Toronto Blue Jays willing to wait for free agents

The Toronto Blue Jays showed us last off-season that they are unafraid to pull the trigger on big moves to try and keep up with the rest of the American League East. This year they are in need of a front-line starting pitcher to add to their rotation (among other things). Consider those two factors together, and it is a bit surprising that the Blue Jays have been quiet so far this off-season.

General manager Alex Anthopoulos says the team still expects to make a move, and maybe a big move as the free agent market settles (quotes courtesy of Ben Nicholson-Smith of SportsNetCA):

"“We’ve had a lot of dialogue, there are still a lot of players out there. We just haven’t been able to line up with respect to a price whether it’s trade or free agent costs. We do have the ability on some trade fronts to just say ‘yes.’ We do know what the asking prices are, we’re just not ready to pay the price.“From a free agent standpoint with some of the remaining free agents that are out there, we have been given a price and we just don’t necessarily see the value right now. We’re going to continue to have dialogue. We’re certainly not done yet. Hopefully we’ll be able to add a little bit more, but at the same time we’re not going to force anything…“…Some of these players that have draft pick compensation attached to them, it would not surprise me to see them go into February and even into March.”"

That is presumably a reference to Ubaldo Jimenez and Ervin Santana, two starting pitchers who seek big paydays but cannot find a team to offer them as much. The Blue Jays need another arm to go with R.A. Dickey at the top of their rotation; there is simply too much uncertainty with guys like Mark Buehrle and Brandon Morrow.

Will they be there waiting when Santana and Jimenez are still seeking work in February and March? Time will tell, but the Blue Jays will likely be in the mix and might have a big move in them yet.