General 2019 Blue Jays Discussion Thread

[saskjayfan]

It seems odd that Shapiro who has a year left on his contact hasn't signed an extension. Is this Shapiro not signing because he may want to jump ship elsewhere, or is it Rogers not offering an extension taking a wait and see attitude on how the season unfolds?

[Krylian]

What in the hell are the blue jays waiting for.

 

A player who wants to be here

[Spanky99]

It seems odd that Shapiro who has a year left on his contact hasn't signed an extension. Is this Shapiro not signing because he may want to jump ship elsewhere, or is it Rogers not offering an extension taking a wait and see attitude on how the season unfolds?

 

Who knows, last time about his extension from reputable media is here...

 

 

This suggests they're both open for it...

 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/report-contract-extension-possible-blue-jays-ceo-mark-shapiro/

Edited December 17, 2019 by Spanky99

[Spanky99]

BNS on the Jays off-season thus faand moving forward, basically what most are talking about in here...

 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-must-find-ways-add-pitching-market-races-onward/

 

 

Ben Nicholson-Smith

@bnicholsonsmith

December 16, 2019, 10:43 AM

 

TORONTO – The starting pitching market kept moving at a frenzied pace Sunday with deals involving a two-time Cy Young winner and a World Series MVP.

 

First, the Rangers acquired Corey Kluber from Cleveland for outfielder Delino DeShields Jr. and hard-throwing reliever Emmanuel Clase. A few hours later, the Diamondbacks signed Madison Bumgarner to a five-year, $85 million contract.

 

In Toronto, those deals are of interest even if the Blue Jays weren’t known to be in on either pitcher. After all, there are only so many impact arms out there, so each move has the potential to shape what happens next in Toronto and around the league.

 

Unfortunately for the Blue Jays, the Bumgarner deal doesn’t appear to help them much. As recently as a few days ago, the Dodgers had been linked to the longtime Giants ace, but his deal with Arizona leaves Los Angeles empty-handed. That might make Dodgers president Andrew Friedman more likely to pivot back to Hyun-Jin Ryu, the NL Cy Young finalist who ranks at or near the top of the Blue Jays’ wish list.

 

Of all the free agents remaining, Ryu appears to be the Blue Jays’ best shot at the ‘significant’ rotation upgrade GM Ross Atkins sought at the outset of the off-season. But there’s plenty of competition, with the Dodgers, Angels and Twins reportedly interested as well.

 

The likes of the Dodgers and Angels can offer Ryu the chance to remain in Los Angeles, where he played for the last seven seasons, but the South Korea native will be far from home either way. As agent Scott Boras put it at the Winter Meetings, “With the distance from Seoul to any major-league franchise, I’m not sure it’s relevant.”

 

In other words, no excuses, Blue Jays. Years and dollars should allow any team to enter the mix here. A three-year term would seem entirely reasonable for Ryu, who has a lifetime 2.98 ERA, and a fourth year shouldn’t end the conversation. One way or another, there could be resolution soon with Boras telling reporters over the weekend that he has more deals on the way.

 

Were Blue Jays scared away by Corey Kluber’s health concerns?

While it was near-impossible to envision a dirt bike-riding, homer-hitting competitor such as Bumgarner choosing to sign with a rebuilding Toronto team, the Kluber deal was theoretically attainable for the Blue Jays. Even if Clase ranks among the more intriguing young relievers in baseball, the price the Rangers paid seems quite reasonable considering Kluber’s just one injury-shortened year away from posting 5.9 wins above replacement and a 2.89 ERA in 215 innings.

 

At the same time, the Blue Jays don’t have a young reliever like Clase, who throws a 101 m.p.h. cutter. Even if they did, the Blue Jays are justifiably hesitant to trade emerging big-leaguers for established veterans at this stage of their rebuild. While they’ve listened to offers for the likes of Reese McGuire, Danny Jansen and Lourdes Gurriel Jr., they’re believed to be focused on controllable players (mostly pitchers) in those talks.

 

Eventually, the Blue Jays expect to be at a point that they’re dealing long-term pieces for short-term help like Kluber (whose contract includes a 2021 team option). But at this point, just a few months removed from a 95-loss season, they don’t seem inclined to make that kind of move.

 

With that said, there are trade candidates available who would not require any serious prospect capital. The Blue Jays have at least checked on the availability of two of their former left-handers, J.A. Happ and David Price.

 

If anything, the deals for Bumgarner and Kluber reinforce the notion that Happ ($17 million in 2020, $17 million vesting option for 2021) and Price ($32 million per year from 2020-22) earn more than they’d make on the open market. As such, the Yankees and Red Sox should have to take on salary and/or surrender prospects to complete a deal. Under those circumstances, the Blue Jays can’t rule anything out.

 

In the meantime, they still have options in free agency where the likes of Dallas Keuchel, Wade Miley, Julio Teheran and Gio Gonzalez are still out there. The list is thinning out, though, so if the Blue Jays are intent on adding more than depth arms, they should be prepared to engage seriously with Ryu.

[Deadpool]

What in the hell are the blue jays waiting for.

 

You haven't complained enough yet, so keep it up and they'll let you know when it's working.

[BTS]

 

Shapiro on Tim and Sid. Please give this beautiful man a long-term extension.

[The Iceman]

 

Shapiro on Tim and Sid. Please give this beautiful man a long-term extension.

 

 

SURE, if he would hire a legit GM and Manager I would be onboard.

Currently the worst GM/Manager combo in MLB in my opinion.

[G-Snarls]

 

Shapiro on Tim and Sid. Please give this beautiful man a long-term extension.

 

Jays told an agent that they were willing to offer a contract worth "well over $100MM" to someone, probably a SP, this off season.

[Hipfan]

Jays told an agent that they were willing to offer a contract worth "well over $100MM" to someone, probably a SP, this off season.

 

Gerrit Cole?

[Deadpool]

Gerrit Cole?

 

It was actually me, but my agent told me to hold out for more...

[glory]

 

Shapiro on Tim and Sid. Please give this beautiful man a long-term extension.

 

Sounds like Hernandez will be starting the OF again this season, and Fisher will get plenty of AB's (probably as 4th OF/DH). I was expecting that anyway, but with Shapiro specifically mentioning them by name, it certainly adds some substance to that. Of course it's all talk until the season starts. Things can always change.

[devo]

Jays told an agent that they were willing to offer a contract worth "well over $100MM" to someone, probably a SP, this off season.

 

Probably Wheeler

[G-Snarls]

Gerrit Cole?

 

He pretty much said it wasn't Cole when they pressed him. Said signing Cole would have a been a "very long shot"

 

I'm guessing Wheeler

[Sorrow]

I think the Jays offered on Strasburg quite honestly. The Montoyo comment keeps sticking out.

[G-Snarls]

I think the Jays offered on Strasburg quite honestly. The Montoyo comment keeps sticking out.

 

That's possible. Pretty sure everyone knew he was going back to Washington. But maybe they told his agent they were willing to make a competitive offer.

[RobinThicc]

Lol 0 chance a mark shapiro led organization would offer a pitcher like strasburg significant money.

[BTS]

Of course we offered 100M for a pitcher. Would you not offer Cole or Strasburg 100M+? You're still gaining huge plus value. It's just word salad from Shapiro but that interview was good and I agree with everything he says.

 

Just hit Atkins with the cattle prod a little bit.

 

It’s still not obvious to me that Ross Atkins is the guy you want trying to make major deals happen, but I have a hard time reconciling that doubt with my belief that Mark Shapiro is one of the most competent executives in the game.

[G-Snarls]

It’s still not obvious to me that Ross Atkins is the guy you want trying to make major deals happen, but I have a hard time reconciling that doubt with my belief that Mark Shapiro is one of the most competent executives in the game.

 

I agree except for the fact he hired Montoyo. He left one of the best managers in baseball back in Cleveland.

[BTS]

I agree except for the fact he hired Montoyo. He left one of the best managers in baseball back in Cleveland.

 

How much did Shapiro even have to do with Montoyo's hiring? Seems like something that would have largely been delegated to Atkins and his staff.

[Sorrow]

Some may enjoy this, it's an Ask Me Anything with Mike Wilner. He doesn't come across as such a pompous ass in written form and I enjoyed the read.

 

[Deadpool]

Some may enjoy this, it's an Ask Me Anything with Mike Wilner. He doesn't come across as such a pompous ass in written form and I enjoyed the read.

 

 

I hope someone asked him what he thought of Cito...

[Spanky99]

I hope someone asked him what he thought of Cito...

 

lol

[Deadpool]

Some may enjoy this, it's an Ask Me Anything with Mike Wilner. He doesn't come across as such a pompous ass in written form and I enjoyed the read.

 

 

What the f*** is with the "is Bautista a male witch" thing?

[Spanky99]

What the f*** is with the "is Bautista a male witch" thing?

 

He was trolled one night or two by callers following the joke on air. I remember that posted on here.

[43211234]

What the f*** is with the "is Bautista a male witch" thing?

 

https://streamable.com/dnh4w

[Spanky99]

https://streamable.com/dnh4w

 

lol... so 3 games. It was a reddit thing or something.

[glory]

[Amok]

 

I don't know much about Shane Farrell but I will say this... There are teams that are the farm systems for future GMs. Boston, Cleveland, Oakland have a long history of grooming future upper level front office execs. The Cubs under Theo Epstein are one of those teams. So the fact he came from the Cubs is a major plus. Also he seem to be a fast mover in the Cubs system.

[Laika]

Toronto drafted Shane Farrell back in 2011 with one of their throwaway picks. Sometimes those things pay off down the road.

[Ray]

If nothing else, Shapiro’s ability to attract and develop talented executives is second to none. Goes back to his days in Cleveland really. By that virtue alone, I really want him to sign a long term extension here. I’m not quite sure what the hold up is there.