General Blue Jays Discussion Thread (2023)

[max silver]

I really don't want Bellinger at $200+ million. I would rather patch up the roster with stopgap options for 2024 and save that $200+ million on someone like Soto or Bregman next offseason.

 

- Sign Rhys Hoskins as a 1B/DH to a one-year contract worth anywhere between $18-$22M.

- Sign two bats to platoon in LF - sign one LHB like Gallo, Brantley, Meadows, Rosario with a RHB like Taylor, Profar, or Duvall.

- Trade for a 3B like Polanco or Moncada or sign a guy like Escobar/Solano/Anderson/Kiner-Falefa + a vet bat like Longoria as insurance.

- If the Jays trade an arm like Kikuchi for Polanco, sign an arm like Paxton/Montas/Lauer/Wood to a one-year deal. Would try to sign Lauer either way as a guy to compete for the No. 5 spot with Manoah during ST.

- Sign Jake Junis as a swingman - nice insurance to have as a starter and could pitch multiple innings out of the pen.

 

I think with those moves along with a couple of bounce backs from maybe Vladdy, Varsho, Kirk, and Springer, they're a 90+ win team with the potential to be better.

 

I'd certainly rather have Bregman and Soto vs Bellinger as well, but those guys are likely to see the team facing way more competition for their services and are unlikely signs as compared to Bellinger who doesn't appear to have very many suitors. Eventually the Jays will be forced to move on from Bellinger as they need to fill their lineup holes and this will remove one potential option, so hopefully Boras will eventually lower the demands to something more in line with the value that Bellinger is more likely to provide (3-4 WAR vs the 5+ the contract demands imply).

[G-Snarls]

Add Bellinger

 

Subtract Kiermaeier

 

If our OF defense still as sexy as we want?

Edited December 20, 2023 by G-Snarls

[max silver]

Add Bellinger

 

Subtract Keirmaeier

 

If our OF defense still as sexy as we want?

 

Definitely. Varsho might actually be an upgrade on Kiermaier, and left field may be Varsho's worst defensive position in the outfield based on the early OAA returns so Bellinger should be a fine replacement.

[jaysblue]

I'd certainly rather have Bregman and Soto vs Bellinger as well, but those guys are likely to see the team facing way more competition for their services and are unlikely signs as compared to Bellinger who doesn't appear to have very many suitors. Eventually the Jays will be forced to move on from Bellinger as they need to fill their lineup holes and this will remove one potential option, so hopefully Boras will eventually lower the demands to something more in line with the value that Bellinger is more likely to provide (3-4 WAR vs the 5+ the contract demands imply).

 

Yeah there definitely will be competition for both Soto and Springer. If the Jays were willing to spend around $600M on Ohtani, the money is there for them to land a big fish or two. Atkins for example signed Springer the top FA during the 2020/2021 offseason, so Jays definitely can land Soto or Bregman if they offer the most years and/or money.

 

If Boras and Bellinger both lower their demands like you said, then I'm definitely on board with bringing in Belly. If you can land him on a similar contract to Springer, I'm all for it.

[L54]

Pretty much my opinion too. Schneider, Biggio, Espinal, Barger, Orelvis, Clement can all do it at 2B to some extent.

 

3B is a tougher defensive position for most of those guys (noodle arms, mostly) and the MUCH bigger hole.

 

Yup 3B is the giant elephant in the room. Even LF isn’t as big of a deal because you should be able to roll some shitters through there and assess after a couple months. I don’t think there is anyone in the entire organization you’d expect to reasonably fill third base next year

[Frenchsoup]

JD for 5 million does a lot of good for our team and if we bring in a guy like India he can play some 3rd 2.

[Frenchsoup]

I don't mind Turner as well but he'll cost you double and am worried more about his durability more then JD.

[wilko]

JD for 5 million does a lot of good for our team and if we bring in a guy like India he can play some 3rd 2.

 

[Spanky99]

lol....

[jaysblue]

JD for 5 million does a lot of good for our team and if we bring in a guy like India he can play some 3rd 2.

 

I prefer Longoria. There was a famous Longoria on Desperate Housewives and the casuals will definitely make the connection lol.

[deanmike]

It kind of seems like the Jays see the 3B FA market as Chapman or bust. If shortstop Willy Adames is their other main 3B target they must really not like the rest of this 3B FA class.

 

Also Feinsand is on drugs if he thinks Bellinger would split time between CF/1B here. That's an absolute waste of where he is needed. He would probably be the everyday LF and backup CF to Varsho. I've seen some say Springer would move to LF and Bellinger plays RF. This will not happen if the Jays already see him as an RF. For some reason they seem to be strict about corner OF versatility like that.

 

Plan A for the 1B/DH split with Vlad should be Rhys Hoskins. It will allow the DH split to lean more heavily towards Vlad unlike when Belt was in this role last season.

 

The 13 position players for 2024 then end up shaping out like this:

C Jansen+Kirk

1B Hoskins

2B Biggio+Babe platoon

SS Bo

3B Adames trade (I'm assuming no Chapman if they land Bellinger)

LF Bellinger

CF Varsho

RF Springer

DH Vlad

 

Which leaves 2 spots left for bench bats, ideally a righty bat 4th OF who can play instead of Varsho against LHP, and some kind of a backup 3B because I doubt the team sees Biggio or Babe as a 3B option.

 

I am definitely hoping the Cubs or Giants land Bellinger instead of us so the Jays can explore other LF options and maybe be more aggressive on Chapman. If someone can convince me Adames is a legit 3B option I am very willing to jump ship on the bring back Chapman train.

[Spanky99]

Adames is an elite SS with a missile for an arm, he can definitely play 3B.

[deanmike]

Adames is an elite SS with a missile for an arm, he can definitely play 3B.

 

You've convinced me, I am now heavily against signing both Chapman and Belli and hope the Jays lose out on both for their own good. Atkins landing his Plan B Adames would likely work out better for the team.

[Frenchsoup]

So funny lol Wilko hates JD

[Frenchsoup]

Razor Ramon doesn't like JD

[BatFlip]

Adames is an elite SS with a missile for an arm, he can definitely play 3B.

 

100% - he can handle the corner for sure. Projections seem to have him and Chapman at similar offensive contributions next year and Adames is 28.

 

Adames isn't a disappointing Plan B, he'd be a pretty solid option at third. Just not sure what the acquisition cost would be with a couple years of arb control remaining.

[Frenchsoup]

Chapman Adames is a nice leftside

[wilko]

So funny lol Wilko hates JD

 

He's washed. He should retire and keep some dignity.

[max silver]

100% - he can handle the corner for sure. Projections seem to have him and Chapman at similar offensive contributions next year and Adames is 28.

 

Adames isn't a disappointing Plan B, he'd be a pretty solid option at third. Just not sure what the acquisition cost would be with a couple years of arb control remaining.

 

As far as I can see Adames would be a rental player.

[deanmike]

As far as I can see Adames would be a rental player.

 

His surplus value on BTV reflects that. Only 11.1, should be a realistic and feasible trade target for Atkins.

 

I would also kind of be interested in working a Yelich for Springer swap in there. Brewers would still have to eat money on that deal, but Springer only having 3 years left compared to Yelich's 5 plus a mutual option will still save them money in terms of total guaranteed money committed.

[Frenchsoup]

So if you get Willy Adames and win the world series what's the surplus value on that

[Frenchsoup]

He's washed. He should retire and keep some dignity.

 

He's not washed man.

[max silver]

His surplus value on BTV reflects that. Only 11.1, should be a realistic and feasible trade target for Atkins.

 

I would also kind of be interested in working a Yelich for Springer swap in there. Brewers would still have to eat money on that deal, but Springer only having 3 years left compared to Yelich's 5 plus a mutual option will still save them money in terms of total guaranteed money committed.

 

Why would the Brewers want to swap Yelich for Springer though? They make similar salaries and Yelich was literally twice as valuable as Springer last season.

[max silver]

He's not washed man.

 

I placed you on ignore upon your return as all you posted was troll level s*** in every post something like 500 times a day. I noticed that it seemed like nearly every other response to the various threads had your name attached to it so I unblocked you to see if the post quality had improved. Looks like it's time to add back to the ignore list.

[Frenchsoup]

You guys are 60 year old baby's lmao

[deanmike]

Why would the Brewers want to swap Yelich for Springer though? They make similar salaries and Yelich was literally twice as valuable as Springer last season.

 

Aren't the Brewers one of the teams trying to offload salary commitments because of the regional networks thing?

[Frenchsoup]

Worse then a Jp Arencibia interview

[max silver]

You guys are 60 year old baby's lmao

 

Baby's what? You mean babies? How on earth can a baby be 60 years old?

 

Does finding a constant barrage of nonsense posts to be really irritating make one a baby in your estimation?

[Frenchsoup]

Aren't the Brewers one of the teams trying to offload salary commitments because of the regional networks thing?

 

Yea they are and he's gettable

[max silver]

Aren't the Brewers one of the teams trying to offload salary commitments because of the regional networks thing?

 

It reduces the long term payroll commitments but does nothing in the short term except most likely make the team noticeably worse.