BigCecil

Ya. I think Morales was just a clear misread on the one dimensional power market, and a panic reaction to deal with Edwin and his agent also misreading it. At the time they also thought Jose was toast. When they looked at Trumbo, Carter, Napoli etc I'm sure they wanted someone who could hit from the left side. They got stung with an extra year and more AAV than they needed to pay...but just about everyone was wrong on that market so I can't fault them. I hope to f*** he is good in the RC, and healthy. I struggle with the Smoak thing more even though its a much smaller deal, because it was an isolated self inflicted wound.

Not sure ill ever really understand the need for that move when they did it. I THINK I get the rationale at the time, but its Smoak. Almost the definition of replaceable. Oh well. Sweet deal for the Yanks.

Thanks King. Loved the comments on media interaction and Jose. Best interview JPA ever gives was his last.

As long as its not politics I pretty much always agree with you! Below is a pretty interesting article on ESPN. Love Vlad and he should be in the HOF, but Walker out WAR'ed him. He gets discounted for COL numbers even though they are park adjusted. Papi will go into the HOF, despite the DH and roids issue but Edgar Martinez wont. Its frustrating. As snubs show, WAR won't carry you to Cooperstown http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/18493610/as-snubs-show-war-carry-cooperstown

who gives a f*** about this drama? Just pitch well.

I remember watching the Rock when he came up at 2B. He was unreal exciting at the plate and on the bases. Great to see him in. Bagwell and Pudge were awesome players. No way they weren't juicing. Time for the voters to abandon this hypocritical stance against some amazing players getting shafted. Just such a facade.

This is the right move the way this off season has played out. 2015 was a 4.5 WAR season for Jose. I can see him having a 3+ WAR year. I was ready to see the guy walk, even thought I've been a big Jose fan. But his show was tired even for me. At this point though I'll be very glad to see him back, and that stick in the order.

That's fair. We don't have to be disciples to appreciate the approach to the job he has. I think he would admit in a round about way he went a year long on Morales. But he can also put up a good argument for his rationale for doing so at the time. He intimated that he got the power bat, no D market wrong with the caveat that just about everyone else did too, including Edwin's agent and Edwin himself. Also, agree with you on the reliever market. Cost to value/risk is an issue right now and I like them staying away from it.

Good interview. FAP FAP FAP Hard not to feel confident when you listen to them that they have a solid plan that they are just going to execute, regardless of temp casual blow back. Got to say thus far the only head scratcher with them was the Smoak extension, but its a small financially in the grand scheme. Nit picking.

Absolutely agree with this.

^This. The overall health and performance of the SP was a black swan event. If they repeat it great, but its not something we can count on.

Ya, they threw WARD out there until his arm literally blew up. 5 consecutive seasons with over 100 IP out of the pen, and some worry about overuse with Osuna's 58.

This off season has been really tough for a few reasons. What do they value the pick they would get for Jose at? 8-10mm? Got to be a big factor with this FO in the negotiation. But the way things have worked out with Fowler and Edwin Id love to see Jose's bat back here.

Disappointed to lose Edwin but the FO did make a major offer to him that he rejected. I thought it was an overpay at 4/80. Truly sucks to lose an icon who gave us some great moments. I still watch his WC HR against the 0's at least twice a week. Suck it Buck. We get a pick and pray that Morales(who we probably gave an extra year to the way the market broke) smashes the ball at the RC from both sides of the plate. I do like the fact he is a SH. It sucks emotionally but I'm ok with this as a fan, and can't be upset with the FO. Remembering Edwin Encarnacion’s five best Blue Jays moments http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/remembering-edwin-encarnacions-five-best-blue-jays-moments/

I just saw that. How the mighty have fallen. I actually would like to see him back given what's transpired so far this off season. I'm surprised they won't go two yrs if this is true. Unless they just don't think he can really play the OF anymore at a serviceable level.

I don't care when it comes...as long as its the right news hombre.

Experience hasn't changed Pillar's approach at all. His pitch selection remains awful. He swings at everything. His lead off experiment was a predictable bust. The Board had a collective LOL against TEX in the playoffs. He actually yanked a 95 MPH FB a foot high and in over the LF wall off of Darvish. I still cant believe that one. Once a hacker always a hacker?

Good to see more of you DP. Better forum when you are around.

Agreed. Interesting when I watch him pitch the frustration I get. The nibbling and constant down in the zone. Its effective but the 3rd time through he starts to get hit so hard (not uncommon). He doesn't give them a look up often enough with the 4S early on imo. When he does start to miss up, it gets crushed...his HR/FB the last 2 seasons is mucho grande. It was so predictable against CLE in the must win the playoffs 3rd time through. Gibby rolled the dice.

He hasn't been the same since. I expected to hear that he would have shoulder surgery this off season but maybe its irreparable. His arm f***ing sucked last year. It was his only plus defensive asset in the past.

You are going to have to talk a lot of posters off the ledge for a long time over all this Spank Seriously though, while anything can happen in the playoffs you have to get there first. And over 162, adding Sale to their rotation is not something I'm happy about.

King, thanks for saying those nice things and for doing all this. Actually can't believe people would think I was nice, after I was obsessively posting in the politics thread for months during the US election and seemingly fighting with everyone. Boxy was my frenemy through that and I squared off with Terminator a fair bit. A few posters remain on my IL. Have to say though, despite the occasional dust ups, the intelligence of a lot of the posters in making arguments and understanding issues (baseball and off topic) blows me away for what one might expect on an internet message board. Congrats on all the other awards and fellow BJMB posters for making this a great board. That was a good trip. went to Anaheim to catch 3 gms in August 2015 for my 50th Bday. I lost any good pics but a friend clipped this off the TV. Great seats behind the dugout. I think we scored almost 40 runs in the 3 game sweep and the first night Price was on the bump. Great way to celebrate that milestone. I think that was when TL left the board (mostly). He posted a pic someone had clipped of me on Reddit, and that started a huge battle over "fluffy" using Reddit etc.

Have been on the road and just heard this news. Love this quality signing. Term and aav better than I thought we would get. Nice job FO

Same. News here first from King or G-Snarls etc. I don't even have twitter. One of the things I appreciate is the statistical valuation discussion o here. I'm older and got a D in stats my first year in Business School(and that was a gift from the Prof). I grew up that HRs, RBIs and avg were the measures of value, Defensive value was only give GG sort of thought. From a lot of younger and smarter analytics guys on here, Id like to think I've learned some. I can no longer talk Jays/ball with casual fans after the BJMB experience, for all its warts. I lose my mind.

Thats a good post ^. Agree with you on IWok's approach. You take a lot of really negative heat on the board. I don't understand it. Although we probably share the same center-left political philosophies, I often disagree with your posts. But you try not to get too personal and I do admire how you hang in there on what you believe, even if overly stubborn sometimes. Of course, you took a vicious pounding on Sanchez and.....