Funny how things are running in parallel between two of our teams, the Jays and the Maple Leafs. Take a look at the GM’s, what they are saying publicly and of course their current dillemas. For JP, Beeston and Rogers folks it to trade or not trade the best pitcher the team has ever had. For Burke, it’s to trade or not trade the most valuable asset he has, Tomas Kaberle. The media following both stories are, to a certain degree selling the same story, without drawing the compairson.
First lets look at the Kaberle. We know, or are lead to believe he was as good as traded hours before the draft for Phil Kessel. Since that deal died we haven’t heard much on Kaberle. Burke, or Nonis now have about 19 days to decide what they are doing with #15. Burke went public last week in saying that he know very much doubts that Kaberle will get dealt.
Then there is the mess that is the Jays. J.P. Ricciardi is a walking PR circus. No one believes anything that come out of his mouth. However, as the scribes across MLB are pumping out stores on this J.P. Ricciardi, is saying that he very much doubts that Kaberle, I mean Halladay will get dealt.
Our very one Jeff Blair who is carrying the torch in the Doc stories races these days seems to think that J.P. Ricciardi’s words may not be anything more than an attempt to up the ante. Jayson Stark at ESPN says the Phillies turned down a Jays offer and in kind the Jays turned down the Phillies counter offer. Down the dial, the good folks at Foxpsports are saying the Angles, Phillies and Red Sox are in the mix with the Yankees lurking.
I love this bit from Stark:
“The Blue Jays have spent the last 24 hours trying to get the word out that they don’t have to deal their ace. In the next few days, everyone will find out whether they’re serious, or just trying to ratchet up the price.”
Can’t the same thing be said about Burke and the Leafs? No I didn’t get water on the brain this weekend (well, I probably did, but it didn’t effect my logic). Kaberle is no Halladay. No one, not even a blue jay live blogger on the score would say that TK is one of the best if not the best D in the league as Doc is in MLB. Take TK away from the Leafs and they aren’t nearly as lost as the Jays are without Roy.
If it’s possible, if not logical that the Jays are denying a deal with Doc is likely, than why too can’t Burke be doing the same thing with TK? Personally I think they are both selling it and working it at the same time. The real question I have is, does it really matter? I mean if you are an an NHL GM are you buying what Burke is telling the Toronto Star? If you are a Baseball GM are you less inclined to deal for the best pitcher in the game because the Globe and Mail quotes the GM as saying he doesn’t have to deal him??
Hell no in both cases. It’s all about symantics. The truth is both guys have to do what they can do maximize returns on key assets. Neither can afford to lose their guy for nothing. So while the best of scribes put dealing Roy at 40% today, and a NHL writer has TK at 50-50, i am not buying either until the clock strikes passed the real deadline on both occasions.
By the way, there was not a whole lot to write about in any of the Sunday papers today, however I did like it that Simmons and I agree on one thing, hit the brakes on trading Justin Pogge. I mean you just hired the guy you claim is the best in the business and then you go “giveaway” a goaltending prospect??? WHY???? Unless Burke comes out and says that the coach says Pogge is a complete and utter dud, why not wait it out?????
Have enough rain this weekend? Don’t worry, it should help keep Mayor Miller’s Rats at bay. I will say it again, let the strikers stay out forever. I don’t miss them or the lousy service one bit!
TSM
