Blue Jays Discussion: No More AA, Everyone is very Sad (and by Sad, I mean Mad)
- Thread starter Daisy Jane
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If they choose not to re-sign them, that's fine. But that doesn't mean they should be traded right now in the middle of a wide open window of contention. If the team is out of it at the deadline, you try to trade them. If they're still in contention at the deadline, you go for it this year and then QO both of them so you at least get a draft pick in return.
Diamond Joe Quimby
A$AP Joffrey
Regarding Edwin; I fail to see why you wouldn't be able to sign him to a similar series of deals like David Ortiz signed since 2007. Seems like a direct comp.
What exactly dictates that pitchers like coming here less than position players?
If anything, its harder to bring in position players because of the turf (ie Beltran)
GoonieFace
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Diamond Joe Quimby
A$AP Joffrey
No. You're talking about free agents signing in Toronto, and cutting off half of the sample to reinforce your narrative.
Well if that's the case, then Shapiro is cutting payroll to the $100M range and there's going to be a lot of upset people.
I always felt JP Ricciardi's downfall was that he was so anti-FA that once Rogers gave him money he had no idea what the hell to do with it and just spent it all as wildly as possible. I'd prefer Shapiro to not go that route but I assume the vision he signed on for wasn't to immediately cut the payroll by $40M after the team makes the playoffs.
Swervin81
Leaf fan | YYZ -> SEA
Again, they don't need "ace" quality pitchers to compete. You can sign a couple guys to relatively cheap, short-term contracts and still have one of the best rosters in baseball.
TootooTrain
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- Jun 12, 2010
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I'm more confident that we'll be able to get an extension done for EE. Easier to project as a DH. You know what you're getting. Fantastic BB/K rate. Power for days. Easy call as far as I'm concerned.
Jose is a little trickier because he plays in the field and due to his pride he may want to be assured regular starts in RF. That said I think both will be back.
It depends on what the management objectives are. The pitching doesn't seem very well set up for contention in 2016. They need to shore that up first, if that's possible, before considering a great offensive team with a thin pitching staff in an open window of contention. If the pitching is as messy as it looks right now, they have to consider other ways of getting that pitching (trading one or more of those great bats) just for 2016. Failing that they may have to look past 2016 because no team has won a championship with their bats alone.
GoonieFace
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I would only trade them if the Jays are failing to contend by the deadline. Im only assuming that Shapiro will not elect to upgrade their pitching via free agency, which may be an incorrect assumption on my part.
Uh no, I was discussing with another poster the likelihood of using freed money to buy quality pitching on the free agent market to reinforce the lineup. You're the one trying to disingenuously twist the narrative.
Um, names I mentioned. From 1997 and 2005. So once every decade it happens. Maybe we're due again for one. What about the other 2 vacant starters and about 3 relievers?
GoonieFace
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They need significant upgrades in starting and relief pitching IMO. Not too many free agents are going to accept cheap, short-term contracts. If there are pitchers willing to accept that, than i'm guessing they are not that desirable to begin with.
Im only saying this based on the assumption that Shapiro does not like to spend in FA. Hopefully this assumption is wrong and they can add some significant pieces, because it would be a shame to waste the offence they have put together.
Kurtz
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- Jul 17, 2005
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They essentially need to do what KC did; find a couple of bargain arms to keep the team in games. When you have great defense and a team that can get you 5+ runs per game, you just need your starters to be average.
Diamond Joe Quimby
A$AP Joffrey
There's also, by my count, roughly 17 mid-rotation to front of the rotation starters available in free agency this winter.
So....in a year where the supply is at its highest in as long as I can remember, we are using franchise history to indicate the likelihood of signing free agent starters. Gotcha.
So....in a year where the supply is at its highest in as long as I can remember, we are using franchise history to indicate the likelihood of signing free agent starters. Gotcha.
Of course the pitching isn't well setup to contend in 2016. It's October 30, 2015. If you think they're going to cut payroll by $40 million, then sure, they won't be able to bring in any free agents and might want to look to other avenues. Otherwise, even if Shapiro doesn't want to hand out long-term contracts, they have lots of money that they can spend to improve the rotation.
The number of viable choices vs. the number of locations offering the identical money and term? I don't have to explain anything when the facts are simple: there have been 2 high profile FA starting pitchers sign here in the past 20 years. It's an infrequent event. It might happen this off-season. I just wouldn't count on it.
Swervin81
Leaf fan | YYZ -> SEA
Iwakuma is a good value signing. Samardzija, Kennedy, and Fister are all really good buy low targets.
Diamond Joe Quimby
A$AP Joffrey
Santana...though that was weird...
Then Anibal. Then prior to that, Gil Meche.
That's all I can remember over the last ten years.
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