Blue Jays Sign Jose Bautista

[Brownie19]

So confused on what the actual end game is? They clearly didn't want to tear the team down and rebuild but they aren't going all in either. It's almost like Shapiro is gunna keep a semi competitive team and maybe hoard prospects through the draft?

 

Anybody have a better idea on what the teams actually doing?

 

um...I think you nailed it.

 

They appear to be plugging holes with short term deals until some of the prospects are ready to contribute. If they are able to sign Valbeuna or Moss and maybe a bullpen arm or two, then with the advancement of Stro, Sanchez, Travis, etc. and a full season of Liriano, there's a chance this team is better than last years.....all while stockpiling prospects and without handcuffing the budget long term.

[Governator]

True but it's weird that way, imo I don't think Bautista will pick that option up if he has a season better than last season and the Jays probably won't pick it up if he has a season like last season... who knows

 

Yea it's going to totally depend on how his season goes. If he improves a bit from last season I could see middle ground on just agreeing to the contract. He'd need to have an outstanding year at the plate, with little injuries to decline it to chase something like a 2 year $50MM contract elsewhere. After his experience in this free agency he might not want to do that again and most teams will see him as a very expensive DH/1B option if he were to go that route.

[TwistedLogic]

Curious to see how the mutual optition works. Is it as simple as each side going yes or no on it and it kicks in if both say yes?

 

As simple as that.

 

That is a weird structure... mutual option is lower than 2017 but the 2019 is worth more than 2017. I wonder how the 2019 vests, the way it's displayed it looks like if the 2018 offer is accepted then 2019 will vest, essentially the mutual option being resigning him for 2 years/$37M hmmm. Might be one of the few times a mutual option actually gets triggered but I still doubt we see that

 

It's really quite creative on the side of the Blue Jays. If Bautista sucks, the rest of the deal is moot anyway. But if he's good, and the vesting requirements are realistic, he might seriously consider triggering his side of the mutual option and look at a 2/37M deal.

[Ehjays]

Happy to have Bautista back but my favourite part about this deal is it seems all Jay Bruce rumours have disappeared!

[xposbrad]

did they mention the details on how the 2019 option vests?

[TwistedLogic]

So confused on what the actual end game is? They clearly didn't want to tear the team down and rebuild but they aren't going all in either. It's almost like Shapiro is gunna keep a semi competitive team and maybe hoard prospects through the draft?

 

Anybody have a better idea on what the teams actually doing?

 

I hate this whole "end game" narrative. Yeah, some s***** teams go all-in (see: Phillies, Tigers) and some s***** teams go all-out (see: Royals, Athletics). Some teams find ways to do both at the same time (see: Cardinals, Red Sox, Dodgers). Shapiro and Atkins have managed this team like a top-5 front office since taking over. They've sold exactly 0 players and have still padded the system with Harold Ramirez, Reese McGuire, Lourdes Gurriel and a first round pick without giving up any tangible assets. Even going back to the Vlad Guerrero signing, the Jays have shown that they can acquire legit minor league talent without having to tear the team down.

 

I also don't understand what "semi-competitive" means. Do you gauge how competitive a team is by how many Top-3 free agents they sign? Between Happ, Estrada, Pearce, Morales and Bautista, they've made five major free agent signings in the last two offseasons. Are they "semi-competitive" just because they didn't sign Edwin and Price?

[Laika]

I hate this whole "end game" narrative. Yeah, some s***** teams go all-in (see: Phillies, Tigers) and some s***** teams go all-out (see: Royals, Athletics). Some teams find ways to do both at the same time (see: Cardinals, Red Sox, Dodgers). Shapiro and Atkins have managed this team like a top-5 front office since taking over. They've sold exactly 0 players and have still padded the system with Harold Ramirez, Reese McGuire, Lourdes Gurriel and a first round pick without giving up any tangible assets. Even going back to the Vlad Guerrero signing, the Jays have shown that they can acquire legit minor league talent without having to tear the team down.

 

I also don't understand what "semi-competitive" means. Do you gauge how competitive a team is by how many Top-3 free agents they sign? Between Happ, Estrada, Pearce, Morales and Bautista, they've made five major free agent signings in the last two offseasons. Are they "semi-competitive" just because they didn't sign Edwin and Price?

 

Not to mention, even if a team has designs on making a run and pushing some chips in, the offseason is a f***ing terrible time to do that. The trade deadline is when that type of gamble should happen. Much less risk if your team is already sitting in first place after 60% of the season.

[RealAccountant]

Nobody hates Shapiro more than I

 

But that is a great deal

[CBlake]

So what type of season do you see where the 2018 option is picked up by both parties?

[THANOS]

So what type of season do you see where the 2018 option is picked up by both parties?

 

135 wRC+, 25-35 HR, .850 OPS

 

Something like that seems like a good middle ground.

[burlingtonbandit]

This is an interesting structure, if he has a monster year in 2017 he won't automatically decline his option since 2019 pays him 20 million at age 39 (and have to assume the criteria for vesting would be reached in 2018).

 

Or he could just decline it, and sign for a guaranteed deal that pays him more... I don't see any way that mutual option is picked up

[Dr. Dinger]

Or he could just decline it, and sign for a guaranteed deal that pays him more... I don't see any way that mutual option is picked up

 

The vesting option for the 3rd year I think adds a wrinkle that could make it more likely for Jose to pick up his option for year 2.

[Dr. Dinger]

It's almost like Shapiro is gunna keep a semi competitive team and maybe hoard prospects through the draft?

 

How is this team "semi" competitive? The Jays have made the ALCS in consecutive seasons and were favoured to win both times.

[Laika]

The vesting option for the 3rd year I think adds a wrinkle that could make it more likely for Jose to pick up his option for year 2.

 

But, anything that makes it more likely for Jose to pick up the mutual makes it less likely that the team would pick it up. So I don't think it makes the mutual option more likely to be exercised.

 

Have we heard the final structure? I wonder if it's possible that the 2019 vests based on 2017 conditions, and involves the 2018 turning into a vested option in the process. IIRC Aaron Hill had a contract that contained some weird type of multi-year vesting options.

[CBlake]

135 wRC+, 25-35 HR, .850 OPS

 

Something like that seems like a good middle ground.

 

I would like to see him get at least 30 HR and 100 RBIs with the average up. There is no doubt he is an aging slugger. In another time his biggest offer might have been Japan.

[G-Snarls]

did they mention the details on how the 2019 option vests?

 

No one has reported on this yet, no

[burlingtonbandit]

The vesting option for the 3rd year I think adds a wrinkle that could make it more likely for Jose to pick up his option for year 2.

 

If he has a good enough year he should be able to get 2/37 guaranteed at least if not just more $ on the FA market. I mean he had a bad year this year and the Blue Jays were willing to have signed him to a 2nd guaranteed year this offseason.

 

The only way I see a mutual option being picked up was if there was a buyout of over $4M and Jose didn't get any of it if he declined.

[West Texas Forever]

Another Jays presser at 2pm today.

[glory]

Any scenario where Bautista picks up the option, the Jays will decline it. And vice versa.

 

It's a one year deal.

[G-Snarls]

[G-Snarls]

So it's purely a health option

 

Based on games played

[TwistedLogic]

The option vests with 300 games played between 2017-2018. Assuming "and healthy" means that he also cannot be on the disabled list at the end of 2018.

 

In other words, the option won't vest.

Edit: rip

[burlingtonbandit]

Lol yeah that isn't happening...

[G-Snarls]

[TwistedLogic]

18 in 17, 17 in 18, 20 in 19.

 

Was this deal just meant to trigger people with OCDs?

[TwistedLogic]

 

So he's not playing first base.

[BTS]

Why the f*** was this just not made into a 1/18.5 deal?

[Laika]

Why the f*** was this just not made into a 1/18.5 deal?

 

I'm thinking Jose might have been attracted to the optics of a deal that "technically" can be worth more. I dunno.

[G-Snarls]

The option vests with 300 games played between 2017-2018. Assuming "and healthy" means that he also cannot be on the disabled list at the end of 2018.

 

In other words, the option won't vest.

Edit: rip

 

= 1 year deal and that's fine

[intentional wok]

With the new 10-day DL, that means Jose's leeway is roughly two minimum-time trips to the DL + praying Gibby doesn't give him a day off here and there. Could easily become another Frank Thomas situation.

 

This all depends on '18 getting mutually approved though, which is unlikely. Jose is very likely better off finding guaranteed money after this year... but I guess the option is still there. Plus it'll very likely put the onus on Jose for leaving Toronto. If he has a good year and bails, it's on him. If he has a bad year and the team cuts ties, very few will be upset. Jose will also get a second chance to bet on himself, which is funny/sad.