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

[dredeye]

I have a bad feeling about this off season. Have a sense we’ll get one medium guy and a bunch of filler and we’ll get one trade for another arm and that’ll be it and we’ll be a fringe playoff team. Just think it’s going to be another season of rumours that never materialize

 

[habamillions]

I have a bad feeling about this off season. Have a sense we’ll get one medium guy and a bunch of filler and we’ll get one trade for another arm and that’ll be it and we’ll be a fringe playoff team. Just think it’s going to be another season of rumours that never materialize

Will be exactly like last offseason. Interested in everybody. Think they have a shot at soto play the waiting game and while he uses them to get better offers elsewhere everyone else in free agency will sign with other teams. Then will end up with kiermaier and turner type players

 

[Discoverer]

Will be exactly like last offseason. Interested in everybody. Think they have a shot at soto play the waiting game and while he uses them to get better offers elsewhere everyone else in free agency will sign with other teams. Then will end up with kiermaier and turner type players

Interestingly enough, that's definitely not really what happened last year. Ohtani was one of the earliest free agents to sign.

 

[Woodman19]

You will only be let down if you believe the "Jays are in on" crap you hear for every FA.

 

[canucksfan]

This.

It’s a travesty they have Vladdy and Bo unsigned right now and they’re looking to shell out cash to get free agents.

Subjectively and objectively, they suck!

Bo I understand because it seems like he wants to go elsewhere. However, Vladdy has been proactive in wanting to be here. It's ridiculous they haven't signed one of them.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Soto sweepstakes getting potentially batshit;

https://x.com/i/web/status/1858664698805178383

https://x.com/i/web/status/1858680082187120860

 

[torontoblood]

Soto sweepstakes getting potentially batshit;

https://x.com/i/web/status/1858664698805178383

https://x.com/i/web/status/1858680082187120860

If the defending World Series champion and offensively elite dodgers do sign Soto, what’s the point of watching the 2025 season? We all know that they would repeat as champions again. The rest of the teams in the MLB couldn’t compete. It would remind me of The golden state warriors signing free agent Kevin Durant 8 years ago. The defending league champion who was already stacked just adding a elite gamebreaking offensive talent in the offseason. Embarrassment of riches for the chosen team. For the rest of the league, it’s both a warning and a choice- you better Pick your poison.

 

[ChuckNorris4Cup]

So I didn't post here all last season, but in the 2023 season I was very active here, and arguing about how bad this management was for trading for Varsho and going with a defense first mentality over an offense first mentality. Lots of posters here were disagreeing with me and arguing how the defense was good and my argument was flawed, and that we didn't need more offense. Just curious, have peoples opinions finally changed on that matter here or are they still happy with this management in a defense first mentality?

 

[Woodman19]

So I didn't post here all last season, but in the 2023 season I was very active here, and arguing about how bad this management was for trading for Varsho and going with a defense first mentality over an offense first mentality. Lots of posters here were disagreeing with me and arguing how the defense was good and my argument was flawed, and that we didn't need more offense. Just curious, have peoples opinions finally changed on that matter here or are they still happy with this management in a defense first mentality?

You sound rather defensive

 

[WeThreeKings]

If the defending World Series champion and offensively elite dodgers do sign Soto, what’s the point of watching the 2025 season? We all know that they would repeat as champions again. The rest of the teams in the MLB couldn’t compete. It would remind me of The golden state warriors signing free agent Kevin Durant 8 years ago. The defending league champion who was already stacked just adding a elite gamebreaking offensive talent in the offseason. Embarrassment of riches for the chosen team. For the rest of the league, it’s both a warning and a choice- you better Pick your poison.

I'll be completely out on baseball if the Dodgers sign Soto.. not to mention they'll get that superstar international pitcher, too.

No interest in leagues with super teams.

 

[Suntouchable13]

If the defending World Series champion and offensively elite dodgers do sign Soto, what’s the point of watching the 2025 season? We all know that they would repeat as champions again. The rest of the teams in the MLB couldn’t compete. It would remind me of The golden state warriors signing free agent Kevin Durant 8 years ago. The defending league champion who was already stacked just adding a elite gamebreaking offensive talent in the offseason. Embarrassment of riches for the chosen team. For the rest of the league, it’s both a warning and a choice- you better Pick your poison.

I get what you’re saying but it’s still fun to watch your team play, and hopefully make the playoffs. Don’t have to worry about the Dodgers one iota unless Jays go all the way to the WS (which would be amazing regardless). I’d still enjoy the season as long as our team is good and competing.

 

[Tony Romo]

I know a lot of his value comes from his glove. But with the shoulder injury would it be worth giving Kim like a 2x24m contract with a second year player option or third year?

Have him slot in at 2B, If Bo gets hurt again he can play SS.

 

[shortfuze]

I'll be completely out on baseball if the Dodgers sign Soto.. not to mention they'll get that superstar international pitcher, too.

No interest in leagues with super teams.

They would still have to win it. Good thing about the World Series is it's 7 games and anything can happen.

 

[Discoverer]

I know a lot of his value comes from his glove. But with the shoulder injury would it be worth giving Kim like a 2x24m contract with a second year player option or third year?

Have him slot in at 2B, If Bo gets hurt again he can play SS.

I would be all for a move like that as part of an offseason where they also add a big offensive upgrade or two. There's nothing wrong with an elite defender who has a consistently average (or better) bat. You could move him around the infield and be comfortable with him in the bottom half of the lineup every day.

But yeah, it would depend on what else they do. Last offseason, Kiermaier, IKF, and Turner all would have been decent enough moves if they had also added a middle-of-the-order bat. But they didn't, and they ended up getting a secondary offensive piece and two all-defense players when they really needed a key offensive guy.

 

[Bjindaho]

I would be all for a move like that as part of an offseason where they also add a big offensive upgrade or two. There's nothing wrong with an elite defender who has a consistently average (or better) bat. You could move him around the infield and be comfortable with him in the bottom half of the lineup every day.

But yeah, it would depend on what else they do. Last offseason, Kiermaier, IKF, and Turner all would have been decent enough moves if they had also added a middle-of-the-order bat. But they didn't, and they ended up getting a secondary offensive piece and two all-defense players when they really needed a key offensive guy.

My fear is that he becomes the IKF (only more expensive) and we go grab another defensive OF as 4th OF.

 

[Amadeus]

Put a focus and grab at least 2 of the following:

Willy Adames
Tyler O'Neil
Ha Seong-Kim
Roki Sasaki
Max Fried

Bull pen additions to be on top of this.

 

[Discoverer]

My fear is that he becomes the IKF (only more expensive) and we go grab another defensive OF as 4th OF.

Yeah, that would be my biggest concern. The one positive is that, unlike last year, there are a lot of options out there that would significantly improve the offense.

I guess Kim would be a bit redundant with Clement looking so good, but he's a really good player. It would also depend how they view Vlad at 3B/Horwitz at 2B.

Just sign Santander and Alonso and call it a day. It's so simple!

Edit: Also fix the pen, obviously.

 

[Tony Romo]

I would be all for a move like that as part of an offseason where they also add a big offensive upgrade or two. There's nothing wrong with an elite defender who has a consistently average (or better) bat. You could move him around the infield and be comfortable with him in the bottom half of the lineup every day.

But yeah, it would depend on what else they do. Last offseason, Kiermaier, IKF, and Turner all would have been decent enough moves if they had also added a middle-of-the-order bat. But they didn't, and they ended up getting a secondary offensive piece and two all-defense players when they really needed a key offensive guy.

Yeah my thoughts was really him plus a Santa or maybe trade for a corner OF that rakes. You still get defensive plus a a very good bat in Santa.

 

[Killer Orcas]

After seeing Cohen tweet waste of a time to even dream of Soto. Now we need to get guys we can actually get pen to paper.

Sign Fried to solidify rotation and get us a lefty. Very durable top end starter.

Bullpen we need multiple pieces and we might need to hit trade market for it. However two arms that would greatly improve us right away are Tanner Scott and Jeff Hoffman. These guys are elite high leverage guys that could be counted on. In trades call Cardinals and Brewers as they have elite closers in Helsley and Williams that are said to be available.


Lastly for the field we need ask Bo if he's extending or not. He signs great if he doesn't and the market for him isn't there move him to second and sign Willy Adames for SS. Get on the phone with Teoscar ASAP and right a wrong. Also get Joc Pederson here as our right handed pitcher destroyer! There are other decisions to make like who mans 3rd but if these moves are made I'm ok with Clement there for now.

Over pay a touch if you have to but pay for quality. Get on this before the dominoes start to fall and were left looking at crumbs again jays.

Almost forgot sign Vlad today !!

 

[ChuckNorris4Cup]

You sound rather defensive

This kind of response doesn't surprise me here still, somethings just never change . Enjoy being happy with this defense first mentality then, and this garbage upper management decisions, good luck with that.

And just for reference let's look at one of the replies I got when I was calling out this management and decisions here, and then tell me who's really more defensive the one calling out the problems(Me) or the one defending the problems and this upper management decisions.

I mean at the end of the day this isn't an issue of having or not having Teo, Gurriel Jr or Moreno. They made a calculated gamble that the core offensive pieces they already had in house(Vlad,Bo,Springer,Kirk,Chapman) were strong enough offensively to be able to keep the offense competitive while improving our run prevention at the same time....which if we are being honest our dog shit defense in the outfield last year is probably pretty close to reason number 1 why we blew game 2 in the Wild Card round. So it all comes back around to the main issue....our best players just not being good enough. Gurriel being here instead of Varsho isn't pushing this team over the top even a little bit if Vladdy is still a replacement level player.