MLB Free Agency Thread.

[CaramonLS]

Looks like JP dropped the ball again.

Zaun, who would have re-upped during the season at a reduced rate is now being sought after pretty heavily by some other teams. Not shocking as he is one of the few catchers who can actually hit Right handed pitching with effiency.

[Footscray]

The jays can afford to have a catcher and a shortstop who are not amazing hitters with the offence they have right now as long as they are good defensively, pick up a Manny Lee clone to bat 9th and I would be content - what they really need is another good starter IMO. I would love to see them go really hard after one of the top notch free agent starting pitchers rather than throw 6 or 7 million per at Julio Lugo.

[JiriHrdina]

Even though it would suck to lose Zaun it would be great to see him cash in. Dude has been through a lot and has fought his own personal demons, coming out on the other side. He deserves everything he can get.

[browna]

Wonder if SF has any interest in him!?

[Fuzzy McGillicuddy]

Boston Red Sox have won the bidding war for prized Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, paying more than $50 million just for the rights to negotiate. In money terms, Matsuzaka will become the new A-Rod, making more money in a single season than Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Randy Johnson or Ken Griffey Jr ever made, despite having never thrown a pitch in the majors.



http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2662193

I eat, sleep and sh** Red Sox, but I hate what big money is doing to distance a few teams from the rest of the league. The luxury tax is a joke. If you are a fan in KC, Pittsburgh and even Toronto it is likely that your team will never be able to compete against the league's big spenders.

[Jiggy_12]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy McGillicuddy

Boston Red Sox have won the bidding war for prized Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, paying more than $50 million just for the rights to negotiate.

Those numbers are pretty damned good. A career 2.60 ERA in 8 seasons.

Ridiculous how much Boston has paid to talk to him though...just absurd.

[socalwingfan]

Boston can never bitch about the Yankees payroll again - every other team in the league can, but Boston has officially lost that right.
He has all the tools, but that's an awful lot of pressure on the young man, especially coming over to a new country and being thrown into the pressure cooker of Boston baseball.

[liamenator]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy McGillicuddy

Boston Red Sox have won the bidding war for prized Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, paying more than $50 million just for the rights to negotiate. In money terms, Matsuzaka will become the new A-Rod, making more money in a single season than Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Randy Johnson or Ken Griffey Jr ever made, despite having never thrown a pitch in the majors.

Well, to be clear, the $50 million goes to the club (Seibu Lions), not the player... So I don't think you can really say he is the new A-Rod, or that he will be making more than any of the above players, considering they predict in the article his annual salary will likely be between $7-10 million.

EDIT: But it's still an obscene amount of money to pay for 1 player; regardless of whether it's going to him or his club. The dollars involved in the transfer of Japanese players is probably going to exceed even transfer fees in soccer soon.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by liamenator

Well, to be clear, the $50 million goes to the club (Seibu Lions), not the player... So I don't think you can really say he is the new A-Rod, or that he will be making more than any of the above players, considering they predict in the article his annual salary will likely be between $7-10 million.

EDIT: But it's still an obscene amount of money to pay for 1 player; regardless of whether it's going to him or his club. The dollars involved in the transfer of Japanese players is probably going to exceed even transfer fees in soccer soon.

Try 10-15 million IMO.

That is probably what is going to get the deal done, especially with Scott Boras as his agent.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

The Cat signs with Texas..........sad to see him go.

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/news_story/?ID=185160&hubname=


Justin Speier signs with the Angels.

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/news_story/?ID=185081&hubname=mlb

[Jiggy_12]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

The Cat signs with Texas..........sad to see him go.

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/news_story/?ID=185160&hubname=


Justin Speier signs with the Angels.

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/news_story/?ID=185081&hubname=mlb

Jays could have signed him if they wanted to. This just shows they think Reed Johnson can play every day, I don't see why he can't.

Adam Lind can fill in as the 4th OF. I say put the $ we would have used for Cat towards an extension for VW. That is of course if VW wants to stay.

[Gugstanley]

Not sure I would give Zaun the 3 year deal he is asking for right now. I have got to think the Jays have a trade in the works to clear up a few of the holes.
Then hopefully they can a couple of decent starting pitchers. Looks like they will over pay for those guys

[flambers]

I believe the Jays will make a trade for a Catcher. I would bet both Molina and Zaun are gone. The only UFA from last season the Jays will try to sign is Lilly IMO.

[Caged Great]

Because Cat and Speier are both Type A free agents, the Jays get 4 1st round draft picks for them

1 each from the team, and a supplimentary round pick which occur right after the 1st round and are usually anywhere from 31-45 overall.

Just for that, I'm more than happy that they're gone. Add that to the 2nd rounder that they get when Lilly signs and another 2 1sts when Molina Signs and I think the Jays are going to be doing a jig come june.

[flames_1987]

Wow that Angels bullpen get's even better with Spier. They've got some amazing arms in the pen to say the least.

Sad to see Cat go, defintley a favorite of myn as a Jay, one of the most consistant Jays in the last 3 years at the plate. I bet he's happy to go back to Texas, wish him the best.

[Antithesis]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Because Cat and Speier are both Type A free agents, the Jays get 4 1st round draft picks for them

1 each from the team, and a supplimentary round pick which occur right after the 1st round and are usually anywhere from 31-45 overall.

Just for that, I'm more than happy that they're gone. Add that to the 2nd rounder that they get when Lilly signs and another 2 1sts when Molina Signs and I think the Jays are going to be doing a jig come june.

That's all well and good but the Jays don't have the best drafting record under their current management regime.

It's too bad the Cat won't be back but the Jays can take that money (and perhaps the $$$ from not having Zaun and Molina any more, presumably) to give Wells an extension and/or hopefully get Lilly signed again. We'll see.

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by Antithesis

That's all well and good but the Jays don't have the best drafting record under their current management regime.

It's too bad the Cat won't be back but the Jays can take that money (and perhaps the $$$ from not having Zaun and Molina any more, presumably) to give Wells an extension and/or hopefully get Lilly signed again. We'll see.

If they could some how find the money to re-up Vernon's contract, I would dare to say they may have the most dangerous offence in the American league, on paper that is.

Lilly wont be back, unless everything that has been reported is false, he has no intrest in playing here anymore. We have our two big guns(Halladay and Burnett) and Chacin should step up and be a quality #3 next year. I think Brandon League is the real deal and desveres a shot at a starting job....if JP can sign one more cheapish #4-5 starter I think we will be in good shape.

[JiriHrdina]

Here's a great thread from BJW where a guy is updating his free agent list with the latest rumors and signings: http://www.bluejayway.ca/forum/index.php?topic=13432.0

I did not know Woody Williams is a free agent. He'd fit in nicely in the rotation for the Jays no?

[socalwingfan]

Angels and Gary Matthews Jr agree to a 5 year/50 million dollar deal. The guy is a lifetime .250 hitter. Juan Pierre is on the verge of signing a similar deal with the Dodgers - I shudder to think what A Jones and Wells are going to command next year. It's a good year to be a Free Agent in MLB.

[flames_1987]

Originally Posted by socalwingfan

Angels and Gary Matthews Jr agree to a 5 year/50 million dollar deal.

Another reason To like the Thomas Signing.