BlueJaysGirl

I'd blow Pagan.

I can't imagine two better bench pieces. And what are their combined salaries, $4M? Great deal. Either can perform as starters sporadically.

If he has another great season, why would he extend? The OP has a great point. You extend now as a gamble, and only if it is team friendly. That is why it's a tough decision. If it's an easy decision you can bet that the extension will not be nearly as team-friendly. Personally, I extend these sorts of players only if it will add trade value, in the event that they may need to be moved for other pieces.

3-years, $50M is a steal. I'd love to have him back at that price. But then we need to man up and give Fowler $18M AAV for 4-5 years and sign him. Jiminez can be our backup catcher for peanuts. Then we'd just have to work our tails off to find, trade warm bodies for the 'pen. We have three stoppers, but two lefties (with the prayer that Loup can keep his splits down a bit) would be amazing. JB can DH some, LF some, RF some, 1B some. It'd work. And creates a little flexibility for when injuries strike. I can't but think Rogers doesn't want the appearance of two of it franchise faces leaving in the same year.

I hope we don't lose Fowler because we are $3M apart on AAV. That'd be freaking awful. Even if we sign Fowler, I hope we make another run at Bats. Maybe, just maybe, you could be sold on a 1-year, $20M deal. It's more than the QO. He can increase his value with a good year, try for a WC, and next year there won't be as handcuffing a QO in place to decrease his value (with the new CBA, even if he has a great year). Pearce is a better corner OF than JB at this point. But with Fowler and Pillar in LF and CF, you can afford to have a mediocre RF perhaps. Maybe JB and Pearce split duties between RF and 1B. Again, increasing JB's value where, depending on metrics, JB could be considered at 1B. Without the Jays signing JB, I don't think he will sign with anyone until June. Where we'd lose the draft pick compensation, IIRC. Fowler - LF Travis - 2B Donaldson - 3B Bautista -RF/1B Morales - DH Tulo - SS Pearce - 1B/RF Martin - C Pillar - CF

I'd love to bring Lawrie back.

I kind of wish instead of signing Morales they had traded for Melky Cabrera. At least he can play some LF. And he won't clog the base paths like lead footed Morales. He'd be a really nice number 2 hitter.

We were the oldest team in the majors this season, with a fairly hefty payroll. If that stays status quo, we're the Phillies, circa 2014. Our farm is below average, and there is a dearth of position players in the upper minors. We're not in awful shape, but we're not in great shape. Martin, Tulo and JB and/or EE (if signed long term) may prove to be albatross type contracts. That's a risk in signing an older player on the wrong side of 30.

Tellez comes to mind.

We also have a core of really old players, if all, or even some, are re-signed. Also, our farm is bottom 50%. IMO.

Do you guys think a major overhaul might be for the best? I don't mean rebuild, but an overhaul; keeping centerpieces like Tulo, Martin and JD. Saunders might be a decent DH/OF option going forward, but maybe not. Our strength is CF, where I think it may make sense to sell sort of high on Pillar. And let Pompey play everyday. I would try to move Upton, too. I may try to move either Happ or Estrada, if there is something really decent in return. Younger, more controllable pitching perhaps? I see what happened to the Phillies when they got old overnight with bloated contracts. I also saw what happened with the Yankees. Who seemed to sell everything, but look a ton stronger, short of their bullpen. And bullpens may be the easiest component to rebuild on a MLB team. I wouldn't throw up if we went considerably younger (and cheaper, as a result) if it meant sustainable success, and perhaps the possibility of instant success. By that I mean I don't want to trade for lower minor talent. Kids ready for everyday action appeal to me. Like Travis, although that was a pretty lucky trade for us.

Speaking of Lunch Box Hero, is he out of baseball? He didn't play in the MLB last year. Tellez may be ready for prime time. He bats left IIRC. Maybe Cola and Tellez platoon at DH? Don't forget about Cola. I am sure Smoak spiked his drink and he'll be 2017's comeback kid.

One idea that has grown on for me for a possible DH replacement is trading for V-Mart. The Tigers are in a sort of retool mode, and are listening on all players. Cabrera would stay healthier if he played exclusively DH, making V-Mart expendable. VMart still hits very well, is a switch hitter, and it (presumably) wouldn't take much to get him. Just an idea.

So true. At the time Reyes was a black hole defensively, and was annoying to even watch. We got rid of him which was awesome.

Cleveland. Losing to Boston would freaking kill me. If we lose to Cleveland (we won't!) it would be as devastating.

I think Carrera was a bit of a beast, but JD did so much. Broke out of a lengthy slump and hit really well, made some amazing plays, and won the series coming home. Plus I have his jersey.

He can take that little dick Odor with him. Glad his error won us the series.

I thought in the past MLB gave the Jays a subsidy to make up for the dollar exchange disparity. It's be nice to have that in 2017+ I would love to sign JB and EE to contracts going forward, but at some point one has to be scared of becoming the Phillies of the not to distant past; a team laden with expensive veterans on the decline that are virtually unmovable and drawing little interest from fans as the wins become losses. With guys like Martin and Tulo under contract, I'm not sure if I want a team where the salary is $180 and the average age is 35.

I think this injury, and his rotten season, almost guarantees he takes the QO. He'd be an awesome DH on this team going forward, and a backup 1B/OF in a pinch. Do you really think we have a sniff at EE? Our dedicated payroll for next year is already $100M. With JB's QO of ~ $15.5 how is that possible?

If Osuna was on a small market team, sure. But we're large market. f*** that s***.

I agree...Barney SS, Goins on the bench. That's fine. We need a healthy Tulo for run. We don't lose defense with Barney, and he's been hitting okay. This is a place we have decent depth, but not until Goins is brought up pending DL designation.

Loup I assume, or Boone if they can trade for him. Both maybe. It'd be nice to have a plethora of lefties.

I remember reading years ago that MLB, at one point, provided the Expos and Jays extra money every year to help offset the difference in currency exchange. I and think I remember hearing that Beeston turned down this deal a few years ago, because Rogers was a big boy and could handle its own finances, thank you. Maybe MLB could be convinced to help the Jays in 2016 and onward.

Something tells me he cares very little about performing up to his contract. I think he'll go downhill quickly and be released by this time next year.

Are you making this up to be a dick?