Do you offer Saudners a QO?

[Brownie19]

I would absolutely offer it to him because I think both possible outcomes are good for us. He's an excellent fit for a team that needs a corner outfielder, needs a lefty bat, and has an extreme groundball staff. Perhaps we shouldn't overreact to one year of UZR or RISP data when the track record suggests they may both be outliers.

 

We only have one "sans meniscus" year to go off man. You want to fool yourself by suggesting his defense was fine when he still had all his knee? Be my guest.

[Brownie19]

Qualifying Offer? I don't even want him in our lineup RIGHT NOW, let alone next year at $17M

[Terminator]

They'll probably trade for someone then. Its not like the Jays are going to go into next year with Upton and Pompey starting full time.. Upton will be in a platoon and another OF will be brought in.

 

They could just sign Pearce to play LF or RF and then platoon Upton and Pompey in the other spot. Pompey is a switch-hitter but almost every year in the minors his splits favor him against right-handed pitching.

[baubau]

They'll probably trade for someone then.

 

What list of names are available in a trade? What would the Jays be willing to give up?

 

Its not like the Jays are going to go into next year with Upton and Pompey starting full time.. Upton will be in a platoon and another OF will be brought in.

 

Isn't this more of a reason to QO Saunders?

 

They could just sign Pearce to play LF or RF and then platoon Upton and Pompey in the other spot. Pompey is a switch-hitter but almost every year in the minors his splits favor him against right-handed pitching.

 

I def like the idea of signing Pearce. Think Boxy noted it earlier as well, but not sure if he signs here.

[jays4life19]

I'd offer it. Saunders on a one year deal is not the worst thing in the world given the outlook of our OF situation next year.

[Governator]

The question is if we don't give Saunders a QO, what does the deal look like to get him back cheaper? Does he think he's worth more than a 2 year + option deal?

[Terminator]

I def like the idea of signing Pearce. Think Boxy noted it earlier as well, but not sure if he signs here.

 

I've been on his nuts for a while so I'd just outbid everyone on a two year deal and tell him that he'd be playing full time as an OF/1B for a contending team in a cool city with a packed stadium. The Jays ST facilities are about an hour from where he grew up too. I'd throw in a team option with a buyout (to up the total value) on the third even.

 

I don't think it'd cost this much but I'd give him 2 years/24 mill plus an option with a 2 mil buyout or something like that if that is what it takes. If we want him I think we could definitely get him.

[Grant77]

We only have one "sans meniscus" year to go off man. You want to fool yourself by suggesting his defense was fine when he still had all his knee? Be my guest.

 

I don't need to suggest that his defense was fine before his knee problems because it's an outright fact. I don't see what it has to do with this discussion though. A good lefty bat is a great fit here. We can live with below average D in the corner outfield.

[Laika]

Michael Saunders' defense is perfectly cromulent!

[Dr. Dinger]

el oh el

 

See this is why you consistently get voted Funniest Poster!

[burlingtonbandit]

I've been on his nuts for a while so I'd just outbid everyone on a two year deal and tell him that he'd be playing full time as an OF/1B for a contending team in a cool city with a packed stadium. The Jays ST facilities are about an hour from where he grew up too. I'd throw in a team option with a buyout (to up the total value) on the third even.

 

I don't think it'd cost this much but I'd give him 2 years/24 mill plus an option with a 2 mil buyout or something like that if that is what it takes. If we want him I think we could definitely get him.

 

He's getting pretty old himself, how bad defensively is he in the OF?

[Terminator]

He's getting pretty old himself, how bad defensively is he in the OF?

 

Pearce? Good question he hasn't played there much this year; I doubt it's great. His UZR at 1B is holding up pretty well though.

[Spanky99]

What looked like a slam dunk earlier now looks like a real question: do you offer Saunders a QO, likely to be in the vicinity of $17M? He's been healthy this year, but has been below average, sitting at 1.4 fWAR thanks to truly awful OF defense. Given that a healthy Saunders looks like a 1-2 win player, and that he has a history of not being healthy, the odds are probably against him putting up the ~2 wins required to be worth the salary he'd get with a QO.

 

I'm pretty sure I'd just let him walk.

 

This was posted up in July I think, and I was all for it. Now, I wouldn't, he's been horrawful this 2nd half.

[Spanky99]

Michael Saunders' defense is perfectly cromulent!

 

lol

[KingKat]

Considering Shapiro/Atkins went after Bruce, who likely won't outperform Saunders next season

 

Even after this putrid second half season, Saunders still has a full win over Bruce which surprised me. Bruce really sucks. In hindsight, that non-trade looks pretty dumb even if I do understand the rationale.

[KingKat]

The question is if we don't give Saunders a QO, what does the deal look like to get him back cheaper? Does he think he's worth more than a 2 year + option deal?

 

I doubt it. I think he's probably pretty easily signable for less than the q.o. amount and I could see it happening. The new front office seems to take a bird in the hand approach so if they can get him signed early at a cost that makes sense, I think they might do that rather than take chances in the FA market. Really depends how their opinion of his health has evolved. Do they see him as someone who has turned the corner health wise of do they see him as a injury waiting to happen that's somehow been miraculously dodged in 2016. If they're not too worried about his health, they'll ink him.

[Jonn]

No thanks

[Laika]

The Saunders decision also might be secondary and dependant on the Bautista situation, like it or not.

[KingKat]

The Saunders decision also might be secondary and dependant on the Bautista situation, like it or not.

 

I you're talking about the decision to q.o., I think it's safe to say that Saunders has made that decision already with his poor play but if you're talking about whether to try to extend him at a better cost then yeah... It could come down to how the Bautista situation (and to some extent the Eddie situation too) get resolved. You only want to run out so many pylons out there even with a DH spot to work with.

[Laika]

Saunders would auto-accept a QO so the obvious answer to that question is to not offer him one. If eventually he would sign back for less AAV then I think that might be a cromulent situation.

[Jonn]

Hard to picture Bautista is another uniform. He was pretty clear he wanted to stay. People always go back to what he said on the first day of Spring but not the countless other things he has said. You can call it backtracking but people seem to think he wants out unless we overpay him.

 

I just hope he comes back as a 1B/DH. He has experienced playing First Base I can see him making the transition.

[glory]

Saunders would accept the QO seconds after he found out it was offered. I'd pass. No team is going to lose a pick for him, and 1/17 is way too much money for him on a one year deal.

 

Pearce would be good. Gomez would be good (though he may not be a buy low anymore with the way he is hitting for Texas). There are options.

[WONDERBAT]

Honestly I'm expecting Bautista back, he's been clear he wants to stay here. He's trying pretty hard to integrate himself in the city for his future, he won't have that rapport anywhere else.

[admin]

This is as bad as the Grilli question. No way I give him a QO. Sadly, if we give Smoak an extension, it wouldn't surprise me if something was done.

.182/.280 in 52 games in the second half. Funny his decline started right at the break. He was hitting .298/.372 .923OPS at the break and was all downhill since.

[Terminator]

Honestly I'm expecting Bautista back, he's been clear he wants to stay here. He's trying pretty hard to integrate himself in the city for his future, he won't have that rapport anywhere else.

 

I agree with that sentiment but Shatkins will still have to pony up and pay him market rate. For example, if we offer 2 for 40 and someone offers 3 for 60 he'll probably just forego whatever roots/endorsement deals he has in Toronto and take the extra 20 million.

[RealAccountant]

Do we have any speculation on what happened to him? Was it just fatigue?

[Maahfaace]

Do we have any speculation on what happened to him? Was it just fatigue?

 

He was putting up Collabello like BABIP numbers in the first half, and was seriously due for regression in the 2nd half. I didn't think he would crash this hard though, he's been absolute s*** these last 3 months.

[Stangstag]

This is as bad as the Grilli question. No way I give him a QO. Sadly, if we give Smoak an extension, it wouldn't surprise me if something was done.

.182/.280 in 52 games in the second half. Funny his decline started right at the break. He was hitting .298/.372 .923OPS at the break and was all downhill since.

 

I'm pretty sure he still played well in July. Fell off a cliff at the start of August though

[reedjohnsonfan]

I will make a shrine to Shatkins if we replace Saunders with Pearce @7-8mm per. Swear to Jesus I will.

 

Pearce will be 34 and barely eclipsed 100 games in his career one time- what makes you think he's a productive player over a full season, if that's what you're saying? Sure if the team is looking to squeeze value maybe, but if they plan on contending they need to do better. Signing Pearce to be a starter is a terrible idea IMO.

[Frenchsoup]

No.