Blue Jays Discussion: 2024-25 Off-season: The free agent watch begins (and sometimes old baseball radio broadcasts)

[Bjindaho]

There are quite a few guys with interesting statlines, but it feels like more of the same: a bunch of guys without particularly high ceilings and/or who have huge questionmarks (age, position, etc.)

Maybe the Jays have cornered the market on identifying Horwitz/Schneider types who get strong results despite not being viewed highly by prospect evaluators, but... I'm doubtful.

That is something that the Jays have actively targeted.

Some of the guys acquired at the last TD fit into that as well, but what will be created will be a glut at the AAA level (some of whom will need to be moved). It's been a long time since the Jays have had any real AAA depth (the Vlad/Bo/Biggio/etc group), but a strong system should have depth at multiple levels.

In a perfect world some of these guys get moved for guys who fit better in AA (looking at the FG projections, we have 7 OF who could be in AAA, with Schrek and Brown needing to be in AA simply because of numbers despite being older and not a lot at AA). By the same token, there's a player here and there at other positions below AAA that could move up, but little depth outside of AA 3B. There is virtually no catcher depth in the system.

 

[Bjindaho]

This is an intriguing move. He's only 24 (with 2 options) but struggled in the St. Louis system after being traded for Hicks.

 

[habamillions]

I liked the pick of kloffenstein when drafted. Minor league deal so cant hurt to bring him back

 

[BertCorbeau]

That’s a funny way of spelling Alonso and major league deal

 

[Bjindaho]

Some prospect notes (based on FG's rankings):

Polanco likely joins Toronto's top 10

Kloff and Sanchez likely join the top 25.

Kloff is also arguably the #3 in Buffalo to start the year (behind Bloss and Macko) due to TJs for Dallas and Tiedemann.

Toronto's best catcher prospect is the 17 year-old kid they signed last year (followed by the guys they signed this year).

 

[phillipmike]

Source: Mets Have Discussed Ryan Mountcastle Trade as Possible Pete Alonso Pivot

While the door appears to be closed right now, it won't be locked until Pete Alonso signs with another team or the New York Mets add another first baseman. It

www.si.com

Would be pretty great to get Alonso AND have Mountcastle out of the division.

The word is that the Tigers are looking for two top 15 prospects in exchange for Torkelson, which seems like a bit of a high ask for a player they don't currently have a starting spot for. A swap of third baseman Brett Baty, who is also 25 and a former top prospect/draft pick, makes sense for Torkelson. Both players could benefit from a change of scenery.

This would make a lot of sense too.

 

[Hellcat]

Some prospect notes (based on FG's rankings):

Polanco likely joins Toronto's top 10

Kloff and Sanchez likely join the top 25.

Kloff is also arguably the #3 in Buffalo to start the year (behind Bloss and Macko) due to TJs for Dallas and Tiedemann.

Toronto's best catcher prospect is the 17 year-old kid they signed last year (followed by the guys they signed this year).

Any perspective on Tiedemann making it to the Majors this season? I thought he had shoulder issues but apparently it was his bicep?

 

[arthurcason]

At this point, I think it's a chicken and egg situation between Boras and the Mets regarding Alonso and the Blue Jays are being used as leverage. It seems unlikely he will sign here now; this would have likely been completed some time ago, in my opinion. Anyone else agree?

 

[Bjindaho]

Any perspective on Tiedemann making it to the Majors this season? I thought he had shoulder issues but apparently it was his bicep?

He had TJ in July. Will miss most if not all year.

 

[Discoverer]

Any perspective on Tiedemann making it to the Majors this season? I thought he had shoulder issues but apparently it was his bicep?

He had Tommy John... best case scenario he's able to provide a few innings out of the pen late in the season.

 

[Discoverer]

At this point, I think it's a chicken and egg situation between Boras and the Mets regarding Alonso and the Blue Jays are being used as leverage. It seems unlikely he will sign here now; this would have likely been completed some time ago, in my opinion. Anyone else agree?

I think he'll end up back with the Mets, but I don't really understand the logic that he would have signed here a while ago if it was going to happen. If anything, it's the opposite: Jays management is known to slow-play the market by setting a price and waiting to see if the player is willing to come down to their level. If Alonso isn't getting the kind of offers he wanted, why would he have pounced on the Jays offer earlier?

 

[Amadeus]

At this point, I think it's a chicken and egg situation between Boras and the Mets regarding Alonso and the Blue Jays are being used as leverage. It seems unlikely he will sign here now; this would have likely been completed some time ago, in my opinion. Anyone else agree?

I think the Blue Jays inquired and when they felt their name was being brought up too much the front office asked Shi Davidi to let out that tweet so they don’t become a joke when Alonso signs elsewhere.

I hope Alonso has to settle for a year again and ends up firing Boras.

 

[Tony Romo]

Having Ryan Mountcastle out of the division, would be the 6 built in wins Atkins was talking about, imo.

 

[arthurcason]

I think he'll end up back with the Mets, but I don't really understand the logic that he would have signed here a while ago if it was going to happen. If anything, it's the opposite: Jays management is known to slow-play the market by setting a price and waiting to see if the player is willing to come down to their level. If Alonso isn't getting the kind of offers he wanted, why would he have pounced on the Jays offer earlier?

I wouldn't say they are known to slow-play the market. They didn't wait on Springer to sign him to that massive contract. I think Alonso would have signed with the Jays by now if they had offered him considerably more money than what the Mets are currently offering. Alternatively, it’s possible that Alonso prefers to stay with the Mets and is simply waiting for them to meet his desired salary. I’m not sure what will happen next, so let’s wait and see.

 

[Bjindaho]

At this point, I think it's a chicken and egg situation between Boras and the Mets regarding Alonso and the Blue Jays are being used as leverage. It seems unlikely he will sign here now; this would have likely been completed some time ago, in my opinion. Anyone else agree?

The Mets made at least one take it or leave it offer (with a better offer from Toronto likely on the table when the Mets made their offer). Alonso prefers NY but our buy low offer is likely higher than what they are offering.

 

[Bjindaho]

Best guess is that NYM is offering somewhere around 3 years, 70M with no opt out and deferrals.

Toronto could easily offer 3 years, 75M, and opt out with a 5M opt out bonus that Toronto could negate by adding a 4th year with heavy deferrals.

 

[Anthrax442]

I dont like opt outs, you sign the deal, live with it.

 

[aingefan]

He had Tommy John... best case scenario he's able to provide a few innings out of the pen late in the season.

Pearson vibes with the arm troubles at key development times.
I wonder where he and the team see his future, starting or in the pen?
He’s basically starting over with building up his arm and workload, <80ip in 22, <50 in 23, <20 in 24, 25 likely to involve not much in terms of innings, and the rule 5 clock starting this winter.

 

[Bjindaho]

I dont like opt outs, you sign the deal, live with it.

Nothing wrong with a player option. The opt out bonus only makes sense if the team had a way to avoid the opt out.

 

[Canada4Gold]

Pearson vibes with the arm troubles at key development times.
I wonder where he and the team see his future, starting or in the pen?
He’s basically starting over with building up his arm and workload, <80ip in 22, <50 in 23, <20 in 24, 25 likely to involve not much in terms of innings, and the rule 5 clock starting this winter.

I'm hopeful that once Tiedemann comes back the injury issues are behind him. He probably should have gotten TJ a while ago. Seems like he had an injury that he didn't properly recover from or aggravated another issue while he was still weakened from the first injury. To me it doesn't feel like Nate where he was hurting a different part of his body every other month. Rather he got injured 2 years ago and just had this same pattern of coming back and either re-injuring or it not being ready only to go on the IL again. I'm hopeful the TJ fixes the issue for once and for all.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[Hellcat]

Best guess is that NYM is offering somewhere around 3 years, 70M with no opt out and deferrals.

Toronto could easily offer 3 years, 75M, and opt out with a 5M opt out bonus that Toronto could negate by adding a 4th year with heavy deferrals.

It was reported/rumored yesterday, Boras/Alonzo offered the Mets a contract that had opt outs after each year AND he got paid bonus's if he chose the opt out.

 

[MK78]

I'm truly puzzled about all these opt-outs. Especially after 1 year.

That's like 0 benefit to the team and 100% to the player. "If I'm good i can opt out, but if i suck or get injured I can just stay on it".

The contracts are already guaranteed so why are they allowing this shit. IMO that needs to be changed in the next CBA.

 

[Discoverer]

I'm truly puzzled about all these opt-outs. Especially after 1 year.

That's like 0 benefit to the team and 100% to the player. "If I'm good i can opt out, but if i suck or get injured I can just stay on it".

The contracts are already guaranteed so why are they allowing this shit. IMO that needs to be changed in the next CBA.

As long as they get rid of team options, too. (They won't.)

 

[aingefan]

I'm hopeful that once Tiedemann comes back the injury issues are behind him. He probably should have gotten TJ a while ago. Seems like he had an injury that he didn't properly recover from or aggravated another issue while he was still weakened from the first injury. To me it doesn't feel like Nate where he was hurting a different part of his body every other month. Rather he got injured 2 years ago and just had this same pattern of coming back and either re-injuring or it not being ready only to go on the IL again. I'm hopeful the TJ fixes the issue for once and for all.

I hope so too.
In any event, building hin back up to a starters work load will take time. I don’t really recall the time frames.
The return to play for the injured pitchers might be the most intriguing storyline for the farm system this year.