SJ44,

I said he “could” hold down – not he “can.”

You respond selectively to better leverage your argument, and that is dishonest.

There is no guarantee that AJax will “make” it. However, I don’t kneel before a wishing well and implore the Baseball Gods to breathe brilliance into him.

I saw him early on – he was all arms and high leg kick and blindfolded hacks. I was not impressed – I even remarked, on a forum I frequent more – that one needs to be suspicious the the so-called 5-tool guy who doesn’t appear to have any honed baseball skills.

Guess what?

AJax has completely turned things around; his approach is like someone else slipped into his body: he uses his front foot to adapt to where the ball is – he keeps his hands back, and he doesn’t lunge like he used to – he generates way more power (probably the key to the power we’re seeing more regularly), and his bat is naturally quick.

AJax is not pie in the sky or a PR push – he has the athletic gifts and apparently, the coachability and determination – to become a real baseball player.

He already has very good instincts on where the ball is going off the bat, runs like a gazelle, can time his jumps to make “spectacular” thieving plays at the wall, and has a decent arm.

Right now, anyone who is marking his progress has to concede that he has really developed nicely; I believe his ETA was considered 2009; best to let him have his cup of coffee and say, see you in ST 2010, because he is very, very close.

Garcia has not been over rated: Garcia is impossibly talented; his issue is his physical health – not his stuff.

Based on what you have written about him, it’s clear to me you haven’t seen much of him. If you had, you wouldn’t even think of calling him “over rated.”

He just can’t seem to stay healthy. Only those of us who have seen him enough know that is something to lament. Had he been healthy, we could have moved him into the BP for this year but sadly, one doesn’t even know if he has any kind of future.

CB, SJ44, and all.

If you give up young talent, trade for young talent, and go get Soria to be the 8th inning guy, and closer some days to learn from Rivera. Then you can move Aceves or Hughes into the rotation.

Our bullpen currently is a mess, in large part because of the inability of 3 of our starters going more than 4-5 innings, but also in part of the inconsistency and inexperience, and the injuries to Bruney and Marte.

How many wins would adding Soria to the bullpen, in concurrence with putting Aceves or hughes in the rotation?

It won’t be easy to do and would result in them getting very little talent in return for the financial stability they would gain. Frankly I wouldn’t touch Wells unless it’s Halladay, Wells and Scott Downs for three paids of shoelaces and a bag of Doritos.

Rios is a younger player with a less cumbersome contract would bring Toronto a better package of players though not as much as they’d get for Halladay on his own.

Melky/Jackson, Cervelli/Romine, Melancon and McAllister might be enough to get that done. In 2010 Halladay/Rios make just a little more than Matsui/Damon this year and that still leaves $$ from Pettite, Nady and Molina to address other issues.

If there’s no linkage with Rios/Wells then I can’t see how they make the deal without Hughes or Joba.

But you have no idea if this is going to be the case.

Like it or not the yankees right now have a 61% chance of making the post season.

That’s the fact.

This panic about the pitching rotation is exactly like the doom and gloom earlier in the year about the bull pen. Remember when that also just could not be fixed without making some massive trade?

All teams have holes. Boston’s not hitting. The rays pen stinks and their rotation is suspect because Kazmir is always hurt and Price has been more inconsistent than Joba.

The difference is that only yankee fans would ignore a 60% chance of making the playoffs and instead focus on how that probabilty needs to 100% or its not good enough.

The Yankees can not depend on Wang to return anytime soon and to be any good when he does return. They need 2 starters…..and they need another arm in the pen (not counting Aceves, who nees to be inserted back ther ASAP) though I have no idea where they’ll get one.

Honestly, I’m not even sure if Rios would do it.

Or at least let me say this – putting myself in JP’s shoes – I would insist it is Wells who goes with Roy rather than Rios.

Rios still could be moved in a second deal.

Well absolutely cannot unless the conditions are extraordinary.

And packing Roy is that opportunity.

IMO JP can’t let that pass.

Now he might not get what he wants. But if I were him I would wait at least until this winter to make sure I can’t move wells rather than rios.

Either way if the yankees take back Wells or Rios than Monter, Joba or Hughes are not even in the realm of conversation.

Not even close. If the yankees take back contract money none of those guys is even in the discussion.

And that’s not being a “prospect hugger” or unrealisitic. The Jays or over a barrel financially. That’s the bottom line.

Look around the economy – any business that is cash rich right now is making out like bandits. They are getting immense value back. Cash for strategic investments is in short supply.

The Yankees are cash rich. The Jays are in a world of hurt.

They simply are not going to move Halladay and get back salary relief and top notch talent.

Not going to happen. It’s one or the other.

To make this trade for the yanks it’s not first and foremost about joba or hughes.

It’s about Wells and Rios.