Dale

No to both. He pitched 43 innings last year. He will not be a starter this year or any year going forward. Can he be utilized in the bull pen as a three batter reliever. Perhaps. But at the end of the year he is 42. Show me a viable 42 year old pitcher in the majors. Huh. Didn't think so.

Sorry but with the recent contracts with Soto and Ohtani we will not get Vladdy for less than $400 million for ten years. We got into this situation ourselves by actually believing we were part of the race for these two players. They were NEVER coming to Toronto! This is because our illustrious leader Atkins has shown no loyalty to any player (except Teoscar Hernandez, who he is still trying to chase down, in spite of the fact he is already signed). We should have been all over Vladdy last year when we could have easily locked him in for life for $300 million. Instead we are out there chasing other players who also won't come here because of no loyalty from management. Instead we are chasing guys like Max Schurzer, who was a spectacular pitcher in his career, but only pitched 43 innings last year, and we want him to be a starter? We need pirtching more than anything but we have to get long term out of our straters and super relief from our bullpen. We have neither. Get Vladdy signed, at whatever cost, and then build a contender around him instead of trying to scratch together a team that once again, won't make the playofs.

I think the Jays need to get their act together before they go chasing anybody else. FIRST,get Vladdy signed to a multi year contract. He is now going to cost 400 million or more possibly for ten years. The Jays (read Atkins) did this all by themselves by chasing Otahni and Soto (who incidentally were NEVER going to come here in the first place). The Jays (read Atkins) have shown absolutely no loyalty to any player so why would any superstar want to come to Toronto without a sure thing under their belt. And sure thing also means a legitimate shot at a pennant. SECOND. Lets get rid of the source of the Jays problems in the first place. Lose Ross Atkins.

Vladdy will get a minumum of $400 million no matter who he signs with. And probably closer to $500 for a long term contract. The Jays have made a show of chasing unavailable players, (ohtani and soto, let's face it, did you really believe either would come to Toronto with their dismal record???) now have to deal with the consequences of driving up those contracts. We have that all star that everybody (who can afford him now) wants. His name is Vladimir. Sign him and move on. We do not need to scour the league to find an excellent first baseman (who also fields third base very well thank you very much) and has a strong bat and a winning attitude on and off the field. Lets sign OUR allstar to a long term contract and get this wasted time talking about it out of the way and fix what we really do need. We need pitchers I believe. Lets find some. And they are probably going to come from our own farm system so lets get the scouts doing what the scouts should be doing.Not watching already established MLB players to see who we might get but watching minor leagues and, Yes, high schools and colleges and find those who can make it if mentored correctly.

When is Ross Atkins going to be terminated???? He spent last season arguing with the Jays franchise player (Vladdy) and finally signed to a one year contract extension for 20 million. Now with the new Soto deal Vladdy will sign somewhere for a minimum of $40 million/ year. In the meantime Atkins keeps chasing around Teoscar Hernandez. Teoscar is not now, never has been and never will be a piece of ANY teams pennant run! There are players available to help this team be a contender now. When all the kids came up in 19 they were a contender, (on paper) but they made short work of that because they simply were not ready. Toronto fans are ready for a team to be somebody but we need to shuffle some players to be that team. Chasing Shohei Otani and Juan Soto sounds like a lot of fun but one player does NOT a team make. So lets build a team that we can expect to make a showing when it counts. Atkins does not seem to have that mentality.

Now that the Otani Fiasco is over it is time for Blue Jays management to get serious about developing this team.Yes Otani would be a great addition to any team, but one player, no matter how good he is at his position(s) is NOT goiing to win a championship. The Blue Jays have had a lineup to get them there for the last two years and have failed. A lineup must be total to attain this achievement. Free agency has cost us some very valuable, very talented players. Otani is over! What is it going to take to resign Chapman? One of the best third basemen in the game. We now need to replace our center fielder (who was also one of the best in the game). Bellanger maybe? Looking at the list of possible available players that would fit what the Blue Jays need it is a short list. One name stands out as a definite NO! Somebody in Toronto management likes to say Teoscar. But he is most definitely NOT a player that can lift this team to a championship. Toronto fielded a great team (most of the time) last season but the constant diatribe from commentators was, " boy the Jays sure need to get his bat going". Batting slumps belong in Buffalo. Bring up somebody who can hit. Slump over? Bring them back. The team on the field last season should have been able to hit anybody and score double digit runs in any game all season. Vladdy is a prime example of what not to do. He expects every hit to be a home run so does not ever run to first base to perhaps beat out a throw or cause a throwing error. And when on base he is a very poor base runner. Base stealing needs to be removed from his game completely. And if he is not willng to give one hundred percent in EVERY part of his game, trade him and get somebody who will. Vladdies home run title at the all star event means nothing. It only proves he is strong enough to stand there and swing a bat at that many beach balls tossed in and hit them out. There is no talent to that. Learn to hit difficult pitches and then batting record becomes something. Batting order cannot remain the same just because. If your leadoff hitter isn't hitting, move him. I do not believe that any player should have an assigned position unless they actually earn it. That being said, if players need help recognizing and hitting pitches then make sure they get it. ie: Danny Jansen can hit any pitch, anytime for power. Vladdy cannot. So as fans of our national team we are tired of seeing overpaid also rans and wish to see an actual contender all season long. Find the right players. Get the coaches to do their job and get these players to 100%. Toronto fans basically love the team, that's why the stands are full all season, but we are NOT paying to watch professional players play at 50% of their ability. Paying fans expect 100%. Injuries happen of course. Rehab and get back to what we are paying for. Again, do not be afraid to use Buffalo for a rehab term. Sure Buffalo fans want to see great product there too but ultimately, we are paying to see the Jays win!

Trade deadline come and gone now. I am glad we did not reaquire Teoscar. Everybody seems to like to say the name but his ability is not what this team needs this year. He has a good, not great bat. He is just average fielder, at best.

I think Toronto management etc. just like to say Teoscar. Thank goodness we did not get him back. He has a good, not great bat, and is a poor fielder at best.