Toronto Blue Jays Rebuilding Thread

[Captain Adama]

As we start into this potential rebuild, what kind of guys should the Jays target in free agency? I'd like to see them supplement their young core with some big names like Otani (if he's ever posted) and Harper. I know it's unlikely, but I'd like to see the Jays make a run at some big names if the rest of the squad is young, cheap and controllable.

 

That won't be the case for the time being.

[Abomination]

As we start into this potential rebuild, what kind of guys should the Jays target in free agency? I'd like to see them supplement their young core with some big names like Otani (if he's ever posted) and Harper. I know it's unlikely, but I'd like to see the Jays make a run at some big names if the rest of the squad is young, cheap and controllable.

 

I'd love to be all over Otani. I don't see us being involved in the other big name free agents though.

[Cbert]

That won't be the case for the time being.

 

Well I'm only saying this if the jays sell off veteran assets this year for younger guys. If the rebuild is a 2-3 year process, a guy like Otani would make sense even if it's this offseason that he's posted. Harper is more of a pipe dream, I'd just like to see this team make some noise somewhere in that crop of free agents. Anyways, the Jays have some decent positional prospects in the system, it's more pitching they need to target.

[Jonn]

I'd love to be all over Otani. I don't see us being involved in the other big name free agents though.

 

Traditionally this team likes to trade for massive contracts giving up assets!

[burlingtonbandit]

So do Estrada, Liriano and Bautista even return value? At this point they'd basically all be salary dumps.

[Jonn]

So do Estrada, Liriano and Bautista even return value? At this point they'd basically all be salary dumps.

 

If they perform well in July. They all have value. We won't get nearly the return we thought we would get though and that's disappointing. Estrada looked amazing through May.

[Abomination]

So do Estrada, Liriano and Bautista even return value? At this point they'd basically all be salary dumps.

 

Nothing necessarily wrong with dumping salary. It can open up other opportunities elsewhere.

[Abomination]

As for this year, depending on the cost Jed Lowrie would be a really nice addition. He's apparently very available, controllable for next year if we wish, and is pretty versatile. His bat is up and down, but so far this year, it's been up. Decent defender.

[burlingtonbandit]

Nothing necessarily wrong with dumping salary. It can open up other opportunities elsewhere.

 

Depends what they do with the $ I guess.

[Ray]

If you eat Liriano and Estrada's salary, I bet you could get some worthwhile pieces. Makes sense for a team like the Brewers to pick up starters with upside like Liriano or Estrada without pillaging their farm for a top of the rotation starter in a season where they didn't expect to compete but ended up doing so. They want to make moves with potential upside, but at the same time probably don't want to go all in on a team that's overachieving.

[burlingtonbandit]

If you eat $ you can probably get a Low A guy with some upside but for the Jays to really build a solid foundation for years to come they are going to need some star prospects.

[Brownie19]

If you eat $ you can probably get a Low A guy with some upside but for the Jays to really build a solid foundation for years to come they are going to need some star prospects.

 

You have to deal JD, Osuna, Sanchez (or a combination of them) + move Liriano, Happ, Smith, Estrada, Jose, etc. if you're really going to re-tool. The later half won't get you s***.

[Ray]

Even if we do retool, it almost makes no sense to keep Liriano, Smith, and Estrada if we're clearly out of it. Eat some salary on Liriano/Estrada, get some lottery ticket prospects and hope for the best. It's not like we can qualify Estrada or Liriano anyways so no draft pick compensation would be coming our way. This way, at least you get something instead of letting them walk.

[burlingtonbandit]

You have to deal JD, Osuna, Sanchez (or a combination of them) + move Liriano, Happ, Smith, Estrada, Jose, etc. if you're really going to re-tool. The later half won't get you s***.

 

Yeah exactly. Maybe the Yankees would give up something good for Smoak too. It sounds like the FO is going to try to win in 2018 though. There is value in keeping the brand strong.

[Abomination]

You have to deal JD, Osuna, Sanchez (or a combination of them) + move Liriano, Happ, Smith, Estrada, Jose, etc. if you're really going to re-tool. The later half won't get you s***.

 

Trading all of they guys like JD, Osuna, Sanchez etc (unless you get ML talent in return) isn't a retool. It's a rebuild. That's not necessarily bad, but I think it's clear that management has no desire to do that.

 

I could understand Happ getting moved (he'd probably net a good prospect in return), and he's older. Liriano and Estrada, given that they're free agents at the end of the year, would be good targets to get some salary relief on. I doubt we'd get anything useful for them, but keeping Biagini in the rotation would have some value for us longer term. Bolsinger would probably produce similar results as well (albeit with much less upside), so it likely wouldn't hurt our competitiveness this year much.

 

We could always go for something less conventional too. Verlander is likely available for example. While his contract the next two years hurts (a lot), maybe you can find some kind of fit there, especially if the Tigers are willing to package him with someone in another area of need in exchange for taking the whole salary and maybe some lesser prospects. JD Martinez, for an unlikely example, would look really nice in LF for the remainder of the season. Someone like Joe Jimenez would look real nice in the pen too.

[Abomination]

Yeah exactly. Maybe the Yankees would give up something good for Smoak too. It sounds like the FO is going to try to win in 2018 though. There is value in keeping the brand strong.

 

Smoak for Clint Frazier! Yeah, I know it's not happening.

[Abomination]

We need to get Dermody up here, and actually give him a real look. He's dominating down in AAA, and Loup can't seem to pitch to lefties. It's like Dermody must have taken a dump in Atkin's corn flakes or something. Everyone else has been on the shuttle but him.

[burlingtonbandit]

Smoak for Clint Frazier! Yeah, I know it's not happening.

 

Maybe they'd give up Rutherford.

[Cbert]

Would the Yanks want to improve at third? Maybe Smoak and Donaldson for a package centred around Torres plus?

[jays4life19]

Aaron Judge for Josh Donaldson would be interesting. Yankees have OF depth with Hicks, Fowler, Frazier, ect and the money to sign Donaldson long term.

[John_Havok]

Aaron Judge for Josh Donaldson would be interesting. Yankees have OF depth with Hicks, Fowler, Frazier, ect and the money to sign Donaldson long term.

 

Naw, they'll just wait a year and sign Machado when all it costs is cash and 1 pick

[Abomination]

Aaron Judge for Josh Donaldson would be interesting. Yankees have OF depth with Hicks, Fowler, Frazier, ect and the money to sign Donaldson long term.

 

I doubt the Yankees (or any other team) would give up Judge for anything right now.

[fatcowxlive]

Aaron Judge for Josh Donaldson would be interesting. Yankees have OF depth with Hicks, Fowler, Frazier, ect and the money to sign Donaldson long term.

 

Er Judge is having a better year than Donaldson right now, he's not going anywhere

[glory]

No way the Yankees trade Judge for Donaldson.

 

I'm not a big fan of getting pitching prospects as the main pieces either. Too risky. Elite hitting prospects would be better, but which teams will give them up for a year and a half or one year of an expensive JD? He chose to get hurt/decline at the wrong time.

[ChrisS]

We need to get Dermody up here, and actually give him a real look. He's dominating down in AAA, and Loup can't seem to pitch to lefties. It's like Dermody must have taken a dump in Atkin's corn flakes or something. Everyone else has been on the shuttle but him.

 

The last time he was up vs Baltimore he managed to give up a walk, 4 hits including 3HRs, all while getting 1 out.

[ChrisS]

Aaron Judge for Josh Donaldson would be interesting. Yankees have OF depth with Hicks, Fowler, Frazier, ect and the money to sign Donaldson long term.

 

I dont think the Yanks would trade Aaron judge straight up for Mike Trout.

[John_Havok]

I dont think the Yanks would trade Aaron judge straight up for Mike Trout.

 

I can promise you that's not the case. There's not a player in baseball right now that wouldn't be traded for Trout 1 for 1.

 

You know Trout is only 1 year older than Judge?

 

I'm sure from a pure value vs contract perpective there are a few guys that could be argued give more suplus value... but I'd be really interested to see what the Dodgers would say if the Angels called up and asked for Bellinger. Or maybe Boston might turn down Sale for Trout given their situation... but in a vacuum,.. Trout doesn't go 1 for 1 for anyone else in the game right now.

[Pendleton]

Aaron Judge for Josh Donaldson would be interesting. Yankees have OF depth with Hicks, Fowler, Frazier, ect and the money to sign Donaldson long term.

 

Quality bait!

[Abomination]

I can promise you that's not the case. There's not a player in baseball right now that wouldn't be traded for Trout 1 for 1.

 

You know Trout is only 1 year older than Judge?

 

I'm sure from a pure value vs contract perpective there are a few guys that could be argued give more suplus value... but I'd be really interested to see what the Dodgers would say if the Angels called up and asked for Bellinger. Or maybe Boston might turn down Sale for Trout given their situation... but in a vacuum,.. Trout doesn't go 1 for 1 for anyone else in the game right now.

 

The contract is a thing though. I mean, it's basically what, 2 free years of Judge, plus 3 arbitration years, for 3 years / 100M of Trout? Judge likely will come back to Earth some, but that's a massive chunk of money, plus 2 years, to exchange. They'd be far better off keeping Judge and offering 3/100 to JD Martinez or something (not that he should cost anywhere close to that), or saving it for Machado or Harper.

[John_Havok]

The contract is a thing though. I mean, it's basically what, 2 free years of Judge, plus 3 arbitration years, for 3 years / 100M of Trout? Judge likely will come back to Earth some, but that's a massive chunk of money, plus 2 years, to exchange. They'd be far better off keeping Judge and offering 3/100 to JD Martinez or something (not that he should cost anywhere close to that), or saving it for Machado or Harper.

 

Agree from a pure value standpoint, but I would be willing to bet a decent chunk of money if Cashman got offered Trout for Judge... he would be on the next plane to New York before the phone hung up.

 

Then he would extend him and sign Harper.... and the Yankees would win the universe. Viagra and Cialis wouldn't be needed in New York for anyone in the next 10 years, because every male Yankees fan would have a permanent erection.

 

Let's also remember Trout was having a better season than Judge is currently having before his injury, and plays CF.