MW: Thanks!

What we might call the Roy Halladay/Vernon Wells Blue Jays peaked last season. They did so without anyone noticing, without ever being relevant to either the AL East or wild-card races, and perhaps without having the kind of year that would get them off of a difficult treadmill.

Nevertheless, this was a fantastic baseball team in 2008, the best run-prevention team in baseball thanks to a strong rotation, deep bullpen and excellent defense. Despite playing in the loaded AL East, the Jays led the majors by allowing just 610 runs, and they also led if you use Adjusted Equivalent Runs Allowed. They had the third-best Defensive Efficiency and ranked seventh in PADE in the majors. Their pitchers were second in the AL in strikeouts and first in fewest home runs allowed.

So why did they go 86-76? Competition is clearly a factor. Per the Adjusted Standings, the Jays had a third-order record of 92-70, the fourth-best mark in the game. Unfortunately, two of the three teams better than them in 2008 were the AL East’s division winner and the AL’s wild-card team, shutting the Jays out of the postseason even had they played to their mark. Toronto’s run prevention was so good that it carried a mediocre offense to that feat of ranking as the fourth-best team in baseball last season.

MW: You posted the whole article, which requires a subscription to view (that’s a big no-no), so I cut it down to only the part that was available to the general public for free. Joe makes some good points, as he always does, but also makes a few with which I disagree, like his later comments about the minor-league system and such. I don’t think the Jays peaked last season, though they were a lot better than most believe. I think that 2010 has a good chance to be a lot of fun for Jays watchers.

MW: I don’t think the Jays need to sign another pitcher who will make them hold their breath every time he throws the ball, unless they can get him really, really cheap.

I fear that after this season, which probably won’t be very pretty, Riccardi will be fired, a new guy will be brought in, and the payroll will be slashed dramatically. This is based on the lack of spending this offseason, the potential for the dollar to go down more, as well as the fact that if the team stinks up the joint in 09, the new guy will feel like he has to blow it up. As you, and others have mentioned, the 2010 team looks like it can be very good, it’d be a shame if it all got blown up. Do you think this fear is justified?

P.S. I know this is looking way ahead, but in terms of chances of winning, it doesn’t really look like it’s gonna happen in 09.

MW: I don’t think the fear of the blow-up is justified. The others are. I think that if Ricciardi is fired, the new guy will take a look around and love what he sees for 2010.

I haven’t been follow the news much but did Tom Cheek make the bailot for the hall of fame?

MW: He made the ballot, but Tony Kubek won the award.

what do you think the odds might be of the Jays trying to acquire Moyer if/when the Burnett talks fall through? Moyer would command far less in salary and seems to have numbers at least comparable to Burnett’s with less risk of injury.

MW: Except that he’s 45. I’m quite surprised that Moyer and the Phillies haven’t been able to work something out, given his age, the fact that he’s from the area and that they just won the World Series. Given the fact that money has been the issue preventing Moyer from signing with the Phils, I don’t think he’s coming here.

Joking aside. What did you think of the Vazquez trade ?

MW: Honestly, I haven’t looked at it deeply enough. The only one of the Braves’ prospects who went to Chicago with whom I’m familiar is Lillibridge. I’ll comment when the room stops spinning.

Hope you have a good vacation Mike. And yah, i was sad to see Pushing Daisies go to.

MW: Unfortunately, the signing of free agents is not a democratic process.

If they seriously asked you to interview for the job, would you do it?

MW: If they asked me to interview, of course I would. They won’t, though.

MW: It’s a long slide from “lack of power-hitting shortstops” to Johnny Mac.