Sources: BlueJays in agreement with Viciedo.

[gbill2004]

You slept on a vomit stained buffet table?

I was drinking quite heavily at the time so that's very possible.

[Ambassador Ch0n]

We just spent 6-8 mil on two minor league deals. That could have bought a decent reliever

 

Sigh

 

>is a real accountant, not one of those fake ones

 

>has a Masters of Law

 

>thinks that 2.5 + 2.5 = a number between 6 and 8

[KingKat]

 

Richard Griffin

‏@RGriffinStar

Apparently quick return of Saunders to #bluejays has no influence on Viciedo who's competing with Smoak and Barton for 1B/DH rather than OF

 

 

Given that Valencia, Pillar and Navarro are all right-handers and already in the fold, why would Viciedo, another right-hander, be competing with the lefty Barton and the switch-hitting Smoak?

[gbill2004]

Who is Barton? First I've heard of him...

[fireballW]

Because maybe they think he could be better than them.

[Boxcar]

I'm going to enjoy watching our below replacement depth options all year. Fun times! Almost feels like AA is making these moves to temper enthusiasm.

[RealAccountant]

Given that Valencia, Pillar and Navarro are all right-handers and already in the fold, why would Viciedo, another right-hander, be competing with the lefty Barton and the switch-hitting Smoak?

 

Because AA has no plan.

[TheHurl]

What's the connection between Hoffman and Boras?

 

I don't think there is one. Hoffman is a CAA guy

[ElNik2013]

Given that Valencia, Pillar and Navarro are all right-handers and already in the fold, why would Viciedo, another right-hander, be competing with the lefty Barton and the switch-hitting Smoak?

 

 

 

Pillar is an OF and Navarro's a switch-hitter? Just pointing this out.

[HERPDERP]

Who is Barton? First I've heard of him...

 

Barton was a prototypical A's player from a few years ago..lots of walks, lots of K's, average/good defense.

 

Nothing spectacular.

[ElNik2013]

Apparently, Cafardo thinks the Jays want Craig as OF depth.

[Orgfiller]

Barton was a prototypical A's player from a few years ago..lots of walks, lots of K's, average/good defense.

 

Nothing spectacular.

 

I guess if you consider a career 16.7 K% lots of K's...

[TheHurl]

Barton was a prototypical A's player from a few years ago..lots of walks, lots of K's, average/good defense.

 

Nothing spectacular.

 

actually he doesn't really K that much at all. 16.7 K% for his career. 14.9% in his huge 2010 season (with a 16% walk rate).

[Cyris]

Well, I think the detractors would simply say that they don't think Tank is "good depth". Certainly BTS, the head of the naysayers, would call him bad depth because of his lack of present baseball skill.

 

In order for Viciedo to actually be "good depth" he would probably have to improve as a baseball player. He's been worth -0.1 fWAR in 1800 career PA, so the past and present version of Dayan getting playing time over someone even as mediocre as Pillar or Valencia could get pretty annoying.

 

And I don't think it's even fair to point to his career splits and say that in a platoon DH role he would be "good depth". See below:

 

 

 

Viciedo has just under 500 career PA against lefties.

 

If the roster is healthy he is our 5th or 6th outfielder or 4th or 5th option for DH. How good of a player do you really expect for that roll. Is there really any team in the league that has a 1 or 2 war player ready to step in just in case multiple guys get hurt or completely under perform expectations.

He is young and has shown some flashes of potential, really I don't know what you expect from a player in that roll. If there were guys out there available that were much better than he is probably wouldn't be willing to sign on to that roll and other teams would offer better chances at giving them playing time.

[gbill2004]

Just reading up on Barton. In 2010 he played 159 games and had a WAR of 4.8. Impressive.

[ElNik2013]

I look at it this way: if Viciedo gets 300 ABs, that would mean the Jays are out of it and he would help them #tank for a higher pick!

[Brownie19]

We haven't spent anything on either of these deals.

 

It's sad when Captian Obvious has to come out of hiding to keep RealAccountant in line...

[KingKat]

Pillar is an OF and Navarro's a switch-hitter? Just pointing this out.

 

I know Pillar is an OF and I forget that Navarro is a switch hitter because he's stronger from the right side. My point is that the team has potentially plenty of right-handed part time players who can DH against left-handers, all of which have more defensive versatility and make for a better allocation of roster spot than Viciedo. Meanwhile, the team doesn't have many left-handed options. Add to that the fact that the offensive core of the team (Bautista, Donaldson, Encarnacion) is heavily right-handed and it's hard to understand why Viciedo would be in direct competition with a lefty and a switch hitter.

Edited March 1, 2015 by KingKat

[baloojayz]

Viciedo a 1B option? don't we have enough of those?

[TheHurl]

Viciedo a 1B option? don't we have enough of those?

 

You can never have enough DH's and 1B's...it's not like just anyone can play those positions.

[Ehjays]

You can never have enough DH's and 1B's...it's not like just anyone can play those positions.

 

Right! Ask anyone, when you build a championship team, you build from the DH out

[KingKat]

Because maybe they think he could be better than them.

 

He can only be better than them if he has a huge breakout. He's defensively limited and his only strength is hitting left-handers something the team already can do quite well without him.

[KingKat]

Viciedo if he makes the team will make nearly 1 million dollars more than Valencia to be a less versatile version of the same thing. This is not a good allocation of funds (and yes I realize that the funds aren't spent yet but if the only two options are a) don't use him or overpay him, I don't really get the appeal of the contract).

[RealAccountant]

Viciedo a 1B option? don't we have enough of those?

 

No

 

And dont be surprised if AA next turns his focus towards more catching depth

[Laika]

All of this discussion is rather silly. The fact that he's on a minor league deal shows you what Toronto thinks of him - not much.

[xposbrad]

I look at it this way: if Viciedo gets 300 ABs, that would mean the Jays are out of it and he would help them #tank for a higher pick!

 

Jays won't be crappy enough for a real tank, but they won't be good enough to go far either. Just like the maple leafs have been for the past X number of years. Teams in toronto are built to make money, not to win.

[BigBounceyBlueBalls]

You can never have enough DH's and 1B's...it's not like just anyone can play those positions.

 

So we're gonna get Adam Dunn as well?

[gbill2004]

Maybe Gibby will give Viciedo a look at second base.

[KingKat]

Complaining about minor league deals is ridiculous. Some people aren't happy unless they're miserable.

 

It's not merely a minor league deal though. It's a minor league deal tied to a 2.5. million dollar poison pill. If the deal becomes bad the second you use the player, what's the point?

[Laika]

It's not merely a minor league deal though. It's a minor league deal tied to a 2.5. million dollar poison pill. If the deal becomes bad the second you use the player, what's the point?

 

Think of it as a stock option. If Viciedo's stock (skill) goes up, then, and only then, do you exercise the option.