RealAccountant

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/blue-jays-edwin-encarnacion-mets-jay-bruce-trevor-plouffe-brian-dozier-notes-010517 he one thing that remains puzzling about the Blue Jays’ handling of Edwin Encarnacion is the team’s quick pivot to Kendrys Morales in free agency. If Encarnacion’s agent, Paul Kinzer, made a questionable decision by failing to seize upon the Jays’ initial four-year, $80 million offer, didn’t the club also misread the market? Few question Morales’ offensive ability. As a switch-hitter, he will help balance the Jays’ lineup. But at 33, he is only five months younger than Encarnacion. And the trade and free-agent markets included plenty of other left-handed hitting options, some of whom — unlike Morales — also add defensive and baserunning value. The free-agent class included Dexter Fowler, Josh Reddick, Jon Jay, switch-hitter Carlos Beltran and several others who remain unsigned — Luis Valbuena, Michael Saunders, Brandon Moss, Pedro Alvarez, Colby Rasmus. The trade market included — and still includes — the Mets’ Jay Bruce and Curtis Granderson, Yankees’ Brett Gardner and Mariners’ Seth Smith. he Jays might view Morales on a three-year, $33 million deal as better than all of those alternatives — and remember, they scored big with their early signings of free-agent pitchers J.A. Happ and Marco Estrada last offseason, both of which were questioned at the time. Still, if the Jays truly wanted Encarnacion, they could have kept their options open and allowed him to explore the market. Both the Dodgers’ Justin Turner and Pirates’ Ivan Nova returned to their respective clubs for less money than they sought initially in free agency. The Blue Jays, by contrast, made Encarnacion a seemingly modest offer in spring training — a two-year extension with two option years and a reworking of his $10 million salary in 2016, according to Rogers SportsNet. They then made him what proved to be a take-it-or-leave-it proposal before the market opened, one that he was likely to refuse so early in the process, even though it proved better than the deal he ultimately landed with the Indians. arely do major free agents re-sign with their teams days before other clubs can start bidding — and rarely do teams act so abruptly when trying to retain star players. The Jays signed Morales on Nov. 18, then all but ended any chance of keeping Encarnacion by adding Steve Pearce on Dec. 5. The Jays’ assessment of Morales vs. Encarnacion might prove correct, particularly since they landed Morales at just over half of EE’s price. But MLBTradeRumors.com ranked Morales the 22nd best free agent, between Mike Napoli and Greg Holland. Fangraphs had Morales at No. 29, between Valbuena and Brad Ziegler. EE was in the top four on both those lists. Even if Morales flew off the board, as the Jays apparently suspected he would, the team would have had plenty of time to adjust. Heck, they even could have brought back Edwin Encarnacion, at what proved to be a reduced rate.

If Jose Bautista chooses to wait out till June he will definitely not be signing on with the Jays. I think many contending teams will be willing to give up a nice sum of money. Morales ended up with 8M and he wasn't even that sought after. Bautista can easily wait till June take a couple months off and sign on with a team in June for say 12M There will be no draft pick. I would consider that a major failure on Shapiro's Jays part, the second of this offseason ( EE Debacle)

Probably just me but I think Jose's offensive value is greater thann EE going forward for their career, Bautista will probably put up an obp north of .350 for quite some time Makes me think that there is more to this

Melvin Upton is in the top half Dear God

Lol Trout is king

I have a feeling it will be the Phillies they can afford the bad defense and get a shiny blue chip for him come July

I agree with this transaction.

How come there is such a great variance between Steamer predictions and Zips Zips has Sanchez at 4.5 but Steamer only 3. Same with Estrada too, Pretty much every bluejays Zips is higher.

Starting to get the feeling Bautista is not part of the plan. Maybe an offer of 1/15 or 1/16 was made and Jose has too much pride for that Surprised we have heard nothing on Saunders either

As things stand now, You dont want it to be next season, trust me. All rests on whether all this waiting out the market will pay off for Shapiro

Phillies could probably swap Bautista for a decent return at the deadline if he has a good year; probably more than a second round pick

Spot reserved

Seriously feels like Estrada's back is held by pins and needles

Well if 4 years from now we won't be able to afford him then we have probably gotten very good for years from him

I think the hold up probably means there is no common ground,

I remember after his breakout years, many here on the old forum wanted to Trade Bautista to the Yankees for a package of Ivan Nova and Jesus Montero People here have never believed in Jose Bautista

I am losing confidence that anything will get done. I am guessing Bautista does not want to accept less than QO, and this is probably the last kick at the can.

I have a feeling there is a real hard on for Jay Bruce, and that is going to get in the way of Bautista.

Ugh the plan of news is not good

He is a brilliant poster just like Moogy was. Hard to come by in this internet wasteland

People assume KC is going to give Dyson away, they probably want an asset in return and it ain't going to be Pompey

Yep I wouldn't be surprised if a team communicated that they would love to sign him in June without the pick

You get the feeling his might be the last time the two negotiate, if we don't hear about the sides agreeing soon Jays will prob move on

Come one Shatkins put it in the hole bro