Offseason Roster Thread 2019-2020

[Abomination]

Bringing back literally Eric Sogard is the wrong response to past events.

 

They should bring in one or two "Eric Sogards" for 2020, though.

 

Sogard has been a plus hitter in two of his last three years. I don't see the problem with bringing him back at a reasonable cost. I wouldn't expect the home run spike to be repeated, but I think he's perfectly acceptable as a bench bat.

[Terminator]

He should be paying THEM peanuts!

 

I hate him more than anyone on the team and never liked him from the start so I'm in total agreement. He should be playing in the Mexican League. But despite him being the worst player on the team they never optioned him all season (while Tellez, Teoscar, Gurriel, etc. all were) and kept giving him good chunks of PT. He'd be gone in a second if it were up to me but for some reason Shatkins seems to be higher on him so I'm not 100% convinced he's gone. I really hope he is though!

[Terminator]

I'd rather try Gurriel in CF than play him at 1st base....

 

He'd be one of the slowest CFers in the league. I don't think he could do it.

[Laika]

Sogard has been a plus hitter in two of his last three years. I don't see the problem with bringing him back at a reasonable cost. I wouldn't expect the home run spike to be repeated, but I think he's perfectly acceptable as a bench bat.

 

The opportunity cost to giving an MLB roster spot to Sogard or someone like Sogard is the opportunity to give a roster spot to an interesting young player with controllable upside, like Valera. I don't think the team is at the competitive point where that makes sense, so I think it's bad process. Also, the organization now has a track record of finding 2019 Eric Sogard types on minor league deals!

[Olerud363]

I think the BJMB crowd can be lumped in two categories:

 

1. The optimists. Those who have faith and a reasonable expectation that the FO can identify the problem areas and come up with solutions to fill those problem areas given the relatively good situation they are in (tons of payroll space, premium positions already filled with young, cheap and productive players, a reasonably strong farm system, a hands-off owner that has allowed for a top-tier payroll in the recent past and a large baseball market). This includes free agency and trades.

 

 

2. The pessimists aka the Krylian crowd. The ones who think that members of management will be so meek, "risk averse" and incompetent at their jobs that there is no chance they will sign any desperately needed pitching so that the team wastes another year of half of the offense earning minimum wage. Oh and Toronto is clearly worse than Kansas City, Detroit, Cleveland, Baltimore and Pittsburgh combined. Baseball players would rather hang themselves than dare cross the border and play in front of the third largest city in North America. They might be paid in pesos and might even be forced to learn French. That's much worse than having to worry about their kids being shot at school basically at any time.

 

3. The random chancers -- God knows why players become good and why they don't... Why did Aaron Judge explode?? Why did Gio Urshella, Voit, Mike Ford and other random quadruple a players carry they Yankees as Stanton and Tulo missed 300 games this year?? Why did Alvarez and Alonso become the best rookies and not Vlad??

 

What if everything goes right?? Pearson Healthy and ready. Vlad the Vlad 2018 projected, Bichette keeps it up and healthy, Biggio keeps it up and hits .250 with his same secondary skills, Jansen has a lucky babip year, Thorton improves a bit. Kay pitches well. Manaoh ready early. Rowdy keeps the power and hit .250, Grichuk rebounds, Gurriel keeps it up and stays healthy.

 

What if all that happens and some other good things?? I think the Jays have just had random underperformance the last couple years. What if it goes the other way??

[KevinGregg]

If Alford continues his 2019 2nd half play at Buffalo, bring him up give him a chance. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Heck, Alford could be better than any FA vet brought in to man CF.

 

Alford is out of options next year, so either he makes the team or we lose him to the Orioles or Marlins on waivers at the start of the year

[Brownie19]

He'd be one of the slowest CFers in the league. I don't think he could do it.

 

I'll take things I didn't know for $200 Alex.

[glory]

The Yankees, who could turn practically anyone into a good hitter, acquired Drury thinking they could fix him but then traded him within months. I truly want to believe he is a tweak away from being good, but I think it's far more likely he sucks. I think he's here for at least one more season though. He is s***, but versatile s***.

 

Teoscar put up a 1.8 WAR from June onwards and he was playing CF almost exclusively during that time. I think the Jays roll with the same OF's next season, except with Fisher at DH (the OF's and Vlad will rotate through DH). Of course if they decide to add a OF from outside the org, then who the hell knows.

[Terminator]

I'll take things I didn't know for $200 Alex.

 

No worries! I only know that because I thought about him playing CF too until I looked more into it.

[Abomination]

The opportunity cost to giving an MLB roster spot to Sogard or someone like Sogard is the opportunity to give a roster spot to an interesting young player with controllable upside, like Valera. I don't think the team is at the competitive point where that makes sense, so I think it's bad process. Also, the organization now has a track record of finding 2019 Eric Sogard types on minor league deals!

 

I think I'd rather have a vet in that position who's well liked, like Sogard, then hand the super utility position over to Espinal at the trade deadline.

[Laika]

I think I'd rather have a vet in that position who's well liked, like Sogard, then hand the super utility position over to Espinal at the trade deadline.

 

Probably a moot point anyway. Sogard had a 2.5 win season and will be looking for at least a platoon gig. In Toronto he'd be (or should be) a pure backup.

[Brownie19]

I wouldn't be shocked if Drury was still experiencing vision/migraine problems. He's played with it before without telling anyone.

 

I think NYY was justified in acquiring him originally, as he was a clear swing change candidate. And I think he was also a worthwhile buy low on our part, knowing that his performance was greatly affected by his health issues.

 

But maybe it was just not meant to be.

 

I love this take Mike.

[Laika]

Love yer takes, bro

[Dick_Pole]

Drury was meant to be a seat warmer until the young guys came up and displaced him no matter what. He filled his purpose, inadequately. If you guys don't take offense to Atkins' questionable roster management to date, you should have no issue seeing this guy jettisoned even if he rakes elsewhere. There is no reason to be spending anything above min salary next year for a backup MIF when every penny of available salary room needs to be prioritized for pitching. If the problem is that he's the real life Mr. Magoo risking his baseball career because of it, he's an idiot at age 27 keeping that a secret. Let someone else deal with that s***.

[Dick_Pole]

For the Jays to have any shot at contention next year, they need to be the beacon of health and luck. If Guerrero, Biggio and Bichette aren't playing a combined 450+ games next year due to injury or suckage, the team isn't going anywhere. And in that case who cares who the backup MIF is. The Jays have enough depth everywhere, they need top end talent.

[Olerud363]

I wouldn't be shocked if Drury was still experiencing vision/migraine problems. He's played with it before without telling anyone.

 

I think NYY was justified in acquiring him originally, as he was a clear swing change candidate. And I think he was also a worthwhile buy low on our part, knowing that his performance was greatly affected by his health issues.

 

But maybe it was just not meant to be.

 

He reminds me a bit of Aaron who went up and down like crazy after the concussion.... Jays were last in batting average and I wonder how much of that is luck... if the guys all hitting .200, .215, like Drury, Jansen, Fisher, McKinney were all to regress to .240, they'd all look a bit more acceptable.... Jays hit like .250 homeruns.... could hit more when Vlaimdir learns to get it in the air and a full season of Bichette/Rowdy/Biggio...

 

What does this offense look like with a bit of development and a bit of positive luck??

[Olerud363]

For the Jays to have any shot at contention next year, they need to be the beacon of health and luck. If Guerrero, Biggio and Bichette aren't playing a combined 450+ games next year due to injury or suckage, the team isn't going anywhere. And in that case who cares who the backup MIF is. The Jays have enough depth everywhere, they need top end talent.

 

I like this take... I think Jansen could be a big surprise too... if he hits .250 instead of .200 it probably adds a win or more.... He could explode with a bit of development and if the luck swings the other way. Rowdy could hit for a higher average and would be adequate if he did that and kept the power.... Gurriel would be great if he could do what he did last year over 145 games.

 

There is a world where Pearson/Manahoh contribute 250 dynamite innings (there was a world where 20 year old Osuna went from 12 a ball innings to closer on a championship team).

 

But yeah... the development of the top end talent will swing it from 75 to 85 wins and positive Jay luck, and negative other wild card contender luck would swing it to a 90 win season and a playoff spot,.

[wk680]

The Yankees, who could turn practically anyone into a good hitter, acquired Drury thinking they could fix him but then traded him within months. I truly want to believe he is a tweak away from being good, but I think it's far more likely he sucks. I think he's here for at least one more season though. He is s***, but versatile s***.

 

Teoscar put up a 1.8 WAR from June onwards and he was playing CF almost exclusively during that time. I think the Jays roll with the same OF's next season, except with Fisher at DH (the OF's and Vlad will rotate through DH). Of course if they decide to add a OF from outside the org, then who the hell knows.

 

I don't agree with the part I bolded. This guy hasn't shown he can hit yet at the MLB level let alone be your main DH. As a backup outfielder, yeah maybe give him another chance to see if he can get it going. But in doing that you also, as already discussed here, clear out some of the other dead wood like Drury and McKinney. I hope they bring in a veteran 1B/DH with some pop. I was thinking EE, but he will be 37 - he's got to hit the wall any time now.

[Barkerfan23]

Scott Mitchell reporting changed in Jay's management

 

Not sure who

[Ray]

Scott Mitchell reporting changed in Jay's management

 

Not sure who

 

He hasn't tweeted anything?

[Barkerfan23]

Sorry I had it wrong

 

It's some guy named jonah

[Barkerfan23]

The guy reporting it jonah is also the same guy who reported about Mccowan leaving prime time sports

 

If I had to guess either Atkins or Montoyo is gone. Atkins is lame dick so it makes sense to either extend or fire

[glory]

After some digging....

 

 

Have no idea who the hell this guy is but he's followed by Davidi and Lott, if that means anything.

 

I'm not believing anything until actual news comes out, but the lack of extension for Shapiro is still baffling to me. Either he wants out or Rogers wants him out. Something doesn't add up. Of course changes in management could mean anything.

[Sorrow]

He's the guy that broke McCowan news if that helps verify anything.

[jays4life19]

Hopefully we will be hearing that buck showalter will be taking over as President and GM.

[Barkerfan23]

People on twitter claiming Atkins out as GM but remains with the organization in a reduced capacity

[BTS]

I’m very interested in Shapiro being extended and replacing Ross Atkins.

[glory]

If they extend Shapiro, I don't care what they do with the GM spot. Atkins hasn't been impressive, so they could easily upgrade that spot.

 

But extending Shapiro is crucial. As long as they do that, whatever other changes are not as important. Put Cherington in Atkins' spot for all I care.

[Krylian]

I’m very interested in Shapiro being extended and replacing Ross Atkins.

 

If Atkins is out as GM then Shapiro will step in as interim GM for sure.

[Barkerfan23]

We could see someone else brought in from the Indians organization. They are probably looking at a rebuild

 

I'm thinking Jonah has an in with the hr at Roger's maybe someone who prepares termination packages etc