2014-2015 Blue Jays Off-Season Thread

[zukes]

Then sign a free agent!!! I am sick of hearing about budget restraints. Either get serious or sell the damn team. Rogers is easily the richest owners in baseball, there should be no such thing as budget restraints. Pay what it takes to build a team. I am not talking Yankee like crazy spending, but go and get a Scherzer or a Lester (I know he is gone)!!!

Scherzer would be 7 years and $200 million. So what? He'll be good to great for the next 5, so you may have two years of delcining or diminished value!

AA always says he wants to go the trade route. Get the key free agents and develop your talent. This is the perfect time to not spend prospect capital. The team is close to contending/a fringe contender, a FA or two puts them over the top. Then you keep developing what we have, in hopes that they are the ones that replace the big names that will be done in the next few years.

In many ways this is a team right now that could turn into a self sustaining model. If enough of these young guys come up each year, you only have to supplant with FA's and the odd trade. You see a guy starting to look like a franchise player, lock him in through his prime early. You can still have the cost certainty, but right now you need to set the bar and show that Toronto is a place where players will want to come in the future!!

[howard_the_duck]

Ownership is severely limiting AA's ability to build a sustaining model. If he doesn't have the flexibility to add a piece or 2 via free agency to make this a legit playoff roster, then he has to look at other alternatives in the trade market.

You're right, it's a totally flawed model. The worst part is it seems so obvious, how can't ownership see it as well?

[dustyanddaflames]

Is it ownership, or is it Paul Beeston? Either way, I agree it is a tough scenario to work around to land a big fish. I do think Anthopolous has done a nice job working around it though - yeah some of his deals haven't panned out as anticipated, but they have drafted well enough to help offset the handcuffs of the five-year max via trade. It would be nice if he didn't have to spend all his prospect depth to enhance his MLB roster.

[Parallex]

Yeah, the recent musings by media about the payroll stick a bit in my craw. This team is so so close to being odds on favorite to win the ALE type exceptional it won't even cost that much more to get there.

Anyways... the Jays are apparently interested in Takashi Toritani. Middle infielder from Japan 33 years old, bats left. From footage looks like he could could be a solid 2B defensively... good range, arm seems sketchy but sketchy at SS is fine at 2B. As far as his bat goes judging by his stats in the Japan pro-league he looks like he has better plate discapline (more walks) and a bit more power (appears to be more of the doubles variety then Home Runs... he's not a power hitter) then Kawasaki (probably less impressive dance moves, interview skills, and general lovability). I'd rather they get someone with some MLB reliability but if they can't stomach the cost of a Jed Lowrie or Astrubal Cabrera the I guess you could do worse then a vet Japanese pro-league guy.

[bluejays]

I agree with all this, but I also understand there's a business side to run. I'd be very curious to find out how much profit Rogers made from the Jays last year. I'd really like to see them go out and get an ace, but also have reserve funds for a deadline acquisition. Giving out a $200M contract though? I really really like Scherzer, but I don't agree with the 6+ year duration contract for anyone really.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

I didn't know Takashi was a Boras client. Wonder if it will get done. Not a huge fan of Boras, but I do kinda agree with some of his comments yesterday.

“The baseball staff there is very astute, they know who these players are, they know how talented these major free agents are, but to attract them there, they’ve got to compete with the rest of the league,” said Boras. “What we’ve seen, certainly from my perspective, is a lot of the great players we’ve represented who received seven, eight, 10 year contracts, they’ve been precluded from even entertaining Toronto because of the limitations.

“They’re the only team that has said that limitation is five years. When you do that, you are cutting yourself off from a pool of talent that makes it very, very difficult to compete, particularly in the AL East.”

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb...ntract-policy/

[Where ru Chris O'Sullivan]

Originally Posted by zukes

Then sign a free agent!!! I am sick of hearing about budget restraints. Either get serious or sell the damn team. Rogers is easily the richest owners in baseball, there should be no such thing as budget restraints. Pay what it takes to build a team. I am not talking Yankee like crazy spending, but go and get a Scherzer or a Lester (I know he is gone)!!!

Scherzer would be 7 years and $200 million. So what? He'll be good to great for the next 5, so you may have two years of delcining or diminished value!

AA always says he wants to go the trade route. Get the key free agents and develop your talent. This is the perfect time to not spend prospect capital. The team is close to contending/a fringe contender, a FA or two puts them over the top. Then you keep developing what we have, in hopes that they are the ones that replace the big names that will be done in the next few years.

In many ways this is a team right now that could turn into a self sustaining model. If enough of these young guys come up each year, you only have to supplant with FA's and the odd trade. You see a guy starting to look like a franchise player, lock him in through his prime early. You can still have the cost certainty, but right now you need to set the bar and show that Toronto is a place where players will want to come in the future!!

Especially when a few months ago it was proven that this new "Wildcard" format, that I like, but was supposed to be the end of a WC in the World Series, ended up with 2 of them there.

You can get to the series (and win it) now with an 87/88 win season. Not sure why they spend a lot of money, but not the little more to fill out the roster.

[Caged Great]

Toritani could be a decent meh option as a 2B. He's not bad defensively and can get on base at a decent clip. Being a left handed batter along with Izturis, you'd get a decent enough platoon. Toritani has the ability to back up at SS and 3B as well.

[RedHot25]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12...eo-replacement

The Toronto Blue Jays have expressed interest in Mike Rizzo, the Washington Nationals president of baseball operations and general manager, as a candidate to replace Paul Beeston as team president and CEO, two industry sources told ESPN.com.

Rizzo joins Baltimore's Dan Duquette, Minnesota's Terry Ryan and Kenny Williams of the Chicago White Sox as the latest baseball executive to be mentioned as a possibility to succeed Beeston, whose future with the Toronto organization has been shrouded in mystery of late.

[Tyler]

I honestly have no idea why anyone would want to take a management position in Toronto. Easily the biggest dumpster fire in the entire MLB.

[RedHot25]

As per MLB Trade Rumors, Melky signs with the White Sox...

[Senator Clay Davis]

3 year deal for $42-45 million for Cabrera, yet further proof that cheating and taking PEDs is the way to go in baseball. Clearly didn't effect Melky very much.

[Caged Great]

Pretty good deal for the Melk Man, not exactly a deal for the Sox.

At least the Jays recoup the first they lost after signing Martin. (It'll be a supplemental 1st, likely in the 35-40 range)

[bluejays]

I think it's a fair deal for both Melky and the Sox. Mind you they aren't winning anything with that team, but still fair given this market. I'm shocked that another team didn't panic and offer a 6 year deal. I actually wish the Jays went for him for the DH position at this price and length, but perhaps there are character issues that we're not privy to.

[transplant99]

"Another Blue Jays free-agent might be off the market as Corey Brock of MLB.com is reporting the San Diego Padres have signed Brandon Morrow to a one-year deal. According to Brock, The contract guarantees Morrow $2.5 million, with the possibility of earning as much as $5 million for starting or $1 million as a reliever."

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by transplant99

"Another Blue Jays free-agent might be off the market as Corey Brock of MLB.com is reporting the San Diego Padres have signed Brandon Morrow to a one-year deal. According to Brock, The contract guarantees Morrow $2.5 million, with the possibility of earning as much as $5 million for starting or $1 million as a reliever."

Padres, the land of the injured Blue Jays pitchers. 1st Johnson, now Morrow.

[DOOM]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

3 year deal for $42-45 million for Cabrera, yet further proof that cheating and taking PEDs is the way to go in baseball. Clearly didn't effect Melky very much.

Further proof that the Blue Jays are going to be in a similar position next year as they were this year.

Frustrating to see, considering the high hopes we had as fans two years ago.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

3 year deal for $42-45 million for Cabrera, yet further proof that cheating and taking PEDs is the way to go in baseball. Clearly didn't effect Melky very much.

... it affected him hugely.

Melky OPS'ed .906 the year he got caught if it didn't affect him at all he'd have made waaaaaaaaay more then the 8 per he got from the Blue Jays and probably way more years and $ then he just got from the White Sox.

[Harry Lime]

Blue Jays sign Daric Barton, well known infielder known for not being that good. Assume he would be a defensive replacement or the guy to bring donuts.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/1...ic-barton.html

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Blue Jays sign Daric Barton, well known infielder known for not being that good. Assume he would be a defensive replacement or the guy to bring donuts.

Woohoo! Plan the Parade!... wait it's not 2009? Never mind Barton sucks.

The lack of activity is starting to worry me. Still down at least one quality arm for the pen (or two arms but I expect one arm will be filled internally Ryan Tepera maybe) and an improvement at 2nd base (IMO the biggest hole on the team).