TORONTO

The talks that culminated the 12-player deal between the Miami Marlins and the Toronto Blue Jays reached a crescendo on Nov. 8.

A few days later, the deal was dead.

Pining, passed its sell-by date, totally stiff as a Monty Python parrot.

There were dozens of phone calls, decisions and names exchanged leading to that Nov. 8 meeting at the general managers meetings at Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, Calif., and before the deal finally getting done.

Here's a behind-the-scenes look at how all the dominoes fell which sent right-hander Henderson Alvarez, infielders Yunel Escobar and Adeiny Hechavarria, catcher Jeff Mathis, plus minor-leaguers Jake Marisnick, Justin Nicolino and Anthony DeSclafani to south Florida. And starters Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, shortstop Jose Reyes, second baseman Emilio Bonifacio and catcher John Buck to the Jays.

Fri. July 20, Rogers Centre

When Alex Anthopoulos took over as Jays general manager during the Maryland Mutiny the final weekend of the 2009 season the rookie's game plan was to hire scouts.

The unique decision was to scout organizations from top to bottom ... from class-A to the majors.

A week after Brandon Morrow, Kyle Drabek and Drew Hutchison went down with injury, Anthopoulos walked into the office of Perry Minasian, the Jays' pro scouting director, who had an idea.

Minasian suggested: "We won't be acquiring prospects this off-season, we have prospects."

"Perry's idea was to pull everyone off the minor-league coverage and cover the big leagues," said Anthopoulos said. "His thought process was: 'We want to get better, we'll be trading for major leaguers.'

"We were able to get a lot of extra looks at guys in August and September."

It wasn't any secret ... Jays scouts were looking for "starting pitching, starting pitching, starting pitching" with 51 lost starts to injuries and Drabek "hoping" to be back after the all-star break, while Hutchison may or may not pitch next season.

Mon. July 23, Arlington, Tex.

What does a Marlins scout say to the Jays scout, while watching the Boston Red Sox play the Texas Rangers?

"I hear our teams are talking," they both said.

The Jays wanted right-hander Johnson.

The Marlins requested Hechavarria and Nicolino.

Thinking long term and not being one arm away, the Jays said no.

The Marlins didn't want to move Johnson, as he was headed into the final year of his contract in 2013, and they expected big things from him.

Wed. Oct. 3, Toronto, Miami

The Jays edge the Minnesota Twins 2-1 as Hechavarria knocks in what proves to be the game-winner in the final game of the season before 19,769 fans at the Rogers Centre. The Jays finish with 73 wins, 22 games behind the first-place New York Yankees. It's the final game John Farrell manages in a Jays uniform.

The Marlins lose 4-2 to the New York Mets as Reyes singles and Buck goes hitless before 27,418 fans at Marlins Park. Miami finishes with 69 wins, 29 games behind the Washington Nationals. It's the final game Ozzie Guillen manages in a Marlins uniform.

Fri. Oct. 5, Rogers Centre

The Jays hold their staff-only, town hall with employees from accounting, marketing, ticket department and publicity.

President Paul Beeston speaks. So do Stephen Brooks, vice president of business operations and Anthopoulos.

"I'm not going to live through what we went through this year again," Anthopoulos tells employees. "We weren't where we wanted to be this year. For parts of the final two months we had two of our starting nine in the lineup."

No one has any idea of what is about to unfold within the next six weeks.

Wed. Oct. 24, Thurs. Oct. 25, New York

After returning from Europe, Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria has a staff meeting. The front office attends along with the likes of Hall of Famers Tony Perez and Andre Dawson, plus Jeff Conine.

Marlins GM Larry Beinfest prods all three, who hold the title of special assistant to the president, for answers, since they're on the field each day.

What needs to occur, the next course of action?

It was discussed openly what the Marlins had done in the past.

Owner Wayne Huzienga blew up the Marlins after beating the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 of the 1997 World Series. GM Dave Dombrowski dealt Moisés Alou, Kevin Brown, Bobby Bonilla, Gary Sheffield, Charles Johnson and Jim Eisenreich to slash payroll.

After winning the 2003 Series over the New York Yankees, Loria cut payroll from $60-million to less than $15-million as A.J. Burnett, Josh Beckett, Paul Lo Duca, Mike Lowell, Mike Jacobs, Juan Pierre and Antonio Alfonseca moved elsewhere.

On one hand, the Marlins showed the largest growth of teams showing attendances increases.

On the other, they had the fewest fans of any club moving into a new park.

Was the glass half-full or half-empty?

There was plenty of soul-searching.

The second day, the Marlins interviewed managerial candidates before settling on a former Marlin, class-A Dunedin manager Mike Redmond.

In meetings, the Marlins staff rate the best three top farm systems, those with the "most candy in the candy store."

The top three are Kansas City Royals, the Texas Rangers, and the Jays.

Thurs. Nov. 8, Indian Wells, Calif.

The Jays contingent of assistant GMs Tony LaCava, Andrew Tinnish, and Jay Satori, plus Minasian and Anthopoulos visit the Marlins' villa where Mike Hill, Dan Jennings and Beinfest are waiting.

Anthopoulos and Beinfest, have talked via phone.

The Marlins propose a 1-for-1 of catchers: Mathis for Buck.

The Jays say no.

Beinfest asks Anthopoulos: "So you want Johnson?"

They talk more. Buerhle's name comes up and it was obvious from the change "in octave in his voice" Anthopoulos wanted the lefty as much or more than Johnson.

Anthopoulous says "none of our guys are off limits."

The Marlins ask about the Lansing trio of Aaron Sanchez, Noah Syndergaard and Nicolino.

"If you want to talk about those guys fine, but some in this room might not want to," Anthopoulos says, playfully whacking former scouting director Tinnish on the back. Tinnish drafted all three high schoolers.

It's a different stance than some teams take into meetings with other clubs. One executive tells of meeting with a team at the GM meetings and how the opposing team started by saying "these seven players are off limits" including two at class-A.

"We wasted our time, the guy gives a list of guys not available, we're thinking: 'Dang, are you serious?'" he said. "A guy opening a note pad to read off names ... I'd rather go for a colonoscopy."

The Jays-Marlins meeting was different.

All of a sudden, Anthopoulos gets bouncy, "like a jumpin' bean, never stopping, it's OK to be excited. Baseball is about people, about the character or people and characters."

Anthopoulos is one character trying to change the character and talent of his Jays.

He sat on his chair.

He would stand as he spoke.

He would sit down again

He was not afraid to be himself. He was who he is.

"What about Reyes?" he asks, putting his foot on the arm rest of the chair.

The shortstop's name had not yet been mentioned.

A Marlins executive asks "what is this, one-stop shopping?"

Anthopoulos reasoned "If we have to give up these types of players for Johnson, we're going to need to expand."

More and more names are mentioned and committed to the agreement. The Marlins express an interest in Marisnick.

"Alex's energy in the room was fun to see, he filled the room, he was a little radical, almost wild," said one executive.

After the one-hour meeting, both sides adjourn.

Anthopoulos phones president Beeston in Toronto and tells him he "really has a chance to change the team."

"Let me get on the phone in the morning and make some calls," Beeston tells his GM.

The calls go up the ladder to Phil Lind, vice-chairman of Rogers Communications Inc., Rogers Media president Keith Pelley, and Nadir Mohamed, CEO of Rogers Communications.

Executives from both teams take a shuttle bus to a party at Washington Nationals' owner Ted Lerner's spacious house.

Marlins and Jays officials make nice at the party.

"Nice digs."

"Heck of a party."

"Look at the beautiful art."

The two sides don't huddle in a corner on in a room for more talks for fear of tipping their hand.

Fri. Nov. 9, Miami, Toronto.

More phone calls between Beinfest and Anthopoulos.

There isn't any texting.

"I prefer the phone, so does Larry," Anthopoulos says. "You can't judge a person's tone in a text or an email."

Charlie Wilson, the Jays' director of minor-league operations, developed bonds with his team's top prospects, so he knew there was a purpose for Anthopoulos calling him into his office and telling him to close the door.

"We've really got something going on here," Anthopoulos tells Wilson. "I'm not going to lie, it hurt when he laid it all out. You feel attached to guys like Marisnick and Nicolino. We've had them since high school."

Sat. Nov. 10, Miami.

It was obvious, said one Marlin executive: "The Jays were in, they had orders: 'Don't worry about what you give up, worry about what you get back.'"

Mon. Nov. 12, Miami.

The Marlins have a conference call, including Loria.

There is a snag.

Now, the Jays will not include Syndergaard in the deal, wanting to keep two of the Lansing Trio.

Marlins scout Matt Kinser had a feel for Nicolino, he liked him best.

Another thought Sydnendgaard was the best.

And the next scout may have said Sanchez.

Tues. Nov. 13, Toronto, Miami.

Morning

The Marlins insist on Mathis being included.

All that money moving from one set of books to the others.

All those players switching uniforms.

And now the deal might fall apart because of Jeffrey Stephen Mathis, who started 59 games in the his first year with the Jays.

"Every proposal the Marlins asked for him and every time we declined because we were uncomfortable including him," Anthopoulos said.

"Out of a sense of loyalty we didn't feel like trading him."

The Jays had signed Mathis to a two-year, $3-million contract extension Aug. 14.

In Miami, the Marlins didn't want to part with Bonifacio and wanted to move Buck's salary. The thought process was: "They're getting two guys who throw 200 innings, a leadoff guy in Reyes, now they want a No. 2 hitter, we should get another one of those Lansing kids."

The Marlins-Jays deal is dead.

LaCava, Tinnish, Satori, Minasian and Anthopoulos head for lunch at e11even near the Air Canada Centre.

"And we didn't even expense it," Anthopoulos says,

Afternoon

Over lunch the Jays brass speak of what Buerhle, Johnson and Reyes would add.

"I didn't want to deal Mathis, but eventually we figured it was extenuating circumstances," Anthopoulos said. "It's kind of like when you are on the edge of a cliff, trying to decide whether to jump into the water. Do you jump?

"You can stand there, stand there, debate, analyze ­-- we felt we were paying a steep price -- or you take the plunge, jump into the water."

Anthopoulos jumped.

He called Beinfest.

The deal that was dead in the morning was agreed upon by 4 p.m.

Teams began informing players an hour later and an hour after that the news broke.

Ken Rosenthal of FOXsports.com, he of the .600 batting average, breaks news of the deal shortly after 6 p.m. The first four names to emerge are Johnson, Buerhle to the Jays, Escobar and Hechavarria to the Marlins.

Then, Reyes, who will earn $66-million between 2015-17, the last three years of his contract. He is vacationing in Dubai. It's going to take time for all 12 players to have their physicals.

Sun. Nov. 18, New York

All the medical reports arrive at the commissioner's office late in the day.

Mon. Nov. 19, New York.

Commissioner Bud Selig approves the deal.

"We had people in our office who would not have done the trade," Anthopoulos told reporters explaining why he didn't have any doubt it would be approved. "It was a very fair deal. It was hard to give up a lot of those young players."

It was present-day talent for down-the-road talent.

Tues. Nov. 20, Toronto

The Jays re-hire John Gibbons as manager. Anthopoulos credits Beeston and Rogers for taking on the salary.

"Larry Beinfest is very direct," Anthopoulos said. "He knew what he would want from us. The Marlins are aggressive, direct. I knew if Larry makes a move, he'll move fast, he won't shop it around."

Sat. Nov. 24

An opposing executive is asked for a scouting report on the key players heading to the Jays:

Johnson: "An off-the-charts worker, headed into his contract year."

Reyes: "Never has a bad day, he will lift guys up with his infectious personality. He always finds something to be happy about."

Buerhle: "A good old country boy. If you lived next door to him for five years you'd walk in the house one day and say to your wife: 'Son of a gun, you'll never guess what our next door neighbor does. He's a major-league pitcher!"

Sun. Nov. 25

And a look from the Marlins' angle from someone else.

"I like the pieces the Marlins got," said a scout. "Alvarez is young, he might figure it out, it's a beautiful arm. Hechavarria is going to be an all-star for years. Nicolino will probably pitch in the majors. Marisnick had regressed -- at least he had when I saw him in the Arizona Fall League this month."

The Jays won the trade, he said, maybe more.

"The AL East has changed, if you can pitch you can win," he said. "If Baltimore and Toronto put the foot on the accelerator ... what you are seeing is a real changing of the guard. I don't know if Tampa Bay can retain all its pieces, Boston and the Yankees are getting older."

He discusses the role of the scouting director.

"If he (Tinnish) gets his guys to crawl to the big leagues, fine, if not, he's given his GM some bullets," he said. "This is where Alex was smart. He had pieces to spend, he brought 400 innings to the party. He won the deal.

"Alex didn't care what he gave up. And on a scale of 1-to-10, 10 being the highest on how well I know him, he's a one. The Marlins guys told me he didn't hide a thing. It was: 'You guys have something I want, let's get it done.'"

Sure, but the Red Sox won the winter two years ago signing Carl Crawford and trading for Adrian Gonzalez, the Los Angeles Angels (Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson) and the Marlins (Heath Bell, Reyes and Buerhle) won last year.

"Yeah, everyone's writing that," said the GM. "Your off-season goal is to make your team better. Does Toronto have a better team now than the day the season ended?

"There aren't enough pieces out there, unless a team signs both Zach Greinke and Josh Hamilton, you can't match what Toronto has done. They've already had the best hot-stove session of any team."