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

[Dr.Funk]

Jays off season plan should be,

Sign Soto- 14 years $620 million (51.66 mil aav)
Sign Adames- 7 years $182 million (26 mil aav)
Sign Fried 5 years $125 million (25 mil aav)
Resign Guerrero 15 years $350 million (23.3 aav)

Trade Bichette
Trade Springer

The math ain't mathing on Soto.

Vlad isn't signing for that low of an AAV.

 

[Vector]

Bell feels a bit like them having an internal option to replace Schneider in case they fire him mid-season and don’t want to go with Mattingly.

 

[tmlfan98]

Someone correct me if I'm remembering this wrong, but to me the main difference between the Ohtani smoke from last winter and Soto smoke this year, is that I don't remember Passan ever really hopping on the "Jays have a real shot at Ohtani" train.

But this year Passan seems to be one of the main "Jays have a real shot at Soto" cheerleaders. And Passan is actually legit. It's basically just him and Rosenthal, maybe Feinsand too but I'm iffy on that.

 

[Brock Boeser Laser Show]

Someone correct me if I'm remembering this wrong, but to me the main difference between the Ohtani smoke from last winter and Soto smoke this year, is that I don't remember Passan ever really hopping on the "Jays have a real shot at Ohtani" train.

But this year Passan seems to be one of the main "Jays have a real shot at Soto" cheerleaders. And Passan is actually legit. It's basically just him and Rosenthal, maybe Feinsand too but I'm iffy on that.

No shot at Soto. It's all smoke generated by Boras to get Yankees or Mets to cough up more cash. The sports media seem to fall for the Boras game every damn time.

 

[Woodman19]

No shot at Soto. It's all smoke generated by Boras to get Yankees or Mets to cough up more cash. The sports media seem to fall for the Boras game every damn time.

Reciprocal Parasitic relationship. Views, Attention, Money

 

[Tony Romo]

I'm not saying he's using us to boost up the contract. But don't we have a pretty good relationship with Boras now?

 

[hockeywiz542]

Fifteen notable MLB players who could be traded this offseason - The Athletic

1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Blue Jays

The Blue Jays have given no indication they’re going to trade Vladimir Guerrero Jr. this offseason, but one National League general manager told me he believes they’ll change their mind when they realize they have little chance of extending him; after free-agent first basemen Pete Alonso and Christian Walker sign, this GM thinks the Blue Jays will be enticed by the franchise-changing trade offers they could receive for Guerrero, because their farm system needs an infusion of prospects. Guerrero is coming off a banner season in which he slashed .323/.396/.544 (166 OPS+) with 30 home runs, 98 runs scored and 103 RBIs. He’s under team control for one more season. His trade value is sky high and the Blue Jays have many areas of need. Trading Guerrero is imperative if they can’t sign him to a long-term deal this offseason.

12. Chris Bassitt, RHP, Blue Jays

The Blue Jays are not going to extend Chris Bassitt, who is signed through next season, so they should move the 35-year-old righty now while he still has trade value. Bassitt went 10-14 this year with a 4.16 ERA over 31 starts. He posted an inflated WHIP of 1.462 and was worth -0.1 WAR. However, he’s pitched at least 170 innings each of the past three seasons, and plenty of teams would take a starter who can provide those innings to save their bullpens.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

Shatkins should not be in charge this off season. They need to go. They have proven they do not have what it takes to build us into a contender. There are worse tandems, but it’s time for a change.

 

[Hellcat]

Not that i fully disagree with you but let's put aside the debate about whatever Varsho is an average hitter or not the question to your question will be no either way. A lineup made of 9 average hitters wont go far you need at least around 3 hitters who are significantly better than the average and ideally 1 or 2 you can be good contact hitter who get on base and can steal bases.

Personally i would call Varsho average. He's obviously not an average contact hitter in that regard he's clearly below average but he got some power which make him globally average as a hitter. He's a 7th, 8th or 9th batter in my book though. Too easy to strike out and not enough power to be in the middle of the lineup.

Strictly as a hitter Gurriel is better than him though.


It's more subjective than objective if you ask me. The current lineup will miss again.

Good post.

Unfortunately for Jays fans, our good hitters is a 50/50 bet if they actually are good hitters next year. We got "Leap Year" at 1B/3B who seems to only show up once every four years, maybe he repeats his performance from this year into next season, maybe not. Suddenly an unknown commodity in Bichette, was last year due to injury or just a case of the Yips at the plate, an aging leadoff guy in Springer, does he bounce back next year? A load of AAAA players, Schneider, Loperfido, Barger, Clement, Horwitz that may or may not become legit hitters. Clement and Horwitz stick out to me at the plate, I think they will eventually have good MLB bats (better than Varsho). Top to bottom of the line up I dont see one player that we know will guaranteed show up next year and drive play at the plate... which is why I go back to my OP, Soto would be amazing but if we get Soto, it pretty much means there will be very little left to address other areas... I'd rather put the money into improving 5 to 10 positions vs drastically improving only one position. There could be an argument made that Soto makes everyone else in the line up better because the people before him will likely see pitchers being more direct with them to avoid pitching to Soto with people on, the people behind him would benefit from Soto and other players being on base more. I think there is an honest argument that can be made that Soto's impact would be bigger than just his singular contributions

When I see Varsho and the types of power swings he takes, I think he is doing a disservice to himself. With his speed he should try to develop a swing that induces line drive contact not loft. He could easily be one of the best lead off guys with just a little more focus on line drive contact and less on trying to launch the ball into outer space.

Shatkins should not be in charge this off season. They need to go. They have proven they do not have what it takes to build us into a contender. There are worse tandems, but it’s time for a change.

17 days to the 9 year anniversary of the plug being hired as our GM. We must either have an elite MLB team or a super deep farm system after 9 years right?

 

[Lightsol]

The Blue Jays are NOT going to trade Vlad, no matter how much the Yankee homer writers scream for it to happen (preferably to the Yanks for a handful of overhyped prospects).

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[The Nemesis]

Fifteen notable MLB players who could be traded this offseason - The Athletic

1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Blue Jays

The Blue Jays have given no indication they’re going to trade Vladimir Guerrero Jr. this offseason, but one National League general manager told me he believes they’ll change their mind when they realize they have little chance of extending him; after free-agent first basemen Pete Alonso and Christian Walker sign, this GM thinks the Blue Jays will be enticed by the franchise-changing trade offers they could receive for Guerrero, because their farm system needs an infusion of prospects. Guerrero is coming off a banner season in which he slashed .323/.396/.544 (166 OPS+) with 30 home runs, 98 runs scored and 103 RBIs. He’s under team control for one more season. His trade value is sky high and the Blue Jays have many areas of need. Trading Guerrero is imperative if they can’t sign him to a long-term deal this offseason.

12. Chris Bassitt, RHP, Blue Jays

The Blue Jays are not going to extend Chris Bassitt, who is signed through next season, so they should move the 35-year-old righty now while he still has trade value. Bassitt went 10-14 this year with a 4.16 ERA over 31 starts. He posted an inflated WHIP of 1.462 and was worth -0.1 WAR. However, he’s pitched at least 170 innings each of the past three seasons, and plenty of teams would take a starter who can provide those innings to save their bullpens.

I don't even have to look to have a very strong suspicion that's a Jim Bowden article.

 

[Lightsol]

I don't even have to look to have a very strong suspicion that's a Jim Bowden article.

According to Jim, we're not making any moves this summer, period. The Yankees and the Dodgers are simply going to buy free agency, with the Mets coming in for a few guys.