Bo or Tucker Based On Their Projected Contracts?

[Jays24]

Let's say the Jays have to choose between Bo or Tucker based on their projected contracts as per MLB Trade Rumours.  We all know the Blue Jays dont run an unlimited budget even it does feel that way recently. 

Tucker is obviously a better player than Bo currently but we have to take various factors such as who will age better during their contract and position when deciding who is ultimately the better fit.  So by taking everything into consideration, who would you want the Jays to sign?

1. Bo -  $208/8yrs = 26M/yr

2. Tucker - $400/11yrs = 36M/yr

*This decision may be used against you in future arguments

[Spanky__99]

Bo all day... Tucker ain't worth that money.

[Eat My Shatkins]

Easily Bo, he's playing 2B on my team though,

[ValiantJaysFan]

Tucker. I can't stomach watching Bo field any more, but more than that, his legs are shot and I don't think he's going to age well. Without moderate speed he becomes a 1 tool player. With Tucker, he has all 5 tools, Barger moves to third, Santander to LF which he's better suited for, Ernie at 2nd, Giminez at SS...that's a nasty infield, a solid OF, and the ability to go

1) Springer (R)

2) Tucker (L)

3) Vladdy (R)

4) Barger (L)

5) Santander (S)

...is pretty sexy. 2027, Santander becomes the DH if Springer leaves or retires. It just works better imo. 

If you take the emotion out of it, and we didn't draft/develop Bo, and they were both just free agents from other teams, I think we'd mostly be saying Tucker. More money, sure, but it ain't my money so I don't care lol.

[max silver]

If I were forced to pick based on projected contracts and not what I expect each player to receive in actuality I would choose Bo Bichette at half of the total outlay. In actuality I prefer Tucker over Bo, but part of the reason why is I don't think Tucker is going to receive the $400 million that's been projected on various websites. I do believe he has potential for 6+ win seasons or better in a fully healthy season but he's yet to prove that he can actually provide that type of production as of yet so it's hypothetical at this point. At any rate I believe his skill set is likely to age better than Bo's and he offers more immediate impact to the Blue Jays than Bichette.

Bo's leg injuries concern me a lot and he's lost mobility in the field such that he's MLB's worst short stop defender and it's far from a given that he will even be able to provide league average defense at second base. He did look very smooth/natural at the position on one good leg in the world series so I maybe he can be a solid enough defender at second base to avoid being a massive detriment with the glove. Bo has been slowly improving his swing decisions year to year but I do share the concern of others about what happens to his offensive game once the hand/eye coordination starts to wane a bit.

 

[The_DH]

I definitely take Bo at that price but if it's an either/or thing, what can you do with the $10 million difference?

[BTS]

I think Tucker is going to be a better player than Bo in the coming years by a meaningful amount, so I don't really care how different the contract terms look 

[Nexii]

It's all Rogers monopoly money

[Laika]

39 minutes ago, max silver said:

If I were forced to pick based on projected contracts and not what I expect each player to receive in actuality I would choose Bo Bichette at half of the total outlay. In actuality I prefer Tucker over Bo, but part of the reason why is I don't think Tucker is going to receive the $400 million that's been projected on various websites. I do believe he has potential for 6+ win seasons or better in a fully healthy season but he's yet to prove that he can actually provide that type of production as of yet so it's hypothetical at this point. At any rate I believe his skill set is likely to age better than Bo's and he offers more immediate impact to the Blue Jays than Bichette.

Bo's leg injuries concern me a lot and he's lost mobility in the field such that he's MLB's worst short stop defender and it's far from a given that he will even be able to provide league average defense at second base. He did look very smooth/natural at the position on one good leg in the world series so I maybe he can be a solid enough defender at second base to avoid being a massive detriment with the glove. Bo has been slowly improving his swing decisions year to year but I do share the concern of others about what happens to his offensive game once the hand/eye coordination starts to wane a bit.

 

All of this is true and it is how I felt a couple of months ago but this off-season makes it seem like the payroll can go anywhere so give me Tucker, the better player and safer bet 

[jmomcc]

I'd choose bo. 

i also think there won't be a cap but they will make the luxury tax so heavy that no one including the dodgers will go more than 20/30 million over it and not for multiple seasons. 

You can look at that two ways. Grandfather in the spend or don't go crazy. 

[Spanky__99]

1 hour ago, The_DH said:

I definitely take Bo at that price but if it's an either/or thing, what can you do with the $10 million difference?

Add it to deadline money.

[hanton]

Bo

[hanton]

[Jonn]

Tucker all day everyday. True 5-tool talent. Doesn't strike out. Walks and hit for Power while stealing 20-25 bases a year. What more could you want.

I love Bo don't get me wrong but if they are paying a premium I would rather they grab the better player.  I have questions about Bo's ability to stay healthy.,

[Laika]

Tucker is not a primo 5 tool player anymore. If he ever was one?

His defense and sprint speed are below average. He's a good baserunner despite the poor sprint speed.  

Bat speed and raw power are not impressive. 

Arm is average.

This is a corner outfielder with declining defense who has an incredible approach and barrel control. He's actually not dissimilar from Bo in terms of total package as both leave a lot to be desired in terms of defense, bat speed, and sprint speed. They just have wildly different plate discipline and approaches plus Tucker is somehow a great baserunner.

Tucker may age much more gracefully but I really can't agree that he has way more upside than Bo Bichette. In fact, one could say he's completely maxed out whereas Bo could still develop a better approach and hit more dingers 

[Spanky__99]

1 hour ago, Jonn said:

Tucker all day everyday. True 5-tool talent. Doesn't strike out. Walks and hit for Power while stealing 20-25 bases a year. What more could you want.

I love Bo don't get me wrong but if they are paying a premium I would rather they grab the better player.  I have questions about Bo's ability to stay healthy.,

Bo's younger and Tucker has missed more games due to injury recently, more money for the team at the deadline, money is a detriment to two guys that project nearly the same fWAR, using the 200M in difference is more money well spent, imo.

Also a better fit to our immediate team.

[DonJays]

2 hours ago, Laika said:

All of this is true and it is how I felt a couple of months ago but this off-season makes it seem like the payroll can go anywhere so give me Tucker, the better player and safer bet 

Agreed, Bo is going to age terribly. Regardless, sign either of them and we are a significantly better team going into spring training 

[glory]

An 11 year deal for Tucker is bordering on insane to me. He's already 29 and is a corner OF at best. Everything being equal I would take him over Bo in a second, but 3 fewer years and nearly $200M less? That heavily favors Bichette. 

Edit to add: I also believe Bo is not going to age well. Tucker likely ages better but over 11 years is asking a lot. 

[Laika]

If you pick the Bo side you also get a $10m player like Fairbanks too. Have to be fair 

[Laika]

1 minute ago, glory said:

An 11 year deal for Tucker is bordering on insane to me. He's already 29 and is a corner OF at best. Everything being equal I would take him over Bo in a second, but 3 fewer years and nearly $200M less? That heavily favors Bichette. 

Edit to add: I also believe Bo is not going to age well. Tucker likely ages better if over 11 years is asking a lot. 

Yeah the "he will age better" part should only matter if their contacts are similar lengths

If Tucker is getting 3 more years then lol

[G-Snarls]

3 hours ago, Spanky__99 said:

Bo all day... Tucker ain't worth that money.

Same here 

[Eat My Shatkins]

1 minute ago, Laika said:

If you pick the Bo side you also get a $10m player like Fairbanks too. Have to be fair 

Bo and Fairbanks would be a chefs kiss to the off season.

 

Bieber

Cease

Ponce

Rogers

Bo

Fairbanks

 

Would be phenomenal

[The_DH]

2 hours ago, Spanky__99 said:

Add it to deadline money.

10 over a whole season won't do much but at the deadline it could pay for the big strikeout reliever.

[Sasky05]

It's really tough to pick between the two. Has anyone heard any updates on how Bo's knee is healing? That could be a factor in his FA. I like the lefty bat that Tucker provides.  

[Sasky05]

28 minutes ago, The_DH said:

10 over a whole season won't do much but at the deadline it could pay for the big strikeout reliever.

Jays had the highest payroll in MLB in 92 and 93. They still went after pieces at the trade deadline. I think the current brain trust will go after a difference maker at the TD if the team is in position to make the playoffs and compete for the WS championship.

[max silver]

1 hour ago, Laika said:

If you pick the Bo side you also get a $10m player like Fairbanks too. Have to be fair 

If the likes of Davidi are to be believed the front office won't necessarily be able to spend time extra $10 million on a reliever. He claims that the star players fall under a separate budgetary allotment that isn't automatically available to be spent on the non star players. 

[Spanky__99]

31 minutes ago, The_DH said:

10 over a whole season won't do much but at the deadline it could pay for the big strikeout reliever.

Yes, that's what I was implying, 10M goes a very long way friendo!

[bronson44]

You could get Bo and Bellinger for less than 400. Can we do that instead?

[Stangstag]

1 hour ago, max silver said:

If the likes of Davidi are to be believed the front office won't necessarily be able to spend time extra $10 million on a reliever. He claims that the star players fall under a separate budgetary allotment that isn't automatically available to be spent on the non star players. 

Doesn’t make any sense at all. What casual even knows who Kyle Tucker is? He’s not some superstar, just merely a really good player.

[L54]

55 minutes ago, Stangstag said:

Doesn’t make any sense at all. What casual even knows who Kyle Tucker is? He’s not some superstar, just merely a really good player.

He's top 10 in WAR over the last 5 years. Maybe he doesn’t have the name value to be considered a true superstar, but he’s definitely more than a really good player