Melky prefers to not sign with Jays

[gbill2004]

@Buster_ESPN: Melky Cabrera's preference is to sign with a team other than the Blue Jays so he doesn't have to play his home games on artificial surface.

[G-Snarls]

Although he might help us out by taking too much money to play elsewhere, we need grass

[TBJ12]

Jays must not be offering enough money.

[Jimcanuck]

great news

[Angrioter]

Nice!!

[READERsince2006]

recover the draft pick lost for signing martin, go out and sign markakis or aoki to fill in the 2-hole and LF at less money

[RealAccountant]

Why would any outfielder that has a choice would want to play on that block of cement

[Smokey]

Jays must not be offering enough money.

 

And how exactly does throwing one of his few suitors under the bus help his case???

[glory]

One of the few times the turf actually helps the Jays.

[Smokey]

What this thread really needs is the expert analysis of a shameless apologist:

 

"With all of Melky's back problems, he didn't have a hard time playing on concrete this past season. The fear of turf is over-rated. Sure it's a factor, but it's probably a far smaller factor than people think. Over the years, how many times have we seen an infielder go down because of an injury in the field? The most common injury Jays players suffer seems to be when they're f***ing running to first base. Reyes hasn't had a single field related injury in his entire time here.

 

And I haven't looked into it, so I'm not sure if I'm recalling this correctly, but I don't think Headley's got chronic back problems like Lind. He had a slipped disk in his back last year. I'm not sure how much of a risk that puts him at for future back problems, but I'd be surprised if it's high."

 

-TwistedLogic

 

http://www.bluejaysmessageboard.com/threads/4100-Blue-Jays-will-make-offer-to-Sandoval-in-next-24-hours-%28?p=458022&viewfull=1#post458022

[Deadpool]

Hey, an athlete said the exact opposite of a thing he said a little while ago, why that's totally unprecedented in the totality of human history!

[burlingtonbandit]

I wonder what the new turf will be like this year. I've never actually set foot on the RC turf but the new field turf that is in most places now I actually like to play on.

[KingKat]

Hey, an athlete said the exact opposite of a thing he said a little while ago, why that's totally unprecedented in the totality of human history!

 

It's almost as if athletes don't actually give a s*** about who actually pays their paycheck and which fans they are playing in front of.

[SAAviour]

Melkys just using the turf to try to extract more money from the jays. He probably is realizing it wasn't smart to say how much he wants to return when he became a free agent. I bet AA is working on a 3 year $30 mil offer, or 2@ $25 mil.

[Deadpool]

Melkys just using the turf to try to extract more money from the jays. He probably is realizing it wasn't smart to say how much he wants to return when he became a free agent. I bet AA is working on a 3 year $30 mil offer, or 2@ $25 mil.

 

I doubt it's quite that low, I'd be okay with Melky up to 3/39. I don't really want him longer than 3 years, and I don't think he's worth more than $13M AAV.

[NorthOf49]

Melkys just using the turf to try to extract more money from the jays. He probably is realizing it wasn't smart to say how much he wants to return when he became a free agent. I bet AA is working on a 3 year $30 mil offer, or 2@ $25 mil.

That's what I thought. It's a smart thing to say too, because it won't rile up the fans or alienate anyone if he does return. He know the Blue Jays have more money in reserve than they've offered so far, so he's trying to add some leverage.

[LongTimeReader]

So first he prefers the Jays and now he doesn't. Make up your damn mind.

[KingKat]

Melkys just using the turf to try to extract more money from the jays. He probably is realizing it wasn't smart to say how much he wants to return when he became a free agent. I bet AA is working on a 3 year $30 mil offer, or 2@ $25 mil.

 

Either that or he's just covering his tracks and trying to make himself look less less hypocritical for ultimately turning down a reasonable offer from the Jays. I doubt the Jays have any intention of increasing their offer. AA's comments on PTS were pretty clear that they weren't close and he didn't expect them to get close. Melky and his agent have probably written off the Jays at this point and now Melky is spinning to make it seem like it's about the turf.

 

That being said, he does highlight a real issue. Do we really want this guy patrolling the Roger Centre turf going forward? He's barely mobile as it is and playing on the turf can't help. It's time for the fans to move on. The Jays already have and so has Melky.

[z3r0s]

I will move on if we can get Saunders (or the like).

[JaysAllMighty]

We'll survive without Melky, take the pick.

[Smokey]

That's what I thought. It's a smart thing to say too, because it won't rile up the fans or alienate anyone if he does return. He know the Blue Jays have more money in reserve than they've offered so far, so he's trying to add some leverage.

 

Yeah, I'm sure Alex is wobbling his ass over to uncle Pauly's office right after finding out this info and asking for more money

[wardhenke1]

Possibly something along these lines?

 

Agent to Cabrera: "The Jays aren't budging and no-one else looks like overpaying. Let's leak the story about the turf and see if fan outrage will boost your price."

[xposbrad]

Would have been so much easier if Toronto signed Tomas, could play LF and could be a DH when EE is done. I just don't get this club. Markakis is still going to be asking for near Melky numbers, around 13-15m a year.

[Daniel Labude]

Is it that hard to get some freaking grass

[Mikeleelop]

Possibly something along these lines?

 

Agent to Cabrera: "The Jays aren't budging and no-one else looks like overpaying. Let's leak the story about the turf and see if fan outrage will boost your price."

 

This is exactly what I thought when I saw the tweet this morning.

 

Why, cut off a potential suitor? One that you've previously said you would like to return to

 

BREAKING - Agent for Cabrerra coming on with Jeff Blair on FAn590 at 1110am

[Dr. Dinger]

Alex Rios, come on down!

[RealAccountant]

Possibly something along these lines?

 

Agent to Cabrera: "The Jays aren't budging and no-one else looks like overpaying. Let's leak the story about the turf and see if fan outrage will boost your price."

 

Seems probable and stupidly true. I'll be surprised if anyone else even offers him 3 years. He is just not one of the coveted players.

[KingKat]

Is it that hard to get some freaking grass

 

There are better reasons to get grass than to appease Melky Cabrera. #tohellwithmelky

[RealAccountant]

Alex Rios, come on down!

 

No thanks to attitude issues

[Mikeleelop]

There are better reasons to get grass than to appease Melky Cabrera. #tohellwithmelky

 

appease every position player on your team and every potential free agent out there