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RICHARD GRIFFIN 

The annual Associated Press listing of the 30 MLB teams and their payrolls as of opening day was released this week. The Jays rank 16th overall, at $80,993,657 (all figures U.S.). The Yankees, to no one’s surprise, lead the way at $201,449,289.

It’s not where the Jays wanted to be. Their original intent was to bump payroll upwards from last year’s total of $98 million, but circumstances changed dramatically.

The original strategy – perhaps unrealistic, but a good plan heading into the off-season – was to bring back A.J. Burnett and then sign free-agent shortstop Rafael Furcal. But, anticipating the darkening financial storm clouds on the horizon, interim CEO Paul Beeston convinced GM J.P. Ricciardi, around the end of the World Series, that discretion in recession was the better part of value.

“The projected payroll was going to be $105 million,” Ricciardi admitted. “I think when (Paul and I) went to see A.J. (at his home in October), if he said he wanted to be a Blue Jay those two days, we could have had him done.

“But then after that, as the market continued to crash, Paul was actually ahead of the curve. He said, `I think we’re better off just standing still because economically, I’m not sure where this thing is going.’ By the World Series, we pretty much realized we weren’t going to have much money, unless we moved $10 million to sign $10 million.”

If the Jays had been allowed to spend the original planned amount, yesterday’s AP numbers would have ranked them eighth overall. And with eight teams qualifying for playoffs, it would have put them in the pressure-cooker in terms of expectations. How would they have spent the extra cash?

“We could have had Furcal,” Ricciardi insisted. “I can’t tell you 100 per cent we would have him, but we really thought that if we took the extra step, we could get him. I think we probably would have pushed a little harder on getting A.J. At that point if we had locked him up, we probably would have went after maybe Furcal.”

The Jays at the winter meetings were even thanked by Furcal’s agent for being in the final four for his services. But because the Jays already knew by then that they were scaling back payroll, any Furcal signing would have had to be accompanied by a trade of similar salary, which likely would have been first baseman Lyle Overbay. But things unfolded too quickly with the shortstop and it didn’t happen.

Instead, Furcal signed with the Dodgers for three years, $30 million. Check the numbers. If Burnett had re-upped with the Jays at about $16 million for the first season of a new contract, everything else being equal, the Jays’ payroll would have stood at $107 million. They could then easily have shed two million.

Think about what might have been, given some good luck and more good health. Imagine the Jays with a rotation today of Roy Halladay, Burnett, Shaun Marcum, Dustin McGowan and Jesse Litsch, with Furcal leading off and playing short.

Instead, Plan B has the organization being realistic with their fans and looking past ’09, hoping for the development of at least two young starting pitchers, including lefty Ricky Romero, who won his major-league debut yesterday over the Detroit Tigers.

“I think it would be great,” Ricciardi said.” We have a kid (Mark) Rzepczynski we really like. He pitched (Wedne
sday) in Double-A. Who knows? Litsch jumped from Double-A. (Young pitcher development) is the area (of concern) we didn’t think we’d be in, but it’s more so because of Marcum and McGowan.

“If we didn’t lose Marcum and McGowan we would have felt like we could still compete for this thing. More we’re at the stage now where we’re going to see how the young kids develop and keep running them out there.”

Today in Cleveland, it’s Scott Richmond’s turn to be thrown into the fire. Meanwhile, frustrated Jays’ fans can blame the current predicament on the economy while the Jays hope for a “stimulus package” to help bail them out.

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So if that was the case then we would of had to play Bautista at first, I think because Jackson in AA isn’t ready to take the next step, and though I think AJ is great I don’t know  what to think.  I will admit that I believe there is a HUGE need for a proper leadoff hitter which I don’t think I see in  Marco Scutaro.  HOWEVER, Ricciardi is prone to lying and is a lame duck GM, thus this is much to do about nothing.

That’s all for now from yours faithfully……Shine on, Cheers and Smell you later!