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Former Jay favourite Reed Johnson has signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, a.k.a. Evil Empire West. The California native and Cal State Fullerton ex spent the past two years with the Chicago Cubs and hit .255 as a spare part in Second City last season.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

And what else is happening in this dry post-Winter-Meeting, pre-Spring-Training time of year?

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The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Original Ryan - Tuesday, February 02 2010 @ 04:50 PM EST (#211549) #
The Jays are reportedly interested in signing Kevin Gregg, bringing him in to compete for the closer's job in spring training.
Original Ryan - Tuesday, February 02 2010 @ 04:52 PM EST (#211550) #
Bah!  Link didn't work:

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100202&content_id=8009588

Paul D - Tuesday, February 02 2010 @ 05:31 PM EST (#211551) #
I was hoping that the Jays could trade Downs and/or Frasor this off season and let Accardo close, but I guess that's not the plan.

Bringing in another potential closer seems strange, but I guess if the price is right it can't hurt.

Wildrose - Tuesday, February 02 2010 @ 05:41 PM EST (#211552) #
Here's a link.

Gregg qualified as a Type A free agent this winter, but Chicago did not offer him arbitration, meaning a new club would not have to forfeit Draft picks in order to sign him. There is also the possibility Gregg could be worth compensatory Draft picks again in the future -- something that is appealing to a Toronto club that is focusing on a long-term plan.

Wildrose - Tuesday, February 02 2010 @ 05:50 PM EST (#211553) #
Bastian made the prior comment-the italics function did not seem to work.
lexomatic - Tuesday, February 02 2010 @ 07:30 PM EST (#211554) #
Gregg is basically a waste of a roster spot imo. he isn`t very good, and hasn`t been good since 2008 or 2007? whichever was his good year. he'll expect closer money. and i don't think he's any better than the 10 or so options the Jays already have.
andrewkw - Tuesday, February 02 2010 @ 08:01 PM EST (#211555) #
Gregg has a $2.75MM deal with the Jays that includes two options, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.com. The deal could pay Gregg up to $12MM
Thomas - Tuesday, February 02 2010 @ 08:25 PM EST (#211557) #
I don't see the need for Gregg at all, really.
Chuck - Tuesday, February 02 2010 @ 08:58 PM EST (#211558) #
Given what $2.75M gets you in today's deflated marketplace, 65 mediocre innings seems an absolute waste. Blech.
Matthew E - Tuesday, February 02 2010 @ 09:15 PM EST (#211559) #
I wonder what they see in him.
Petey Baseball - Tuesday, February 02 2010 @ 09:54 PM EST (#211561) #
I think this deal only makes sense if:

A) Frasor is traded for a prospect
B) Downs is traded for a prospect
C) One of those two is included in a trade package for prospect (s)

Gregg's K/9 innings is impressive and is one year removed from a very good season in a good division ('08 with Florida).

I don`t know. 2.5 mil for a good arm in the back of the bullpen with good upside whose presence could potentially add up to a decent prospect or two doesn't sound too bad for me. 

Flex - Tuesday, February 02 2010 @ 10:53 PM EST (#211562) #
I don't really understand the concern over spending $2.75 million for a closer. The Jays are paying Ryan $10 million and he's not even on the team. They're paying Philly $6 million for Doc. There's lots of money going out. Rogers isn't complaining. It's not as if this is the last $2.75 AA had to spend and, Drat, now that it's gone we're cooked. There is no budget for this team. A couple of million here or there changes nothing.
andrewkw - Tuesday, February 02 2010 @ 11:02 PM EST (#211564) #
I'm okay with it as long as they're spending more.

If they aren't there are a lot of other ways they could have gone with 2.75 million.  I know everyone is thinking trade relief pitchers for prospects which probably will happen, but it will also be nice to have a great bullpen again if even for half a season.

Also I still think Frasor will get first crack at closing.

Mike Forbes - Tuesday, February 02 2010 @ 11:04 PM EST (#211565) #

AA signs yet another former first rounder in Wade Townsend according to this

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/02/minor-league-transactions-mench-perez-cairo.html

If just one or two of these kind of guys turn in around, the Jays will look good.

Thomas - Tuesday, February 02 2010 @ 11:14 PM EST (#211566) #
I don't really understand the concern over spending $2.75 million for a closer.

My objection isn't the money. It's the logjam of arms, even accounting for inevitable injuries and poor performance.

On a personal note, I'd also much rather watch the Jays struggle to 72 wins with Dirk Hayhurst in the bullpen than Kevin Gregg.

Denoit - Tuesday, February 02 2010 @ 11:15 PM EST (#211567) #

Who is Kevin Gregg? (rhetorical)..well sort of I had to look him up.

As much optimisim I would like to have for the upcoming year, its moves like this that remind me it could be a long season. Im hoping Accardo steps it up 2007 style. 

85bluejay - Wednesday, February 03 2010 @ 12:06 AM EST (#211569) #

Love this move - Allows the team to move Frasor and/or Downs, allows Josh Roenoke to close at AAA - and perhaps move Gregg in July or draft picks

next offseason. This is all about building up quality prospects in the system.

TamRa - Wednesday, February 03 2010 @ 02:46 AM EST (#211570) #

Love this move - Allows the team to move Frasor and/or Downs, allows Josh Roenoke to close at AAA - and perhaps move Gregg in July or draft picks

next offseason. This is all about building up quality prospects in the system.


First lets get this off the table: Jose Valverde would like to remind you that offering arb to a middling reliever, let alone a good closer, is a fool's gamble. do that and you WON'T get draft picks because no one is giving up a pick for Kevin-f'n- Gregg.

Second, we have enough arms that if Roenicke needed to be in AAA he would have been.

Third - what team gives up a good prospect for Frasor when THEY could have signed Gregg? Not to say Frasor isn't better, he clearly (to me) IS - but is he ENOUGH better than someone gives up a solid prospect for the difference? I doubt it seriously. Downs maybe but only because he's left handed.

Fourth (referencing a different post) - Even Gregg's "good" season was pretty marginal. His best ERA+ was 127. for reference, Frasor's was 173 last year. Even Shawn Camp's was 124 and against tougher competition.


This is a total "WTF?" moment for me. Even if we are dealing from our depth we have more than enough arms to make this move unnecessary. We now have at least a dozen legitimate candidates for the 'pen

scottt - Wednesday, February 03 2010 @ 05:49 AM EST (#211573) #
I don't see anybody giving a draft pick for Gregg, so he needs to be traded in the summer.  Return would probably be a low ceiling pitching prospect.

Meh, why not just save that money to sign all the Jays draft picks?



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