There is the build up to the July 31 trade deadline …

Although nothing like the past week has ever been experienced in the Blue Jays clubhouse in the 39-year history of the franchise as far as this much talent arriving.

And the week after the deadline is about tales of trades that might have been:

• How the Cincinnati Reds and the Blue Jays discussed a trade for right-hander Mike Leake on Wednesday afternoon. Unable to reach an agreement the teams agreed to check back with each other the next day. The Reds wanted lefty Jario Labourt as part of any deal for Leake.

And around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday night Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski called Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos. Earlier in the day lefty David Price was not available when the Jays called. Now, the Tigers were making Price available.

Anthopoulos left his house, returned to the Rogers Centre and around 3 a.m. the two GMs had agreed upon the players involved and the four-player deal was finalized at noon by Anthopoulos and Dombrowski.

The Jays would send three lefties, Daniel Norris, who began 2015 in the starting rotation, Matt Boyd, who made two starts for Toronto this summer and Labourt, who was the Jays lone rep at the Futures Game in Cincinnati, in exchange for Price, the five-time all-star and former Cy Young award winner.

What if … the Jays and the Reds had agreed on a deal for Leake on Wednesday afternoon? Leake was then dealt to the San Francisco for Keury Mella and Adam Duvall.

• The Oakland A’s and the Jays had trade discussions about versatile Ben Zobrist. The A’s wanted Boyd and another minor leaguer. Oakland sent Zobrist to the Kansas City Royals for Sean Manaea and Aaron Brooks.
• The Chicago White Sox and the Jays discussed right-hander Jeff Samardzija, but the asking price included injured Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman … as the Reds wanted Stroman included in any deal for right-hander Johnny Cueto, who was moved to the Royals.
• The Minnesota Twins were making a bid for LaTroy Hawkins and had hoped to land the popular, well-respected veteran, before the Rockies included him in the Troy Tulowitzki deal, which sent Jose Reyes, Miguel Castro, No. 1 prospect Jeff Hoffman and Jesus Tinoco to Colorado. Hawkins spent nine seasons with the Twins.

In obtaining reliever Mark Lowe, outfielder Ben Revere, Price, Tulowitzki and Hawkins the Jays moved 11 pitchers, six of them left-handed.

Which led to this tweet from John Anderson, a lefty at double-A New Hampshire.

• “RT (retweet) if you’re a lefty still in the Blue Jays org”

By: Bob Elliott
http://www.torontosun.com/2015/08/04/the-jays-deadline-trades-that-didnt-happen