Jays spreading the wealth, offer another $$ contract

[riverside sluggers]

Lets see 5 years to BJ Ryan at $47 million... 5 year off to AJ Burnett at $50 million... and now a 5 year offer to Brian Giles at $55 million? Blue Jays I know you got money now, but I think its gone to your head

 

Toronto Sun: Riccardi has another long term deal on the table: five years, $55 million to Giles

 

November 2001, J.P. Ricciardi returned to home base in Worcester, Mass., after being named general manager of the Blue Jays. Greeted by more than 300 phone messages, Ricciardi said he felt like Tom Hanks in the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan. "Things were going on all around me," Ricciardi said. "I thought if I could ever get off the beach I'd be fine." Off the beach, Ricciardi has found his own Ryan. This one is named Robert Victor and nicknamed B. J. And he's here to save games.

 

When B.J. Ryan was introduced yesterday at Rogers headquarters, no one mentioned Ryan's rank, but with a five-year, $47-million US deal, Ryan can call himself whatever he wants. The Jays outbid the the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees for Ryan's services -- much like in 1996 when then-president Paul Beeston brought Roger Clemens to town, giving him a three-year, $24.75-million deal. And now Ricciardi is looking for another high-ranking officer/free-agent, making a five-year, $55-million offer to outfielder Brian Giles. The 34-year-old left-handed hitter batted .301 this season with 15 homers and 83 RBIs in 158 games for the San Diego Padres.

[He Hate Me]

Lets see 5 years to BJ Ryan at $47 million... 5 year off to AJ Burnett at $50 million... and now a 5 year offer to Brian Giles at $55 million? Blue Jays I know you got money now, but I think its gone to your head

 

wow...I'm speechless. Am I the only one who thinks that the Blue Jays wil be begging someone to take one of these guys off their hands in a year or two?

[26 to 6]

DEFINATELY

 

No way does Brian Giles deserve a 5 year deal. I have a hard enough time with us giving him a 3 year deal. Ryan I can understand completely, and even Burnett to an extent, as a risky, yet potentially rewarding option. But I dont see how they can give Giles a 5 year contract.

 

I think they have the Dollars backwards, I would give RYan the 55, Burnett the 50, and Giles the 47, but they have it backwards

 

Just thought I would point that out.

 

 

Riccardi and Rogers really want to win next year.

[Ray10]

They really are overspending on Brian Giles. No way is he worth 5 years.

[YanksHater213]

Giles? Burnett? Ryan? I think they think they have a good enough talent base to compete with us, and if they got these guys? Wow, thatd be one scary ass division.

[Sizzlin22]

Where did all this money come from all of the sudden. Didn't they not make an attempt at keeping Delgado because they were tight on money.

[ORS]

I remember reading something about either a new Jays TV network or a local new media deal. What I read basically predicted that the Jays would become bigger players in the FA market this year.

[yankthis]

One thing to consider is that the Yankees are not quite as strong as they usually are, and the Red Sox, though strong, are not a steamroller by any means.

 

The Blue Jays showed their mettle this past year, and perhaps owndership feels that this may be a good time for a hard drive. A little boost can go a long way; what will a big boost do? The Jays might make things very interesting in the AL East this year.

[Sizzlin22]

They'll make things interesting, I jsut don't think they can compete all the way down the stretch with thier terrible (outside of Vernon Wells) offense.

[Cityofchampions33]

Jesus, either he thinks Giles can last 5 more years or he wants to inflate what the Sox will have to offer to Damon, I mean it's already off to a bad start.

[ksushi]

See this is very interesting to me. The Sox and Yankees for the past couple years have been spending spending spending, and buying up all the wins that they can. Since about 2001. This entire time, all the other teams in the AL East have pretty much been locked in the cellar. The Division Title is all but given to the Yankees and Red Sox to fight over(advantage yankees thus far). Now, after all this spending the sox and yankees both have (had) old teams with 40 year olds in the rotation and the bullpen and beat up players playing in the outfield, and not much youth to be spoken of. Both teams have come to a point where the spending only took them so far and this was it, the yankees seemingly in a depper hole than the redsox. In the past year - two years the sox have begun revamping their farm system to inject some youth into a team that really was headed towards a big time drop off if it kept spending so much money on the old guys. The yankees have now begun doing the same thing starting with this offseason. Both teams (advantage red sox) look to be able to have youthful and revamped rosters in the next 5 years, stocked with talent again. The sox sooner than that because some of their talent is really knocking on the door now.

 

Now, with that said, it seems like the Blue Jays and the Orioles instead of being patient and waiting for the sox and yanks to skip a beat in this process, have already gotten right to work digging themselves in a hole of their own with long contracts for old guys. Trying to buy with the sox and yanks when the sox and yanks are stocking up their farm systems and shifting into high gear for the long haul. The Jays and O's seem to have royally screwed themselves, especially if the O's land nomar, they're following the footsteps of the sox and yanks alittle too late. They'll get shut out of winning this season, and just when they think they will see daylight with these signings, the sox will be bringing up lester and hansen will likely be in full bloom with delcarmen a year along and ready to do some serious pitching. This doesn't bode well for them at all. This offseason might look like its full of big splashes from them but really all they are doing is stock piling pride by winning the off season pissing contest and when it comes time to play ball the sox and eventually the yankees will be fully reloaded ready to keep winning divisions and slugging it out in ALCS's.

 

How can they not see how badly they are screwing themselves? Do they not see the sox and yankees being serious contenders down the road for whatever reason and just think that buying a few high priced guys right now with some risky contracts will pay off for them?

 

PS I also really like how things are going to work out with the red sox vets, just as wake and schilling and timlin are ready to ride off into the sunset, they will be here just long enough to mentor some of our young beasts like Delcarmen and Hansen and Papelbon, I think that is very very valuable, I like how this team has a core of successful veterans who have played various roles and known a lot of success and are all great club house guys to be bringing these young kids a long. I think that will pay dividends in the kind of maturity and toughness that these kids will pick up from them.