Blue Jays Discussion: Off-Season V: Baseball's back and so are blockbusters (Jays send 4 prospects to A's for 3B Matt Chapman)

[Ale Brew]

NY just lifted the vaccine mandate.

 

[dredeye]

He’s not wrong.

 

[Amadeus]

NY just lifted the vaccine mandate.

Kyrie wins!

 

[Kurtz]

Kyrie wins!

Sorta. He did lose about $10m in salary and reportedly Harden asked out because of Kyrie's antics. But if they win the championship this year (they're a co-favourite) I will concur.

 

[Bjindaho]

One thing to think about...

Correa makes more than the entire roster of Pitt or Baltimore and only 3M less than Cleveland.

 

[phillipmike]

Jose Ramirez’s agent;

 

[canucksfan]

 

[hockeywiz542]

Rosenthal: Does Anthony Rizzo have any regrets? The best Wander Franco memory?

Anthony Rizzo's goal is to eventually exceed the $70 million the Cubs offered.

theathletic.com

• One rival official is not convinced the Jays are much-improved over 2021, reasoning that it will be difficult for Matt Chapman to perform better than Marcus Semien, and for Kevin Gausman and Yusei Kikuchi to perform better than Robbie Ray and Steven Matz.

Fair points, but one significant difference this season is that the Jays will play all their home games, as opposed to Dunedin (10-11 last season), Buffalo (12-11) and Toronto (25-11). Unvaccinated players are currently prohibited from playing in Toronto, per border restrictions that only allow fully vaccinated travelers into Canada. Teams can put those players on the restricted list during the series.

The Jays’ early schedule, though, appears difficult. Sixteen of their 22 games in April are against the Yankees, Red Sox and Astros, and only six of those are at home. Their other six games in the opening month are at home against the Rangers and A’s.

 

[Ale Brew]

Rosenthal: Does Anthony Rizzo have any regrets? The best Wander Franco memory?

Anthony Rizzo's goal is to eventually exceed the $70 million the Cubs offered.

theathletic.com

• One rival official is not convinced the Jays are much-improved over 2021, reasoning that it will be difficult for Matt Chapman to perform better than Marcus Semien, and for Kevin Gausman and Yusei Kikuchi to perform better than Robbie Ray and Steven Matz.

Fair points, but one significant difference this season is that the Jays will play all their home games, as opposed to Dunedin (10-11 last season), Buffalo (12-11) and Toronto (25-11). Unvaccinated players are currently prohibited from playing in Toronto, per border restrictions that only allow fully vaccinated travelers into Canada. Teams can put those players on the restricted list during the series.

The Jays’ early schedule, though, appears difficult. Sixteen of their 22 games in April are against the Yankees, Red Sox and Astros, and only six of those are at home. Their other six games in the opening month are at home against the Rangers and A’s.

Not to mention we have Berrios and Manoah to start the season. And we should have been better last season based on our run differential (not helped by our bullpen struggles).

Barring major injury we should definitely be better.

 

[AllDay28]

Question, Asked something similar pages back but I trust you guys about baseball than most people i talk to...

Fantasy baseball, 5 keepers + Dynasty. Machado/Mullins/Teoscar/Wheeler and my 5th is either India, Bryant or Gausman. Who would you pick of those three.. or would you trade any of those 3 for Kelenic? Ive been offered him and I'm high on him but I dont know if its a mistake moving on from say Bryant and his Colorado splits.

I'll hang up and listen.

 

[Petes]

Jays should really work out a trade to get Matt Beaty from the Dodgers now that he’s on waivers. Price would be low and he would be a great lefty bat off the bench.

 

[Bjindaho]

Not to mention we have Berrios and Manoah to start the season. And we should have been better last season based on our run differential (not helped by our bullpen struggles).

Barring major injury we should definitely be better.

We started last year with Roark and Zeuch pitching.

 

[phillipmike]

 

[Morgs]

Question, Asked something similar pages back but I trust you guys about baseball than most people i talk to...

Fantasy baseball, 5 keepers + Dynasty. Machado/Mullins/Teoscar/Wheeler and my 5th is either India, Bryant or Gausman. Who would you pick of those three.. or would you trade any of those 3 for Kelenic? Ive been offered him and I'm high on him but I dont know if its a mistake moving on from say Bryant and his Colorado splits.

I'll hang up and listen.

What are the cats

 

[Discoverer]

We started last year with Roark and Zeuch pitching.

Not to mention their Pythag record last year was 99-63 and their Baseruns record was 97-65. With an improved bullpen and less awful luck, they didn't really need to improve to be one of the best teams in baseball.

 

[phillipmike]

Question, Asked something similar pages back but I trust you guys about baseball than most people i talk to...

Fantasy baseball, 5 keepers + Dynasty. Machado/Mullins/Teoscar/Wheeler and my 5th is either India, Bryant or Gausman. Who would you pick of those three.. or would you trade any of those 3 for Kelenic? Ive been offered him and I'm high on him but I dont know if its a mistake moving on from say Bryant and his Colorado splits.

I'll hang up and listen.

Of course it can change with a bigger sample but Bryant's career stat line in Colorado is below average; .263/.354/.404 with a 74 tOPS+. I like Gausman but his numbers coming back to the AL East should get worse.

Im a big believer in Kelenic but India's stats got better in the 2nd half. India played 34 games in AA in 2019 and jumped to the majors in 2021, he could have another level.

Kelenic will be a better player in the long run but India should have the better season next year if that helps. If you are thinking long term, take Kelenic. Sprays the ball over the field, good walk rate and fly ball percentage. Had an extremely lower BABIP last season. But if you need just 2022 production, i would keep India.

 

[Bjindaho]

Game today is rained out

 

[SDig14]

I think it's almost guaranteed the Guardians aren't going to pay what it costs to extend JRam. He will be traded at some point, only question is when and where he is going. Do they try to sell some tickets this year and deal him next offseason? Or at the deadline this year when they're inevitably out of it?

Curious thing for the Jays would be if they think they can actually extend him either considering the deals Bo and Vlad will need. I think any extension at 6 years total or less would be easy, but if he looks at Semien, Bryant getting 7 year deals and wants like 7 or 8, that could get a bit tough I would think. I bet they'd be willing to offer higher AAV for 5 years so it ends at age 34-35.

 

[canucksfan]

I think it's almost guaranteed the Guardians aren't going to pay what it costs to extend JRam. He will be traded at some point, only question is when and where he is going. Do they try to sell some tickets this year and deal him next offseason? Or at the deadline this year when they're inevitably out of it?

Curious thing for the Jays would be if they think they can actually extend him either considering the deals Bo and Vlad will need. I think any extension at 6 years total or less would be easy, but if he looks at Semien, Bryant getting 7 year deals and wants like 7 or 8, that could get a bit tough I would think. I bet they'd be willing to offer higher AAV for 5 years so it ends at age 34-35.

I don't think I would extend Rameriz unless he's willing to take a team-friendly deal.

I'm thinking the longer Cleveland waits, the worse the deal they get.

 

[Cor]

I don't think I would extend Rameriz unless he's willing to take a team-friendly deal.

I'm thinking the longer Cleveland waits, the worse the deal they get.

Yeah, if I’m the Jays I would make a final offer before the end of the month, and tell them it’s the best we’ll do.

Make it a take it or leave it scenario prior to the start of the year.

 

[Bjindaho]

Yeah, if I’m the Jays I would make a final offer before the end of the month, and tell them it’s the best we’ll do.

Make it a take it or leave it scenario prior to the start of the year.

Kirk, Groshans, Kay

 

[phillipmike]

I think Ramirez wants to stay in Cleveland and Cleveland wants to keep him. But it’s just a matter of finding the middle ground.

Cleveland knows in their heart that they should trade him but they are playing hard ball with the Jays.

I’m fine going in with this team. If Cleveland wants to play hard ball, let them.

Sure they can say we aren’t trading a perrienal MVP candidate unless we get Moreno or Orelvis+. And we can say, no one else is offering prospects of that caliber. So continue to be unreasonable with your ask, you get nothing and when you aren’t good by the deadline, you get even less back like they did with Lindor, Kluber, Carrasco etc. as they had less control.

I looked at the top prospects list and the only teams that are contenders and have prospects at the same level or better than the Moreno/Orelvis tier is Seattle and SF.

Seattle just traded for Suarez and Frazier. And the Giants have Longoria and just got La Stella. SF could be an option but Zaidi doesn’t like trading prospects. So they could wait until the deadline but I doubt these teams have better offers by then.

So there is virtually no team at this stage offering top 30-40 prospects for Ramirez. And I doubt anyone is offering a package with Kirk, Pearson, Groshans, Biggio, Gurriel etc. type players.

Bagaera said Toronto and Cleveland agreed to a deal for Ramirez at the deadline last summer and Cleveland backed out “5 minutes before the deadline”. I guarantee one of Moreno, Orelvis or Manoah were in the deal. Well they will pay the price because it’s unlikely Manoah or Moreno are on the table now.

And if they don’t accept the deal before the season maybe they lose out on another player that the Jays are offering now, who becomes untouchable at the deadline like Orelvis, Kirk or Pearson.

Keep the players and at least 1-2 of Kirk, Pearson, Biggio, Espinal, Gurriel, and/or Groshans is bound to breakout and you won’t need to overpay. If it’s Biggio or Espinal then you don’t need a 2B. And if you need a 2B, can always go after Marte.

 

[Kurtz]

Not to mention their Pythag record last year was 99-63 and their Baseruns record was 97-65. With an improved bullpen and less awful luck, they didn't really need to improve to be one of the best teams in baseball.

Fingers crossed that we have an improved bullpen. That's one area that we didn't aggressively pursue (with all due respect to Yimi).

 

[Discoverer]

Fingers crossed that we have an improved bullpen. That's one area that we didn't aggressively pursue (with all due respect to Yimi).

I still really like the Cimber and Richards additions. Merryweather and Pearson are the wild cards who could really change the fortunes of the pen (though I think and hope Pearson starts the year as part of a 6-man rotation).

 

[Morgs]

I still really like the Cimber and Richards additions. Merryweather and Pearson are the wild cards who could really change the fortunes of the pen (though I think and hope Pearson starts the year as part of a 6-man rotation).

Yep, me too. Which would send Stripling to the bullpen and it's a bunch of really good, [mostly] unheralded guys:

Romano
Merryweather
Cimber
Richards
Mayza
Boruki
Garcia
Stripling