Blue Jays Bullpen

[babaganoosh]

With Frasor and Downs eligible for free agency, Gregg with his options, and potential non-tenders like a Brian Tallet, how do you see the bullpen looking next year? What happens with the above 4, who else joins the pen, and what will everyone's role be?

I'll add in my thoughts a little later

[cooperstownersincanada]

These are just some of my preliminary thoughts:

1. The Jays will pick up Gregg's option. He will be their closer again in 2011.

2. Downs and Frasor will both leave via free agency. Tallet won't be back.

3. Purcey will take over Downs' role. Roenicke will likely take over Frasor's spot.

4. First lefty out of the pen will likely be one of Carlson, Mills or Rzepczynski.

5. Taylor Bucholtz may factor into the pen as well.

6. Camp will be back as the primary set-up guy.

These are just some quick preliminary thoughts.

[babaganoosh]

1) Downs leaves as a FA, we pick up the picks.
2) Frasor will be offered arbitration and accept because he should project as a Type A and isn't coming off his best season (though it's a very good second half). He'll sign a 1 year deal.
3) Gregg will have his 2 year option picked up. When he signed with those options, he was insurance for Downs and Frasor leaving and he's performed better than I expected him to.
4) Tallet gets non-tendered.
5) In the absence of Downs and Tallet, Carlson and Accardo will join the team.
6) Kevin Gregg closses, Frasor/Purcey take care of late inning situations with Camp figuring in the 7th inning. Accardo and Carlson chip in when needed, Janssen gets stretched out a little to fill the long-relief spot.

[cooperstownersincanada]

I like your thoughts, but the Jays will need to do some serious fence-mending to convince Accardo to come back next year.

[babaganoosh]

He's still arbitration eligible isn't he? So he's kind of guaranteed to come back, it's just his salary that is unknown yet. I think the Jays will give him a MLB look and trade him halfway through the year. Just build up value and hope to get something back for him because he obviously isn't in their long term plans. Though if they wanted to mess with him a little more, I guess Roenicke could take his spot.

[cooperstownersincanada]

I can't seem to find any info on whether Accardo is still under the Jays' control next year. Anyway, if he doesn't demand a trade, the Jays are likely to non-tender him, unless Anthopoulos has a lengthy heart-to-heart with him. But Roenicke is a nice substitute.