To contend in the major leagues you need a successful farm system, or at least one that finds gems once in awhile.  Be you the Yankees or the A's you need homegrown be they for trades or stardom.  How have the Jays been doing?

This is the third in the series.  So far we have not issued a qualifying offer to Josh Johnson and we have not traded Jose Bautista or Edwin Encarnacion for a starter.  But we still need pitching depth.  There are some teams out there with a surplus of starters and a weak bullpen, and you as GM have put together a deal to bring in a starter.  As GM you have a surplus of relievers, and you will not be able to keep them all on the major league roster next season.  You have a strength in the bullpen and you will use it to beef up the rotation.

Mick Doherty passed away on October 8, 2013, due to complications with diabetes. A Roster member for as long as I can remember, Mick Doherty was known for his writing talent and his sense of humour, which was often on display in his trademark “Hall of Names” threads.

We're down to the Final Four, and here's the question on my mind.

What's in it for me?

It's time for another "you be the general manager".  The consensus last week was not to offer Josh Johnson a qualifying offer.  That leaves a gap in the 2014 rotation.  You, as the GM, have to go in search of replacement starting pitchers.  We all know that the pitching market is thin and good starters are very, very valuable.  However, after much searching and negotiating, you have been able to line up a trade for a quality starting pitcher, one who will slip into the Blue Jays rotation as their #2 starter. 

There is a catch, what the other team wants in return.

The Jays have announced coaching changes for 2014. In case you have erased it from your memory, the Jays starters had a terrible year while the hitters were OK when they were not injured.

So, the Jays have changed the hitting side of the coaching staff and retained the pitching coaches.

We're now down to eight teams battling it out for the coveted prize: a golden trophy with lots of flags and stuff...

This is the first of a few "you be the general manager" questions we can debate over the next few weeks.  Today's subject is Josh Johnson.  News came out today that Josh has just had surgery on his elbow to remove bone spurs.  The Jays have until just after the world series to decide whether to offer Johnson a qualifying offer.  That basically means Johnson will earn approx. $14M next season.

The Jays originally intended to have Johsnon get healthy right around now and then for them to watch him throw to evaluate whether to offer to re-sign him.  This surgery now eliminates that approach by the Jays.

The story suggests James Andrews saying that the bone spurs were the reason JJ didn't pitch well this year.  Do we believe that or is JJ's agent trying to talk up his client for more money?

We're not happy.

Oh, seriously. You're going to make mistakes. You're young.

Round two of the first meaningful SkyDome finale since 1996. Maybe it would be a bit more exciting if the Jays were playing for something more than pride themselves, but high-stakes baseball sure beats exhibition games. And I doubt many Toronto fans have compunctions about spoiling the Rays' season just for the hell of it.

We are here at the final three games of the 2013 regular season, still with much to be decided as far as postseason baseball goes.

The long day wanes...

I caught up with Doug Davis today as he arrived in Toronto for the Webster Award ceremonies this weekend.  Those of you at the Jays games today and tomorrow will see the Jays present end of year awards to scouts and players.

Mark Buehrle finishes his 2013 season as does Miguel Gonzalez in another means nothing game.

Newly signed Ryan Langerhans is in the Blue Jay lineup, Adam Lind is not.  Moises Sierra is back in there, Rajai Davis is missing, his wife was due to give birth today.  The Toronto Star had a feature today on all the new babies for the Blue Jay players.  Davis, Neil Wagner, Aaron Loup and Adam Lind ( a while ago).  I think that was it.