Tao: Blue Jays fan apathy starting to set in

[G-Snarls]

Thread worthy because there's not much else going on AND because this might just capture the mood of a lot of the members on here.

 

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/apathy-among-jays-fanbase-starting-to-set-it/

[G-Snarls]

As the last pages of the calendar are torn off of this year, it’s hard to even fathom the excitement and broad enthusiasm for baseball in Toronto that was in the air twelve months ago.

[KSaw]

Nothing will likely be going on until after Tanaka signs. It seems that Garza, Santana, and Jimenez are all waiting until the market is set by him.

 

There's a few indicators (logic mostly) that suggest Toronto will try hard to sign Jimenez and will probably get him but he's not signing anywhere yet.

[G-Snarls]

You may well be right. Who knows. But even then... Adding Jiminez and leaving it at that will not generate any excitement obviously.

 

The 2014 season needs to START well or they are in serious trouble. I fully understand long season, games in April = games in September, etc etc. But if they start off 10-20 the fan support will never get going and it will cost them dearly in $ and PR.

[Sammy225]

You may well be right. Adding Jiminez and leaving it at that will not generate any excitement obviously. The season needs to START well or they are in serious trouble.

 

I think adding Jiminez is really all you can do at this point. It is obvious that he does not want to part with Stroman or Sanchez, Jiminez is really the only pitcher left on the market that I would feel comfortable with and if Morrow comes back healthy and Stoman continues his progression then I think that our Rotation will be in really good shape.

 

Also to add Hutch and Drabek will offer some good depth as they would start in AAA.

[KSaw]

I really don't see this at all.

 

Unlike Garza, he received a qualifying offer. Toronto has 2 protected 1st round picks. Media in Cleveland keep speculating that he could be unsigned come Spring Training and return to Cleveland.

 

There has been no buzz around him, no rumors, nothing and AA works quietly. Toronto needs a starter and Jimenez is the best one that few will want. Its a match.

[Abomination]

Unlike Garza, he received a qualifying offer. Toronto has 2 protected 1st round picks. Media in Cleveland keep speculating that he could be unsigned come Spring Training and return to Cleveland.

 

There has been no buzz around him, no rumors, nothing and AA works quietly. Toronto needs a starter and Jimenez is the best one that few will want. Its a match.

 

We also have been rumored to be looking for a mid-rotation guy with upside, and want someone durable. Jimenez fits both those profiles perfectly imo. I know a lot of people want nothing to do with him, but he's the guy I'd be looking to target.

[KSaw]

Please no Jiminez, I'd do Garza but not Jiminez. It may sound ludicrous, but Redmond could probably pitch at Jiminez level in 2014.

 

He had a strong second half and a very good 2012. He keeps the ball down. I think that you're exaggerating a bit.

 

Now sure I'd prefer Garza but he's going to get much more and have many suitors. Some figure that he signs with Arizona within a month anyway.

[connorp]

You guys are just scared off because of Jiminez's velo drop but there's inicatora he's becoming a better pitcher and I think he will compensate for the velo drop. Wouldnt bet my house on it but I'd give him 4/56 and feel good

[connorp]

Lol..indicators

 

Though inicatora sounds like should be a word

[KSaw]

I feel like you're both overrating Jimenez and underestimating his market. He'll get 4/60 from someone and pitch to a 4+ ERA over the life of the deal.

 

Pretty much the issue. The market will put him right around those dollar numbers. He does come with questions and costs a pick. I don't see people lining up.

[connorp]

Nah..Lackey was more of the workhorse kind mostly overvalued for his post season courage

Though I think even skeptics to him at the time wouldn't have predicted what his floor was

[connorp]

After the comp round.. Jays would prob give up like the #50 pick or so right?

[KSaw]

A little more research-- the Indians qualified him, though valuing him as a $10mm pitcher for 2014. They may have (unconfirmed) offered him 4 years at just over 50 million during the free agency period.

 

It just doesn't seem like anyone other than Cleveland, Toronto and perhaps Seattle, the Cubs or Rockies would have interest. Now that's assuming that Cleveland were right in that they qualified a player who's 2014 value is really around 10 million.

[connorp]

$10m worth is pretty schrewd for a guy thats provided over 22 wins in his 6 full seasons. 3.40 FIP last year. BB rate was all time low, k rate all time high. 30yo. Gtfo with $10m

[connorp]

The QO is in excess of $14 million.

 

Yeah, he's saying they gave him QO even though they didn't value him at that. I wanted Jays to do same thing with JJ

[Chappy]

This reminds me of the thread where Kirk said Garza and Peavy could be acquired at the deadline for salary relief.

 

Yeah, I really doubt we see any significant FA signing at this point. I bet a trade still happens, how big or small who knows, but I think that's about it.

[Terminator]

Regardless of what I think of Kirk's prediction, if surrendering a 1st rounder scares off teams in to giving Ubaldo more than a 3 year deal I would definitely be interested. Ever since 2008 when he became a full time starter he has made at least 31+ starts. And in each of those years outside of his very poor '12 he has had at least a 3.2 WAR

 

Say the price is around 3 years and 36 to 45 million or so and I'd probably be pleased with that.

[connorp]

This reminds me of the thread where Kirk said Garza and Peavy could be acquired at the deadline for salary relief.

 

Yeah. I remember that. I always used to assume ksaw was one of the better posters because he always sounds so intelligent..then I read njh hilariously tear him apart in a post one time that described him to a T. That said, seems like good guy. Not starting beef:)

[Lawrie22]

I would prefer Garza over Jimenez because I feel like the chances of Jimenez pulling a josh Johnson and really struggle in our arena and division are higher than that of Garza, with that being said if we can get Jimenez at a decent price and we have 2 protected 1sts I would think the risk would be one I would take. If he can pitch as well as he did in the 2nd half of last year he would be a great #3 guy IMO.

Dickey

Buerhle

Jimenez

Morrow

Happ/Hutch/Rogers/Drabek

[KSaw]

I feel like you're both overrating Jimenez and underestimating his market. He'll get 4/60 from someone and pitch to a 4+ ERA over the life of the deal.

 

This reminds me of the thread where Kirk said Garza and Peavy could be acquired at the deadline for salary relief.

 

Yes, a thread where a merely quoted the Chicago Sun Times. They saw Peavy as a salary dump with little trade value. They figured the same on Garza. Both Chicago pitchers. God forgive me for assuming the Chicago media had a better take than a few posters on this forum. The posters did have far more insight but let's be honest here, that's not typically the case.

[TwistedLogic]

"The easy outlet to unleash these feelings of nihilistic frustration is to declare a series of grievances with the front office. But even that seems less than satisfying to all but the most braggartly windbags, whose superhuman hindsight has yet to fail them in affirming their unbroken streak of being smarter than the Jays’ brain trust and everyone who isn’t calling for their immediate deposing."

 

http://i.imgur.com/py2PxcN.gif What a f***ing brilliant quote.