Offseason Roster Thread

[glory]

The Jays apparently "checked in" on Richards already, but he'll have a ton of options on either better teams or teams with better stadiums/divisions where he can boost his numbers. The Jays are a tough sell for rehabbing Sp's.

[Laika]

Anything beside losing 90 games next year is stupid, were not going to be better then the Yankees / Red Sox, do a quick 2-3 years tank/rebuild. Only sign reclamation projects for 1-2 yr deals that you can trade if they work out.

 

Losing 90+ games and getting primo draft slots and international money will improve the team in like, 7+ years.

 

Arguably to pull off a "quick 2-3 years rebuild" Toronto should at least be considering mid-length free agent signings this offseason and next offseason, and they should be aggressively chasing value in the free agent market that can in some way be spun into pieces that will impact the rosters in 2021 and beyond. Even if it's as simple as signing guys like Cahill and Adam Jones to 2 year deals right now and then hoping that at some point in 2019 or 2020 they are tradeable assets and can be turned into pieces that fit the 2021+ competitive window.

[jaysblue]

Fangraphs top 50 free agent list is out, along with crowdsourced contract projections:

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2019-top-50-free-agents/

 

A lot of the starting pitchers jump out at me as being good targets for Shatkins at their approximate projected contracts:

 

Keuchel 4/80

Morton 2/32

Kikuchi 4/52

Ryu 3/40

Happ 2/30

Cahill 2/15

 

I'd be thrilled with any of those, and ideally at least two of them.

 

Also, Brantley at 3/45 would be fantastic, and might even be feasible given that he has a history with Shatkins.

 

I don't like Keuchel at 4/80. He's been on the decline every year and don't think he holds up over a 4-5 year deal.

[jaysblue]

Not for us obviously, but Grandal for 3-4 years at $14/15M per year seems like an unreal steal if the projected contract is what he ends up signing for. I think if someone winds up with Brian Dozier for cheap the potential reward there is huge as well.

 

I'd jump at McCutchen for 2/26 like Kiley McDaniel is suggesting and even think the 3/42 the crowd is projecting could be a solid deal.

 

Would not give Ryu or Eovaldi three years with their injury history but would consider slightly expensive two year deals. Would love Happ at his projected price and Lance Lynn at 2/10-12 seems like a no-brainer imo, along with Trevor Cahill. I'd consider a one year "prove yourself" deal to Garrett Richards, ala Eovaldi with the Rays. A ~$10M one year deal to C.C. Sabathia could also benefit us with the likely growing pains of our young starters. I don't really want any part of Matt Harvey.

 

Sabathia won't come to Toronto.

 

Ervin Santana is another option on a one-year contract + incentives.

[jaysblue]

The Jays apparently "checked in" on Richards already, but he'll have a ton of options on either better teams or teams with better stadiums/divisions where he can boost his numbers. The Jays are a tough sell for rehabbing Sp's.

 

If I'm Garrett Richards, I sign somewhere in the NL like Pittsburgh or in the NL West (except Colorado).

[jaysblue]

Call me crazy retarded but I'm all over Adam Jones if I'm Toronto.

 

Heard a lot of Orioles loved playing with him. He's supposed to be a likeable guy in the clubhouse. Still think he's capable of hitting 20-25 HR's. Don't see him being a first choice for a postseason contender, so he might not have many suitors which benefits a team like the Jays. Might see Shapiro and Atkins want to bring in a veteran OF like Jones if he comes at a bargain, similar to them bringing in Curtis Granderson for those same reasons. Might be able to turn him into a future asset at the deadline.

[Jimcanuck]

Fangraphs top 50 free agent list is out, along with crowdsourced contract projections:

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2019-top-50-free-agents/

 

A lot of the starting pitchers jump out at me as being good targets for Shatkins at their approximate projected contracts:

 

Keuchel 4/80

Morton 2/32

Kikuchi 4/52

Ryu 3/40

Happ 2/30

Cahill 2/15

 

I'd be thrilled with any of those, and ideally at least two of them.

 

Also, Brantley at 3/45 would be fantastic, and might even be feasible given that he has a history with Shatkins.

 

Morton and Happ ideal targets

[P2F]

Wouldn't Garrett Richards need to be signed to at least a 2-year deal since he's likely out all of next season recovering from TJS, or am I wrong?

[Laika]

Wouldn't Garrett Richards need to be signed to at least a 2-year deal since he's likely out all of next season recovering from TJS, or am I wrong?

 

No. You are very wrong.

 

1. Steal underpants.

2. ?????

3. Profit!

[P2F]

No. You are very wrong.

 

1. Steal underpants.

2. ?????

3. Profit!

 

A time-tested and successful business plan if there ever was one, you erudite sum'bitch.

[Captain Adama]

Not sure I like that deal for Ryu, given his injury history.

[jaysblue]

Not sure I like that deal for Ryu, given his injury history.

 

I would rather Happ or Morton. I even feel more comfortable giving Happ a 3-year-deal over Ryu.

[Spanky99]

I would rather Happ or Morton. I even feel more comfortable giving Happ a 3-year-deal over Ryu.

 

I can't see Ryu turning down the QO.

[Captain Adama]

I would rather Happ or Morton. I even feel more comfortable giving Happ a 3-year-deal over Ryu.

 

JA Happ would be such a boring free agent signing. I don't care his Steamer projection say he's gonna be a 3 WAR starter!

[TheHurl]

I want nothing to do with Morton. Kikuchi or bust

[z3r0s]

I like Morton. I just don't see why the hell he signs with us. He's going somewhere to win.

[jaysblue]

Jays are likely signing Cahill for a two-year deal and probably someone like Ervin Santana or Drew Pomeranz for a one-year + incentives if they don't land a SP via trade.

 

Blue Jays will show interest in Jon Gray or Danny Salazar. Perfect targets.

[Grant77]

Trade Pillar and Tepera for Gray, then sign Happ and Cahill. I'd be satisfied with that rotation going into 2019. Put Grichuk in CF and grab some OF and BP depth on the cheap.

[Grant77]

I want nothing to do with Morton. Kikuchi or bust

 

Astros pitchers would scare the hell out of me unless they brought their secret grip concoction along with them.

[Spanky99]

By Gregor Chisholm MLB.com @gregorMLB

Nov. 5th, 2018

 

TORONTO -- Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said Monday that Toronto's top priority this offseason will be upgrading the pitching staff. The Blue Jays are in the market for at least one starter and a few relievers, and the holes likely will be filled through both free agency and trades.

 

Toronto's rotation next year is expected to include Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez and Ryan Borucki. Prospects Sean Reid-Foley and Thomas Pannone will compete for jobs in Spring Training, but the club has a clear need for a couple of veteran arms who can increase the rotation depth and eat up some valuable innings.

 

• Latest Hot Stove rumours

 

"I think we have such a good, young, exciting core, a lot of it is already in the Major Leagues and some of it hasn't arrived yet," Atkins told reporters at the General Managers Meetings in Carlsbad, Calif. "Looking to build around the young pitching that we do have and create more depth will be our focus. That could come in several ways. It could be free agency, it could be via trade, any way that can possibly get more depth for our pitching will really set us up to complement our pitching really well."

 

Toronto working to finalize coaching staff

 

Atkins strongly hinted on Monday that pitching coach Pete Walker and bullpen coach Dane Johnson would return to their respective roles next season.

 

Toronto parted ways with first-base coach Tim Leiper and hitting coach Brook Jacoby. The future for the rest of the staff remains up in the air, but Atkins suggested that Walker and Johnson would be back.

 

Incoming Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo has yet to finalize his coaching staff, but the club is holding interviews and final decisions are expected in the coming days. It's not immediately clear what will happen with DeMarlo Hale, who was John Gibbons' bench coach since 2013.

 

"Obviously the hitting-coach role and the outfield/baserunning role are two areas that are open," Atkins said. "There are other opportunities that there still could be changes, [but] I'm not anticipating them at this point.

 

"I feel very good about Pete Walker as our pitching coach and confident that he'll be back. Dane has done a great job for us. DeMarlo has been fantastic and he has different alternatives he wants to think about as well. Really it's about thinking through the alternatives that we have to complement Charlie's staff the best way that we can."

 

Quiet week expected

 

The Blue Jays will look to use the GM Meetings to lay the groundwork for the rest of the offseason, but no moves are expected to come directly out of California. Outside of finalizing the coaching staff, Toronto likely will take a couple of weeks before really starting to make some moves.

 

"I don't know if things will escalate here for us, but we don't have anything that's imminent that could happen tomorrow, but we absolutely have had discussions with peers, with agents and we're going to flush out all of the opportunities that we have," Atkins said.

 

Quotable

 

"That's not a focus by any means. We aren't sitting around thinking about trading players who have been very successful here and we value greatly. But at the same time, we can't close off opportunity. If there is one, if something is presented to us that makes some sense, we'll have to consider it. But it's not what we're spending our energy on." -- Atkins, on whether he would consider trading Sanchez or Stroman this offseason.

 

https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-looking-to-add-veteran-pitchers/c-300292650

[Spanky99]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/expect-blue-jays-off-season/

[Orgfiller]

Trade Pillar and Tepera for Gray, then sign Happ and Cahill. I'd be satisfied with that rotation going into 2019. Put Grichuk in CF and grab some OF and BP depth on the cheap.

 

The Rockies are not that stupid, and even if they are they'd be too stupid to trade for a CF and move Blackmon off the position.

[Angrioter]

Call me crazy retarded but I'm all over Adam Jones if I'm Toronto.

 

worst joke ever

[glory]

The Rockies are not that stupid, and even if they are they'd be too stupid to trade for a CF and move Blackmon off the position.

 

Sanchez and Smoak for Gray and something. Smoak is instantly an upgrade at 1B for them, while Sanchez either becomes a buy low rotation option or reliever for them. Jays get three years of control on a good starter who might benefit from a change of scenery. Use the money saved to sign Kikuchi.

[P2F]

 

This is an interesting quote.

 

 

Also, this.

[Laika]

 

This is an interesting quote.

 

posturing!

 

[Jimcanuck]

Hard to see Shatkins trading Stroman when his value is at a low point. But if the relationship is on the rocks, its a different story.

[glory]

It wouldn't shock me if Shatkins wanted to move Stro. He's a gamer but if he annoys fans with his antics I'm sure the front office is aware of it too. But yeah, seems like a really bad time to move him, unless they get an offer worthy of the 2014-17 version of Stro, not 2018.

[SAAviour]

Stroman and Sanchez are exactly the type of pitchers we should be targeting to trade for, not trade away. Value is low with a chance for a rebound.

Shouldn’t be trading them away in my opinion.

[Dick_Pole]

Stroman and Sanchez are exactly the type of pitchers we should be targeting to trade for, not trade away. Value is low with a chance for a rebound.

Shouldn’t be trading them away in my opinion.

 

Yes, plus the team very likely doesn't have a choice unless getting pitchers in return.

 

I mean, trading Stroman away simply because of character flaws is dumb, and this is coming from someone who WANTS to see Stroman traded away because of his irritating character flaws.