Excuse of the Future for FA's not to sign with Jays

[GeorgiaPeach]

Hopefully when the time comes and the Jays replace the turf with grass, the Jays don't install bad grass.

 

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/story/_/id/11421936/scott-van-slyke-los-angeles-dodgers-exits-apparent-ankle-injury

[G-Snarls]

Doesn't matter

 

20 plus years without even a sniff of the post season is plenty of reason for quality free agents to stay away

[Angrioter]

When guys like Pearce and Delmon Young reject to sign with the Jays, then, things are horrible.

[walkoff93]

Bad Grass? Sounds like the title of an anti-drug campaign.

[GNick49]

Turf, non-winner and playing in foreign country. Most free agents Toronto is there second choice

[reedjohnsonfan]

He's probably full of s***. Any bit of controversy and the media goes crazy.

[jaysblue]

Hopefully when the time comes and the Jays replace the turf with grass, the Jays don't install bad grass.

 

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/story/_/id/11421936/scott-van-slyke-los-angeles-dodgers-exits-apparent-ankle-injury

 

They need to build a new ballpark.

[GeorgiaPeach]

They need to build a new ballpark.

 

The Jays or D-Backs?

[FireAlexAnthopoulos]

Doesn't matter

 

20 plus years without even a sniff of the post season is plenty of reason for quality free agents to stay away

This. "The turf" and "Canada" are just excuses the front office makes up to distract from the incompetence that has really driven free agents away.

[G-Snarls]

How is Canada an excuse?

 

"Foreign country" and "higher taxes" get thrown around by Jays apologists as reasons some free agents don't want to come here. (same goes for guys who block trades).

 

As we know, Canada isn't that foreign and it's been shown that Canada/Ontario taxes are not the highest in MLB. More like 8th highest out of 30 teams IIRC. Plus, that gets watered down by being taxed everywhere you travel (This was discussed at length during the RA Dickey extension talks)

 

Bottom line, most realists think that 20 years of losing is the biggest problem. Not the thought of living in Canada for 85 or so days a year or paying higher taxes than you would in Florida.

 

The problem isn't unique to us. Guys don't want to sign with perennial losers like Minnesota or Houston either.

Edited August 29, 2014 by G-Snarls

[jaysblue]

The Jays or D-Backs?

 

The Jays.

[jaysblue]

Toronto > than some s*** holes in the U.S.

[jaysblue]

In terms of s***-holes, Toronto is right up there. Actually it's probably the prototypical shot-hole in North America.

 

Not compared to places like Detroit, Cincy, Cleveland, Baltimore, Atlanta, St. Louis, Minnesota, Milwaukee. Heck I'd even say LA is pretty much a dump, unless you go outside the city.

[Captain Adama]

In terms of s***-holes, Toronto is right up there. Actually it's probably the prototypical shot-hole in North America.

 

Someones never been to Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Baltimore....

[eastcoastjaysfan]

Winning changes everything.

 

Look at Oklahoma City/Cleveland in the NBA... Green Bay in the NFL... Detroit/St Louis in MLB... These are laughable cities/towns. Toronto is world class relative to them.

 

Put together a few winning seasons and the free agents will come. Grass is important but it's not that important.

[eastcoastjaysfan]

I don't understand the hate Toronto gets sometimes. It's a gorgeous city, has a ton of awesome places to live/party, it's extremely clean/safe. Most of these American cities are pure trash.

 

I was just in Chicago and I would 100% prefer to live in Toronto over Chicago (even though it's still a beautiful city). If I was a ballplayer I think I'd only prefer NY, Miami, San Fran, and maybe Seattle over Toronto if I was concerned about my quality of living.

[Slot Machine]

Who have the Jays made better offers to that have been turned down? The only one that comes to mind is Beltran and signing for 2 years instead of 3 then seems to have worked out better with how much the Yankees paid him.

[jaysblue]

Someones never been to Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Baltimore....

 

I've been to Cincy to see the Jays play back in 2011 and the city is an absolute ghost town. There is hardly anything to do there and most of the city is sketch. You have to cross the bridge to go to Newport Kentucky, which is a nice area for bars, restaurants etc.

[reedjohnsonfan]

Not compared to places like Detroit, Cincy, Cleveland, Baltimore, Atlanta, St. Louis, Minnesota, Milwaukee. Heck I'd even say LA is pretty much a dump, unless you go outside the city.

 

A good friend of mine is a huge fan of Minnesota and St. Louis. Perhaps there's just less to do there?

[jaysblue]

A good friend of mine is a huge fan of Minnesota and St. Louis. Perhaps there's just less to do there?

 

The ballparks look beautiful, not denying that. They are both great baseball cities. St. Louis is one of the worst cities in the States, along with Baltimore and Detroit. Look it up as well lol.

[RealAccountant]

Doesn't matter

 

20 plus years without even a sniff of the post season is plenty of reason for quality free agents to stay away

 

Plus different country

 

Plus higher tax rate

 

Plus no ESPN

[reedjohnsonfan]

The ballparks look beautiful, not denying that. They are both great baseball cities. St. Louis is one of the worst cities in the States, along with Baltimore and Detroit. Look it up as well lol.

 

Ok, the crime rates are really high in St. Louis, didn't realize that it was so bad.

[reedjohnsonfan]

Why is Toronto a s***-hole? Well I'm glad you asked, let me answer that for you:

 

- It stinks.

- It's dirty and polluted.

- People are not friendly (keep-to-yourself culture).

- People live to work.

- People are selfish douchebags.

- Mayor is an incompetent crack-head.

- Lake is a toxic swamp.

- One of the worst cities for traffic in the world.

- Transit system is an absolute joke.

- Sports franchises are all hopeless.

- Women would rather eat poutine than entertain their sexuality.

- The city is dead after 2:00 AM.

 

The only good thing about Toronto is not being in it.

 

I actually agree. I haven't been to too many different cities, but everything you said is correct IMO.

[torontofan]

A good friend of mine is a huge fan of Minnesota and St. Louis. Perhaps there's just less to do there?

 

I've been to Minnesota quite a few times. I have always liked it there.

[GeorgiaPeach]

I've been to Cincy to see the Jays play back in 2011 and the city is an absolute ghost town. There is hardly anything to do there and most of the city is sketch. You have to cross the bridge to go to Newport Kentucky, which is a nice area for bars, restaurants etc.

 

I've been to every team's home park.

 

Toronto is easily one of the nicest cities. But if I were to choose where to play baseball it wouldn't be Toronto.

[GeorgiaPeach]

The ballparks look beautiful, not denying that. They are both great baseball cities. St. Louis is one of the worst cities in the States, along with Baltimore and Detroit. Look it up as well lol.

 

The thing is Americans prefer to live and play in the States. And even in the shitholes of the US, there's nice areas in and around those s*** holes.

[reedjohnsonfan]

There is a syndrome... I don't know what it's called but it's described as "I live in this city, therefore I must be in total denial and defend it at all costs". After all, who wants to admit they live in a s***-hole? Not exactly good for your self-regard.

 

Yep, there's just a lot that annoys me about the city, but I don't live there any more.

 

As for the transit, I made a mistake taking the GO bus home for the O's series (since it's usually faster than the train). Got home at 1:15 AM on a Tuesday night. Not worth it to watch a 10-3 blowout or whatever that game was.

[burlingtonbandit]

The ballparks look beautiful, not denying that. They are both great baseball cities. St. Louis is one of the worst cities in the States, along with Baltimore and Detroit. Look it up as well lol.

 

In every one of those cities there are nice suburb areas like Yorkville would be to Toronto. Every city there are good areas and bad.

[Orgfiller]

Why is Toronto a s***-hole? Well I'm glad you asked, let me answer that for you:

 

- It stinks.

- It's dirty and polluted.

- People are not friendly (keep-to-yourself culture).

- People live to work.

- People are selfish douchebags.

- Mayor is an incompetent crack-head.

- Lake is a toxic swamp.

- One of the worst cities for traffic in the world.

- Transit system is an absolute joke.

- Sports franchises are all hopeless.

- Women would rather eat poutine than entertain their sexuality.

- The city is dead after 2:00 AM.

 

The only good thing about Toronto is not being in it.

 

You either clearly don't live in the city or never go outside your house. Nothing aside from the sports franchises is remotely true. And yeah, big deal we get a lot of traffic lol.

[GD]

You either clearly don't live in the city or never go outside your house. Nothing aside from the sports franchises is remotely true. And yeah, big deal we get a lot of traffic lol.

 

Have you ever stepped foot on the TTC lol