Rick Westhead: Jose Bautista seeks 5 years $150M

[Spoonovic]

As per @rwesthead, Bautista seeks 5 years, $150M http://www.tsn.ca/1.442180

 

Toronto Blue Jays’ all-star outfielder Jose Bautista is demanding a five-year contract extension worth more than $30 million per year, two sources familiar with the matter told TSN.

 

Bautista turns 36 in October and a $150-million contract, were able to secure it, would make him among baseball’s top-paid players.

 

On Monday, meeting with media on the first day of spring training, Bautista said the five-year, $65-million contract he signed with Toronto in 2011 has amounted to a “five-year hometown discount.”

 

But in a meeting with Blue Jays officials two weeks ago in Toronto, Bautista and his financial advisors compared the Blue Jays outfielder to Miguel Cabrera and retired Yankees superstar Derek Jeter, in terms of his value to his club.

 

Cabrera is baseball’s highest-paid position player, earning $31-million per season with the Detroit Tigers. Zack Greinke is the game’s top-paid player overall, after signing a free-agent contract with Arizona worth $34 million per season.

In a press scrum on Monday, Bautista said Rogers should pay him the money at least partly because it can afford to.

 

"It’s no secret that in a publicly traded company everybody can track performance fairly easily,” Bautista told reporters. “Stock prices are closely monitored by the whole financial world. I think there is a direct correlation with the success of [Rogers] earnings per share after we started experiencing success. Are they going to put it out in the media and say, ‘Because of the Jays, we made all this money?’ No. But everybody can read between the lines.”

 

Rogers Communications Inc. deputy chairman Edward Rogers III has been briefed on Bautista’s contract demands, a source told TSN.

[KingKat]

BARGAINING BOMBSHELL: As per @rwesthead, Bautista seeks 5 years, $150M http://www.tsn.ca/1.442180

 

Nice knowing you Jose! Try to win a World Series MVP on you way out plz.

[Laika]

Has anything this Westhead guy has reported turned out not to be garbage?

[Abomination]

As per @rwesthead, Bautista seeks 5 years, $150M http://www.tsn.ca/1.442180

 

LMAO. There's no way in hell any team gives him that at age 36.

[Spoonovic]

Has anything this Westhead guy has reported turned out not to be garbage?

 

What has he reported that has turned out to be garbage?

[KingKat]

Has anything this Westhead guy has reported turned out not to be garbage?

 

His m.o. seems to be reporting things that are unlikely to be confirmed one way or the other.

[CBlake]

This is beyond insane, especially for a 35 year old slugger. I would think it would be nuts for any of the 30 MLB GMs to entertain such a deal. Say you get 2-3 good years you could very well see yourself stuck with 60 million of dead money at the end.

[Laika]

What has he reported that has turned out to be garbage?

 

- Jays have hots for Grienke

- LaCava likely to leave team

- Vague things like "source: payroll will be around the same in 2016"

 

I don't remember everything.

 

- Jays likely suitors for Gourriel brothers

 

Just kind of a poo slinger

[HERPDERP]

This spring is going to be so messy. ugh

[akshpal]

it will be a mistake if they end up chucking out 150m to bautista

[burlingtonbandit]

Has anything this Westhead guy has reported turned out not to be garbage?

 

Hes actually a pretty good reporter. He's done some great pieces on the Jersey fraud businesss. I kind of wonder if Rogers leaks certain things to him on purpose though since he works for TSN.

[Governator]

"It’s no secret that in a publicly traded company everybody can track performance fairly easily,” Bautista told reporters. “Stock prices are closely monitored by the whole financial world. I think there is a direct correlation with the success of [Rogers] earnings per share after we started experiencing success. Are they going to put it out in the media and say, ‘Because of the Jays, we made all this money?’ No. But everybody can read between the lines."

 

Yea that's going to get the deal done.

[HERPDERP]

tomorrow's headline

 

NO WAY JOSE

[burlingtonbandit]

Well Bautista can ask for whatever he likes, its his right. Whether a team gives that to him is a different story.

 

As crazy as it sounds I could see him getting that number if he hits FA next year.

[Laika]

Hes actually a pretty good reporter. He's done some great pieces on the Jersey fraud businesss. I kind of wonder if Rogers leaks certain things to him on purpose though since he works for TSN.

 

Being an investigative reporter and being a (responsible) breaking news guy are completely different.

[glory]

That sounds crazy high, but wouldn't surprise me if the demand is at least 5/125. Bautista wants that bread.

[HERPDERP]

Hes actually a pretty good reporter. He's done some great pieces on the Jersey fraud businesss. I kind of wonder if Rogers leaks certain things to him on purpose though since he works for TSN.

 

It's pretty obvious it was Rogers' doing.

 

The Bautista camp is not going to leak it for obvious reasons. The Jays need to leak it in order to get the shift of blame away from them (which they have successfully done, no one is going to want Bautista after this).

 

They can't have the typical guys like Davidi or even Zaunie do it, so they'll leak it to a competitor.

[Governator]

I really expected this to be the least dramatic offseason in years. Can't we just enjoy nice things once?

[gbill2004]

Bye-bye Jose.

[burlingtonbandit]

Being an investigative reporter and being a (responsible) breaking news guy are completely different.

 

Are you saying you don't believe Jose asked for 5/150? He wouldn't come out with this if he didn't think it was correct.

[burlingtonbandit]

It's pretty obvious it was Rogers' doing.

 

The Bautista camp is not going to leak it for obvious reasons. The Jays need to leak it in order to get the shift of blame away from them (which they have successfully done, no one is going to want Bautista after this).

 

They can't have the typical guys like Davidi or even Zaunie do it, so they'll leak it to a competitor.

 

My thoughts exactly.

[KingKat]

Are you saying you don't believe Jose asked for 5/150? He wouldn't come out with this if he didn't think it was correct.

 

Can't speak for NJH, but I could believe that but just because something is plausible doesn't mean it's true. It's certainly not true just because this guy says so.

 

Though if it does turn out Bautista's demands really are that high, it would certainly simplify the decision making process for this org. Put an x on Bautista, find out what EE wants and if it's reasonable try to negotiate something palatable with him. If not well there's not much you can do if both players are looking to hold the org hostage with astronomical contract demands.

[youngtea]

Are you saying you don't believe Jose asked for 5/150? He wouldn't come out with this if he didn't think it was correct.

 

I don't think Jose and his agent are dumb enough to ask for that much money knowing his age.

 

What likely happened is Rogers lowballed Jose and expected him to give up a discount. Rogers probably offered 5 years $100 mil. Jose took exception and said I'm worth as much as said other franchise players. If rogers loses Jose they'll be roast with this fan base. Lost 2 key players in one offseason because they wanted to be cheap.

[The Cats Ass]

I can actually see Bautista asking for this amount. He sees himself as one of the top players in the game and he wants Cabrera money.

 

We'll end up making him a QO, and he'll end up hitting free agency. Can't see any team willing to offer him that, and never know, we might end up still re-signing him in the offseason.

[Abomination]

I don't think Jose and his agent are dumb enough to ask for that much money knowing his age.

 

What likely happened is Rogers lowballed Jose and expected him to give up a discount. Rogers probably offered 5 years $100 mil. Jose took exception and said I'm worth as much as said other franchise players. If rogers loses Jose they'll be roast with this fan base. Lost 2 key players in one offseason because they wanted to be cheap.

 

Given his age, I don't think 5/100 is really a lowball offer. If he was 30, then sure.

[Spanky99]

This spring is going to be so messy. ugh

 

Why? He's under contract, he plays the year out and that's the end of it. Go write a book man.

[Laika]

Are you saying you don't believe Jose asked for 5/150? He wouldn't come out with this if he didn't think it was correct.

 

Well it's an absurd ask, although it's possible. No, I don't believe something is true just because Poohead reports it.

[Hipfan]

Well 5/150 is crazy, and as much as I want to see Bautista continue on with the Jays, there is no way that contract turns out well. I could see a 4/90 or 5/120 range working out reasonably well for both the Jays and Bautista, but if anyone wants to give him the contract he's asking for then I'd say thanks for the memories!

[Laika]

I don't think Jose and his agent are dumb enough to ask for that much money knowing his age.

 

What likely happened is Rogers lowballed Jose and expected him to give up a discount. Rogers probably offered 5 years $100 mil. Jose took exception and said I'm worth as much as said other franchise players. If rogers loses Jose they'll be roast with this fan base. Lost 2 key players in one offseason because they wanted to be cheap.

 

5/100 isn't a lowball. It might be above his market value and above his projected value. His closest recent comparables got contracts in the 4/70 range.

[burlingtonbandit]

I don't think Jose and his agent are dumb enough to ask for that much money knowing his age.

 

What likely happened is Rogers lowballed Jose and expected him to give up a discount. Rogers probably offered 5 years $100 mil. Jose took exception and said I'm worth as much as said other franchise players. If rogers loses Jose they'll be roast with this fan base. Lost 2 key players in one offseason because they wanted to be cheap.

 

Apparently its Jose asking for a number, his agent had nothing to do with it. He's a pretty honest guy, so I think it played out like he said it did.