Rick Westhead: Jose Bautista seeks 5 years $150M

[Stangstag]

So on top of making this a story/distraction in February when all he had to do was keep quiet, he also is apparently asking for one of the biggest contracts in history from an AAV standpoint. He was also so vague about the details of the 'take it or leave it' contract, that he tried to make his employer look bad/cheap in the process to a fan base that is already largely against the ownership group. Now this s*** comes out, which might just be Rogers retaliating by making Bautista look like a delusional star valuing money over team/loyalty/whatever, but now Rosenthal is confirming it (I trust him more than any other reporter).

 

You know how this could have been avoided? Do what Ross Atkins did when he took to the media yesterday. Say nothing. Keep it in house. That would have upset one of the posters here (forgot his username) who wants all private matters to be discussed freely in public, but in reality, no one would have been talking about this if Bautista just said "I'm not going to talk about this so stop asking", or something along those lines.

 

On top of that, with his 10/5 rights, he can't be traded unless he approves, and the Jays don't benefit by trading him unless they get someone who can help their 2016 window, plus provide value beyond 2016. The only guy like that I can think of is Puig if the Dodgers were willing to sell low on account of his high douche bag credentials, but trading Bats for prospects would kill off a season that is there for the taking while not guaranteeing anything beyond 2016 either.

 

Oh well. Hope for the best in 2016, wish Bautista well on his future club in 2017, and move on.

 

Yeah Bautista has always been pretty bad with the media. He has a big mouth.

 

I'm just waiting for the inevitable complaints about the Turf now.

[KingKat]

The most likely source is the blue jays.

 

No, the most likely source is Rick Westhead's ass.

 

What the real reporters are reporting now is that he got the AAV wrong and the length wrong so what did he do exactly except take a stab in the dark and come sort of close, maybe?

[Harvey_Specter]

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

 

Cons

- season long drama

- he will be gone at the end, 0% chance Shapiro keeps him

- whenever he plays against us he will punish us

 

Pros

- he's going to be a beast this year, playing with something to prove

- trade bait if jays are out of it

[youngtea]

I would hope the Jays let Bautista play this season out and become a UFA. I don't see anyone paying him $30 mil a season once he is 37 years old.

[youngtea]

Cons

- season long drama

- he will be gone at the end, 0% chance Shapiro keeps him

- whenever he plays against us he will punish us

 

Pros

- he's going to be a beast this year, playing with something to prove

- trade bait if jays are out of it

 

Best case scenario for the Jays. No point of even paying a 37 year old $25-30 mil a season when the market doesn't dictate his value that high.

[Dick_Pole]

The only way I could see any team coming close to Bautista's demands is if there are massive player performance clauses in it. I think that he thinks he's not going to decline like other players.

 

"Alright Jose, if you can OPS .900 or higher through 600+ PA as a DH in your age 40 season, we'll pay you your $30 million. If you suck ass, we're not guaranteeing you more than $10 million"

[KingKat]

Part of me is almost grateful to Jose for really simplifying any decisions concerning him.

[BTS]

So on top of making this a story/distraction in February when all he had to do was keep quiet, he also is apparently asking for one of the biggest contracts in history from an AAV standpoint. He was also so vague about the details of the 'take it or leave it' contract, that he tried to make his employer look bad/cheap in the process to a fan base that is already largely against the ownership group. Now this s*** comes out, which might just be Rogers retaliating by making Bautista look like a delusional star valuing money over team/loyalty/whatever, but now Rosenthal is confirming it (I trust him more than any other reporter).

 

You know how this could have been avoided? Do what Ross Atkins did when he took to the media yesterday. Say nothing. Keep it in house. That would have upset one of the posters here (forgot his username) who wants all private matters to be discussed freely in public, but in reality, no one would have been talking about this if Bautista just said "I'm not going to talk about this so stop asking", or something along those lines.

 

On top of that, with his 10/5 rights, he can't be traded unless he approves, and the Jays don't benefit by trading him unless they get someone who can help their 2016 window, plus provide value beyond 2016. The only guy like that I can think of is Puig if the Dodgers were willing to sell low on account of his high douche bag credentials, but trading Bats for prospects would kill off a season that is there for the taking while not guaranteeing anything beyond 2016 either.

 

Oh well. Hope for the best in 2016, wish Bautista well on his future club in 2017, and move on.

 

Yeah. He's been a joy to watch, but his prima donna act is really wearing thin. He's single-handedly engineered a bad situation right at the outset of camp. Just what you want from your best player.

[KingKat]

The only way I could see any team coming close to Bautista's demands is if there are massive player performance clauses in it. I think that he thinks he's not going to decline like other players.

 

"Alright Jose, if you can OPS .900 or higher through 600+ PA as a DH in your age 40 season, we'll pay you your $30 million. If you suck ass, we're not guaranteeing you more than $10 million"

 

IIRC, those kind clauses are a violation of the CBA. You can do playing time clauses and clauses for all star games and award voting but not for measured on field performance.

[glory]

Part of me is almost grateful to Jose for really simplifying any decisions concerning him.

 

Yeah, at least the fan base knows this will be his last season in Toronto so far in advance that they can prepare for it.

[Dick_Pole]

IIRC, those kind clauses are a violation of the CBA. You can do playing time clauses and clauses for all star games and award voting but not for measured on field performance.

 

You're probably right. Should have added assuming the CBA allows it. Although in Jose's case those clauses should definitely be a part of any deal for a team willing to make a 9-digit commitment.

[HERPDERP]

Cons

- season long drama

- he will be gone at the end, 0% chance Shapiro keeps him

- whenever he plays against us he will punish us

 

Pros

- he's going to be a beast this year, playing with something to prove

- trade bait if jays are out of it

 

he could do the Delgado and refused to waive his no-trade rights just as a f*** you

[glory]

he could do the Delgado and refused to waive his no-trade rights just as a f*** you

 

He would be free of any draft pick compensation if he was traded mid-season, so I don't think he would mind.

[BTS]

he could do the Delgado and refused to waive his no-trade rights just as a f*** you

 

This absolutely seems like something he would do.

[burlingtonbandit]

he could do the Delgado and refused to waive his no-trade rights just as a f*** you

 

In his interview the other day he alluded to that he would be open to a trade if the team wasn't in it. He didn't say those exact words but along the lines.

 

No player his age is going to waive a trade if they go from a losing team to a contender that has a chance to win the World Series all because of "getting back at the team".

[KingKat]

You're probably right. Should have added assuming the CBA allows it. Although in Jose's case those clauses should definitely be a part of any deal for a team willing to make a 9-digit commitment.

 

When I think of playing time clauses on aging players, I think of the Frank Thomas fiasco. Dude was hitting poorly and the team wanted to transition him into a platoon role. Dude had a fit because he felt the team was trying to weasel out of an option that was going to trigger if he got a certain amount of playing time (which the team probably WAS trying to weasel out of but not unjustifiably so). If Bautista's production declines and the teams starts feeling pressure to bench him more and he starts to think the team is being cheap... Yuck, don't want to go there.

[Abomination]

The only way I could see any team coming close to Bautista's demands is if there are massive player performance clauses in it. I think that he thinks he's not going to decline like other players.

 

"Alright Jose, if you can OPS .900 or higher through 600+ PA as a DH in your age 40 season, we'll pay you your $30 million. If you suck ass, we're not guaranteeing you more than $10 million"

 

They could structure the bonus on MVP voting or something. Maybe give him a $10M bonus if he finishes top 10 in voting. He's finished top 10 in 4 of the last 6 years, so it's not unreachable by any stretch.

[KingKat]

This absolutely seems like something he would do.

 

Well at least in this case, you can safely assume the team would q.o. him. With Delgado it was really a double whammy because the team was too afraid he would accept the offer and he left for literally nothing.

[burlingtonbandit]

When I think of playing time clauses on aging players, I think of the Frank Thomas fiasco. Dude was hitting poorly and the team wanted to transition him into a platoon role. Dude had a fit because he felt the team was trying to weasel out of an option that was going to trigger if he got a certain amount of playing time (which the team probably WAS trying to weasel out of but not unjustifiably so). If Bautista's production declines and the teams starts feeling pressure to bench him more and he starts to think the team is being cheap... Yuck, don't want to go there.

 

Yeah playing time incentives for position players can be disasters. If you want to go that route you can put in time on the DL and that kind of stuff.

[burlingtonbandit]

Well at least in this case, you can safely assume the team would q.o. him. With Delgado it was really a double whammy because the team was too afraid he would accept the offer and he left for literally nothing.

 

I still remember watching that 4 HR game vs Tampa. Still, one of the most impressive performances I've ever seen by an athlete.

[KingKat]

I still remember watching that 4 HR game vs Tampa. Still, one of the most impressive performances I've ever seen by an athlete.

 

Yeah Delgado was awesome and he didn't really create much lingering bitterness despite how poorly things went down. Bautista on the other hand seems to be preparing his heel turn.

[RealAccountant]

Signing Bautista to anything longer than 4 years would be a hug mistake.

 

I love hug mistakes

[xposbrad]

Why don't we make a list of teams that would be interested in paying a 36 year old DH 30m a year, hell, even 20m.

 

NYY/BOS/LAD (no DH so out)

 

I rule out NYY because they have made it known they are not interested in going after aging players to large contracts. Any other teams willing and can afford to pay JB at 36 years old who would play 1b then be most likely a dh 1-2 years later anything over 18m?

[Captain Adama]

Why don't we make a list of teams that would be interested in paying a 36 year old DH 30m a year, hell, even 20m.

 

NYY/BOS/LAD (no DH so out)

 

I rule out NYY because they have made it known they are not interested in going after aging players to large contracts. Any other teams willing and can afford to pay JB at 36 years old who would play 1b then be most likely a dh 1-2 years later anything over 18m?

 

CWS, Detroit

[intrigid]

This is like your childhood sweetheart telling you you'll stay a couple this summer but she's planning on f***ing other guys starting next year.

[RealAccountant]

Trade Donaldson too. He will want more money too.

 

Also Stromans sooner or later he will want fmv too

 

Trade Vlad Jr as well

 

Trade for 10 year old kids we will win in 2030/

[admin]

The problem with Jose is that he is so arrogant he thinks he will be hitting 40HR at age 40 and deserves $30M per year.

[KingKat]

The problem with Jose is that he is so arrogant he thinks he will be hitting 40HR at age 40 and deserves $30M per year.

 

He'll probably end up settling for something that the Blue Jays could have given him but by then it will be too late.

[G-Snarls]

 

 

[burlingtonbandit]

The problem with Jose is that he is so arrogant he thinks he will be hitting 40HR at age 40 and deserves $30M per year.

 

I think the problem is he went public. All star players think like that including guys on his own team like Donaldson. JD probably wanted a ridiculous long term contract this offseason that would of made us all think he was crazy too. Difference is he kept it to himself and his agent.