Blue Jays sign J.A. Happ 3-years $36M

[closetjaysfan]

The more i think about it the happier I am with this deal .... as long as the BP is solidified. Worst case scenario would have been over spending on a dud for 5 years, with Happ we avoid that in more ways than one.

[Sammy225]

Nice to have pitching depth for once. I am going to miss giving starts to players like Reyes, Laffey, Copeland, Jenkins, etc......

[Grant77]

Nice to have pitching depth for once. I am going to miss giving starts to players like Reyes, Laffey, Copeland, Jenkins, etc......

 

You can be certain that we'll still see starts from those guys if we don't add more depth. We're only 6 deep if they put Sanchez in the 'pen. Then it's Scott Diamond and Chad Jenkins.

[Stangstag]

When did this forum get so dumn?

[GD]

Holy hell. Nuke the f***ing board

[Moose013]

What surprises me about the signing is that Happ came back. I always thought Happ was not pleased with being sent to AAA back at the beginning of 2014 and had a bit of resentment, that was partially why they were willing to trade him, a starter, for Saunders. Guess that was all in my head. He must have really enjoyed it here, since he was willing to come back, even after being dealt less than a year ago.

 

I'm content with Stroman-Estrada-Dickey-Happ-Chavez (6 Hutchinson). Not ecstatic, not hugely disappointed.

 

So now just to fill the bullpen. Osuna-Cecil-Sanchez-Loup-________-________-__________ (Depth: Shultz,Tepara,Delabar). Do we have enough left in the budget for Lowe to come back? Maybe a Rule 5 pickup or two

 

I'm not overly thrilled with this so far. I get there is time left, but what I find hard to swallow is that they don't even seem interested in adding an ace to the staff. I'm okay if David Price signs somewhere else, as long as the Jays made a real effort to bring him back. You can argue about the long term ramifications of that type of contract all you like, it doesn't change the fact that there is an obvious window of opportunity here, and after raising expectations, as well as ticket prices, I hope they're at the very least in on a Zimmerman, or Iwakuma, or Samardzja.

 

Mark Lowe is a case that I find interesting. This is a good pitcher, a good relief pitcher, something the Jays definitely need, and I have heard ZERO talk about the possibility of him coming back. That surprises me.

[Frenchsoup]

I like this move. A lot of upside with this signing.

[The Cats Ass]

Thinking about it more, I'm warming up to it

[Jonn]

When did this forum get so dumn?

 

This forum has always been dumb...

[RealAccountant]

The Jays won 93 games in 2015 when they had 143 starts made by Dickey, Buehrle, Estrada, Sanchez, Hutchison, Norris, Doubront, Copeland, Redmond, and Boyd.

 

Need 5 aces to win, guyz.

 

Jays with those starters 76-67

Jays with Stroman and Price 17-2

[Grant77]

Jays with those starters 76-67

Jays with Stroman and Price 17-2

 

We still have Stroman...

[TilsonBritoFan]

I was initially frustrated with the signing. I still will be if this turns out to be our "big splash".

 

My reasoning is, I felt like this season we turned the clock back to the early 90's in terms of fan base. We sold our our last 25 or so games, didn't we? Tripled our TV audience? There is a rabid fan base here just waiting for a big signing...and then this, which also seems to signal that we won't be in on Price.

 

I feel like we just went from 1993 to 2010 in terms of fanbase in one day.

 

Everyone was hoping that after all the money Rogers made last year that they would finally realize they didn't need to cheap out to make money. There are fans here who are prepared to step up and support the team appropriately when big money is spent. JA Happ just seems like someone we would have signed 5 years ago.

 

And then if we don't even make a play on Price, who wants to be here, its a slap in the face to the casuals who jumped back on the bandwagon after 20 years off. I know you guys don't like the casuals, but we need them.

 

If the Jays end up missing the playoffs this year because of Rogers not taking that last little step its going to be terrible for Rogers. Viewership could fall back to the numbers from before last year, and same with attendance. I don't think Rogers is making the right move here.

 

Now if they somehow still go out and sign Price, then I take this all back...

[glory]

Jays with those starters 76-67

Jays with Stroman and Price 17-2

 

That should read 147 starts by everyone else, not 143 in my earlier post.

 

Regardless, as good as those 11 starts by Price were, they were 11 starts. The Jays got 4 out of Stroman, and (knock on wood) they'll get way more than that in 2016.

 

The rotation is fine. Could use a bit more depth but we got a while to go before April.

[TilsonBritoFan]

That should read 147 starts by everyone else, not 143 in my earlier post.

 

Regardless, as good as those 11 starts by Price were, they were 11 starts. The Jays got 4 out of Stroman, and (knock on wood) they'll get way more than that in 2016.

 

The rotation is fine. Could use a bit more depth but we got a while to go before April.

 

Price went 9-1 in those 11 starts and was the #1 reason we won the AL East instead of the Wild Card based on his performances against the Yankees.

[admin]

It's not a terrible move. People were just hoping for more.

We have Dickey who is another older. I'm sure he'll be a low 4s ERA. Buehrle and his 3.8ERA is gone. Estrada, who knows what he'll come back with next years.

Rotation isn't great, but isn't bad. Most nights it will be good enough to win. After Stroman all four guys should be close to a 4.00ERA imo (hopefully Estrada lower). With this offense that should be enough to be a contender. Doesn't sound like Shapiro would be too eager to bring in support down the stretch though.

[nextyear]

I had hoped David Price would be back but I can see why the Blue Jays don't want to pay $200+ million over 7 years.

 

I think the Blue Jays rotation will be passable if they remain healthy. The Blue Jays started 2015 with Carrera and Colabello in LF, and Reyes at SS; even a pitching staff that is just equal to the staff at the start of 2015, will give up fewer runs because of the improved defense.

 

If the Blue Jays pitching/team_defense can limit teams to 670 runs allowed (RA) over 162 games (as they did in 2015, for 5th best out of 15 AL teams) and even if they only score 800 runs over 162 games (whereas they scored 891 in 2015) then the Pythagorean equation predicts a 0.580 season in 2016, or 94 wins and 68 losses. This is based on winning percentage = (800^1.83)/[(800^1.83) + (670^1.83)] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_expectation.

 

I like the Blue Jays chances in 2016, especially if Stroman can pitch the entire 2016 season and the other pitchers remain relatively healthy throughout the season. I think strengthening the bullpen should now be given top priority.

[Belliss101]

So many AA butt kissers in here

[L54]

I'm sure most of the people complaining that it's not Price are the same ones advocating to extend/re-sign EE and Bautista.

 

But it's not my money I don't care!!!

[L54]

This move is fine. Happ was really good in Pittsburgh and if he can retain some of that we'll be in good shape. Shapiro coming in basically as advertised, adding cheap short term depth to the biggest area of weakness. Doesn't move the needle much, but acts as a decent insurance policy against the dog s*** AAAA starters we've become accustomed to seeing as Jays fans when inevitable injuries occur.

[L54]

He also doesn't win much

 

Remember how most of the board was praying Cleveland didn't grab a WC berth?

[baloojayz]

So many AA butt kissers in here

 

I don't know if we would have been better off if AA never took the Helm, but there is no doubt that this is just a huge mess. What was the point of gutting the system if they just give up now? Nothing against Shapiro but the timing of his entrance + AA departure was just brutal. I'm sure Shapiro is very competent and has a few moves to make yet, but the only way any of this will make sense to me is if they

A) Trade away offence and semi-rebuild

Swing a trade for a young #1/2 pitcher

 

Also we are not the same team as KC, different division or not. Our offence has a very high variance because of its dependence on the long ball (compared to KC). We won't benefit as much from "solid" pitching.

[Spanky99]

Hnnngghhh...

[bronson44]

huge mess

[AdamGreenwood]

Guys, the offense is so good, we don't really need aces. We just need guys who can keep the Jays in the game. Give up four runs in seven innings, and that's good enough.

Hutchison was our worst starter last year, and the Jays went 18-10 in his starts.

[CJ-Freeway]

Stroman is basically Price's replacement considering he made like 4 starts... Look, we have Chavez over Hutch, Happ over Sanchez and Estrada over Buehrle to start the season. This is a better rotation than whatever mashup last April was.

 

True

[CJ-Freeway]

So you believe that pitchers make other pitchers better?

 

Uh no, but I think that solid pitchers make a rotation better overall, obviously.

[JFD]

Everyone go look up how well Happ pitched for Pittsburgh before you judge anything. Pittsburgh fixes guys. He was incredible. Maybe he figured some stuff out.

 

pretty sure he was dominant in the 2nd half for the Jays in 2014 too. starts off like s*** and gets better as the season goes on. hopefully it carries over into the post season.

[Chappy]

pretty sure he was dominant in the 2nd half for the Jays in 2014 too. starts off like s*** and gets better as the season goes on. hopefully it carries over into the post season.

 

All we need is a solid season from Happ and we get great value in the teams wins and loss column with our current lineup. It's not even close to the best FA signing in his relative price zone, but it's still one that works and makes this team better moving forward.

[Ziggyy108]

I just watched the video of him getting hit in the head when he was with us the first time and our infield on that day included ...

 

Munenori Kawasaki

Brett Lawrie

Macier Izturis

J.P. Arencibia

[Angrioter]

Revere for McAllister please.

 

Jon Harris will pitch for the Jays next year, book it