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

[Nineteen67]

Jays GM Atkins says manager Schneider made decision to pull Berrios from Game 2

TORONTO — John Schneider will return to manage the Toronto Blue Jays next season, even though general manager Ross Atkins revealed it was Schneider's decision to remove starter Jose Berrios in the game that abruptly ended the underachieving team's se

www.haltonhillstoday.ca

October 7, 2023 at 1:32 PM

TORONTO — John Schneider will return to manage the Toronto Blue Jays next season, even though general manager Ross Atkins revealed it was Schneider's decision to remove starter Jose Berrios in the game that abruptly ended the underachieving team's season last Wednesday.

Atkins held his post-mortem press conference on Saturday morning of Thanksgiving Weekend, three days after the Blue Jays suffered a 2-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins to be swept two games to none in the American League Wild-Card series.

After the Blue Jays' seventh straight post-season loss, there was heavy criticism heaped upon Schneider for removing the righty Berrious after 47 pitches and three shutout innings in favour of lefty Yusei Kikuchi.

There was speculation the front office and its analytics department drew up the game plan to pressure the Twins into employing some right-handed batters earlier than they would have liked to.

This would have enabled the Blue Jays to use their effective right-handed relievers Yimi Garcia, Erik Swanson, Jordan Hicks and Jordan Romano, in mid-to-late inning situations.

Atkins denied any influence from the front office on Schneider and his coaching staff's decision.

"I found out about it when you did," Atkins said. "When [Kikuchi] was getting warm in the first inning, it was very clear that we had a strategy to potentially deploy. John Schneider made the decision to deploy that."

"There was not an influence from the office that factored into that, other than maybe it was an organizational strategy communicated to players. When I say organization, I'm including players, many players over the course of the days prior to that strategy."

Atkins disclosed Schneider and his coaches, along with advanced scout Theron Simpson, are the individuals involved in a pre-game assembly to devise the game plan.

The Toronto general manager also remarked the early-game pitching decision, which resulted in a two-run fourth inning for the home side, was not the problem in the season-ending game. A lack of timely hitting prevented the Blue Jays from advancing.

I remembered there was a bad decision and it was so stupid people assumed Atkins was involved. Nevertheless, he retained the guy that made it.

 

[shortfuze]

The players absolutely deserve some blame but then still you have to look at who assembled that group of players.
If you are happy with zero playoff victories in the last 8 years good for you. I guess most others here have higher standards than you do.
You must be extremely delighted with all the playoff “success” the Leafs have had.

Why do you keep bringing up the leafs?

I'm not happy with the jays lack of success at all but I don't sit here bashing management when they've brought in the players that got them to the playoffs and haven't produced at all when they've got there. The players need to have a reality check and look in the mirror. Every year they have brought in new players to figure it except last year and this year so far. They are trying.

 

[shortfuze]

Yep the Leafs the last 8 years, have 8 playoff appearances, won 24 playoff games and 1 round.
It’s universally agreed that this is a massive failure.

But in the same time span the Jays have 4 playoff appearances, 0 wins and 0 series. And that poster thinks many owners would be happy with that.

Yes many owners would be happy with getting to the playoffs 4 times in 9 years. It's a hard sport. Hindsight is 20-20.

 

[cyris]

Why do you keep bringing up the leafs?

I'm not happy with the jays lack of success at all but I don't sit here bashing management when they've brought in the players that got them to the playoffs and haven't produced at all when they've got there. The players need to have a reality check and look in the mirror. Every year they have brought in new players to figure it except last year and this year so far. They are trying.

I keep bringing up the Leafs as an example of a team that is rightly mocked for their lack of playoff success despite being much much more successful than the Jays have been. Despite your claim many owners would be happy with it.
This management group has had failed. There is really no other way to frame it. I do t care that they are trying. Everyone is trying. Results matter at the managerial level not effort.

 

[cyris]

Yes many owners would be happy with getting to the playoffs 4 times in 9 years. It's a hard sport. Hindsight is 20-20.

lol who cares if it’s hard, that is why they are paid millions of dollars. To quote Don Draper “that’s what the money is for”
And any owner that is happy with zero playoff wins in 9 years loses all my respect. Especially from someone who inherited a playoff team with the reigning MVP and some pretty great prospects.

 

[Tony Romo]

Sounds like Santa Claus is coming to town

 

[Budz]

Sounds like Santa Claus is coming to town

Link?

 

[Ale Brew]

Link?

I’ve been scouring X, lots of speculation that we’re close from the want to be insiders, and tweets in Spanish that I don’t understand. Nothing yet from the credible insiders.

Here’s hoping though. We need that power, and the fact he’s a switch hitter who could provide some protection for Vlad, I’m hopeful.

Still need pitching and another bat though, I hope they are serious about contending, because this alone isn’t enough.

 

[phillipmike]

Now that the Dodgers got him, i wonder if we hear how great he is now.

 

[phillipmike]

[BeisbolPlay] (Translated) "The Canadian team is close to signing the Venezuelan (Anthony Santander), after several media reported a contract proposal for 4 years and 82 million."​

https://www.mlb.com/news/best-remaining-mlb-free-agents-2025

[Feinsand] Mets, Giants, Blue Jays have been connected to Alonso... A number of other teams also remain in the mix for Flaherty including the Giants, Blue Jays, Tigers and Cubs... Santander would be a good fit with a number of teams, none more so than the Blue Jays​

 

[Bjindaho]

Honestly, Alonso, Flaherty, Santander and make a trade for a reliever and this isn't a terrible offseason

 

[Ale Brew]

Honestly, Alonso, Flaherty, Santander and make a trade for a reliever and this isn't a terrible offseason

That would be a great offseason, I just don’t have faith that we’d spend that much.

That’s $65-75M this season on top of what we already added in Giminez and Garcia.

 

[landy92mack29]

Honestly, Alonso, Flaherty, Santander and make a trade for a reliever and this isn't a terrible offseason

regardless of what they do if they go into spring training with Vlad+Bo not signed long term or traded it's been a bad offseason.

 

[Suntouchable13]

That would be a great offseason, I just don’t have faith that we’d spend that much.

That’s $65-75M this season on top of what we already added in Giminez and Garcia.

But they really expect to be better with just those 2 additions? How did they expect to get better exactly if they can't spend any money? Other than the "secret fund' for Soto they had. This team is still terrible, and they are not a bounce back season from Bo away from being a wild card team. How is anyone supposed to think they have actually improved? This is a last place team as of now.

 

[Ale Brew]

But they really expect to be better with just those 2 additions? How did they expect to get better exactly if they can't spend any money? Other than the "secret fund' for Soto they had. This team is still terrible, and they are not a bounce back season from Bo away from being a wild card team. How is anyone supposed to think they have actually improved? This is a last place team as of now.

I agree. As of now we have no way of knowing what the actual plan is though. They’ve been linked to everyone, does that mean they get it and will make multiple additions? Maybe. I’m just sceptical because we’ve never really seen this FO be that aggressive and the local talking heads keep pushing the budget angle.

It’s possible they go all in this year because they see the crisis we see. I for one am hoping because I’d rather not go through a rebuild again so soon.

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

Haven't they been to the playoffs like 4 times since they took over?

You mean after they expanded the playoff format in 2022 to 6 teams instead of 4?

 

[ChuckNorris4Cup]

So the bottom of the barrel is left and people still think Jays will be good if shatkins signs some of them , can't believe people still trust these clowns.

 

[habamillions]

Honestly, Alonso, Flaherty, Santander and make a trade for a reliever and this isn't a terrible offseason

Thats the thing jays need multiple pieces but front office will think just getting one is a good offseason. Its not. Too many holes at offense and still need a closer.

 

[ChuckNorris4Cup]

Jays will sign Justin Turner, J.D. Martinez and Daniel Vogelbach, plan the parade.

 

[canucksfan]

So the bottom of the barrel is left and people still think Jays will be good if shatkins signs some of them , can't believe people still trust these clowns.

I wouldn't say the bottom of the barrel is left. Some very good relievers out there and also Santander, Alonso, and Bregman.

My guess is the Jays at best sign Santander and they will spin him and the internal 'upgrades' as being good enough which it won't be.

 

[hockeywiz542]

MLB Rumors: Alex Bregman Landing Spots, Anthony Santander

The Baseball Insiders

Streamed live 2 hours ago

Join Robert Murray and Adam Weinrib on The Baseball Insiders as they dive into the latest MLB rumors! Are the Tigers and Blue Jays frontrunners for Alex Bregman, or are the Red Sox, Cubs, and Phillies still in play? The Dodgers’ interest in Ha-Seong Kim raises questions about Gavin Lux's future, while Anthony Santander’s market heats up with the Blue Jays and Angels in the mix. Plus, updates on Roki Sasaki’s MLB future and the Yankees' infield plans—Jazz Chisholm, DJ LeMahieu, and a possible Nolan Arenado revival.

Don’t miss this breakdown of all the hottest offseason storylines!

00:00 - Welcome to The Baseball Insiders Podcast!

03:13 - Hye-seong Kim and Dodgers in Agreement

06:49 - Pete Alonso to the Padres Rumors?

09:04 - Alex Bregman Landing Spots

11:39 - Anthony Santander's Market?

14:05 - Roki Sasaki Developments?

17:10 - Giants Activity?

19:23 - Yankees' Infield Plans

21:18 - Robert Empties the Notebook!

 

[ChuckNorris4Cup]

I wouldn't say the bottom of the barrel is left. Some very good relievers out there and also Santander, Alonso, and Bregman.

My guess is the Jays at best sign Santander and they will spin him and the internal 'upgrades' as being good enough which it won't be.

Well there's a reason why the others have signed and these ones haven't yet, they're not the top picks when it comes to free agents, maybe not bottom of the barrel but middle of the pack nothing crazy to be happy about either.

 

[dredeye]

So the bottom of the barrel is left and people still think Jays will be good if shatkins signs some of them , can't believe people still trust these clowns.

Who thinks they’ll be good? I’m not seeing any of that here. There are wild if we did all these things then maybe we could compete and those maybe require another 70 or 80 million on the payroll. We know it ain’t happening

 

[Amadeus]

We are incredibly fortunate to have gone through the process of courting all the free agents and we are incredibly excited for the position they put themselves in. We are cautiously optimistic that our core will deliver on our expectations and we will be a team worth cheering on subjectively and objectively bullshit incoming .. just watch

 

[Discoverer]

Well there's a reason why the others have signed and these ones haven't yet, they're not the top picks when it comes to free agents, maybe not bottom of the barrel but middle of the pack nothing crazy to be happy about either.

That's absolutely not how free agency works. The best players don't all sign first.