jaysblue

Swanson is a 30-year-old reliever and last season had a 0.9 fWAR with a 3.81 xFIP. This season he has a -0.5 fWAR thus far. Not knocking him as he was solid in 2023 and is still under team control for another year, but give me an everyday player like Teo over a reliever like Swanson. Jays could have used Teo's bat last season (probably would have had better numbers in Toronto) and likely would have had a better chance at re-signing him to an extension. Swanson had to be a 1.0 - 1.5 WAR reliever every season, and so far doesn't look like that will happen. Finding relievers like Swanson should be easy. Shouldn't have to trade assets like Teo for them. We'll see how Macko does.

I didn't mind bringing back KK, but not as an everyday player. Someone who maybe gives you 300 AB's. Jays needed some pop and had Varsho who could already cover CF. Agreed with you on Springer. They need to shake things up with the lineup and move him down. Can't have him batting leadoff anymore.

It's okay. We robbed Erik Swanson from the Mariners which was a complete steal by Atkins!

You definitely are a voice of reason. Two weeks ago you said this bullpen was so elite and the Jays were clutch team that knew how to win lol. Then this week you come out saying the exact opposite lol.

Watching Eat My Shatkins trying to defend Atkins and this front office is hilarious! He is definitely getting paid haha.

lol Excuses!

I'm throwing names out there Spanky. Aging players with awful contracts have been traded before. Why don't you come up with some ideas?

Yeah maybe Hicks wasn't interested in coming back. As well, if the Giants gave him 4 years/$44M, Jays likely have to go an extra year and/or up the AAV maybe closer to $13-14M. Even if he never panned out as a starter, still worth the 4 years/$44M for the Giants, since most late-inning arms were getting similar years and AAV.

He's still only 27 and always has had electric stuff, so definitely worth the gamble for San Fran. Worst case, they move him back to the pen and he's still a valuable late-inning arm at $11M per season. Pitching in San Fran helps for sure. K/9 as a starter (7.11K/9) lower than his career averages and has a 3.25 FIP thus far. Still quite impressive over his first 7 starts but will be interesting to see how he holds up over a full season. If San Fran gave him 4 years and $44M, sure the Blue Jays would have had to either go an extra year and/or up the AAV. Plus who knows if Hicks wanted to return to Toronto anyways.

Yeah a money for money type of deal. Maybe someone like a Starling Marte (19.5M AAV and one less year) or Nolan Arenado (1.2 WAR already this season but doubt the Cards move him right now). Just some names off the top of my head.

Don't think the Jays had a chance at bringing back Hicks unless they offered him a job in the rotation. Giants from the get go were willing to sign Hicks and give him another shot as a starter.

Deja Vu every season.

Wonder if there are any trades for Springer out there. Like trade him for another veteran player or arm that needs a change of scenery.

He only has pitched 6 innings because he's been on the IL and how many months coming off TJS? I thought Atkins and this front office only target durable and healthy arms?

I'm not dunking on the signing but I did acknowledge that it was a lot of money at the time and it came with risk due to his injury concerns. As well, stated that I hope the $11M didn't handcuff the Jays from making other moves this offseason. You and the other members of the Atkins cult were praising the signing as such a bargain and steal. Any criticism of the deal was met with backlash lol. If Green is healthy, I think he definitely is a valuable arm but I wouldn't bet on it.

It can be really insufferable. Seems like he has something against AA for some reason lol. When AA or another GM hits on certain players, it's all luck haha. But when it's Atkins, it's because he's amazing.

But wait, wasn't Atkins a genius locking up Green to that contract? That was such a great deal!

Can I be the vice president of this thread?

1 strikeout shy of a free slice of pizza!

Manoah has something to prove!

Yeah I could see him pushing hard to have an All-Star game here with the new renovations and everything. I think Shapiro definitely has his sites on being a commissioner down the road.

Coming out to Slipknot "Duality" was pretty awesome haha. As well the new OF scoreboards would have flames as he was coming out of the pen. JPR did some renovations as well during his tenure haha.

Yeah I thought that should have been a penalty shot as well but ugh. It's too bad the Leafs couldn't play like they did the past 3 games for the entire series. Regardless, Leafs weren't going to make it past Florida.

One of the Jays biggest contracts under Atkins - George Springer right now - doesn't look that good. BJ Ryan was one of the best relievers in baseball at the time and had an awesome 2006 season. Sucks he got hurt. Came back in 2008 though not as awesome as he was in 2006 but still was solid. Not the best contract handed out, though if it was Ross Atkins who handed out that contract, I bet many members of his cult around here would say it's just bad luck. AJ Burnett contract was great. Sucks he had the opt-out after 2008, but that turned out to be a great big contract signing. I don't think JPR really had any other big contracts other than signing Vernon Wells to that big contract extension after his 2006 season. Wasn't the best and Wells had some disastrous seasons but that was market value for top players at the time. Frank Thomas was decent in his first season here, but was terrible afterwards. Atkins gave Morales a 3-year-contract so there haha. Corey Koskie signing was bad but he still put up a 1.7 WAR season and the Jays were able to move him to Milwaukee the following offseason. As well at the time, Toronto wasn't a favourable spot for baseball players, so yes you would have to overpay by money and years to lure top FA's. Which is why they went 5 years with Burnett and Ryan in the 2005/2006 offseason or else the Jays likely don't sign either. Off the top of my head, JPR made some swift trades during his tenure. For example, Glaus and Overbay in the 2005/2006 offseason. Traded Bobby Kielty for Ted Lilly after the 2003 season. Traded for Justin Speier after the 2003 season as well and was a solid late-inning reliever here for years. Traded Billy Koch for Eric Hinske. Traded Adam Peterson for Shea Hillenbrand who then was flipped for Jeremy Accardo. Traded Glaus after for Scott Rolen and then Rolen for EE haha. The one trade that came to bite them was trading Jayson Werth for Jason Frasor. As well early in his tenure traded away Paul Quantrill and Cesar Izturis for peanuts. Trying to think of some other moves.

Yes, but if there was an expanded Wildcard like there is today, maybe the Jays under JPR make some more/different moves at the trade deadline in 2003, 2006, 2007 and 2008 or even during the offseason. Those were solid teams he put together. Also, factor in that decade the AL East pretty much was dominated by the Yankees and the Red Sox. It was like having the Dodgers & Braves in the same division. I wouldn't say JPR had more success during his tenure than Atkins. I still prefer Atkins to JPR but at the end of the day I don't think there was much of a difference between the two. If Atkins gets the praise he does on here by some members, JPR shouldn't receive as much hate as he gets.