Justin Smoak contract extension

[G-Snarls]

[Angrioter]

Atkins: Smoak extension doesn't impact ability to sign Encarnacion

Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins attempted to make it abundantly clear that the signing of first baseman Justin Smoak to an extension in no way handcuffs the team moving forward.

 

"It has no impact on our ability to sign Edwin Encarnacion, or anyone else for that matter," Atkins told Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.

Smoak agreed to a two-year, $8.25-million extension on Saturday, keeping the hulking switch-hitter in Toronto through the 2018 season. The 29-year-old has appeared exclusively at first base this season following an 80-game suspension to platoon partner Chris Colabello for performance-enhancing drugs. He's hitting .234/.333/.402 with nine home runs and 78 strikeouts.

 

The Blue Jays are on the verge of a highly important offseason with Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, Michael Saunders, and R.A. Dickey among Toronto's most notable impending free agents. With Smoak locked up, the Blue Jays now have roughly $88 million guaranteed to six players for next season.

 

Encarnacion has already let the front office know that he will not be negotiating a new contract during the season and will move forward with his next contract during the winter.

 

The 33-year-old, who leads the majors with 80 RBIs, is expected to be heavily coveted and has already been pitched by retiring designated hitter David Ortiz to be his possible successor in Boston.

[CrackerJack]

I get that, I just don't see the reasoning for this, they going to build around a f***ing softball hitting player in Smoak lol

 

maybe Shapiro doesn't like sell out crowds and thru the roof tv ratings?

[RealAccountant]

maybe Shapiro doesn't like sell out crowds and thru the roof tv ratings?

 

They killed the Indians Franchise for quite some time.

[puphood]

I wonder how long Smoak had to ponder this over before he signed?......

[43211234]

Josh Thole 3 years extension next

 

Good idea.

 

Maybe they should buy out Tepera's arb years with an extension, too.

[CrackerJack]

Ya I think 5 of those are basically AA regime moves. Estrada, Happ, Barney, Chavez and Carrera.

 

Saunders and prospects for Bruce was a pretty dumb attempt. This signing is pretty dumb.

 

I'm not saying this FO is like the D-Backs or anything, but I would have expected more. I think we all would have if we're being honest.

 

yeah, and the two most significant off season moves - signing Estrada & Happ - happened while LaCava was the interim GM.

[jays4life19]

Good idea.

 

Maybe they should buy out Tepera's arb years with an extension, too.

 

Nah. Need to save $$ to lock up Ryan Goins long term.

[fireballW]

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/9iwMPyg.png

 

Underwhelming. So far the only bright spots have been the signings of guys who the Jays were already targeting under AA.

[BTS]

lol, so this regime gets no credit for actually signing someone like JA Happ to a very good contract because there may have been internal discussions about doing it before they arrived here?

[fireballW]

lol what a stupid deal. I was hoping he would be benched in favour of having Bautista DH. He's a below average hitter and fielder at 1st base who strikes out a ton. I mean 8.5 Million isn't much but still he's a dime a dozen player who you can get for cheap.

 

Rowdy Tellez could probably do about the same offensively as early as next year. He'd probably be a downgrade defensively from what I've heard, but still...

[fireballW]

lol, so this regime gets no credit for actually signing someone like JA Happ to a very good contract because there may have been internal discussions about doing it before they arrived here?

 

May have been?

[RealAccountant]

Smoak playing dividend already

[Angrioter]

Smoak stats after the deal

 

.000/.000/.000

[BTS]

May have been?

 

This might come as a surprise, but there would have been internal discussions about every major free agent on the market. Everyone knew in November what Happ was, it's not like AA unearthed some secret gem before departing. 100% credit to the guys who made the contract happen.

[gbill2004]

This is clearly Edwin insurance.

[Doc]

Who in their right mind would give him that much money, the guy is lucky to make contact most days. All the revenue rogers is bringing in and they wan the lowest payroll possible so they can pocket the rest.

[o2cui2i]

Smoak is living proof that you can make a pretty good living being an underachiever.

 

 

not a signing I thought would happen.

[fireballW]

This might come as a surprise, but there would have been internal discussions about every major free agent on the market. Everyone knew in November what Happ was, it's not like AA unearthed some secret gem before departing. 100% credit to the guys who made the contract happen.

 

He was at the top of their list. You really think if AA was there that this wouldn't have happened? Come on.

[BTS]

He was at the top of their list. You really think if AA was there that this wouldn't have happened? Come on.

 

We should credit AA with the Grilli trade too. He mentioned a few times that he recognized he was a good reliever. I'm sure the Biagini pick was him too. Great offseason for AA!

[Angrioter]

He was at the top of their list. You really think if AA was there that this wouldn't have happened? Come on.

 

Maybe S-Read-Foley, Maese and Pentecost for Jon Niese

[fireballW]

We should credit AA with the Grilli trade too. He mentioned a few times that he recognized he was a good reliever. I'm sure the Biagini pick was him too. Great offseason for AA!

 

My post was not to give credit to AA, it is to point out that Shapiro and even moreso Atkins don't deserve any of the credit.

[BTS]

My post was not to give credit to AA, it is to point out that Shapiro and even moreso Atkins don't deserve any of the credit.

 

And my post was to point out that that's f***ing stupid.

[ElNik2013]

This is nothing to get worried about but the timing is questionable to say the least. Still meh though.

 

 

If signing Happ was so good, does this now mean that those in the f/o that liked him since way back in his Phillies days were at least somewhat right?

 

Was trading for Estrada also good since re-signing him was also good?

 

I seem to remember many being against trading for Happ and for Estrada. What about trying to trade for a defensively-challenged player?

 

Was picking up Carrera good or what? Basically, the Jays got Travis and Carrera for Anthony Gose. Also, I think most here would have rather traded Pillar than Gose at the time that trade happened. Phew, thankfully cooler heads prevailed.

 

 

Biggest positive about Shapiro is that he's the president over Beeston and gets to set the vision for the franchise. The GM is tasked with making moves to fulfill the vision set out by the president. I'm pretty confident that Shapiro won't try to change the plan for his GM for his own legacy.

 

On the other hand, that huge no-playoffs-since'93 monkey is off the franchise's back. Great attendance and ratings also help.

 

Team is pretty f***ing good. Keep calm.

[glory]

My post was not to give credit to AA, it is to point out that Shapiro and even moreso Atkins don't deserve any of the credit.

 

Lol, that's ridiculous.

[glory]

As far as Smoak, not a fan of this one. Could have waited until the off season, I'm sure an option as good as Smoak (or Smoak himself) would have been out there for similar dollars.

[frizzer1]

Smoak is lucky to be in the league at all......and they extend him?

Lunacy!

[TheHurl]

He was at the top of their list. You really think if AA was there that this wouldn't have happened? Come on.

 

AA had decided to leave long before the season ended so I don't believe that at all.

[glory]

AA had decided to leave long before the season ended so I don't believe that at all.

 

You mean the guy who promoted 20-year old's from A+ to the Majors rather than letting them develop and went for broke in July when the team was .500 had no long-term intentions in mind? Crazy.

 

I agree, AA was gone the moment Shapiro came on board, and probably before that as well. He knew it, Shapiro knew it, and everyone else did. Giving him credit for anything that happened after he left is ridiculous.

[thatoneguy]

Stupid move.