Key22

I think it's reasonable to assume that Espinal would be a superior defensive shortstop to Bo. But the rest of the league isn't stupid either - Bo is mediocre defensively and has what a .720 OPS and 102WRC+ It's not like he's a "HOF" talent right now - the other team is going to have to see something more in him. I can't see the Jays landing Soto - if they do they're going to need a third team - The Nationals have a stud catching prospect. The Jays would need a third team to take Moreno for prospects that would interest the Nationals and probably add and Martinez with Bo. Then what are you doing with the outfield? Soto/Gurriel Jr/Springer/Tapia/Teoscar? I'd love Soto - who wouldn't but I just don't see how they make the space for him. It would be hard to trade Gurriel who has been a monster at the plate for the last month or so. And he has the same WAR as Teoscar who seems clutch to me. Apparently, the Jay's Right Handed line-up has still been crushing RHPs so the problem may not be as big a problem as initially thought. The announcers say things like - get a lefty bat because you might face Verlander - but umm - Verlander gets lefty bats out too - great pitchers having great games can shut down anyone - lefty hitters too. I think the Jays should just go for elite pen arms - they have their 1-2-3 for the playoffs in Manoah, Gausman, Berrios and solid innings eater in Stripling. They should be good enough to get into the playoffs and once there you have to win with pitching pitching pitching.

Trading Moreno and Martinez are fairly easy to say yes to because prospects are prospects - they can be replaced. I'm okay with Bo being traded and from an optics perspective - The Nationals are getting an all-star shortstop so it's a little easier to sell it to their fans. But is Bo/Espinal a better SS/2B tandem over Espinal/Biggio? Here's the thing - you can trade Bo/Moreno/Martinez for Soto and you might then trade Gurriel Jr to front a package for a superior 2B/SS (preferably a switch hitter lefty bat). I think the Jays have money - the idea is the Jays may have only had the money to sign either Vlad or Bo - one but not both. The question though would be if the Jays really can go big on a contract would you rather go big on Soto/Bo/Vlad? For me, Soto would be THE guy to spend big money on.

I think part of this was the goofy way money is used in the draft where the Jays would take a second-rate talent first overall - to use the slot money for lower-round picks. You also left out Marcus Stroman. Personally, I think MLB should change the draft perhaps like other sports and also, like Hockey, allow draft pick trading to make offseasons more exciting.

I have a friend who always complains that we don't hire big-name managers. I remind him that if there are any big-name managers looking for a job it was because all their fans were complaining about said big-name manager's "bone-headed" bullpen management and crappy line-up cards and "why the hell did you bunt' etc etc. In other words, the so-called big-name managers were FIRED because the fan base thought he was an incompetent boob. Indeed, some fans want these guys hired after they got fired multiple times in their careers. Whoever the Jays choose as manager - if we lose - he will be vilified - hell Cito Gaston won two world series and most folks thought he was terrible. LOL. So you suck if you lose and you also suck if you win.

That is a bit shocking - his numbers are horrid Rowdy Tellez - lol - there's a number 4 hitting lefty bat we could use right now - You just never know. Albeit on the strength of a couple of ridiculous games.

Bichette - please don't be the next Aaron Hill. (cough)

I think the Jays brass was looking at Grichuck as a possible next Jose Bautista potential with a decent floor where he would at least live up to the contract (or down to it) but with possible big upside - At the time he was clubbing some moon shot home runs. He's athletic and played a more than respectable outfield. They gambled and they lost. The only concern to me with any contract is if you get it wrong it kills what else you can do. Ray is the example - if they weren't spending the money on Ryu - they may have been able to resign Ray and now our rotation would look fantastic. But Ryu looks pretty bad right now - hopefully he can turn it around but it doesn't look too good. OTOH - Ryu was also a statement signing as well that showed Boras and others that the Jays were willing to spend. But it appears the entire rest of baseball was correct about not offering 4 years to Ryu - if we were stuck with him for this year only you could dump him but it's tough to do that with another 20 million next year. Maybe we can make him a 3 inning pitcher - he basically is a once through the order pitcher at this point.

Back in the old days it was said that players were totally okay if an ump called the outside pitch as a strike so long as he was consistent to both teams. So if the ump calls a pitch 3 inches off the plate outside to a righty bat - that's fine so long as he does it for both teams. The problem was that Ryu was actually throwing strikes and they were called balls and Oakland was throwing several inches away and he was calling them strikes. It's hard to win when you have to fight the opposing team as well as the umpires. Ideally, the Jays could send Ryu down to AAA to get him back on track. His velocity seems okay - and he seems to have a decent break on his curveball though it seemed kind of slow at 68-69mph. The sad part is for only ~$5 million more a year they could have Robbie Ray. I really would have liked a: Ray Berrios Gausman Manoah Kikuchi Rotation. So be it.

Wow, they are s***ing the bed. Chapman flubbed one, Biggio flubbed one, Jansen past ball, Thornton can't throw to first. Nerves? Expectations so high they are playing ultra-tight. Oh well - still have 7 innings to make the epic opening day come back.

If Phelps and Merryweather stay healthy and do what they can do that would be HUGE for this pen. Big Swing and miss guys to go with Romano and Garcia can really give the pen some shut down guys to go along with solid relievers like Cimber, Richards, and Mayza. Health is a huge part of this - but Phelps looks to have pretty elite stuff as does Merryweather. You'd think the Jays have some good luck coming their way one of these years.

Ray, Semien, Matz were probably as good as they get. Chapman and Kikuchi have rebound/upside potential and Gausman seems to be about a draw. But Ray, Semien, Matz did it in the AL East so they are more of a known quantity. Still, the opening day roster has to be considered a massive MASSIVE upgrade to what we had on opening day last year. This year you have 5 good or better than good starting pitchers. We have Berrios and Manoah all year. We don't have Biggio at third base. We have guys like Richards and Cimber and a healthy Mayza from the beginning of the year over Tyler Chatwood and Dolis stinking it up.

And maybe have the prospect capital in July if one of our big three arms go down or Kikuchi or Ryu flounder. Having those prospects to get - say - a Cal Quantrill or some other pitcher on a bad team could come in handy. I get the appeal of a big lefty bat - it would be nice to have. If Cleveland has a terrible contact maybe you can take that contract back to lower the prospect capital - but I don't know that they do.

All you have to offer is what is better than anyone else - if Cleveland is really wanting to trade him. I had a quick look at Jays prospects and according to this site https://www.prospects1500.com/al-east/blue-jays/toronto-blue-jays-top-50-prospects-2022/ The Jays only have one tier 1 prospect in Moreno Three Tier 2 prospects: Groshans, Martinez, Pearson. (4 premium prospects in total) The Red Sox have three tier 1 prospects (Yorke, Mayer, Casas Five Tier 2 prospects: Duran, Jordan, Bello, Downs, Groome (8 premium prospects to trade) Tampa has three tier 1 prospects and eight 8 tier 2 (11 premium prospects in total) Yankees One tier 1 prospect Four tier 2 prospects (5 premium prospects in total) All of these teams can afford the Ramirez salary and all four are in the playoff hunt. And that's just our division. Now granted - Cleveland may value one of our tier 2 guys higher than another team's tier 1 prospect but it's still an indicator as to what could be a competing offer. The Yankees do a great job of hyping mediocrities - (Ahem Brandon Drury).

Trevor Story is willing to sign a short deal (1 year) and move off SS. Marcus Semien 2.0? Worked out for both parties.

Well, at least he didn't sign with Boston, NYY, or Tampa.

I don't think there is much left that would help in the left-handed hitting regard. Perhaps Mallex Smith is healthy and can add some value here if he can get back to his 2018 form. He gives you a different skillset I liked the Greg Bird pick-up as well as, this guy has been continuously hurt but may have something left in the upside tank. Both guys hurt and got away from their game - both left-handed bats - If either one of them can be useful the money can be put elsewhere.

I guess I would like to see the offers from other teams first. What is the comparable Boston or NYY or Atlanta Braves or TBAY offer? Boston 1) Jeter Downs (2B/SS) 2) Jarren Duran (OF) 3) Bryan Bello (RHP) + and +

I would look at this a bit differently. It's a competition to land a player in trade. So let's assume Cleveland wants to trade JRam - the sooner they do it the more they will get in trade so this year is better than next year. So the Jays just need a better offer than anyone else. 1) Jordan Groshans 2) Cavan Biggio 3) Lourdes Gurriel Jr (the Jays sign Conforto) 4) Bowden Francis 5) Adam Kloffenstein Who beats this? That's the key - we need to simply put forth the best offer. Is Jordan Groshans a better centrepiece than what Boston or Tampa or NYM etc can offer up? You'd have to think Tampa could be in if they were in on Freeman and they have pieces and enough money to afford JRAm.

I'm not big on paying for bat-only types who get in the way of positional flexibility - Vlad is an exception given his age. But I think Correa $330m/10 at age 27 (out to his 36-year-old season) for a GG shortstop is far more appealing than $180/6 to a Freeman (out to his 38 season) and having to move Vlad to third where is a defensive disaster. Plus you have a below-average shortstop in Bo next to him. Correa's problem has been health but when he plays he's arguably the best shortstop in the game and I don't care if he bats right. The guy can hit anyone. Then when he is 34/35 you can move him to 1B/3B or DH. But hey I'm not the one spending the money. Maybe the no chatter is a good thing. We hear lots of chatter on players who don't wind up here and then the guys we hear nothing about getting signed. Kikuchi the latest. I think the Jays have far more money than people think. They should with the outrageous internet fees in Canada - I am going to be depressed when I move back to Canada in a few years to pay three times as much for 1/5th the speed.

He had a down year in 2020 and 2021. And he's not getting younger. If the 2019 version shows up it's a good deal. Perhaps adjusting to the AL is all that is needed.

$32m for two but he only put up 1.7 WAR - seems like a lot of money for an average bat at first. I sort of think you can find that output somewhere else for less. At least they didn't land Freeman or Correa

The Yankees are in agreement on a deal with free-agent first baseman Anthony Rizzo Well that takes them out of Freeman you would think.

Yeah, they seem to really want left-handed bats that are actually good (unlike Biggio who should be in AAA). Although, I think it's a bit overrated because if you are an elite RHB who clubs right-hand pitching then who cares? Personally, I'd rather have Correa than any of the other free agents and move Bo to second. Then you improve both positions defensively by a lot and also add the best free-agent bat. If the jays were willing to give Seager $300m+ then they can give Correa $300m + Positionally this makes more sense than a 1B/DH type. The $175/7 for Semien isn't looking that bad at this point if's going to take $180m/6 to get Freeman

Castillo had a horrible start last year - with something like a 7 ERA - his numbers after the first like 6 weeks were outstanding and wound up with a 4.8 WAR even with the crappy start. He's durable 190ip in 2019 and 187 last year. With weak pens - having starters who can get through 7 - to go along with the guys we have takes the pressure off the pen. And remember he was on a pretty bad baseball team. And a team without Pete Walker's magic fairy dust.

I'm using the Yankees as an example - they took $50m of Donaldson and didn't eat a dime. Votto is putting up the same calibre numbers as JD. In my plan, we're also getting one of the best pitchers in baseball - as the Yankees got one of the best shortstops in baseball. They sent some contracts back - as the Jays would in dumping Grichuck.