FLB: Blue Jays preview
By Tristan H. CockcroftESPN Fantasy Games
After nearly a decade, the Blue Jays decided that mediocrity just wasn't good enough. A third-place finisher in the American League East in seven of the past eight seasons, Toronto went on an offseason spending spree in an effort to overtake the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, who have finished one-two in the division every year since 1998. Thanks to the team's ownership group, Rogers Communications Inc., which provided $210 million in payroll over the next three seasons, general manager J.P. Ricciardi had the money to go wild on the free-agent market. He signed right-hander A.J. Burnett to a five-year, $55 million contract and closer B.J. Ryan to a five-year, $47 million deal.
In addition to bolstering the pitching staff via free agency, the Blue Jays were also active on the trade market, bringing in Troy Glaus, a former American League home run champion who hit 37 homers in 2005, and Lyle Overbay, a career .285 hitter with a .823 OPS. And even after all that, Ricciardi still had enough money to sign perhaps the best catcher on the free-agent market, Bengie Molina, who somehow remained available into February.
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