Blue Jays Free Agent Thread-Who should we sign?

[Laika]

I'd be curious to see what it would take to get Chris Archer up to Toronto.

 

In this market I'm thinking a bunch of veterans, including Archer, will end up signing one year deals for insignificant dollar amounts.

 

$1M to $8M range and the decisions will mostly be about player preference (city, playing time, etc.)

[Jimcanuck]

The Indians seem to have f***ed s*** up. Lindor and Ramirez might be both asking out.

 

Possibly they see a depressed FA market and plan to take advantage. Get rid of players at pre-COVID salaries and replace with COVID salaried players.

[connorp]

Possibly they see a depressed FA market and plan to take advantage. Get rid of players at pre-COVID salaries and replace with COVID salaried players.

 

Jesus Jim. Maybe the Indians are led by Covid worshipping doomsdayers like you.

 

A vaccine is right around the corner. It may effect next year a lot or it may not, depends on the roll out of course but we haven’t entered a new era. There’s no reason for teams to be changing the construction of their team. There is plenty of reason to be concerned about their short term losses, sure. So not picking up this option, passing on this FA, etc is understandable

 

I can tell you this. Any agent isn’t worth his s*** if he takes a multi-year “Covid price contract” anytime in the first couple months of FA.

Edited November 1, 2020 by connorp

[Jimcanuck]

Jesus Jim. Maybe the Indians are led by Covid worshipping doomsdayers like you.

 

A vaccine is right around the corner. It may effect next year a lot or it may not, depends on the roll out of course but we haven’t entered a new era. There’s no reason for teams to be changing the construction of their team. There is plenty of reason to be concerned about their short term losses, sure. So not picking up this option, passing on this FA, etc is understandable

 

I can tell you this. Any agent isn’t worth his s*** if he takes a multi-year “Covid price contract” anytime in the first couple months of FA.

 

Great job not comprehending my post.

[Jays24]

So are we an hour away from free agency officially opening? Boredom has gotten me wanting to hear some news lol

[Laika]

So are we an hour away from free agency officially opening? Boredom has gotten me wanting to hear some news lol

 

Baseball free agency moves very slowly

[glory]

So are we an hour away from free agency officially opening? Boredom has gotten me wanting to hear some news lol

 

Last winter was one of the busiest and most fun MLB off seasons in recent memory.

 

This one (except for the Mets) might be the exact opposite.

[Abomination]

Last winter was one of the busiest and most fun MLB off seasons in recent memory.

 

This one (except for the Mets) might be the exact opposite.

 

I wouldn't assume a deep pocketed owner will mean that the Mets will spend a lot. Most rich people didn't get there by losing money. The two exceptions are really an old owner who wants a championship before they die, or something where they're making the money back in another way (like owning the TV network or receiving a casino contract).

[Key22]

Apparently the Jays offered Cole $300 million for 10 years. They settle on Ryu. Still - the articles I have read indicate that the Jays have around $80million available to add and if they sign someone to a 5 year deal their contract will end when it's time to give Bo and Pearson and Vlad etc the big money.

 

Of course they could still be outbid and the player just may prefer to play somewhere else but I think the Jays could make runs at 3 or 4 top free agents and they could, in theory, be able to afford all of them.

 

Generally I believe in the "up the middle" approach to team building - Pitching Pitching more pitching and middle of the field defence. So CF, Catcher, SS and 2B.

 

I would target © J.T. Realmuto. $200m/8 He has said he wants $200m (25m AAV) Put the bulk of the money in the first 4 years so 35m a year for years 1-4 and then $60m over the last 4 when you have to pay your in house guys.

George Springer (CF) $150m/5 (30m AAV)

Trevor Bauer (P) $165m/5 ($33m AAV)

 

Maybe find a team willing to take Grichuk's salary and move a prospect to sweeten the deal to shave $10m. Hernandez moves to RF. The team OF defense should be respectable. An all star catcher - who can hit and throw someone out.

 

If only it were a video game.

 

I just hate when the team goes cheap - Spending $9 million on Chase Anderson and $12million Roark and $3million on Yamaguchi and I think to myself - gee would it not be better to spend $24 million on 1 all-star calibre player rather than pay $24 million for three steaming piles of crap? Individually the three signings were okay at the time because they were not really considering a contention run but now is different. Ryu or better now - not HAPP or Paxton or other broken down over-the-hill dreck.

 

Bring back Ray and Walker and Shoemaker if possible as well. Three lighning in bottle kind of pitchers. Ray in particular. Jays have a big money sword. Time to wield it.

[RobinThicc]

8 years 200 million? lol

[connorp]

I wouldn't assume a deep pocketed owner will mean that the Mets will spend a lot. Most rich people didn't get there by losing money. The two exceptions are really an old owner who wants a championship before they die, or something where they're making the money back in another way (like owning the TV network or receiving a casino contract).

 

He’s asking the people on Twitter what they want to see the Mets do. It’s like a play toy for him

[glory]

I wouldn't assume a deep pocketed owner will mean that the Mets will spend a lot. Most rich people didn't get there by losing money. The two exceptions are really an old owner who wants a championship before they die, or something where they're making the money back in another way (like owning the TV network or receiving a casino contract).

 

Cohen grew up a Mets fan. This is his dream purchase. He's not a corporate owner or an owner looking at the bottom line above everything else. This is a 60+ year old kid playing with his toy. Obviously he's not in this to lose a ton of money, but I think he's going to be super aggressive in putting a winner on the field.

[connorp]

Cohen grew up a Mets fan. This is his dream purchase. He's not a corporate owner or an owner looking at the bottom line above everything else. This is a 60+ year old kid playing with his toy. Obviously he's not in this to lose a ton of money, but I think he's going to be super aggressive in putting a winner on the field.

 

Yeah, we would all collectively cream our pants if anyone even remotely like that bought out the Jays. It’s basically a 60 year old man living out his 12yo dream.

[Spanky99]

Cohen grew up a Mets fan. This is his dream purchase. He's not a corporate owner or an owner looking at the bottom line above everything else. This is a 60+ year old kid playing with his toy. Obviously he's not in this to lose a ton of money, but I think he's going to be super aggressive in putting a winner on the field.

 

Yeah, I thought this was well known, Cohen didn't even feel the affect of the RONA yet, Mets fans rejoice, you have a rich AF owner in his candy store. Giving Stroman the QO was evidently new ownership.

[Ray]

Yeah, we would all collectively cream our pants if anyone even remotely like that bought out the Jays. It’s basically a 60 year old man living out his 12yo dream.

 

I’d be concerned if there was a clear lack of investment by Rogers in this team, but that just hasn’t been the case:

 

- $40M towards an improved player development complex in Dunedin

- Rogers Centre improvements

- Top 10 payrolls in the 2015-2018 seasons.

- Improved number of personnel in the front office and establishing a high performance department

 

Probably some things that I’m missing, but all things considered, having a telecommunications giant as an owner that is relatively financially unaffected by the pandemic is not the worst situation to be in. I’d venture to argue that the narrative that Rogers doesn’t spend should be partially retired at this point. Sure, they SHOULD be #1 in spending every year considering they are the richest ownership group in baseball, but it’s not like they’re not at a respectable level.

 

It also seems as if Shapiro has a much better relationship with Edward Rogers and Joe Natale than Paul Beeston ever had in terms of convincing them to increase investment in the team, but thats just speculation on my part. Beeston did convince Rogers to make some big splashes, but Shapiro seemingly has steered Rogers to put a ton of money in the backend player development infrastructure in recent years.

[Spanky99]

I’d be concerned if there was a clear lack of investment by Rogers in this team, but that just hasn’t been the case:

 

- $40M towards an improved player development complex in Dunedin

- Rogers Centre improvements

- Top 10 payrolls in the 2015-2018 seasons.

- Improved number of personnel in the front office and establishing a high performance department

 

Probably some things that I’m missing, but all things considered, having a telecommunications giant as an owner that is relatively financially unaffected by the pandemic is not the worst situation to be in. I’d venture to argue that the narrative that Rogers doesn’t spend should be partially retired at this point. Sure, they SHOULD be #1 in spending every year considering they are the richest ownership group in baseball, but it’s not like they’re not at a respectable level.

 

It also seems as if Shapiro has a much better relationship with Edward Rogers and Joe Natale than Paul Beeston ever had in terms of convincing them to increase investment in the team, but thats just speculation on my part. Beeston did convince Rogers to make some big splashes, but Shapiro seemingly has steered Rogers to put a ton of money in the backend player development infrastructure in recent years.

 

We've had fine ownership in Rogers(frustrating at times), bang on post, mate. Beeston steered the initial rebuild wrong, f*** that guy.

[Grant77]

We've had fine ownership in Rogers(frustrating at times), bang on post, mate. Beeston steered the initial rebuild wrong, f*** that guy.

 

Beeston got us on the right track in the first place with a major increase in payroll and playoff appearances after we stagnated for so long under Godfrey. He had his flaws, but I'll always appreciate that.

[Spanky99]

Beeston got us on the right track in the first place with a major increase in payroll and playoff appearances after we stagnated for so long under Godfrey. He had his flaws, but I'll always appreciate that.

 

I'm fine with Beeston for the most part, but his meddling in the middle of a very sound rebuild set us back a handful of years, it really pissed me off.

[bendera3]

What are peoples thoughts on JBJ and Handsome Jake?

[saskjayfan]

8 years 200 million? lol

 

Ok...I'm not the only one who thought that was ridiculous. We should be hard after DJ out of the gates. Probably won't get him, but we need to at least bid up the price the Yankees have to pay. 3 and 60 for DJ....might be willing to extend a bit further too.

Edited November 2, 2020 by saskjayfan

[glory]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/11/mlb-free-agent-predictions-2021.html

 

DJ LeMahieu – Blue Jays. Four years, $68MM

 

Jake Odorizzi – Blue Jays. Three years, $39MM

 

LeMahieu would be great but I don't think the Yankees let him go that cheaply.

[G-Snarls]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/11/mlb-free-agent-predictions-2021.html

 

 

 

 

 

LeMahieu would be great but I don't think the Yankees let him go that cheaply.

 

He's 32. One of those guys where a 4th guaranteed year get it done while no one else will go more than 3 +/- club option

[Brownie19]

So are we an hour away from free agency officially opening? Boredom has gotten me wanting to hear some news lol

 

Maybe use this time to learn about baseball in general and the teams outside of Toronto?

[Brownie19]

I just hate when the team goes cheap - Spending $9 million on Chase Anderson and $12million Roark and $3million on Yamaguchi and I think to myself - gee would it not be better to spend $24 million on 1 all-star calibre player rather than pay $24 million for three steaming piles of crap? Individually the three signings were okay at the time because they were not really considering a contention run but now is different. Ryu or better now - not HAPP or Paxton or other broken down over-the-hill dreck.

 

Bring back Ray and Walker and Shoemaker if possible as well. Three lighning in bottle kind of pitchers. Ray in particular. Jays have a big money sword. Time to wield it.

 

So you hated adding Anderson, Roark and Yama, but want us to bring back Ray, Walker and Shoemaker. Got it.

[Jays24]

Maybe use this time to learn about baseball in general and the teams outside of Toronto?

 

Or challenge you to a duel cause I'd probably whoop that ass in real baseball *backhand slap

Edited November 2, 2020 by Jays24

[G-Snarls]

Or challenge you to a dual. *backhand slap

 

A spelling contest might be better...

[Dick_Pole]

Beeston got us on the right track in the first place with a major increase in payroll and playoff appearances after we stagnated for so long under Godfrey. He had his flaws, but I'll always appreciate that.

 

Agreed. All things considered Beeston is probably the most important exec to the Jays franchise, I guess tied with Gillick. Was he perfect? No. But he's certainly far from the worst exec this city has seen in terms of professional sports. It was just a good time for him to go, as he was ancient both in terms of actual age and baseball age. Now he can go run for POTUS or something.

 

As far as setting the team back a few years, meh 2015 and 2016 was worth it I think.

[Dick_Pole]

I'm optimistic in that this team is willing and able to spend both in terms of payroll room and FO win curve analysis.

 

I'm pessimistic in that we don't know where the Jays will be playing, which could significantly impact Rogers' desire to spend in 2021 (what's the point of making a FA splash to win without corresponding uptick in season ticket sales) and players' desire to play with the team.

[Laika]

I'm optimistic in that this team is willing and able to spend both in terms of payroll room and FO win curve analysis.

 

I'm pessimistic in that we don't know where the Jays will be playing, which could significantly impact Rogers' desire to spend in 2021 (what's the point of making a FA splash to win without corresponding uptick in season ticket sales) and players' desire to play with the team.

 

There is already talk about cities basically bidding on being the Raptors' contingency plan for next season.

 

The Blue Jays will have an ironclad contingency plan that probably sees the organization get most of the gate revenue. I know that does not do much for lost impulse season ticket sales, but I'm not sure the uncertainty about where 2021 will be played for Toronto really matters allllllll that much.

[Jays24]

A spelling contest might be better...

 

Sigh lol.