According to the link at Futurebacks.com, the Overbay-Snyder deal did not collapse because of a failed medical exam by Snyder as we previously thought.  In fact the Jays backed away from the deal (or put it on hold) because of misgivings about the deal itself -- possibly because the Jays want to evaluate the large number of free-agent catchers who are coming onto the market, including our old pal Bengie Molina.

Could it be that Chris Snyder is not the obvious dead-cinch no-questions-asked solution to the Jays catching situation that some Bauxites seem to think?  Personally I am not totally persuaded that the solution is a guy with a poor 2009 season who is still recovering from injury and who is still owed $10.5-million on his contract.  Maybe he will bounce back into the excellent form of previous years, and maybe he won't.   Makes sense for the Jays to cast a wider net and consider more candidates before making a decision.

There could also be ongoing financial negotiations between the two teams about who pays what on the two contracts.  Overbay has a $7-million salary for next season, and Snyder is owed $10.5-million.   It's quite possible that one of the two teams is trying to get the other to pay a chunk of a contract.  Not sure which team it would be, but -- given the Jays tendency to dump contracts in the past few months -- I wouldn't be surprised if the Jays are trying to dump the entire $7-million Overbay contract while trying to get Arizona to pay part of the $10.5-million.  And maybe the Jays are using the free-agent options as a way to get leverage in those negotiations.

That's actually the NY Daily News suggesting that Halladay wants out of Toronto

Noted and corrected, thanks!  At least I got the city right!

Under contract right now for outfielders, we have Travis Snider and Vernon Wells.  Popular sentiment is to pursue Mike Cameron to play the outfield, but I'm not sure this is a realistic expectation given our new GM's MO (granted it is full of vageries).

I'd think AA's plan will be to find a close-to-prime player that has upside but, for whatever reason, might not be too expensive.  Actually, I think he'll try to find two.  Here's some that might be possibilities (Bill James expected wOBA in paranthesis).....

• Rick Ankiel (.329) - had excellent production for the Cards in 2007 and 2008, but struggled with shoulder and groin issues in 2009.  He's 30 and can play solid CF defence.
• Rocco Baldelli (.325) - tons of unfulfilled promise follows Baldelli wherever he goes, as does medical issues - the most concerning of which is chronic fatigue syndrome.  Dolid CF defence.  28 years old.
• Xavier Nady (.347) - currently recovering from TJ surgery and hopes to be ready sometime during ST.  He plays average RF defence.  31 years old.
• Austin Kearns (.329) - never came close to the hype.  29 years old and can take a walk.  Very good defensively in right field.
• Marlon Byrd (.335) - Good defender and slugger.  Could he move VW off CV?  Might depend on who's got the better arm for right.  Marlon could take a bit more of an investment in terms of years....and he's already 32.

Also warranting consideration for fourth outfielder are Jose Bautista and Joe Inglett.  Anybody else out there that you feel might be a target for AA?  How about in the trade market?

http://www.fangraphs.com/winss.aspx?team=Blue%20Jays&pos=all&stats=bat&qual=0&type=0&season=1988&month=0   Let's us compare the 1988, 1989, 1990, etc., Blue Jay teams with the current team.  

1B: Lyle Overbay (to be traded); Adam Lind (core) will shake the rust off with Butter's help; Brian Dopirak (???) needs to be given the chance.   2B: Aaron Hill (core) his best position by a large margin.   SS: (a gaping abyss) - Core player needed.   3B: Edwin Encarnacion (very useful piece) under contract though 2011 (last year of arbitration).   C: (a gaping abyss) - Core playing needed.   OF: Vernon Wells (very useful piece) under untradeable contract through 2014.   OF: Travis Snider (core) will learn to play very well at this level, in this level.   OF: (a gaping abyss) - Core Player needed.   D.H.: (a gaping abyss) - Core player needed.   Closer: (a gaping abyss) - Core player needed.   Setup/Closer: (a gaping abyss) - Core player needed.   Ace: Roy Halladay (to be traded); (a gaping abyss) - Core player needed.   Backup Ace:  (a gaping abyss) - Core player needed.

Starters: Who is core; who is a very useful piece; who is to be traded?   Relief: Who is core; who is a very useful piece; who is to be traded.   Bench: Should be very useful pieces, in time.    A.A. needs to fill a minimum of two core holes, three would be better, this off-season.   Anything less should be considered a total wasted time by the wrong G.M.

RE:  AY's assertion that  "...Carlos Delgado should be brought back..."  I'll second that.  I'll add  that you could not find a better mentor for Travis Snider ;  not only in his approach at the plate, but also in his approach to the public and to life in general.

"a ball could hit a seam @ any time", " you can't feel the warning track well under your feet".

I appreciate your Idea, and in time the Rogers Center could turn into more of an icon than a run-down building. But these things are not only dangerous to players they will prevent the team from attracting free agents. The difference is Fenway you are talking about the building, and Rogers Center you are talking about the feild of play. There is a big difference. I think you have to go the other way, when one day technology advances far enough so you have a turf feild that is somehow better than grass. If that is ever possible probably not...but that is the only way I see it being an advantage to the Jays.

The Roger's Centre turf is terrible.  I only went to one game there this year when I took the old man for Father's Day, and I used to average about 10 games a year.  I even got rid of tickets I had for another game.  Part of that decision was because of my boycott after they allowed 3 of the top 4 picks to walk because of money, but also, I just don't enjoy watching baseball as much in the dome.  Part of the enjoyment for me is as much the atmosphere as it is the actually game.  It's the grass, the smell, the open sky, the brick facade.  The dome is a concrete bowl.  It's an entertainment centre, not a ballpark.  I can watch the game in HD at home, but I want to feel the ballpark atmosphere if I'm going to pay to watch a game, and Comerica is only 1/2 hour farther drive for me, so I go there to watch baseball now. 

Getting real grass at the concrete bowl known as Roger's Centre will help.  In the meantime I'll watch all the Jays' games on TV, but my wife and I plan on going to Fenway this year, and my "local" ballpark will be Comerica.