[flames_fan_down_under]

Some Jays tidbits:

https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/bl...eems-tangible/

And the way the trade chatter around Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez has evolved since the General Managers Meetings a month ago – when Ross Atkins unequivocally said “no one likes Marcus more than we do, we value him the most” – a deal for one of them, at least, suddenly seems a lot more tangible.

Consider that Monday, when asked if other teams were starting to value the two ace-calibre starters more similarly to the Blue Jays, Atkins replied: “I would say that’s fair.”

“It doesn’t by any means suggest that they’re going to be traded. Far from that,” he added. “As you start to understand in terms of the discussions you’re having, and offers that are made, or even in just talking about comparable trades, then it starts to make more sense to have continued discussions. The likelihood of those guys being moved is not high. It’s just we have to entertain if there’s a way to make the organization better.”

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The Blue Jays met with five agencies – including Paul Cohen, Troy Tulowtizki’s agent – and five teams to talk trade in their Delano hotel suite at the Mandalay Bay resort. After saying last week that it was “unlikely” Tulowitzki could contribute at an above average level for 140 games, all Atkins offered on his recovering shortstop is that “he’s in an incredible state of mind, he feels great physically, he looks great, he’s moving around well, so all positive signs.”

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The Blue Jays have been drawing interest in their catching, including on Russell Martin,

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A rival executive described Blue Jays closer Ken Giles as “available.”

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An agent, unprompted, on Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro. “Just give him time. What he’s doing is going to work."