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

[Discoverer]

Early on, I figured signing more than one of the premium FAs would be tough just given supply and demand. As fun as the hope was, more than one wasn’t realistic.
Still time to do that, and fill around it.
Santander was and has been my best fit of the FA’s, so still hopeful there.
Adding with non-qualified guys makes sense and the rotation could still use a lefty, so Quintana’s okay in that sense.
The Vlad sitch is a bad look for sure.

Yeah, as exciting as it would have been to add Burnes, it only made sense if they still had plenty of money left to add a bat or two, and I'm not convinced they would have. I'm not a fan of the mid-range starters (specifically Pivetta) so I would much prefer they just add a fifth starter type and have Rodriguez as a backup plan.

I don't see much upside left in a 36 year old Quintana, but if there's ONE area where this management might deserve the benefit of the doubt, it's finding veteran lefties for Pete Walker to work with.

 

[aingefan]

Yeah, as exciting as it would have been to add Burnes, it only made sense if they still had plenty of money left to add a bat or two, and I'm not convinced they would have. I'm not a fan of the mid-range starters (specifically Pivetta) so I would much prefer they just add a fifth starter type and have Rodriguez as a backup plan.

I don't see much upside left in a 36 year old Quintana, but if there's ONE area where this management might deserve the benefit of the doubt, it's finding veteran lefties for Pete Walker to work with.

Yeah, might as well add some depth to the rotation without losing a future asset/pick. There’s Flaherty in that class too. And Quintana has had a pretty good career and solid ‘24.
Placeholder til Manoah is back. Or Bloss areives. It’s a fine move on its own, if it comes to pass.
Anyone know what happened with Hagen Danner after the dfa?

 

[LeafsNet]

This is looking bad….why are Atkins and Shapiro still in control?

MLB Free Agency Blog: Blue Jays, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reportedly far apart on extension talks | TSN

Keep up with all the latest news and updates from MLB Free Agency.

www.tsn.ca

 

[Suntouchable13]

If he wants 450, give it to him. I don’t know what the plan would be if you don’t have Vladdy beyond 2025, and to lose him for nothing is just unfathomable.

 

[Amadeus]

If he wants 450, give it to him. I don’t know what the plan would be if you don’t have Vladdy beyond 2025, and to lose him for nothing is just unfathomable.

He's not worth it, not even close, I think based on his career to date.

 

[Suntouchable13]

He's not worth it, not even close, I think based on his career to date.

Ok, I understand that position. Easy for me to say, but I think you gotta bite the bullet on this one. Signed Vladdy buys good will with the fans back somewhat. Free agents will be easier to sign. You have more certainty, you know you’re building around Vladdy for the next 10+ years or so.

 

[saska sault]

Vlads contribution on the field can be debated if he signs for $450, but Toronto is making money off him at the price still. He draws fans, home grown, has charisma, has history here, and is a great (still) young bat. It may be a lot from a pure on field perspective for a 1st baseman but it's also a huge sign to the fans that they can at least retain their own and keep an actual fan favorite star around.

 

[cyris]

He's not worth it, not even close, I think based on his career to date.

It doesn’t matter at this point. If Vladdy walks we are facing an extremely long rebuild.
We have an abysmal prospect pool and our second best hitter plus our best pitcher also walk at the end of the year.
And if reports that Rogers wants to keep Shatkins are true they will have a management group that has shown no ability to identify young talent to do it.

This management group has no one to blame but themselves for the situation they are in. Yep Vlad is going to be very overpaid but that’s because of their decisions.

 

[DuklaNation]

Both Vlad and Bo are signaling they're out. The GM needs to put the franchise and its future first. Trade both.

 

[shaner8989]

Perfect. Trade him right now, start the rebuild.

 

[cyris]

Both Vlad and Bo are signaling they're out. The GM needs to put the franchise and its future first. Trade both.

They won’t. Rogers wants the money from a competitive season.
The best you are going to o get with Vladdy, Bo, and Gausman is deadline moves.

And if the last deadline is any indication they will likely prioritize prospects who are close to those with ultra high ceilings.

 

[Greek_physique]

IMO, better to overpay for Vlad...because if you don't, you won't bring anyone here...and when you want to bring someone in, you'll be overpaying them anyways...which is a bigger mess - we will become the Angels.

 

[LaP]

They won’t. Rogers wants the money from a competitive season.
The best you are going to o get with Vladdy, Bo, and Gausman is deadline moves.

And if the last deadline is any indication they will likely prioritize prospects who are close to those with ultra high ceilings.

I think you get more from Vlad now that at the TDL.

 

[habamillions]

Jays have to either trade bo and vlad before the season or lock them up. You will get more now then at the deadline. The one thing you cant do is have them walk for nothing. Free agents dont want to come here because there is no future as only 5 players are signed after next year and the prospect pool is very thin. Shatkins has really put this franchise in a terrible position

 

[Woodman19]

At those numbers I can see it eventually getting done around 400-420. I can live with that even though it is quite high for a 1B who is prone to years of fatness GB hitting .750 ops hitting.

 

[cyris]

I think you get more from Vlad now that at the TDL.

I agree. Rogers won’t want to throw away the season even if they should.

 

[aingefan]

I think you get more from Vlad now that at the TDL.

This.
The resign vibes from both Vlad and Bo have been so inconsistent that it’s hard to envision what the resolution looks like.
Both are from wealthy baseball families, and haven’t been shy about stringing along their willingness and desire.
I’m fine with both being traded.
Do it fast, get players, comp picks and bonus pool money, then get aggressive elsewhere and build something more sustainable.
Try to sell Sasaki on being the face of a nations franchise. In before the ‘never happen, he’s a dodger’.
People call this video game mode, but why not try to achieve both….maximize on some assets, add for the now and future and maybe get better positioned to get better.

 

[Hellcat]

If he wants 450, give it to him. I don’t know what the plan would be if you don’t have Vladdy beyond 2025, and to lose him for nothing is just unfathomable.

$30 mil a year? Trade him and take the controllable blue chippers plus the cap space to rebuild this chaotic mess of a franchise.

Lets be honest we were dog shit last year with him, giving him 30 mil with no prospect pool or no desire from any quality UFA's to come here will not make us a better team. We nned to strip it down and rebuild. Our SP is old, our bullpen is horrid, we have no production in the line up outside of Vlad and Bo. Giving a player that contract, does nothing but ensure we will suck for another decade, we need talent and not just two guys.

 

[kb]

$30 mil a year? Trade him and take the controllable blue chippers plus the cap space to rebuild this chaotic mess of a franchise.

Lets be honest we were dog shit last year with him, giving him 30 mil with no prospect pool or no desire from any quality UFA's to come here will not make us a better team. We nned to strip it down and rebuild. Our SP is old, our bullpen is horrid, we have no production in the line up outside of Vlad and Bo. Giving a player that contract, does nothing but ensure we will suck for another decade, we need talent and not just two guys.

He is going to make $30 million in arbitration this season, so I don't know why $30 million average on a long term deal would be terrible. $35 million average will be the starting point I expect on a 12 year deal.


What is cap space and why would the Jays care? Lol

 

[Amadeus]

I think Vladdy has the most value right now rather than the deadline. The teams interested would rather have the full year of him and it might just be better for us as well considering the unknown around what type of year he has.

Is he replicating last year for the entire season? What if he starts slow?

If you don't plan on signing him, trade him now, even if it is to Boston. They've got a stacked farm system.

 

[LaP]

$30 mil a year? Trade him and take the controllable blue chippers plus the cap space to rebuild this chaotic mess of a franchise.

Lets be honest we were dog shit last year with him, giving him 30 mil with no prospect pool or no desire from any quality UFA's to come here will not make us a better team. We nned to strip it down and rebuild. Our SP is old, our bullpen is horrid, we have no production in the line up outside of Vlad and Bo. Giving a player that contract, does nothing but ensure we will suck for another decade, we need talent and not just two guys.

I think people will be disappointed by the return for Vlad. Other GMs will see Atkins coming from a mile. They know he is in a bad situation.

 

[Amadeus]

I think Boston has a large influx of SS talent in the farm system we should pluck. They will ante up.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

I think Boston has a large influx of SS talent in the farm system we should pluck. They will ante up.

Whatever the return would be from Boston, seeing him play for a division rival for the next decade plus would suck!

 

[Killer Orcas]

I think people will be disappointed by the return for Vlad. Other GMs will see Atkins coming from a mile. They know he is in a bad situation.

I'm sure there is more then one team that would love to have him that would bid against each other for him. He'd get a haul regardless were desperate or not to deal him. Letting these two handle dealing him is the bigger problem we need to clear out the front office and let the new person to decide what they would want. Rogers really needs to wake up and can them.

 

[Hellcat]

He is going to make $30 million in arbitration this season, so I don't know why $30 million average on a long term deal would be terrible. $35 million average will be the starting point I expect on a 12 year deal.


What is cap space and why would the Jays care? Lol

It's not the 30 mil its the lack of any visible avenue to improve. Vlad and Bo should get 3 to 5 blue chip prospects.

- You keep Vlad and BO - we still have the same crappy MLB roster but more expensive and the same crappy prospect pool.

- You trad Vlad & Bo, you now have a significantly improved prospect pool - assuming Atkins is not a complete idiot and he can actually assess talent.