SPORTS: The Joey Votto Trade

Okay, I've addressed this, this week. There won't be a trade between the Blue Jays and the Reds that puts Joey Votto in a Blue Jay uniform. On the scale of possibilities ... well it isn't on the scale of possibilities.

I read it again at JaysJournal.com where the author suggested Adam Lind as the foundation of a trade between the two teams. The author is obviously a huge Adam Lind fan. A relative perhaps?

Here's what I TRIED to log in as a comment. Unfortunately I'm not smart enough to let my security precautions allow this comment. Besides, it requires being an active social community member. I don't do social media. Anyway ...


"The column thesis involving Lind is flawed because the reason that the Reds are even contemplating a trade of Votto ("We will listen, but we are not actively shopping Joey."), is because of Yonder Alonso. So no Lind. The trade speculation involves Cincy fans fantasizing about acquiring Bautista and/or Romero in a lop-sided deal and Toronto fans fantasizing about getting Votto for 50 cents on the dollar. While Toronto HAS the assets to acquire Votto, it would be a question of robbing Paul to pay Peter. The kinds of trades Anthopoulos needs to make are ones where minor league assets and possibly a major league sufficiency of value can be converted into better pieces. Right now, the only such pieces are Escobar and Arrencibia (maybe Snider, but l'm one of the non-Snider believers), presuming the Blue Jays' management believes enough in Hechavarria and D'Arnaud. Escobar would be coveted by the Reds, but Arrencibia, not so much. So, would the Reds be willing to trade for prospects? Not that I've heard. The chances of a Blue Jays-Reds trade are exceedingly slim. Not zero, but not worth the bandwidth that we've wasted on it."

Votto will be free to sign with Toronto two winters from now. Will the Jays be a contender before that? Not without a Fielder or a Pujols joining the team. And not with the gigantic talent hole would be the result in the aftermath of an immediate Votto acquisition ... with its inherent risks that he walks two years later.

So unless the Cincy GM has a huge mental lapse, a Wells Contract Acquisition level lapse, there will be no trade. At least to Toronto. The only reason I can't say NO CHANCE at all, is well, that Wells trade that cemented Alex Anthopoulos' rep as a magic-worker.

As for the writers and fans who yak about this kind of folderal, I have promised Mom I wouldn't use the M word at all today. She didn't say anything about Ignoramuses though.