Dr.Funk
Registered User
- Jul 2, 2004
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Blue Jays Discussion: 2024-25 Off-season: The free agent watch begins (and sometimes old baseball radio broadcasts)
- Thread starter The Nemesis
- Start date
tmlfan98
No More Excuses #MarnerOut
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.
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
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- Sep 27, 2017
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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
Registered User
- Jun 14, 2008
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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?
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.
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
Registered User
- Jun 24, 2018
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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
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- Jul 13, 2022
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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.
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?
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).
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
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.
the Jays haven’t been willing to lock up Vladdy for 300 million why would people think they’re going to sign Soto for 700 mil? This is just another Boras leverage play
Cloned
Begging for Bega
- Aug 25, 2003
- 81,281
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The last time this happened they signed Justin Turner.
Killer Orcas
Registered User
Mets reportedly offered 660 didn't say years or details read on Google news. Guess Soto suitors start to get cut from the 4-5 teams still in hunt soon with bidding.
The author starts with "when" they trade Vlad, then finishes with "if". Conclusion: someone to be ignored.
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
It is Jim Bowden. This is basically how all of his stuff is. The most basic surface level junk that has no real info and is just a lot of him assuming things and projecting that stuff goes right only for a handful of the biggest teams and nobody else.
Seriously when you go into his free agency rankings it's always like the same mix of 5 or 6 teams that are listed as the ideal landing spots or targets for every single worthwhile player.
Rosenthal: Why Jays may not make sense for Juan Soto, the case for Alex Bregman and more MLB notes - The Athletic
Guerrero, 25, and shortstop Bo Bichette, 26, could hit the open market after next season. Baseball America last August ranked the Jays’ farm system 23rd and The Athletic’s Keith Law had Toronto’s system as the 20th-best.
In the American League East, the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles were playoff teams last season. The Tampa Bay Rays are always competitive. And the Boston Red Sox are on the rise.
The uncertain futures of Jays president Mark Shapiro (signed through 2025) and general manager Ross Atkins (through ’26) only add to the questions surrounding the club and might be fueling its desire to make a splash. The Jays tried for Shohei Ohtani in free agency last offseason and Soto in a trade. And Shapiro and Atkins have made it clear they intend to keep pushing forward.
Soto’s appeal to the Jays, then, is obvious. A Soto-Guerrero left-right combination might not be quite as potent as Soto-Aaron Judge, but it wouldn’t be far off. Judge led the majors in OPS+ last season. Soto was third, Guerrero sixth. And here’s the most intriguing part: Guerrero is 4 1/2 months younger than Soto — and seven years younger than Judge.
People around the Jays praise Guerrero for his growth, citing his work ethic, his maturity, his leadership. Though his track record when it comes to performance is a bit inconsistent — 2022 and ’23 were down years, by his standards — he is precisely the kind of player teams build around. The kind of player who would be in heavy demand as a free agent next offseason, even if first basemen generally do not fare as well in the open market as players at more valuable defensive positions.
Perhaps Guerrero is telling the Jays, “Find some players to put around me, and then I’ll consider staying.” Perhaps Soto, Anthony Santander and other Jays free-agent targets are saying, “Sign Vlad Jr., and then we’ll talk.” In which case, the Jays are stuck between a rock and a hard place — an impossible position, but one of their own making.
If you’re Soto, you know this much: Guerrero had a .940 OPS last season and the Jays won 74 games. The Mets, Yankees and Red Sox offer a higher floor. Other teams do, too. You’re going to get your money. And you can get it from a team in better shape than the Jays.
Guerrero, 25, and shortstop Bo Bichette, 26, could hit the open market after next season. Baseball America last August ranked the Jays’ farm system 23rd and The Athletic’s Keith Law had Toronto’s system as the 20th-best.
In the American League East, the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles were playoff teams last season. The Tampa Bay Rays are always competitive. And the Boston Red Sox are on the rise.
The uncertain futures of Jays president Mark Shapiro (signed through 2025) and general manager Ross Atkins (through ’26) only add to the questions surrounding the club and might be fueling its desire to make a splash. The Jays tried for Shohei Ohtani in free agency last offseason and Soto in a trade. And Shapiro and Atkins have made it clear they intend to keep pushing forward.
Soto’s appeal to the Jays, then, is obvious. A Soto-Guerrero left-right combination might not be quite as potent as Soto-Aaron Judge, but it wouldn’t be far off. Judge led the majors in OPS+ last season. Soto was third, Guerrero sixth. And here’s the most intriguing part: Guerrero is 4 1/2 months younger than Soto — and seven years younger than Judge.
People around the Jays praise Guerrero for his growth, citing his work ethic, his maturity, his leadership. Though his track record when it comes to performance is a bit inconsistent — 2022 and ’23 were down years, by his standards — he is precisely the kind of player teams build around. The kind of player who would be in heavy demand as a free agent next offseason, even if first basemen generally do not fare as well in the open market as players at more valuable defensive positions.
Perhaps Guerrero is telling the Jays, “Find some players to put around me, and then I’ll consider staying.” Perhaps Soto, Anthony Santander and other Jays free-agent targets are saying, “Sign Vlad Jr., and then we’ll talk.” In which case, the Jays are stuck between a rock and a hard place — an impossible position, but one of their own making.
If you’re Soto, you know this much: Guerrero had a .940 OPS last season and the Jays won 74 games. The Mets, Yankees and Red Sox offer a higher floor. Other teams do, too. You’re going to get your money. And you can get it from a team in better shape than the Jays.
