AA Gets His Closer, But at a Cost

AA has filled another goal of the Blue Jays off-season today, when he traded RHP Nestor Molina to the Chicago White Sox for RHP Sergio Santos. Just like Molina, Santos is a converted position player, and he also used to be in the Jays minor league system. Santos came over in 2006 in the Troy Glaus deal with the Diamondbacks, but left the club after two season with the Jays organization.

Santos is a very good pitcher, with only one obvious fault in his stats. He strikes out batters at a very high rate(almost 1.5 per inning), but also walks a ton of batters, at 4.3 per nine innings. Sergio already talked with the Toronto media today, and was very happy about the trade, especially because he is friends with so many of the Blue Jays players.

As mentioned by one of our writers in the article before this titled "Who to Trade", Nestor Molina was listed as a "If the Price is Right" player. According to AA, and I also agree, the price was right for Molina. This winter was likely the highest price you will get for Molina in his career. He is a prospect with a ceiling of a #4 starter. In my mind, he will be a good setup man, or maybe a decent closer. AA pulled the trigger at the right time, because if he waited any longer, the price the White Sox would be asking for would have probably went up, as more free agent closers will sign with teams, and as closers available for trade get traded.If I were to say which team won this trade at first look, it would be the White Sox. But once you look into Santos' contract and his more in depth stats, it becomes a clear win for the Blue Jays. Of course nobody knows how Molina will turn out, or how Santos will do as a Blue Jay, so the real winner of this trade, just like every other trade, will only be determined in a long time.

With the Closer hole filled, the Jays just have to fill there hole at second base to fill out there roster, although a #2 starter is also coveted by the Jays right now. Kelly Johnson has until Midnight on Wednesday to accept or decline arbitration, telling us if the Jays need to get a second baseman or not.

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