Blue Jays Sign Jose Bautista

[West Texas Forever]

Hell yes

 

I heard he licks his fingers before he swipes the page on his tablet while reading.

[intentional wok]

Is Bautista really petty enough that the optics of a potential 60M deal were important even though there's like a 99+% chance it's 1/18.5? It's ridiculous that they even spent time negotiating this silly contract beyond the 1/18.5 term.

 

He's an aging superstar who played negotiator through the media and then put in an injury-plagued season to the point where no one wanted him period. I'd say there was probably some considerable despair on his end.

 

Though it might be more possible that Shatkins did all these gymnastics as optics to Jose. A convoluted deal like this seems to show considerably more interest than a one-year take-it-or-leave-it. Plus they'd know that he's probably embittered and gave him something potentially large to roll around in his head. Allowing someone to pick at a convoluted deal on his own terms is a good way of making someone think it was his own idea in the first place, which is great for managing larger egos.

 

Who knows, though. I don't think Jose is that gullible either, and his agent would certainly be sharp enough to advise him about every possible angle. Maybe it's a bit of everything.

[Governator]

attendance bonuses? lol what next, ownership stake?

[KingKat]

He's an aging superstar who played negotiator through the media and then put in an injury-plagued season to the point where no one wanted him period. I'd say there was probably some considerable despair on his end.

 

Though it might be more possible that Shatkins did all these gymnastics as optics to Jose. A convoluted deal like this seems to show considerably more interest than a one-year take-it-or-leave-it.

 

Bautista also has an utter tool as his agent. That may have factored in.

[intentional wok]

Bautista also has an utter tool as his agent. That may have factored in.

 

I edited my post to add more detail, but you'll have to clue me in. I have zero knowledge about agents whatsoever except for knowing Scott Boras is a tough customer.

[TwistedLogic]

The largest factor in making this deal is 100% Jose Bautista the player versus the remaining free agent options, don't kid yourself. If the deal was about optics they wouldn't have waited until January 2017 to sign Bautista, needless options and incentives aside. Sure maybe they added some fluff so it makes them look better to the public, but this signing is all about how Jose can help the Blue Jays in 2017 and possibly beyond.

 

I probably worded that poorly. I meant beyond actually signing Jose Bautista to play for the Blue Jays, the largest factor in how the contract was structured and why it took so long to sign. That last comment was meant to be facetious anyway, even if I do believe that Bautista is an egomaniac.

[G-Snarls]

Bautista massively outperformed his team friendly contract for 5 years and then let everyone know he wasn't happy about it and that he deserved/wanted a massive payday. And now he isn't getting it. He is almost certainly petty enough to try and wrangle options/bonuses in order to save face even if he realistically just signed essentially a 1 year deal.

[burlingtonbandit]

attendance bonuses? lol what next, ownership stake?

 

Lets hope. Maybe that finally gets Rogers to put more $ back into the team.

[G-Snarls]

Bautista also has an utter tool as his agent. That may have factored in.

 

No idea what you're talking about

 

[KingKat]

I edited my post to add more detail, but you'll have to clue me in. I have zero knowledge about agents whatsoever except for knowing Scott Boras is a tough customer.

 

s*** I misspoke. I had him mixed up with Dan Lozano.

[Muck Bartinez]

I like having him back, but it really works out to a 1 year, ~25M+ deal, depending on how much you value the comp pick we no longer will get.

 

There's no scenario where the mutual option is agreed upon. With teams not having to forfeit a 1st round draft pick to sign Jose next year (new CBA), I don't see any way the mutual option is picked up. Jose should easily be able to outdo 1-17 or 2-37 on the market if he has a decent year this year, especially since teams like NY and Boston could get in on the bidding without worrying about that draft pick.

 

He would have to have an atrocious year to want to accept the 1-17 for next year, and in that case there's no chance the Jays will bite on that.

 

If this signing doesn't prevent us from making the other moves we need to make, then perfect. If this is it, then I would have much rather kept the pick and spread the money out towards other needs.

[glory]

Is Bautista really petty enough

 

Yes.

[Governator]

Yes.

 

well lets check our hot rankings to be sure.

[BTS]

I still think everyone missed the point of Bautista's spring comments last year. He was calling out ownership. He obviously loves the city and the fans.

 

He was mostly saying that Rogers can afford to pay him 150M. They can afford him 10 times over was his point.

 

Everyone understood what he was doing.

[TholesWeirdEye]

So then why was everyone mad? He had a point.

 

Probably due to the way he went about it. Going to the media in ST.

[o2cui2i]

 

remember when they say Frank Thomas so he wouldn't get the AB he needed to get his bonus?

 

Jose will have to be very good and healthy to get there. All they need to do is rest him 15 games per year and he doesn't make it.

[Governator]

I like having him back, but it really works out to a 1 year, ~25M+ deal, depending on how much you value the comp pick we no longer will get.

 

There's no scenario where the mutual option is agreed upon. With teams not having to forfeit a 1st round draft pick to sign Jose next year (new CBA), I don't see any way the mutual option is picked up. Jose should easily be able to outdo 1-17 or 2-37 on the market if he has a decent year this year, especially since teams like NY and Boston could get in on the bidding without worrying about that draft pick.

 

He would have to have an atrocious year to want to accept the 1-17 for next year, and in that case there's no chance the Jays will bite on that.

 

If this signing doesn't prevent us from making the other moves we need to make, then perfect. If this is it, then I would have much rather kept the pick and spread the money out towards other needs.

 

 

Considering he just went through hell on the FA market, he might not want to do that again and the vesting option is pretty enticing for an aging player to sign the mutual agreement. I mean if he has a 150 wRC+ season then yea sure test the market again. You have to remember teams would be signing him as a DH (maybe 1B) at that point and paying > $20MM for a 38 yr old in a multi-year deal is rare when he'd have a similar offer available to him.

 

Also worth pointing out there was a chance Bautista had no other options and would have rather waited until June to make a deal had we not signed him in which case we get no pick.

[Jonn]

remember when they say Frank Thomas so he wouldn't get the AB he needed to get his bonus?

 

Jose will have to be very good and healthy to get there. All they need to do is rest him 15 games per year and he doesn't make it.

 

It will never get to that point anyway.

[admin]

I'm okay with this deal. What a rude awakening for him. I'm sure he thought he was going to get $25M per at multiple years.

[polar bear]

Must include playoff games too. 150K really is comparably nothing compared to the rest of it, but if the team just pulls in people all year and gets some postseason home games in he'll get one more 150K lump.

 

3.5 million tickets sold is a stretch to begin with, though. Very possible he doesn't get any of these bonuses. If the team has one of its familiar slow starts, no chance for 3.5M.

 

 

 

Bautista massively outperformed his team friendly contract for 5 years and then let everyone know he wasn't happy about it and that he deserved/wanted a massive payday. And now he isn't getting it. He is almost certainly petty enough to try and wrangle options/bonuses in order to save face even if he realistically just signed essentially a 1 year deal.

In an nutshell snarls.

[fatcowxlive]

Damn I don't get this contract at all? Maybe Atkins wanted him for 18.5M max on a one year deal and Bautista/Alou were petty enough to draw out an insane and pretty pointless contract. Just for shits and giggles. Like Atkins offered 1 year/18.5M and Bautista negotiated for X amount of time to add all this other confusing BS when I'm sure he'll be a free agent after pocketing 18.5M lol

 

The only thing that maybe kinda makes some sense is the attendance bonuses... maybe? The argument that Bautista is more than just a player who can give you solid power hitting but also draws crowds? Bautista maybe is going to take over the marketing gig too??? Lol

 

Also wtf is this the first contact ever to have a vesting option following an option???? So basically to vest 2019 he's going to need to both have his mutual option exercised and miss max 24 games across 2 seasons (DH?)

[Terminator]

Damn I don't get this contract at all? Maybe Atkins wanted him for 18.5M max on a one year deal and Bautista/Alou were petty enough to draw out an insane and pretty pointless contract. Just for shits and giggles. Like Atkins offered 1 year/18.5M and Bautista negotiated for X amount of time to add all this other confusing BS when I'm sure he'll be a free agent after pocketing 18.5M lol

 

The only thing that maybe kinda makes some sense is the attendance bonuses... maybe? The argument that Bautista is more than just a player who can give you solid power hitting but also draws crowds? Bautista maybe is going to take over the marketing gig too??? Lol

 

Also wtf is this the first contact ever to have a vesting option following an option???? So basically to vest 2019 he's going to need to both have his mutual option exercised and miss max 24 games across 2 seasons (DH?)

 

Never underestimate the amount of frivolous legalese that a room full of contract attorneys can come up with.

[KingoftheNorth]

Glad he's back. The pain of losing EE and Jose would've been too much.

[King]

Glad he's back. The pain of losing EE and Jose would've been too much.

 

Hello Sir

[KingoftheNorth]

Hello Sir

 

hello

[G-Snarls]

Good God, we have another Dogg/Zee on our hands

 

WITAF

[BTS]

Listening to Effectively Wild, and Ben apparently asked Mike Petriello if Bautista's home to first times declined in 2016 relative to 2015, and Mike wouldn't give him the numbers because Bautista's 2016 times were so bad that he wasn't sure they were accurate.

 

Bautista could put up some legendary UZR numbers if left in the OF all year.

[West Texas Forever]

Jays presser set for 10am today, I will send you all the link when it's up.

[Dr. Dinger]

Listening to Effectively Wild, and Ben apparently asked Mike Petriello if Bautista's home to first times declined in 2016 relative to 2015, and Mike wouldn't give him the numbers because Bautista's 2016 times were so bad that he wasn't sure they were accurate.

 

Bautista could put up some legendary UZR numbers if left in the OF all year.

 

Lol at home to first times for a slugger in his mid 30s. Most of these guys haven't hustled out an infield grounder in years. David Ortiz barely left the batter's box. Yes, his OF range is garbage, but I wouldn't use home to first time as a proxy for speed. Bautista doesn't sprint down the line to first, nor do I want him to at his age... he's liable to blow a hammy and miss 3 months.

[West Texas Forever]

Follow the stream here everyone!

 

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/watch-live-blue-jays-gm-ross-atkins-jose-bautista-signing/