jaysblue

If Escobar has a respectable spring, I think he makes the team and shares playing time at 3B with IKF. He still offers some pop and if IKF is really awful in the early going with the bat, Escobar likely will start 60% of the time. It was always pretty clear that the Blue Jays needed another 3B who has some offensive ability with IKF in the fold. Escobar will have a short leash, so if he has an awful April, he is likely gone and someone like Barger gets called up.

What's his +/- rating and goals totals in games vs. teams above .500?

Lol you're such an ignorant Leafs fan man. You know this team can't play a physical team like Boston or Florida in the Playoffs. The Leafs style of play isn't successful against those types of teams.

The Leafs love beating up on the bad teams. They could use their skill easily to just steamroll them. But when it comes to a more physical team like Boston or Florida in the Playoffs, their style of play won't work.

Don't use him against LHP at all, and everything should be fine!

We'll see what happens. If Escobar doesn't impress during ST, for sure he's gone or sent to Buffalo. He did hit 20 HR's in 2022, so he still does have some pop. Even an aging broken down Escobar is likely an upgrade offensively over IKF lol. Vogelbach needs a hot spring with the bat and Horwitz to struggle. Jays could send Horwitz down, so they have more roster flexibility with him. If Vogelbach makes the team and struggles heavily in April/May, he likely gets DFA'd and Horwitz takes his place. Don't mind seeing what Vogelbach could do with the bat against RHP if he has a hot spring. He has some pop and could get on-base. But yeah Horwitz is younger and has more defensive utility which is an advantage.

I think Escobar is more of an insurance policy with the bat at 3B since the Jays are rolling with IKF. If Escobar has a good spring training offensively, I could see him being on the active roster, making 2-3 starts per week and pinch-hitting late in games for IKF. If an injury or injuries happen, for sure he'll get more playing time. Though I still think he finds a way to get 200 + PA's if he makes the team out of spring training or more, especially if IKF really is a huge disappointment with the bat and if he doesn't live up to his defensive expectations in the early going. Like you said earlier, a lot of minor league FA's choose their teams. Escobar chose the Jays because he knows unless the Jays re-sign Chapman, he has a great chance at a roster spot and playing time as his only competition is really IKF.

Ohtani never signed up for this! He was expecting Josh Hader, not Justin Wilson!

Yeah I could see Vogelbach with a hot spring training making the team as the last bench piece and they could use him as a DH strictly against RHP on the days Turner plays some 3B. As well as a pinch hitter late in the game for IKF or Espinal or KK etc. There definitely is a way he could get 300 PA's. Only downside is he can't play a position and has no versititlity, other than 1B lol. Gallo would have been a nice fit in this role since he could play multiple positions, but would have cost $5M

Yeah I had no issue with the KK and IKF signings, but even said at the time as long as they don't hinder or tie up the Jays from making other offseason moves later on. As we approach ST, seems like they have unless the Jays sign/trade for another OF or 3B. I was talking with someone and said the same thing - think Atkins jumped the gun signing KK and IKF to those deals early in the offseason, when there wasn't really any serious interest for the both of them. The way the offseason has gone, would wager that KK and IKF would still be FA's right now. Atkins tends to act early to fill holes/roster spots in the offseason e.g. like he did with Kendrys Morales as a DH signing him to a 3-year deal at the beginning of the offseason when he didn't really have to rush or need to.

I suggested Votto or JD as bench pieces/veteran bats. Have no issue with them signing Escobar and Vogelbach as bench pieces as well to MiLB deals. Hopefully both don't get more than 200 PA's unless injuries happen. Though given the Jays rolling with IKF as their main 3B, I could see Escobar getting PA's especially if IKF struggles offensively earlier on.

I mean if Bellinger and Chapman both end up signing one-year deals that are reasonable, would be disappointing if they weren't able to sign one of them.

There isn't anything wrong with signing guys like Vogelbach or Escobar to minor league deals and as depth options, though if the Blue Jays don't sign anyone else, good chance both of them somehow end up on the MLB roster and get playing time early on.

Seems like that offseason where JPR signed guys like John Thompson, Tomo Ohka and Victor Zambrano lol.

I'm buying an Eduardo Escobar jersey this morning! Nice depth signing for ST and only a minor league deal, so not complaining.

I bet KC when they were 3 to 1 and down only a TD. Really wanted the 49ers to win, but saw in-game the Chiefs were the best bet.

I said this at the time of the IKF signing: I have no problem with the Jays bringing him aboard as a utility option who could play all over, but if his salary prevents the Jays from upgrading the roster in other areas, would be disappointed. Looks like that could be the case. As well, they shouldn't have had to go two-years on him, which is still a head scratcher IMO.

I know he's not a favourite on here by some (Boxy and Spanky specifically lol), but after watching the Super Bowl yesterday, you can never bet against the more experienced quarterback in the big game like Patrick Mahomes. Even with the 49ers up by a field goal before the end of the game, and up a field goal in OT, you saw how cool and collected Patrick Mahomes was in those moments like he was just playing backyard football. You got the sense he was going to drive the ball down field and score. Chiefs had a tough schedule: beat both the Bills and Ravens on the road to get to Las Vegas. Pretty remarkable for Kansas City to win two years in a row. Mahomes definitely has cemented himself more as one of the NFL's best quarterbacks, whether you like his style of play or not.

Yeah some other pieces might fall into the Jays lap if they only require a one-year deal or a contract that includes an opt-out. You would hope if Chapman or Bellinger only settle for a one-year deal, the Jays pounce on one of them at least. Would make a huge difference.

Atkins isn't a bad GM at all. Does he get more praise on here than he deserves? I think he does. The 2020 season was a joke. 60 game schedule and 8 teams in each league made the Postseason. 2021 was the most exciting team and best team IMO assembled in the Atkins era. It's a shame that team never made the Postseason because I think they could have went on a big run. Atkins missed that "big push" in 2021 which would have been really helpful. Yup under AA, Jays had to work with a tighter payroll even prior to the 2015 season. As well, there was no expanded Playoffs, so the Jays either had to win the division or more than 90 games for a WC spot.

I could see that happening lol. Bullpen's are always volatile from year-to-year, so ititss possible someone gets injured or sucks. I'm more worried about the starting rotation to be honest. Things were so good last season with the rotation, it's expected that the rotation performs exactly the same. Everyone is a year older and there could be some concerns e.g. whether Kikuchi can deliver two years in a row, how does Bassitt respond to throwing a career high 200 innings from last season, what type of Berrios do we get, and if Gausman is still in elite form like being a 5-6 WAR pitcher. Hope Manoah can rebound as well, which would definitely make things easier if one of the above happened to the other 4 arms.

Yeah I also felt that the 2015 team on paper and the way they were playing down the stretch, the Jays had a World Series caliber team. It definitely did feel that way. They had an epic comeback, coming back down 0-2 from the Rangers in the DS. The Royals were a tough matchup and everything was clicking for them. f***, even Alcides Escobar was the ALCS MVP lol. Who knows if they were able to pull out a Game 6 win, what could have happened in Game 7. Even in that Game 6, a lot of calls went more the Royals way. Kinda felt like MLB was pushing for KC, but who knows. Even the 2016 season, despite them winning a WC, you had that feeling that squad could have went on a deep run and they did. Beat the Orioles in a one-game WC at the Rogers Centre, demolished the Rangers, though again ran into a Cleveland team playing great baseball and that had great pitching in the ALCS. Nightmares of Andrew Miller haha. Disappointing series, because Cleveland really walked all over the Jays. I never felt good about the Jays team in 2022 and 2023 heading into the Postseason. It was more "what if" scenarios and if they got hot at the right time, they could go on a run. The lineup struggled over 162 games in 2023, yet if the bats woke up all of a sudden in Game 163 and 164, the Jays had a chance. Didn't feel that confident with this group heading into the Postseason at all. Like you said, ironically the 2021 team felt like the best team Atkins assembled on paper and the way they were playing in the final half of the season, but they missed the Postseason. Atkins could have used that "big push" mentality in 2021.

Great to see Kershaw back. I think it was pretty obvious he's back with the Dodgers or retires lol.

The Jays pretty much have been a borderline WC team the past three seasons and it's looking like it will be another season as well. Atkins has really just been average. He's made some great moves and some questionable ones, but at the end of the day he hasn't taken this team to the next level. A lot of posters bashed AA about a depleted farm system and ageing roster when he was here, but Atkins seems to get a free pass. For a $230M payroll like you said, you would expect it to be better. Jays farm system is also pretty average as well.

Spanky