What's the point? Apparently, we evaluate entire organization's value solely by their record the year before... unless they go deep in the playoffs with a poor record (ie - get hot at the right time, in the small sample size of the playoffs), and then we let that trump all scenarios... The bottom line is that the Astros, in this day and age of free market capitolism spending combined with awesome farm systems, have put together consistent/winning teams year after year... that have a solid foundation of two players in their 20's who are locked up long term. I don't care what the Blue Jays do next year... hell, they could win 95 games and still not make the playoffs. The Astros could win 81 games and MAKE the playoffs. The fact that the Blue Jays haven't sniffed the playoffs since 1993, while the Astros have made it six times since then is significant... I'm sure Toronto is dying to get back to the post-season, but they've got major hurdles to clear before that becomes a possibility... namely, Halladay staying healthy for a full season, Burnett actually having his first good season in the big leagues (and at a $11 million price tag, no less), and they need to avoid the distraction of Vernon Wells (who IS a distraction, no matter what actually happens with him).
Fadeaway, Reading your posts this is how I would call it ... Comparison of last 10 years, no contest Astros win in a landslide. The Stros have been far more consistent in the regular season and as of late, in the playoffs. No we havent won the WS but it's coming ... believe it! Overall, the Jays' 2 WS trophys trump our more consistent seasons because, if the ring was not so important then why try? Sorry, but 1 WS championship = 5 solid, consistent regular season years and 1st round playoff exits. The Rings DO matter! Just ask the Mavs, LOL!
I hear ya. I'm not saying rings are worthless. But I'm saying, if you had told me in 1993 that I had a choice: 1. Astros win WS that year, but never sniff the playoffs for another 15 years; or 2. Astros would field a competitive team for the next 15 years, each year with a legit shot to advance to the WS..that they'd finish 1 or 2 in their division every year except one. I'd take option 2. Particularly given the history of the franchise leading into this sustained period of competitive baseball.
Drayton's not complaining either... with this team having sustained success, rather than 1 and done, it has kept this team high with great revenues, a great tv deal, and great attendance (3 million fans 3 out of the last 6 years). Toronto has failed to draw more than 2 million fans in every year since 2000 except last year (where all those big off-season moves panned out to... 2.3 million). Keep in mind, this includes ever big crowd they get when they play all those games against the Yankees and Red Sox. Granted, the city supported them like crazy when the stadium was new (and they were winning world championships). I know Drayton's not complaining... the Astros have very good revenues due to
Two things, Nicky: (i) It wasn't one and done. They won twice. (ii) The Jays are competitive these days. I don't know why you seem to keep ignoring this. After some hard times over the past decade, management has a newfound commitment to winning. The current Blue Jays team is very good.
I'm not ignoring it... I aknowledged that the Blue Jays are victims of the division they play in, and its a big reason why they will struggle to make the playoffs in any given year (that, and the fact that they throw away $55 million dollars on unproven gimpy pitchers). Also, I was pointing out that their attendance has SUCKED for the last 7-10 years, in large part because of their lack of competitiveness. Not winning for a long time KILLS a fan base, especially one that has already tasted what winning is like (see the Rockets).
That's true, but things have changed. They're winning and the city is excited about the team again. Jays games are fun again. What was your point? Also, did AJ Burnett sleep with your sister or something? You seem disturbingly obsessed with the guy.
I apologize for resurrecting an old thread. I just want people to stop talking about Vernon Wells like the only thing preventing him from becoming an Astro is Purpura's fat laziness and Drayton McLain’s miserly greed. Of course, somehow I'm sure someone will spin this to mean that they might consider trading him so we need to get cracking on that deal. Say it with me. Vernon Wells will not be an Astro in the foreseeable future. End of story. [rquoter] Jays to study all means of extending Wells' contract Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi has a void in his starting rotation and a monumental trade chip in center fielder Vernon Wells. But that doesn't mean Wells' custom-clearing days are necessarily history. The Blue Jays are still leaning toward keeping Wells in 2007, Ricciardi said, even if they're unable to negotiate a long-term deal with him this winter. Wells, who will make $5.6 million next season and be eligible for free agency in November, appears to be spiraling rapidly beyond Toronto's price range. Wells trade speculation, which appeared to have cooled, flared anew last week when the Blue Jays failed to sign free-agent pitching targets Ted Lilly and Gil Meche. But Ricciardi said he thinks Toronto has enough talent to make a trade even without moving Wells. "We tried to get Lilly and Meche because we thought they could make our club better," Ricciardi said. "Now we have to go in a different direction, but it doesn't mean we have to trade Vernon Wells to do that. "We're not in a panic mode. If people think we're up here pulling our hair out and taking cyanide pills because we didn't get who we wanted, that's not the case. This is just a part of the game you go through." Wells, a two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove Award winner, hit .303 with 32 homers and 106 RBI last season. Even though next winter's free agent crop is exceedingly deep (Andruw Jones, Torii Hunter, Mike Cameron, Mark Kotsay and Aaron Rowand will also be on the market), Wells looks like a strong candidate to receive a nine-figure deal. Toronto's starting rotation currently consists of Roy Halladay, A.J. Burnett and Gustavo Chacin in the first three spots. Unless the Blue Jays upgrade the back end of the rotation, Shaun Marcum, Casey Janssen and Josh Towers (2-10 with an 8.42 ERA) are among the starters who could get a look in spring training. Ricciardi recently told USA Today that the Blue Jays will have to "explore" the possibility of trading Wells if they can't sign him to a long-term contract. He told the newspaper that he should have a better idea where things stand with Wells in early January. "We're going to exhaust every possible way to sign the player," Ricciardi said Monday. "Ownership has been great to us, and if it gets to a point where we can't sign him, then we can't sign him. That's the reality of it. It's not that we don't want to." When asked to give odds on the likelihood of Wells wearing a Toronto uniform in 2007, Ricciardi declined to make a prediction. "I don't want to predict numbers," he said. "If you've been to the race track with me, you'd know I'm not too good." Jerry Crasnick covers Major League Baseball for ESPN Insider. [/rquoter]
Wow... this was such a long time ago. Back then, I was ridiculing fadeaway (who is a quality poster, btw) for the Jays' overpaying for AJ Burnett at 11 million a year. Now, that's as much as Gil Meche makes. AJ Burnett is a freaking bargain... I'm rooting for the Jays to knock Pettite around a little, and show him what AL hitting is like again.
