospect package.

from RMN:

it was just a discussion, I think Buster Olney just makes garbage up and passes it off as insider information.

In all complete honesty, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. I sincerely doubt we land Roy Halladay, but we should kick the tires. What’s the worst that could happen?

Hope got in my eyes

by Andrew Martin on Nov 25, 2009 9:44 AM MST reply actions

Toronto really blew it

by not trading him at the deadline last year. The “start with 3 of your top 5 prospects” is now one top flight prospect and an average position player? This will set them back awhile.

by Muzia on Nov 25, 2009 9:57 AM MST up reply actions

They wanted a Bedard like return, or something similar to it

But the market changed so much since then, especially since the Bedard deal was such a failure for Seattle.

Impossible not to have positive thoughts.

I want Sam Deduno to pitch already.

by bballrox4717 on Nov 25, 2009 11:33 AM MST up reply actions

That's one of the reasons JP Ricciardi was fired

Lets see

1) Not trading Halladay when you could have recieved maximum value.
2) The Vernon Wells contract (It speaks for itself)
3) Not drafting Troy Tulowitzki (Thank you so much for that by the way)

There’s other reason but those three alone were enough for him to get the boot in my opinion.

I wonder if Bud Selig will give the Yankees a receipt with their World Series purchase

by RhodeIslandRoxfan on Nov 25, 2009 3:29 PM MST up reply actions

i obviously would love Halladay but like i said in the other post

how could we afford him?…he would want a new contract and is going to get at least 23-25 mil a year

we seem to have gotten over that HURDLE

thanks for a great season Rockies!

LETS GO WINGS!

by TuLoRocks2008 on Nov 25, 2009 10:02 AM MST up reply actions

and yes Buster seriously just makes up things for ha ha's sometimes

i do think he is still one of the best guys for rumors though.

we seem to have gotten over that HURDLE

thanks for a great season Rockies!

LETS GO WINGS!

by TuLoRocks2008 on Nov 25, 2009 10:03 AM MST up reply actions

One Year Rental

We wouldn’t sign him for any long term deal.

But then again, we aren’t getting Doc. Everneverever.

by Muzia on Nov 25, 2009 10:04 AM MST up reply actions

yeah i know

but that’s my point too if he gets traded anywhere he is going to want a new contract right when he gets there like Santana got from Mets lol

we seem to have gotten over that HURDLE

thanks for a great season Rockies!

LETS GO WINGS!

by TuLoRocks2008 on Nov 25, 2009 10:06 AM MST up reply actions

The Santana deal was contingent on him receiving a new offer from the Mets after they acquire his rights

This is much more of a Holliday to the A’s scenario. If we were to grab him, it would be with the knowledge it was for just one year. If we weren’t contending by the deadline, we flip him and recover our losses.

(Though it seems with our team, there is no deficit too large. 15 GB? Contending.)

by Muzia on Nov 25, 2009 10:20 AM MST up reply actions

With his no trade clause

Couldn’t the same be the case with Halladay? Why wouldn’t he veto any trade that didn’t send him to a team willing to give him a long contract?

by kiraly41 on Nov 25, 2009 11:47 AM MST up reply actions

Technically, he could.

Or he could just play out the one year for whatever team trades for him and then hit the open market as a FA, signing for $35M a year with the Yankees.

by Muzia on Nov 25, 2009 12:16 PM MST up reply actions

We might get him when he's 38 and has been out of work for a year - a Smoltz/Martinez type?

by biondino on Nov 25, 2009 10:07 AM MST up reply actions

Can we sign him for that year right now?

I would take a flier on Halladay in 7 years.

by Muzia on Nov 25, 2009 10:22 AM MST up reply actions

If the Blue Jays are really trying to deal him, they probably already called O'Dowd...

and I imagine he’s let them know what, if anything, he’s willing to part with. At that point it would just be a matter of waiting to see if it was the Blue Jays best offer. Halladay’s great, but given the circumstance, he’s not somebody that the Rockies would want to get in a bidding war over. I don’t know if I’d offer much more than what you suggest.

by Rox Girl on Nov 25, 2009 10:11 AM MST up reply actions

Just throw in

Q and Alan Johnson. That’ll pit us over the edge.

NEVER SURRENDER DREAMS

Purple Row - Covering all your Rockies needs!
Diplomatic and Military History Book Review - My other blog where I go all historical on you.

by Russ Oates on Nov 25, 2009 10:13 AM MST via mobile up reply actions

Hey, you have another blog.

I just noticed the link in your signature.

by Muzia on Nov 25, 2009 10:23 AM MST up reply actions

Yeah.

Now that I don’t do reviews for class anymore I need to do them somewhere else.

NEVER SURRENDER DREAMS

Purple Row - Covering all your Rockies needs!
Diplomatic and Military History Book Review - My other blog where I go all historical on you.

by Russ Oates on Nov 25, 2009 10:25 AM MST via mobile up reply actions

Subscribed.

I should have the Waugh book any day now…

by Muzia on Nov 25, 2009 10:33 AM MST up reply actions

Actually, I might disagree with that

I think the Blue Jays GM would realize by now that the Rockies can’t spend too much financially this year, that any Halladay acquisition would require them to dump Hawpe somewhere, and probably would handcuff our discussions to bring back Torrealba, Betancourt, and that magical right handed bat we need so badly. We basically told them at the deadline last year that their asking price is too high and that it would hurt us financially.

If the Blue Jays ate cash, then they might actually get an All Star return though, maybe they should consider that? That would get the Rockies involved as well….

Impossible not to have positive thoughts.

I want Sam Deduno to pitch already.

by bballrox4717 on Nov 25, 2009 11:37 AM MST up reply actions

the only way I would take this deal

If the Rockies get a sign and trade agreement that the Rockies have a say in the new contract. Not to sure if its possible in MLB like it is in NFL, but worth a shot.

by Jester76 on Nov 25, 2009 10:14 AM MST reply actions

There's no sign-and-trades, but...

….it is allowable to make a trade contingent on a 48- or 72-hour window to negotiate an extension.

That’s not happening for us in the Halladay case because, after all, he’s looking for Sabathia money.

Besides, I know he’s from Cherry Creek and all, but has he ever actually expressed any interest in coming back? He’s got full no-trade protection as far as I know, and just because someone grows up in an area doesn’t mean they actually aspire to play for the hometown team. Sure, Marquis wants to, but Teixiera laughed off Baltimore, and he grew up there.

Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave

by Mondogarage on Nov 25, 2009 10:33 AM MST up reply actions

I think the fact that Baltimore didn't offer as much as Boston, Washington, or New York had something to do with it

Also, Baltimore isn’t exactly a winning team in the best position right now (Even with all of their young talent).

The Rockies have shown that they can be consistent playoff contenders, and face it, a Halladay acquisition without subtracting from the MLB roster makes us instant NL West favorites and World Series contenders. We already have one of the best staffs in baseball, having two legitimate aces at the top of it rests our bullpen a lot more and would pretty much make it THE best pitching staff in baseball.

Impossible not to have positive thoughts.

I want Sam Deduno to pitch already.

by bballrox4717 on Nov 25, 2009 11:42 AM MST up reply actions

Pretty much, Halladay wouldn't have a reason NOT to play here

besides the fact we probably won’t extend him.

Impossible not to have positive thoughts.

I want Sam Deduno to pitch already.

by bballrox4717 on Nov 25, 2009 11:43 AM MST up reply actions

other than it being a pretty huge hitter's park, humidor or no

Hope got in my eyes

by Andrew Martin on Nov 25, 2009 11:46 AM MST up reply actions

That's true, I forgot about ZOMG Coor's Field all pitchers give up 40 HRS there!

But maybe the fact that DLR, Hammel, and Marquis all thrived here while sucking before coming here may bring his opinion out that it’s not that bad?

Impossible not to have positive thoughts.

I want Sam Deduno to pitch already.

by bballrox4717 on Nov 25, 2009 11:49 AM MST up reply actions

it's possible

but even without the ALLLLTITUUUUDE aspect of it, just being a hitter’s park is going to make pitchers not really like it here one way or another.

Hopefully the clubhouse and, you know, excellent defense here to back him up makes him interested in coming.

Hope got in my eyes

by Andrew Martin on Nov 25, 2009 11:54 AM MST up reply actions

Then again, it's doubtful we'd even try in the first place

Impossible not to have positive thoughts.

I want Sam Deduno to pitch already.

by bballrox4717 on Nov 25, 2009 11:59 AM MST up reply actions

yeah =-/

Hope got in my eyes

by Andrew Martin on Nov 25, 2009 12:33 PM MST up reply actions

He's from Arvada.

Just to clarify. Wouldn’t want him falsely accused of being from Cherry Creek.

by holly96 on Nov 25, 2009 12:02 PM MST up reply actions

He was born in Denver.

So “technically”, he’s from Denver, even if he resided in Arvada.

by Greg Stanwood on Nov 25, 2009 12:10 PM MST up reply actions

I guess that's true.

Though I don’t go around saying I’m from Wheatridge. I’m from Arvada (or I say “Denver area” if it’s someone who not from Colorado).

by holly96 on Nov 25, 2009 12:35 PM MST up reply actions

Oh, I agree that it isn't unreasonable.

Just saying that saying he’s from Denver isn’t a stretch. For example, even his MLB profile describes his home town as Denver.

by Greg Stanwood on Nov 25, 2009 12:40 PM MST up reply actions

True

Denver is fine. Just not Cherry Creek. I have the typical bias there.

by holly96 on Nov 25, 2009 12:42 PM MST up reply actions

If Halladay were from Aurora, I'd claim it for sure.

Dear Rockies - Thank you for a wonderful rollercoaster of a season! NL Wild Card Champs. Best turnaround in MLB history for a team to win the Wild Card. Can't wait to do it again next year!

Troy Tulowitzki - MLB's BEST shortstop..nuff said
Yorvit Torrealba - Re-sign!! he's en Fuego!!
Brad Hawpe- I hope I get to see you in a Rockies uniform again!
Dexter Fowler - prowling CF, WC in his talons, leaping Utleys in a single bound!

by SDcat09 on Nov 25, 2009 4:26 PM MST up reply actions

Fun fact of the day:

Marcus Giles’ daughters are named Arrington, Sawyur, and Tatum.

by Greg Stanwood on Nov 25, 2009 11:00 AM MST reply actions

there is nothing fun about that.

is Giles officially retired, or is he floating around the minors?

Hope got in my eyes

by Andrew Martin on Nov 25, 2009 11:06 AM MST up reply actions

Neither.

He’s not officially retired, but he’s not floating around anywhere near baseball.

by Greg Stanwood on Nov 25, 2009 11:15 AM MST up reply actions

haha

what a funny name. Marcus.

Winners never quit, and quitters never win. But if you never quit *and* never win, you are an idiot

by squalene203 on Nov 25, 2009 3:32 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs

Hmmm Shelley Duncan is a minor league free agent

Perhaps we should take a chance to see if he the mysterious righty power bat we need? Wouldn’t hurt to have a guy like that around in September, and it would be interesting to see what he would do with the Sky Sox…..

Impossible not to have positive thoughts.

I want Sam Deduno to pitch already.

by bballrox4717 on Nov 25, 2009 11:52 AM MST reply actions