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

[Discoverer]

I never said he shouldn't of been tendered I actually said I hope he returns to his old self from 2 seasons ago, but I'm not going to find stats to act like he had a good year last year.

But I will come out and say Pop shouldn't of been tendered.

Literally no one is saying Swanson had a good season. He had an encouraging second half.

 

[Nineteen67]

Is this going to be like last year where the bank it all on Soto signing and then go to a crappy plan C afterwards because they have no plan B?

And no one is buying the Soto talk either.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[Killer Orcas]

I would agree however they better add two legit arms one for closer and another set up guy. Truthfully I hope they add at least three guys that are all high leverage and ones a lefty at least.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Jordan Romano might be “cooked”. He is not even throwing yet.

 

[Canada4Gold]

I read somewhere that if they don't settle and instead go to the arbitrators decision and then end up cutting a player during Spring Training then only a fraction of the award is guaranteed. I guess that's why they were ok with tendering Pop? If he gets like 20% of 1 million when they cut him in the Spring oh well I guess? Still feels like a waste of 200k but once it gets that small who cares I guess. It's then just a 200k gamble that Pop somehow becomes so good in the Spring he makes the team

 

[hockeywiz542]

Olney: Juan Soto to make decision ‘within next 10 days or so’, Blue Jays ‘distant third’ in race | TSN

As the pursuit of free agent superstar Juan Soto heats up, the Toronto Blue Jays appear to be firmly in the mix for his services and ESPN’s Buster Olney expects Soto to make a decision relatively quickly, allowing the rest of the free agent market to take shape.

www.tsn.ca

As the pursuit of free agent superstar Juan Soto heats up, the Toronto Blue Jays appear to be firmly in the mix for his services.

According to New York Yankees beat writer Randy Miller, the Blue Jays are one of five teams, along with the Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Boston Red Sox, to have submitted a contract offer to Soto.

Unlike last year’s free-agent market, where multiple players like Blake Snell and Matt Chapman did not sign contracts until well into Spring Training, ESPN’s Buster Olney expects Soto to make a decision relatively quickly, allowing the rest of the free agent market to take shape.

"Unlike last winter, when it felt like we were waiting for so many guys, I do think Soto is going to make a decision within the next 10 days or so,” Olney said on TSN’s First Up. "One executive said to me before the off-season began: 'There's not a lot of talent available, there will be a lot of teams going after the same guy.’ If you're Alex Bregman, if you're Pete Alonso, you need this Soto situation to be resolved.”

The Blue Jays have been heavily involved in the Soto sweepstakes and are willing to hand out large contracts, as last year’s pursuit of Shohei Ohtani demonstrated. However, Olney adds that while the Jays do have the funds and financial flexibility to offer Soto the largest contract, Toronto remains a distant third in the race for the five-time Silver Slugger.

“They demonstrated last winter in the Ohtani thing that they're willing to go to crazy numbers. They have so much payroll flexibility after 2025, only $65 million in obligations after next year,” said Olney. “When I talk to people who are involved in these negotiations, there is a respectful acknowledgement of the Blue Jays potential in this situation. What you get is ‘Oh the Yankees and the Mets.’ And then the Blue Jays.

“Maybe the best way to describe them would be to think of them as Buster Douglas against Mike Tyson. They have a puncher’s chance because they can write a big cheque. Do I think Juan Soto is going to walk away from New York to sign with Toronto? I don't. I think the Blue Jays are running a strong third, which isn't a great place to be, but at the same time, you have to respect the fact that they're running out the ground ball, so to speak.”

 

[MS]

Cool he started doing better, but he still wasn't great, and his numbers for last season still show that, stop trying to add stats for half a year to justify defending him.

Swanson had a 5.03 ERA in 45 appearances, and had a WAR of -0.3.

Of course his season for the whole was bad. He was absolutely clownpounded in April-May and your numbers can't recover from that.

But the timeline of his season was that his kid got run over by a car and had an extended hospital stay and it probably totally messed with his spring training, he got mauled in April-May, went to the minors, and then came back for the 2nd half of the season and was very effective and basically back to his 2023 form.

It was a bad season but I think there are obvious explanations for it, he recovered during the season, and I don't have any specific concerns about him for next season because of this bad season.

 

[ChuckNorris4Cup]

Literally no one is saying Swanson had a good season. He had an encouraging second half.

Putting up half a season of stats doesn't say that, that's more trying to defend him still, but you think what you want. All the person had to do instead of writing stats was basically write what you wrote, but instead they wanted to go a step farther to put stats.

 

[Suntouchable13]

About Bo and Vladdy again, if you like them, extend them. if not, then why are you holding onto them? I don’t get this management group. Especially in Bo’s case. Why are they so willing to go into the season with both un-signed? If you have reservations about them, then move on from them. If Bo is not willing to re-sign, trade him.

 

[ChuckNorris4Cup]

Of course his season for the whole was bad. He was absolutely clownpounded in April-May and your numbers can't recover from that.

But the timeline of his season was that his kid got run over by a car and had an extended hospital stay and it probably totally messed with his spring training, he got mauled in April-May, went to the minors, and then came back for the 2nd half of the season and was very effective and basically back to his 2023 form.

It was a bad season but I think there are obvious explanations for it, he recovered during the season, and I don't have any specific concerns about him for next season because of this bad season.

Before opening day he was put on the 15 day IL, unfortunately he had some issue family wise, he struggled. Later in the season, he was sent down because he was struggling, he spent a month down in Triple A and he still struggled down there as well, then when he was called back up, he had a couple good starts then struggled again. His only real good month was August, he had decent games in July and June, but he also had games he struggled as well.

Again hopefully he returns to his 2022 season right everyone is hoping that, but what happens if he doesn't, then what? What if he starts the season poor again, do they move him or hope he still returns.

 

[phillipmike]

 

[ChuckNorris4Cup]

As much as they need power in the lineup this isn't going to fix their issues, if anything it will handcuff the team in the future.

If anything this screams Shatkins trying to save his job in his last year of his contract, for hoping of 1 good season of ball.

 

[Blitzkrug]

As much as they need power in the lineup this isn't go to fix their issues, if anything it will handcuff the team in the future.

If anything this screams Shatkins trying to save his job in his last year of his contract, for hoping of 1 good season of ball.

Depends, there was speculation Soto was looking at a deal with opt outs in it by year 3/4 so he could theoretically cash in again. I think that's a deal you make 100 times out of 100 so you get all the benefits of a in his prime Soto + not having to worry about an eventual decline.

The current Boras ask is apparently 15/700 which is straight up lunacy. Soto shouldn't be getting Ohtani money when he's a one dimensional player. He can't field, he can't do anything on the base paths. And he doesn't have that raw marketing draw/potential Ohtani has. Tremendous hitter, obviously but that isn't anywhere near enough to justify this type of money.

 

[BertCorbeau]

When do we start tracking flights?

 

[Discoverer]

Putting up half a season of stats doesn't say that, that's more trying to defend him still, but you think what you want. All the person had to do instead of writing stats was basically write what you wrote, but instead they wanted to go a step farther to put stats.

He was pointing out clear reasons for optimism with Swanson going forward. It's not that complicated unless you're trying to draw conclusions out of it that weren't there.

 

[Nineteen67]

I had forgotten Soto was with the Yankees. Is there even a 1% chance he’s leaving them?

 

[MK78]

When do we start tracking flights?

Do we not dismiss the account name of the poster? LOL.

Regardless, I'm sure the Jays offered him a contract. But he will not be choosing it.

I'll eat my hat. I said the same last year for Ohtani.

 

[Nineteen67]

Do we not dismiss the account name of the poster? LOL.

Regardless, I'm sure the Jays offered him a contract. But he will not be choosing it.

I'll eat my hat. I said the same last year for Ohtani.

Ironically the email to buy spring season tickets came out about the same time it was reported they were ‘IN’ on Soto. They’ll sell too many tickets as is, they don’t need him.

 

[ChuckNorris4Cup]

Depends, there was speculation Soto was looking at a deal with opt outs in it by year 3/4 so he could theoretically cash in again. I think that's a deal you make 100 times out of 100 so you get all the benefits of a in his prime Soto + not having to worry about an eventual decline.

The current Boras ask is apparently 15/700 which is straight up lunacy. Soto shouldn't be getting Ohtani money when he's a one dimensional player. He can't field, he can't do anything on the base paths. And he doesn't have that raw marketing draw/potential Ohtani has. Tremendous hitter, obviously but that isn't anywhere near enough to justify this type of money.

Max I would go with him is 2 years, obviously he's looking for a long term deal in the 13-15 year range, not sure about the opt outs, but my honest opinion in 2-3 years he will be a 1B/DH role player. He's not that great in RF and playing at Yankees stadium where RF is one of the shortest and he struggles there, I don't see how he can improve in a bigger RF role, really anywhere else, but there's no denying how good his bat is.

100% agree he isn't worth Ohtani money, if he could pitch then maybe he could have a closer argument for it, but he doesn't and he's not worth Ohtani money, he's still worth a good amount of money, but not Ohtani money.

He was pointing out clear reasons for optimism with Swanson going forward. It's not that complicated unless you're trying to draw conclusions out of it that weren't there.

We can agree to disagree then.

 

[SpezDispenser]

About Bo and Vladdy again, if you like them, extend them. if not, then why are you holding onto them? I don’t get this management group. Especially in Bo’s case. Why are they so willing to go into the season with both un-signed? If you have reservations about them, then move on from them. If Bo is not willing to re-sign, trade him.

I don't understand at all tbh

 

[Dr.Funk]

I had forgotten Soto was with the Yankees. Is there even a 1% chance he’s leaving them?

Kinda looking like a 99% chance.

 

[Nineteen67]

Kinda looking like a 99% chance.

Wonder why they don’t want him, or him not wanting to play there

 

[Blitzkrug]

Wonder why they don’t want him, or him not wanting to play there

If it's him it's because he probably realized that roster has no actual hopes of winning a world series.

Look at it this past season; it was basically Judge, Soto and an above average but not what he used to be Stanton powering that offense. Come the postseason, Judge disappeared off the face of the earth and was only saved from scorn by the fact Stanton decided to turn back the clock 10 years and retook his once MVP form. Without that, there's a good chance the Yankees don't even get past Kansas City in the ALDS.

The sons don't like to spend their money like daddy did. If Soto signs, who says they go out and grab anyone else? It would probably be on him, Judge and a declining Cole to win it on their own.

Now, the teams in pursuit of Soto aren't exactly guarantees either but a team like the Mets will absolutely throw money around to put a team capable of winning it all around him. Uncle Steve wants his world series, no matter the price.

If it's the Yankees the answer is simple; The Steinbrenner sons aren't like his dad and are cheapasses. Sure they paid Judge, but if they didn't, the fans likely burn down Yankee stadium and come looking for him. Soto not so much.

 

[Eyedea]

Has anyone talked about how the Red Sox were Soto’s favourite team growing up?