Can the Blue Jays keep this going next year?

[NiagaraJaysFan]

Hey! Joined this forum at the beginning, mostly lurked for a long time, but I just had the itch to post.

 

Do you folks have a good feeling about next year based on what's happened to start the offseason? Do you think the necessary moves will be made to compete next year, or will we dive back into mediocrity. How hard will it be to retool the lineup at the same level as this year?

 

Me, I'm trying to stay positive, but dark thoughts are starting to creep in. What say you folks?

[burlingtonbandit]

The team should be pretty good next year. Couple holes in the rotation but as it stands now the lineup is still the best in baseball. Defensively they look to be a. top 5 team as well

[JaysFanInEnemyTerritory]

I've had bad thoughts about this team for the last twenty years. I don't see why we can't win the division again and have another deep playoff again. At least you are lucky and don't have to hear the spew from O's fans on a daily basis.

[Key22]

Some positives from the beginning of last year to the beginning of the upcoming year.

 

1) Tulo will be manning short all year - no more Reyes defense

2) Martin knows the staff on day 1. No learning curve.

3) Pillar is the main man in Center field on day 1.

4) Stroman is back and in the rotation all year.

5) Revere is manning left field on day 1 and you pretty much know what you get out there.

6) Donaldson, Bautista, Encarnacion all back.

 

The offense is lethal - and with Tulo and Revere in the line-up all year as opposed to the last two months - we should be able (in theory) to score MORE runs than we did last year and have a boost to overall team defense. And considering our defense was pretty darn good and we clubbed the ball - that makes for an exciting team offensively.

 

The trick now is to add to the rotation.

 

But here's the thing Estrada was by far our best starting pitcher in the playoffs. Rather than go with the big name of Price - maybe it's better to land 2 Estrada type of pitchers for the same money? I don't know.

 

We have a good regular season team but I always look at the Diamondbacks when they had Schilling and Johnson. I always think when you have a killer 1-2-3 then when you do get to the playoffs you are better suited to win. Then again the Dodgers had Greinke and Kershaw and it didn't work out.

 

Still if we had Greinke, Price, Stroman and Estrada I'd be in a FAP induced coma. 5 year/$160 million opening offers to both of them. Let's at least make it bloody expensive for other teams to outbid us. Rogers has billions - what the hell - It's only money.

[Governator]

Hey! Joined this forum at the beginning, mostly lurked for a long time, but I just had the itch to post.

 

Do you folks have a good feeling about next year based on what's happened to start the offseason? Do you think the necessary moves will be made to compete next year, or will we dive back into mediocrity. How hard will it be to retool the lineup at the same level as this year?

 

Me, I'm trying to stay positive, but dark thoughts are starting to creep in. What say you folks?

 

As it currently stands, everyone in the line up is returning, sans Navarro. If everything remains the same, it actually will be improved with Travis over Goins. The only thing they could probably use is a strong left handed bat, most here want Heyward. That would let them move Bautista to 1B/DH.

 

The question comes down to what Shapiro's plan is for the rotation, will the FA market satisfy him? Even though JB and EE are 10/5 players, would he able to move one? Should Tulo be moved? Who's the back up catcher?

 

Can they repeat last year? Yes, they could actually improve on the record with the right plan, but the rotation is incomplete and we'll see what Shapiro/LaCava has in store, likely 2 mid tier starters. I think they should offer Estrada a QO, its really not the worse thing if he accepts like so many think and the odds are they get a free draft pick anyway.

[G-Snarls]

Team should be very good in 2016

 

Martin is still an elite catcher and we have above average to elite position players all through the infield if Travis is back, with an excellent utility IF in Goins. OF is still good with Revere or Saunders, Pillar and Bautista, with Pompey potentially an excellent 4th or better

 

It will come down, as it so often does, to pitching. We need at least 2 starters added, from among free agents or within (Osuna/Sanchez), and a 3rd if we can't re-sign Estrada. This is eminently do-able with the purported budget and this crop of free agent starters

[G-Snarls]

We will be in direct competition with Boston for quality free agent starters. Which kind of sucks.

[intentional wok]

Some positives from the beginning of last year to the beginning of the upcoming year.

 

1) Tulo will be manning short all year - no more Reyes defense

2) Martin knows the staff on day 1. No learning curve.

3) Pillar is the main man in Center field on day 1.

4) Stroman is back and in the rotation all year.

5) Revere is manning left field on day 1 and you pretty much know what you get out there.

6) Donaldson, Bautista, Encarnacion all back.

 

The offense is lethal - and with Tulo and Revere in the line-up all year as opposed to the last two months - we should be able (in theory) to score MORE runs than we did last year and have a boost to overall team defense. And considering our defense was pretty darn good and we clubbed the ball - that makes for an exciting team offensively.

 

The trick now is to add to the rotation.

 

But here's the thing Estrada was by far our best starting pitcher in the playoffs. Rather than go with the big name of Price - maybe it's better to land 2 Estrada type of pitchers for the same money? I don't know.

 

We have a good regular season team but I always look at the Diamondbacks when they had Schilling and Johnson. I always think when you have a killer 1-2-3 then when you do get to the playoffs you are better suited to win. Then again the Dodgers had Greinke and Kershaw and it didn't work out.

 

Still if we had Greinke, Price, Stroman and Estrada I'd be in a FAP induced coma. 5 year/$160 million opening offers to both of them. Let's at least make it bloody expensive for other teams to outbid us. Rogers has billions - what the hell - It's only money.

 

I think it's been stated that the current unallocated budget is ~$31M. I'm pretty sure this takes into account some of the raises that some guys are due, too. $31M is definitely a nice start. Some creative roster shuffling should create some more cash too.

 

It is nice that the team being competitive is a straighter line than most teams. Literally: get pitching. Not to say that getting some good guys will necessarily be easy, but I'd say it's rarely this simple.

[Governator]

Team should be very good in 2016

 

Martin is still an elite catcher and we have above average to elite position players all through the infield if Travis is back, with an excellent utility IF in Goins. OF is still good with Revere or Saunders, Pillar and Bautista, with Pompey potentially an excellent 4th or better

 

It will come down, as it so often does, to pitching. We need at least 2 starters added, from among free agents or within (Osuna/Sanchez), and a 3rd if we can't re-sign Estrada. This is eminently do-able with the purported budget and this crop of free agent starters

 

My thought is 5th spot should be either Hutchison or some combination of Osuna, Hendriks, Sanchez knowing you can't get 200ip from any one of them, how that would work I don't know. Can probably get the most mileage out of Hendriks.

[Brenner]

The team should be very good even with a patch work starting pitching rotation. A problem that might arise in the 2nd half is that we don't have the prospect depth to make any significant adds at the deadline. On the field we have depth at every position except 3rd and C (unless Navarro is brought back). So a Donaldson injury would really suck. We also wont be able to rent an Ace this year. We can hope Stroman develops into one but he needs some backup.

[Grant77]

We will be in direct competition with Boston for quality free agent starters. Which kind of sucks.

 

I think it's very likely that they go after guys like Zimmermann and Greinke, who we probably aren't interested in to begin with. I hope that's the case at least. If they keep loading up with stupid long term contracts, they'll just remain in the basement.

[intrigid]

2015 Blue Jays = 2000 Mariners

[glory]

Depends on who they get to fill rotation spots and whether Gibbons can tell who his best relievers are this time.

[Krylian]

I expect our pitching to be our downfall in 2016. Gibby will be blamed, as he always is...but my worry is that we don't add enough pitching pieces to the puzzle and struggle because of it. There is no immediate help from the minors so it's all going to have to be added this off-season.

 

I hope I'm wrong, but I feel like we're going to be Rogers'd.

[FrozenRopes]

What Shapiro does with the rotation and pen will dictate. The offense is the best in baseball.

[TheHurl]

couldn't care less who's pitching. Jays season will once again depend on the health of their offense. I think it comes down to the health of the 30 somethings and Donaldson. If they stay relatively healthy they should be in around the 90+ win range.

[Governator]

couldn't care less who's pitching. Jays season will once again depend on the health of their offense. I think it comes down to the health of the 30 somethings and Donaldson. If they stay relatively healthy they should be in around the 90+ win range.

 

 

I hear rumours Shapiro is targeting Jo Jo Reyes and Rickey Romero.

[TheHurl]

I hear rumours Shapiro is targeting Jo Jo Reyes and Rickey Romero.

 

Still 90 wins

[Governator]

Still 90 wins

 

So a starting rotation of Stroman, Dickey, Hutchison, Reyes, Romero would net us 90 wins on purely our offense? lol

[THANOS]

So a starting rotation of Stroman, Dickey, Hutchison, Reyes, Romero would net us 90 wins on purely our offense? lol

 

He's just messing with you man, or perhaps he'd like to increase his team's chance at winning a game over us from 5% to 8%.

[TheHurl]

So a starting rotation of Stroman, Dickey, Hutchison, Reyes, Romero would net us 90 wins on purely our offense? lol

 

You just said they were being targetted. My theories were that they would pitch in the minors.

[burlingtonbandit]

Some positives from the beginning of last year to the beginning of the upcoming year.

 

1) Tulo will be manning short all year - no more Reyes defense

2) Martin knows the staff on day 1. No learning curve.

3) Pillar is the main man in Center field on day 1.

4) Stroman is back and in the rotation all year.

5) Revere is manning left field on day 1 and you pretty much know what you get out there.

6) Donaldson, Bautista, Encarnacion all back.

 

The offense is lethal - and with Tulo and Revere in the line-up all year as opposed to the last two months - we should be able (in theory) to score MORE runs than we did last year and have a boost to overall team defense. And considering our defense was pretty darn good and we clubbed the ball - that makes for an exciting team offensively.

 

The trick now is to add to the rotation.

 

But here's the thing Estrada was by far our best starting pitcher in the playoffs. Rather than go with the big name of Price - maybe it's better to land 2 Estrada type of pitchers for the same money? I don't know.

 

We have a good regular season team but I always look at the Diamondbacks when they had Schilling and Johnson. I always think when you have a killer 1-2-3 then when you do get to the playoffs you are better suited to win. Then again the Dodgers had Greinke and Kershaw and it didn't work out.

 

Still if we had Greinke, Price, Stroman and Estrada I'd be in a FAP induced coma. 5 year/$160 million opening offers to both of them. Let's at least make it bloody expensive for other teams to outbid us. Rogers has billions - what the hell - It's only money.

 

Even though you get all of those guys "back" injuries will happen and you will lose other guys. I'm not so sure Revere is here to start the season anyway. Saunders looked to be better and half the cost.

[glory]

Even though you get all of those guys "back" injuries will happen and you will lose other guys. I'm not so sure Revere is here to start the season anyway. Saunders looked to be better and half the cost.

 

Saunders would need to prove his knee is healthy first. Revere > Saunders post knee injury.

 

I could see the Jays moving Revere to make room for Pompey (mix in some youth with the aging ones), but for Saunders I think it's time to non tender and re-sign to a minor league deal. If not, see ya later.

[burlingtonbandit]

Saunders would need to prove his knee is healthy first. Revere > Saunders post knee injury.

 

I could see the Jays moving Revere to make room for Pompey (mix in some youth with the aging ones), but for Saunders I think it's time to non tender and re-sign to a minor league deal. If not, see ya later.

 

2 Million seems like a pretty low risk for a high reward. He has the talent level to be a 3 WAR player. Obviously it depends on the knee but even him at 1st base vs RHP wouldn't be bad.

[CHRIS]

My guess is that there are about 2-3 mods just ITCHING to merge this thread somewhere.

[burlingtonbandit]

I noticed Thole was included in the off season thread and in the projected 108 Million. To me it seems there is zero way you even tender a contract to him. If he comes back it should be at league min. Thats a savings of 1.3 Million right there.

[GD]

I noticed Thole was included in the off season thread and in the projected 108 Million. To me it seems there is zero way you even tender a contract to him. If he comes back it should be at league min. Thats a savings of 1.3 Million right there.

 

Zero? Dickey's still here, it isn't 0.

[burlingtonbandit]

Zero? Dickey's still here, it isn't 0.

 

Even if you want him back why tender him a contract if he's projected to get 1.8 million? Thole isn't getting a major league job anywhere else so he really has no leverage. Either accept league min with Toronto and get a chance to be on the Major league roster and earn major league salary or take a minor league contract elsewhere.

[Spanky99]

Can the Blue Jays keep this going next year?[/Quote]

 

Yes.

[BlueJayWay]

How hard will it be to retool the lineup at the same level as this year?

Not hard at all, considering essentially the entire lineup is under team control for 2016. In fact with a whole year of Tulowitzki instead of Reyes, Travis instead of Goins, and Pompey figuring in there somewhere, it could be better.