Blue Jays re-sign Justin Smoak, non-tender Thole

[reedjohnsonfan]

Smoak signed for 3.9 million getting himself a very nice pay raise. I wonder if they'll keep the Smoakabello platoon or opt to add a more versatile player.

 

Also Thole is hopefully gone for good.

 

Discuss.

[BTS]

There isn't a single attractive name on the backup catcher market. Hopefully Rene Rivera gets non-tendered.

[Angrioter]

There isn't a single attractive name on the backup catcher market. Hopefully Rene Rivera gets non-tendered.

 

Tyler Flowers

[BTS]

Tyler Flowers

 

Actually yeah, I missed that but he'd be good. Why was he non-tendered? The Sox don't even have a catcher.

[L54]

Tyler Flowers

 

Was coming to say the same. He'd be a good back up.

[Jonn]

Thole on a minor league deal I would expect

[o2cui2i]

Thole on a minor league deal I would expect

 

bag of Doritos and a bucket of double bubble will cover the cost. don't be sure he won't be back later.

[glory]

Thole won't have a job in baseball without being attached to Dickey. He'll be back on a minor league deal and the league minimum.

[baubau]

Tyler Flowers

 

This! Think he was one of the best pitcher framers last year, even ahead of Martin. Would be a great addition.

 

Actually yeah, I missed that but he'd be good. Why was he non-tendered? The Sox don't even have a catcher.

 

http://www.chicagonow.com/sox-stuff/files/2015/06/Kenny.jpg

 

Rumor mill: They are looking at Navvy.

[Governator]

Royals own Kratz still?

[L54]

White Sox signed Alex Avila.

[baubau]

White Sox signed Alex Avila.

 

Oh f*** that is right! The internet lied to me..

[L54]

Oh f*** that is right! The internet lied to me..

 

Those bastards.

[Scion]

I wonder if this move is influenced by the Jays scouts. Perhaps they still think their is more in Smoak's bat, I don't see it personally.

[Cyborg]

There isn't a single attractive name on the backup catcher market. Hopefully Rene Rivera gets non-tendered.

 

Tyler Flowers

[AdamGreenwood]

~$4 million seems pretty expensive for a guy who should be a backup. Colabello has good spilts, so I would think that Smoak is fairly redundant. I guess it's alright to have him come in and relieve EE and Cola a little, given age and injuries.

[Spanky99]

Royals own Kratz still?

 

No, he's a FA.

[burlingtonbandit]

I wonder if this move is influenced by the Jays scouts. Perhaps they still think their is more in Smoak's bat, I don't see it personally.

 

his BABIP was pretty low for how many balls he produced hard contact on but the shift I'm sure takes hits away from him. I never understand why players like him don't bunt down the 3rd baseline for a hit more often.

[Grant77]

his BABIP was pretty low for how many balls he produced hard contact on but the shift I'm sure takes hits away from him. I never understand why players like him don't bunt down the 3rd baseline for a hit more often.

 

He's sooooo sloooooowwww. That must have something to do with it.

[spittin]

Gross, really desperate for a left handed bat I guess.

[glory]

I wonder if this move is influenced by the Jays scouts. Perhaps they still think their is more in Smoak's bat, I don't see it personally.

 

There was an article some time ago saying that AA's assistants were the ones urging AA to sign Smoak after he was non tendered by the Jays last year. Assuming those same assistants are still there (I haven't kept track of who has left), then it's not surprising that they tendered Smoak this time. They obviously like the bat. Maybe their hunch will pay off, but it's a lot of money on a project.

[GD]

Gross, really desperate for a left handed bat I guess.

 

Smoak is a switch hitter

 

f***in new accounts I swear

 

Just ban him

[burlingtonbandit]

He's sooooo sloooooowwww. That must have something to do with it.

 

Even with how slow he is a half decent bunt up the 3rd baseline with the defender at SS depth gets him a hit.

[spittin]

Smoak is a switch hitter

 

f***in new accounts I swear

 

Just ban him

 

He had 39 ABs from the right side, clearly he's here to be a left handed bat.

[spittin]

Even with how slow he is a half decent bunt up the 3rd baseline with the defender at SS depth gets him a hit.

 

What the hell are you talking about?

[Top 10 Personal Catcher]

Woe is me...

[Grant77]

Even with how slow he is a half decent bunt up the 3rd baseline with the defender at SS depth gets him a hit.

 

I just meant the BABIP in general is mostly due to speed.

[Ultimate]

A year ago the market for Smoak was 1 Million dollars. He has done nothing in the last year to justify an increase from that number. He basically repeated his 2013 season, which should have been the bare minimum expectation moving from Safeco to the Rogers Centre.

 

When I heard they had signed him to a 3.9 million dollar deal, I assumed it was over 2 years (1.8 per year) and I still didn't like it.

[Ultimate]

Also, he should be a backup. And a HR/Strikeout guy isn't a great fit for a bench role.

 

You want a good bench, but you can't have a 4 million dollar bench player with a 140 million dollar payroll.

 

Hague would have played for the league minimum, been able to backup at 3B too and could come in for base hit situations. Much better bench option than Smoak.

[BTS]

A year ago the market for Smoak was 1 Million dollars. He has done nothing in the last year to justify an increase from that number. He basically repeated his 2013 season, which should have been the bare minimum expectation moving from Safeco to the Rogers Centre.

 

When I heard they had signed him to a 3.9 million dollar deal, I assumed it was over 2 years (1.8 per year) and I still didn't like it.

 

He was almost 30% better offensively in 2015 than in 2014. If he had repeated his 2014 performance he wouldn't have lasted the season and would be looking for a minor league deal somewhere.