Quote:
Originally Posted by Gozer
There is scuttlebutt that contends exactly this: the Jays bid high for Darvish with the intention of NOT signing him, instead with the intention of blocking his ability to sign with anyone else (two AL E rivals specifically).
I don't really buy it, but it's out there. So my answer is (an uninformed) no - there's nothing stopping the scenario you laid out from happening.
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The problem is that the scuttlebutt is coming from New York writers who have no sources saying the Jays are doing this, but are just giving their opinion. It's just Yankee writers jealous that their team isn't involved in a big name free agent for once.
The best reason why this scenario is ridiculous is the long-lasting implications of it. The Jays would never be able to sign another player from Japan. Even Latin players would be affected by it too if they have smart representation. It's a slippery slope to go down by making moves that screw a player over for the sole purpose of hurting a rival team.