Blue Jays Discussion: Off-Season Discussion 2022

[Suntouchable13]

I don’t think the manger’s job is to boss around the bench coach or anything. Mattingly is here to help out and give advice to John. It’s a partnership.

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

I can't help but feel like Eovaldi will be on our opening night roster.

 

[Discoverer]

I can't help but feel like Eovaldi will be on our opening night roster.

Ugh, I hope not. He's not the worst option as a back-end starter, but it sure feels like he's going to get way too much money for that role.

 

[Bjindaho]

I can't help but feel like Eovaldi will be on our opening night roster.

Seems to have lost a tick on his fastball, and I'm not sure if he can adjust. I would rather pay Stripling or Bassitt from that tier.

 

[Ale Brew]

I wonder what the market for Conforto is?

I get that he doesn’t fix the CF issue, but if healthy he’s arguably a better LH bat than Nimmo and you’d have to assume a much smaller price tag.

They’d still likely need a CF solution, so maybe difficult to fit. Perhaps if they added a SP at an affordable cost (in a deal for a catcher) they could make it work.

Not saying I’m advocating this approach, but a different option to explore if Nimmo/Belly prove too expensive.

 

[Haringoth]

Conforto probably wants a team's first choice money, while teams want him as more of a flyer with big upside. It's been two years since he's been a great hitter, so the risk is real.

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

Seems to have lost a tick on his fastball, and I'm not sure if he can adjust. I would rather pay Stripling or Bassitt from that tier.

I'm not sure. Seems to be related to his trap injury rather than just mysteriously losing velocity. Health should fix that. In the first half of last year he had a 3.34era and a 3.11xfip. Plus the Jays seem to love splitter-pitchers for some reason.

 

[phillipmike]

That is a lot of money for a guy who has put up 1.2 WAR over the last 3 years and

 

[as Pure as Evil]

What about manaea lh pitcher has had success in the a.l

As for outfielders Would prefer carlson if were dealing with stl we havent had much luck getting rookies from stl.

But my preference would making a deal with the pirates depending on cost

 

[SeaOfBlue]

That is a lot of money for a guy who has put up 1.2 WAR over the last 3 years and

Probably nobody wants to go to DET.

 

[phillipmike]

 

[ER89]

This is tough. Could go prime Donaldson, David Price, Roberto Osuna or even Kevin Pillar. I excluded Bautista because al though a great player, Springer's current performance is close 2015 Bautista. Tulo's defense would be a huge upgrade but losing Bo's bat would hurt too much.

It comes down to who they are replacing. 8 WAR Donaldson would be big but he is replacing 4 WAR Chapman. So i will go with 6 WAR David Price replacing -1 WAR Kikuchi. That's a big jump and a starter like Price makes your defense and bullpen better. Also a legit lefty in the rotation between our righties would be big.

yeah but 2015 bombtista has the bat flip

bat flip>>>logic

 

[hockeywiz542]

With market poised to shift, Blue Jays ready to move

For now, elite free agents and big trade chips are still available. But that could change as soon as next week, and the Blue Jays are prepared to spend.

www.sportsnet.ca

Their needs are clear: add a starting pitcher, maybe two; add a position player, probably an outfielder and ideally one who bats left-handed or switch hits; weigh offers on their three young catchers; and remain open to further upgrades to a bullpen that’s already added Erik Swanson (if the Blue Jays add here, it would likely be a high-end option with a subsequent trade possible to free up space).

In other words, there’s a lot for the Blue Jays to consider. But if nothing else, they’re prepared to spend with Atkins saying the team’s in “a great position” financially because of support from Rogers Communications Inc., which also owns Sportsnet.

While the Blue Jays are actively pursuing both trades and free-agent acquisitions, Atkins said there’s now “probably more” focus on free agency compared to trade talks. Of course one call can change that and there continues to be substantial interest in catchers Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk and Gabriel Moreno. On that front, the Blue Jays will have plenty of choices, and may be able to time things as they please.

Meanwhile, in free agency, players and agents can control the pace, which contributes to the slow-developing market so far.

"We're just looking for good players,” Atkins said. “It's not definitely a left-handed hitting right fielder to fill the role of Teoscar Hernandez. Would that work? Sure. Can we consider centre field as well? Sure. Can we think about it a completely different way, depending on the potential of trades? How do we think about run prevention? Is it just a starter? And then thinking about complementing the bullpen? Is it some other combination of run prevention? We have had a lot of dialogue about a lot of different permutations of how we can make our team better and see a lot of opportunities to do that and feel like our starting point is as good as any other teams in baseball.”

Granted, there’s still a lot of work ahead for a team whose splashiest off-season addition yet is bench coach Don Mattingly. In fact, the current edition of the Blue Jays is undeniably a lesser version of the team that finished the 2022 season, as Hernandez, Ross Stripling, Jackie Bradley Jr., Raimel Tapia and David Phelps have all departed. Many moves will be needed, and the same can be said for the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays.

At this point, being open-minded makes sense. Push for Verlander, as they did last winter. Explore the possibility of a deal with Cody Bellinger, who Mattingly knows from Los Angeles. Engage with Stripling and Andrew Heaney, with Brandon Nimmo and Kevin Kiermaier, with the Cardinals and the Guardians. See where it leads.

And sometime soon, it’ll be time to narrow the focus and shift from possibilities to concrete moves.

"We don't have the full picture painted on exactly how to do A, B and C to make our team better,” Atkins said. “But we do have a very clear understanding of where we could take our next strategic step.”

 

[habamillions]

Eflin to tampa. I thought he would be an option for the jays

 

[Eyedea]

yeah but 2015 bombtista has the bat flip

bat flip>>>logic

I mean even logically speaking 2015 Bautista was a monster in the postseason. I don’t care if Springer is of similar value because Springer would just play CF.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Me: Man it'd be kinda neat to see a small market like Tampa land a guy like DeGrom.

Also me: Wait no f*** that means he's in the division.

Imagine having to go into the Trop for a playoff series and face a trio of McClanahan, a now healthy Glasnow and DeGrom. That stadium is already a voodoo hellhole for the Jays as is.

 

[habamillions]

Me: Man it'd be kinda neat to see a small market like Tampa land a guy like DeGrom.

Also me: Wait no f*** that means he's in the division.

Imagine having to go into the Trop for a playoff series and face a trio of McClanahan, a now healthy Glasnow and DeGrom. That stadium is already a voodoo hellhole for the Jays as is.

Im just glad the jays dont have to play as many games vs al east teams and play other teams more

 

[hockeywiz542]

Eflin to tampa. I thought he would be an option for the jays

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

Heaney is an interesting upside play. Former top prospect (like Gausman) who takes some time to figure it out after early career injuries and struggles.

Lots of top of the zone fastballs from a deceptive slot, and he'll tunnel in a slider to keep them off balance.

I'd rather have Rodon, but would be okay with Heaney depending on price.

 

[Discoverer]

I'm not sure. Seems to be related to his trap injury rather than just mysteriously losing velocity. Health should fix that. In the first half of last year he had a 3.34era and a 3.11xfip. Plus the Jays seem to love splitter-pitchers for some reason.

I actually just remembered Eovaldi turned down the QO, so my "not really interested at the price it's likely to cost" opinion had completely left that part out. The fact that it'll also cost a pick to sign him makes it that much worse. On the plus side, I would guess it also makes it less likely that it actually happens since management has been pretty picky about who they're willing to give up QO picks for.

 

[Eyedea]

I actually just remembered Eovaldi turned down the QO, so my "not really interested at the price it's likely to cost" opinion had completely left that part out. The fact that it'll also cost a pick to sign him makes it that much worse. On the plus side, I would guess it also makes it less likely that it actually happens since management has been pretty picky about who they're willing to give up QO picks for.

And it probably makes someone like Kodai Senga (who has drawn Eovaldi comps) that much more appealing.

I think Heaney makes a lot of sense for the Jays.

 

[canucksfan]

 

[SoupNazi]

Conforto probably wants a team's first choice money, while teams want him as more of a flyer with big upside. It's been two years since he's been a great hitter, so the risk is real.

Also being a Boras client, you know there's a massive ask and probably a bunch of posturing about him.

 

[Bjindaho]

 

[TheTotalPackage]

End of an era. I always enjoyed having him around. He'll be missed.

Only 64 too. If this is his decision to retire, all the best to him. If this is a company decision to save money, then .