Toronto Blue Jays - Offseason Thread

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

In the low level minors.

I imagine Dunedin will be likely. But his numbers in Bluefield of the Appalachian league were impressive. He hit .276 with 8 HR and 46 RBI, 3 Triples, 33 walks and a .809 OPS in 62 games. Each of those numbers were 2nd on the team among players that played in at 34 games (half of their 68 game season) and was also the youngest player on the team by 2 years.

[Roof-Daddy]

Guerrero Jr played rookie ball this last season, he will likely play next season in A ball.

Lansing or Dunedin would be my guess.

I think I read somewhere that many estimate he'll be ML ready by 20 which would be 2019.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Guerrero Jr played rookie ball this last season, he will likely play next season in A ball.

Lansing or Dunedin would be my guess.

I think I read somewhere that many estimate he'll be ML ready by 20 which would be 2019.

Only problem is he is a 3rd baseman, so either they will move him to another position or he will be a DH; which I am not a fan of for young players.

[Roof-Daddy]

Anybody care to make any predictions for the Blue Jays free agent signings or off-season moves?

I'm keeping my expectations low that way if they spend some $$ I will be pleasantly surprised.

I'm going to guess:

RF - Josh Reddick (2yr / $16mill + team option)
1B/3B/DH - Pedro Alvarez ( 2yr / $14mill + team option)
C - Alex Avila (1yr / $2mill)

A solid lefty reliever, either Cecil/Blevins/Logan/Wood to a 3/$20mil type deal

Then they'll go bargain hunting/dumpster diving for a couple more bull pen arms. Guys like Torres, Achter, Duensing.

That'd put them around $140 million salary starting next season, and they'll make a few trades too I imagine.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

Only problem is he is a 3rd baseman, so either they will move him to another position or he will be a DH; which I am not a fan of for young players.

2019 is a long ways off still. Hard to say for sure if JD will still be here blocking him by then, and if he is they'll just have to figure it out then I guess.

Maybe the new front office and development guys will move players around who are capable of it in order to have more position flexible prospects coming up through the system. You wouldn't think it would be too hard for VG Jr to learn a corner outfield spot or even 1st base.

[jayswin]

I also have a feeling that Josh Donaldson will take off if he doesn't see a contender being built when he's up for contract.

You get a sense from his interviews that he's a no BS kind of guy that will do anything to win, including moving on from an organization to a contender.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Anybody care to make any predictions for the Blue Jays free agent signings or off-season moves?

I'm keeping my expectations low that way if they spend some $$ I will be pleasantly surprised.

I'm going to guess:

RF - Josh Reddick (2yr / $16mill + team option)
1B/3B/DH - Pedro Alvarez ( 2yr / $14mill + team option)
C - Alex Avila (1yr / $2mill)

A solid lefty reliever, either Cecil/Blevins/Logan/Wood to a 3/$20mil type deal

Then they'll go bargain hunting/dumpster diving for a couple more bull pen arms. Guys like Torres, Achter, Duensing.

That'd put them around $140 million salary starting next season, and they'll make a few trades too I imagine.

For OF, I agree on Reddick except I suspect it will be 3-4 years at about $8-9 million per year.
For 1B, I think they trade for Joey Votto. No idea what they give up.
For C, I will guess AJ Ellis on a 1 year deal @ 2.5 million.
For RP, I have absolutely no idea, but I can see both Cecil and Benoit returning.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

For OF, I agree on Reddick except I suspect it will be 3-4 years at about $8-9 million per year.
For 1B, I think they trade for Joey Votto. No idea what they give up.
For C, I will guess AJ Ellis on a 1 year deal @ 2.5 million.
For RP, I have absolutely no idea, but I can see both Cecil and Benoit returning.

You're probably right about Reddick with a little more term.

I hope you're right about Votto too. Hopefully if they trade for him, just by taking on that contract, they don't have to give up much. Send Smoak back plus a couple of so so prospects.

[jayswin]

So it sounds like the Blue Jays are doing the same thing with Edwin Encarnacion as they did with David Price - Get the media going about intentions to sign him without the intention of signing him. They reportedly haven't had any serious discussion during the first three days of exclusive negotiating time with him.

I wouldn't get my hopes up for the next two days, and I assume sometime this off season we'll hear a similar response to David Price about how Edwin was surprised there was no real offer and that he would have liked to stay, etc.

Oh well, we move on I guess and at least take comfort that we'll likely be around $140mil and hopefully get some good replacements. I had resigned myself to the fact that we wouldn't keep both Bautista and Encarnacion but figured we'd at least keep one.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

For OF, I agree on Reddick except I suspect it will be 3-4 years at about $8-9 million per year.
For 1B, I think they trade for Joey Votto. No idea what they give up.
For C, I will guess AJ Ellis on a 1 year deal @ 2.5 million.
For RP, I have absolutely no idea, but I can see both Cecil and Benoit returning.

I'm thinking 3 + team/mutual option for about that much money (8-9M) on Reddick... he makes all kinds of sense for Toronoto, I just hope their smart enough to platoon him because he can not hit lefties to save his life.

Joey Votto is not coming to Toronto. He has a no-trade clause and anecdotally no desire to play there. I think they grab Steve Pearce... spotty health record + age ought to cut his cost/term down.

For back-up C, I think they just get Dionar back at 1.5-2M. He's a known quantity, he switch hits, he could be a (bad) starter should Martin get hurt.

I don't think the Jays get relief pitchers anywhere but internally.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by jayswin

So it sounds like the Blue Jays are doing the same thing with Edwin Encarnacion as they did with David Price - Get the media going about intentions to sign him without the intention of signing him. They reportedly haven't had any serious discussion during the first three days of exclusive negotiating time with him.

I wouldn't get my hopes up for the next two days, and I assume sometime this off season we'll hear a similar response to David Price about how Edwin was surprised there was no real offer and that he would have liked to stay, etc.

Oh well, we move on I guess and at least take comfort that we'll likely be around $140mil and hopefully get some good replacements. I had resigned myself to the fact that we wouldn't keep both Bautista and Encarnacion but figured we'd at least keep one.

The more I've thought about it, I'm honestly OK with letting those two go. Jays need to change up the offense on this team. They need some speed, and some quality left handed bats, and most importantly they need some hitters who will adjust and change their approach when good pitching keeps getting them out in key situations.

They just wait for their pitch and mash it, but when that pitch never comes you need to be able to make an adjustment, those two rarely do.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Parallex

I don't think the Jays get relief pitchers anywhere but internally.

I do think they sign a couple guys, because they don't really seem to have much coming internally, but who knows...maybe they snag another gem in the rule 5 draft like Biagini, or maybe the jays do have something in Barnes and supposedly a guy like Chris Smith may be close to moving up as well.

There is always the trade route too I guess.

I won't hold my breath for any Chapman, Jansen, Melancon or Holland signings though.

[zukes]

I'm guessing, re-sign EE, trade for Votto and go cheap in the OF.

[bluejays]

If I were betting today, I'd bet that Pillar's as good as gone this off-season. Especially seeing how undisciplined he was at the plate this playoffs. He's a guy who will likely get really good value out there.

I really don't think Edwin will be worth the money a deep pocketed team will pay him. There ARE a lot of lazy GM's out there that will make a huge splash, especially this year. Bautista will not come at a discount here either. If anything he'll leave to another team claiming the Jays should've paid him more for all the work he's done in the past. Both Bautista and Edwin will be good over the next couple years for whatever team they go to. As for Votto, I thought it was good without knowing his contract situation. Having said that, knowing the management team as well as ownership, no way will they take a chance on an 8 year contract.

Having said this, I have no idea who they'll target, but there's almost a guarantee that there will be at least one big FA signing. With that much money available with all the expiring contracts, no doubt ownership will pony up. Should be a fun off-season with half the team new this year.

[jschick88]

Per Rick Westhead of TSN who spoke with EE's agent.

- Encarnacion wants 5-year/$125 M deal
- Expecting 10 to 11 teams to be interested.

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/video/westhead...-m-deal~989333

Also:
Jon HeymanVerified account ‏@JonHeyman
Encarnacion and Bautista will get qualifying offers, but Saunders will not: sources #jays

[Roof-Daddy]

^^^Just came to post that.

Love EE but I'd rather the jays give a guy like Dexter Fowler $18 million a season for 4-5 years.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Edwin will easily get $25 million per on the open market. I expect it'll be in Boston too. Jose will probably do what Cespedes did and sign a 3 year deal with the chance to opt out.

[JayP]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Edwin will easily get $25 million per on the open market.

Not on a 5 year term he won't. Ortiz has been making around $15 million a season since he was Edwin's age. If some team is stupid enough to offer him $10 million more than that per year on a long term deal, let him walk.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Market has changed a lot since when Ortiz signed that deal. And since Cespedes apparently wants more than $25 million per, Edwin at 5/$125 m will look good enough for someone to pull the trigger. Besides Edwin has shown he can play 1B at a nice level, whereas Ortiz has always been a fielding disaster.

[JayP]

Originally Posted by jayswin

So it sounds like the Blue Jays are doing the same thing with Edwin Encarnacion as they did with David Price - Get the media going about intentions to sign him without the intention of signing him. They reportedly haven't had any serious discussion during the first three days of exclusive negotiating time with him.

I wouldn't get my hopes up for the next two days, and I assume sometime this off season we'll hear a similar response to David Price about how Edwin was surprised there was no real offer and that he would have liked to stay, etc

They've had exclusive negotiating time with him all year - this window is completely irrelevant. Given the ridiculous $125 million he is asking for as an aging DH with increasing contact issues, I don't know what serious discussion there really is to be had. He's asking for the moon so the only option both sides really have to to wait for free agency to begin and then see how high other teams are willing to go.

If some team is stupid enough to go near that $125 million, then the Jays smartly bow out. If no one is, then it's time for the serious discussions to begin.