Blue Jays 2013/14 off season

[nik-]

Certainties:

Gravity
Time
Boras being an #######.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by nik-

Boras being an #######.

Some people think so, I think he's just very good at his job... but regardlesss, he's not wrong.

The Jays window to compete is open now, the owner is the wealthiest in MLB, the market is large, their top draft picks are protected... there is no reason for the Jays to be trotting out a AAAA guy at 2B & contemplating filling a starting spot with one of two guys fresh off TJ surgery or another with zero experience above double A ball while refusing to put in what looks like market value offers on guys that ranked as top 40 pitchers last year and/or bids on quality MIFs. No reason except that ownership refuses to authorize the expenditure.

The Jays look like an organization with no direction... no long-term plan, nor any will to invest in the now.

[Where ru Chris O'Sullivan]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Some people think so, I think he's just very good at his job... but regardlesss, he's not wrong.

The Jays window to compete is open now, the owner is the wealthiest in MLB, the market is large, their top draft picks are protected... there is no reason for the Jays to be trotting out a AAAA guy at 2B & contemplating filling a starting spot with one of two guys fresh off TJ surgery or another with zero experience above double A ball while refusing to put in what looks like market value offers on guys that ranked as top 40 pitchers last year and/or bids on quality MIFs. No reason except that ownership refuses to authorize the expenditure.

The Jays look like an organization with no direction... no long-term plan, nor any will to invest in the now.

I agreed with walking away on JJ, and Rajai who is now a 5M/year player....but with the potential of the offense and the bullpen in place, why didn't they go take another kick at the can?

why go 150 mils deep for this roster, either add to it, or burn it down. don't stay in this place.

[Antithesis]

Self-serving as Boras' comments may be (and I agree, they are), his criticism of the Jays and Rogers is spot-on, as is Parallex's. I can't see that the Jays had injury concerns with Jiminez, seeing as he was signed by the Orioles and their doctors.

[Matty81]

Jays have really screwed up their roster badly. Finally they were getting some depth and young talent and dealt lots away for now... Fine but you can't do that halfway.

You have to be patient or go all in. Halfway is just pointless in the AL east

[Fire]

There was so much hype and expectations last off-season and the Jays ended up being terrible. Everyone is bashing them this off-season so I'm expecting the opposite.

[Antithesis]

J.A. Happ not guaranteed a starting spot:

Originally Posted by Alex Anthopoulos

“There could be two [rotation spots available,]” Anthopoulos said. “We’re going to take the best team north. Especially right now with J.A. and his back and his performance—we have to get him on track and get him healthy.”

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb...otation-spots/

[Jiggy_12]

Reports out there that the Jays and Orioles are going hard after Ervin Santana now that he is willing to take a 1 year deal.

At one year and with this being the last likely year in the current window to win, I'm all for it.

[RedHot25]

No decision yet, but if you want something easy to follow the rumour along: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/0...h-al-club.html

Not sure how I feel about this. Would have preferred Ubaldo, but really, neither of them are going to be worth what they want/I think are that good. I think Santana is going to get lit up like a Christmas tree with the long ball in the AL East, especially in a stadium like Rogers Centre, but who knows, and I guess for a 1-year deal you can see how it goes. He might have stuff to prove on that short of a deal.

[RedHot25]

Nothing official yet, but Jays apparently "optimistic" about landing him.

Although I could see a team like the Rangers or even the Mariners going for him...

[RedHot25]

Looking like its the Jays. I say looking like, because still not official - and not real sure how I feel about this part...

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/0...n-santana.html

11:43am: Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes tweets that Santana will sign with the Jays for $14MM by 4:00pm if he does not receive a better offer by then.

11:40am: The deal is not yet done, but Santana and the Jays are discussing one, the New York Post's Joel Sherman tweets.

11:18am: The Blue Jays have agreed to terms with Ervin Santana on a one-year, $14MM deal, Dionisio Soldevila of ESPN Deportes tweets. Earlier in the day, Soldevila had reported that Santana would sign with an AL club for $14MM. Santana has until recently been represented by Proformance, although there have been recent reports about the possibility of Santana ending his relationship with that agency.

Although apparently...

Assuming Santana remains healthy, however, $14MM plus the No. 50 overall draft pick seems like a very reasonable price for the Blue Jays to pay a young-ish, solidly-above-average starting pitcher who topped 200 innings last year. Santana will provide a significant boost to a Jays rotation that was unsettled after R.A. Dickey, Brandon Morrow and Mark Buehrle.

[RedHot25]

Maybe not, now..

12:08pm: Rojas writes (Spanish-language) that Santana is deciding betwee the Jays, who have offered $14MM, and the Orioles, who have offered $13MM.

[Cheese]

4:08pm: FOX Sports' Jon Morosi tweets that a source tells him that Santana could wait "days" before signing. 4:00 has come and gone, and there's no news about his decision.

Games

[alan21]

I know this is his one of his chances to cash in but I don't like these games and won't be disappointed if he signs else where.

[Stanathan]

I really hope we see a few young players force their way into the lineup.

[Cheese]

6:26pm: Santana continues to consider offers from the Orioles and the Jays, ESPN's Enrique Rojas tweets, noting that two other clubs had expressed interest this afternoon (Spanish link).

blah..he will sign with another club.

[browna]

If AA had any stones he'd tell Santana to sit on it and rotate. The guy has no desire to play for Toronto, but will think about it, if someone, anyone else matches or comes close to matching the deal the Jays desperately extended to him. Rubbish.

Problem is, AA is desperate for this, having painted himself (with the help of Rogers) into this corner with SP (oops and 2B as well).

At this point, should've signed the 1yr tender to Josh Johnson for the same price. At this stage given the team that's remained unchanged since last year, as there are many players that need a rebound season from last to pull this team into anywhere near to a WC spot, at least you know what you had with JJ.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Ervin Santana's friends on the Toronto Blue Jays texted a photo to his cell phone, adding to their intense lobbying effort to persuade the free-agent right-hander to join their team.

The photo was of Jays players holding a poster.

"Come to Toronto," the poster said.

The story, as related by a source, reflects the advantage that the Jays hold over other clubs in the recruitment of Santana. Six players on the Jays' projected 25-man roster hail from Santana's native Dominican Republic. Three of those players -- right fielder Jose Bautista, shortstop Jose Reyes and first baseman Edwin Encarnacion -- are among the team's biggest stars.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/s...no-lock-030914

[nfotiu]

Sounds like Medlin is out for the year, which would probably put the Braves in the lead or at least in the race for Santana.

[Skaloper]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

Sounds like Medlin is out for the year, which would probably put the Braves in the lead or at least in the race for Santana.

Confirmed this morning he has signed with the Braves. The Jays are going to be in trouble again this season with starters...