Blue Jays Discussion: And the off-season begins (list of FA's in Post #1)

[Dugath]

Be nice if he takes the offer
Of course this could all be posturing by his agent

Sure as long as he is 80% DH 20% fill in at other positions and can keep his mouth shut. Otherwise see you later Jose.

 

[darko]

Didn't you know? Sports awards lately have been all about name, not actual play (though admittedly Kiermaier was great before his injury). Altuve as a finalist for MVP was also dumb.

Altuve had a great year and deserves to be a finalist.

Trout and then any 2 of Betts/Donaldson/Altuve/Machado.

 

[Brown Dog]

Sure as long as he is 80% DH 20% fill in at other positions and can keep his mouth shut. Otherwise see you later Jose.

Such ingratitude to one of the franchise's all-time greats. Fans don't know how to be fans any more.

 

[Swervin81]

Such ingratitude to one of the franchise's all-time greats. Fans don't know how to be fans any more.

Huh? He's not wrong, the guy is nearing Colabello-level liability in the outfield. He's a DH from here on out.

 

[Vito_81]

Man. The dream of one more run with Jose and Edwin actually seems possible.

Talk about Rogers actually stepping up for the fans for a change if it actually happens.

Granted, im sure we''ll still be talking about them both being gone

 

[Discoverer]

Altuve had a great year and deserves to be a finalist.

Trout and then any 2 of Betts/Donaldson/Altuve/Machado.

Trout was on a whole other level, but Betts and Donaldson were alone on the next level. It's funny that so many voters use the playoffs as an important barometer for MVP consideration, yet Altuve has a worse season on a non-playoff team and finishes ahead of Donaldson.

I guess the playoffs are just one of a whole bunch of narratives voters like to use to support the candidate of their personal preference. This year, being short was one of the big ones, apparently.

 

[The Nemesis]

Such ingratitude to one of the franchise's all-time greats. Fans don't know how to be fans any more.

He was bad in the outfield. And he's only going to get worse. He doesn't get a pass from crtiticism just because he's been good in the past and has been popular.

 

[King Mapes]

He was bad in the outfield. And he's only going to get worse. He doesn't get a pass from crtiticism just because he's been good in the past and has been popular.

Exactly. Look I appreciate what he's done as a Jay and accomplished but let's face it, he shouldn't be in the field every day for numerous reasons. His mouth is another issue.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[hockeywiz542]

scottsdale, ariz. – over the course of three days in the desert what’s become apparent at the gm meetings is that after an initial push to re-sign edwin encarnacion, the toronto blue jays are very much taking a long, hard look at their other options.

general manager ross atkins spent a good chunk of his day wednesday meeting with agents and potential trade partners while the camps for encarnacion and fellow free-agent slugger jose bautista continued their dalliances with interested suitors. By no means have the sides disengaged from one another, but the sense is that the parties are talking to others much more deliberately than they are with each other.

“edwin’s earned the right to do that and we certainly respect and understand why,†atkins said late in the day at the omni scottsdale resort and spa. “we’ll do everything we can to build the best possible team and hope he can be a part of it, but we have to build the best possible team. We have to consider all alternatives, he will certainly be one of them, as will the other free agents, jose as well. We’re excited about the discussions we’re having, and we’ll continue working toward having those guys return.â€

interest in encarnacion is, obviously, high, even as the true intentions of the boston red sox in regards to the slugger continue to be difficult to read. Bautista seems to make more sense for them given his willingness to play either corner in the outfield and infield, although there’s talk both the baltimore orioles and new york yankees having interest in him, as well.

one rival executive suggested bautista would be wise to accept the $17.2-million qualifying offer extended to him by the blue jays and return to the market next fall without draft-pick compensation, when the new collective bargaining is expected to eliminate the pick for players who take the qo. But there’s little chance that happens, as he seems positioned to find a better deal on the open market.

as that plays out, the blue jays are engaging with other players, with the likes of dexter fowler, jon jay, josh reddick, kendrys morales and brandon moss all believed to be among the free agents they’ve looked at.

interest in brett cecil is very strong, according to industry sources, and the sense is that at minimum he’s getting a three-year deal. Fellow lefty boone logan is in a similar boat and the drop-off from there on the open market is significant.

 

[BertCorbeau]

If Jose can shift to 1B, have he and EE split time there and DH with Jose getting the rare game in RF if need be (he'd be a 5th OFer to me) .... That's not bad.

Probably just posturing though.

 

[Dugath]

Such ingratitude to one of the franchise's all-time greats. Fans don't know how to be fans any more.

Ok. Thank you Jose for all the home runs and throwing out runners before you got noodle arm syndrome.

Now, as others have pointed out he is done in the out field as a every day player. I am not disrespecting him by saying he needs to DH 80% of the time, its just a fact.

Also what is true is he needs to stop opening his mouth when it is not needed. This over the years has been my issue with him.

 

[The Nemesis]

Just to add to my comment before, because I was on my phone and didn't want to type a ton out:

I have all the respect and love in the world for the positive things Jose Bautista did as a Toronto Blue Jay. The bat flip was iconic. The playoff HRs were significant (even if his 2 big dingers this year somewhat masked that he was pretty awful otherwise). He is in the pantheon of Blue Jays with the likes of Robbie Alomar and Carlos Delgado and Roy Halladay. Even if I didn't like how he handled himself before and during this last season, nothing takes away from all of that.

But. BUT:

1) 2016 RF Jose Bautista was painful to watch at the best of times and downright embarrassing at the worst. I don't care what he did at hte plate from 2011 through 2015. There's no sugar coating. Conceivably, 2017 Bautista is only slightly likely to get better than that (and even less likely to approach his previous highs, which with all due respect were about 92% based of his cannon arm and 8% based on the occasional highlight play that distracted from his otherwise pedestrian range and glove work). It's much more probable that he will be worse next year. And that's really bad. That borders on unplayable in RF. Realistically he should probably be a mostly-DH and occasional-part-time LF.

2) You pay players for what they will do, not what they did. 2011-2016 Jose Bautista means ****-all in contract negotiations. If 2017 Jose Bautista is not an appealing proposition, then you don't pay him for it.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Well said Nemesis
No arm anymore, sub-par defence, his base-running looks like he's lost a few steps.

He's one of the best we've had, but if you start signing guys based on past-performances, you end up like the Leafs were a few years ago

 

[deletethis]

I fail to see how any MLB franchise wouldn't expect to be getting a bargain (under $17M per annum) when signing Bautista with his injury issues and lack of a regular defensive position. His best destinations are in the AL, on teams with the DH spot open and either a willingness to lose a draft pick or at least one other big signing taking that draft pick anyways.

Turns out that his best destination is the team he won't cost a draft pick and has a need at DH. Go figure.

 

[Cor]

I feel Joey Votto will be a Blue Jay. Just a feeling. Seems to be smoke to the fire.

As for RF.... No Clue

 

[Anthrax442]

Not the biggest JB fan, but if he accepts the QO, I will be fine with that. I feel this year everything went wrong for him from the moment he opened his mouth in Sprint Training. He needs to come back grounded and just play and keep his mouth shut. Let the playing do the talking.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I feel Joey Votto will be a Blue Jay. Just a feeling. Seems to be smoke to the fire.

As for RF.... No Clue

Someone good, but cheaper.

Votto wouldn't be bad, but we need the right deal. Otherwise sign someone shorter term to help out.

 

[doorman]

Not the biggest JB fan, but if he accepts the QO, I will be fine with that. I feel this year everything went wrong for him from the moment he opened his mouth in Sprint Training. He needs to come back grounded and just play and keep his mouth shut. Let the playing do the talking.

I hate when athletes run their mouths, I hate it even more when it isn't necessary and it becomes worse when you can't/don't back it up. I truly hope he moves on, there are better DH options out there I think.

 

[RoyalCitySlicker]

When should we expect free agents to start signing - like the bigger names?

Are they able to do so as of the other day, or are these managers meetings a precursor to the markets opening?

Would it be the norm or an anomaly to see someone sign during these December meetings?

Also, I understand that when a team signs a player who was qualified by his previous team, they forfeit a draft pick. My assumption is that they lose their pick and then the player's original team is awarded a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds. Is this correct, or is the player's original team awarded the the signing teams actual draft slot?

Thanks!

 

[ACC1224]

I hate when athletes run their mouths, I hate it even more when it isn't necessary and it becomes worse when you can't/don't back it up. I truly hope he moves on, there are better DH options out there I think.

I for one won't miss him.

 

[RoyalCitySlicker]

 

[Schenn]

Goodbye Rugged Man.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

I feel Joey Votto will be a Blue Jay. Just a feeling. Seems to be smoke to the fire.

As for RF.... No Clue

Throw out a trade proposal.

 

[Cor]

Throw out a trade proposal.

I don't wanna look stupid