2022 Toronto Blue Jays Off-season Thread

[KootenayFlamesFan]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1590005853943648257

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Surprised this wasn’t posted in here yesterday.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1589770794011623425

[The Fisher Account]

Great season.. sans Game 1

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

https://twitter.com/user/status/1590005853943648257

So strong in that position. I think I keep Kirk and Jansen. Though totally understand keeping any other combination.

[Blaster86]

Kirk is young and looks to have the kind of offensive ability from that position that is just super rare to find. Jansen, while not as talented offensively, showed this year that he wasn't the black hole everyone thought he had become and was the catcher that got the most out of our pitchers.

Moreno is going to end up being quite good, but is he going to be as good as Kirk at the plate? Or as good as Jansen behind it? And he's not that much younger than Kirk anyways. If Moreno gets you the parts you need to make things work, then he has to be on the table.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by activeStick

So strong in that position. I think I keep Kirk and Jansen. Though totally understand keeping any other combination.

Personally I would move Jansen, he had a good season it would be a perfect time to entertain offers. As I would bet Jansen offensive side will downgrade next season

Split the catching duties between Moreno and Kirk. Both can hit, Moreno has a great arm and will learn the calling side of the game.

[KelVarnsen]

I'd move Jansen. Moreno profiles to better than him.

[flamingred89]

I’ve seen too many high profile prospects bust over the years that I’d lean towards moving Moreno if he gets you what you want. At this point we know what Kirk and Jansen are so it’s easy to plan around them. And it’s so fun watching that little bowling ball play. And equally fun to watch Danny hit some Jano bombs.

Now we just have to find a way to pry Ohtani from the Angels

[bluejays]

There are pluses and minuses to each of the catchers the Jays have, so dealing one over another isn't that straight cut.

Kirk's positives are his hitting (average, power, eye), and his defence has been commendable. Even his pitch selection has been good. What's not to like about the guy? Downside kinda is his durability over time as he is very large.

Jansen to me is a quiet leader who has shown in the past two seasons that he can put up big hits at the opportune time. His defence is solid, and he has the confidence of his pitchers. Injuries have been a huge problem, as has his consistency in batting prior to two years ago. Really not sure if he's turned that around consistently as he's often been injured.

Moreno skyrocketed from the minors to the majors, and has major upside. He can hit for average and power and he's shown in small major league samples that he can likely fit in. Whether he can command the game I don't know, but time would tell.

Personally I'd keep all three catchers this off-season. If I would have to Jansen would be the way out. Jays management has vowed to keep a sustainable team ahead, and with so many prospects dealt in recent years, and finally Moreno living up to the hype so far, it'd be against what they stood for to deal him and decimate the prospect pool. I'd aim to keep Moreno is the minors until the following season. Why? Because I think there are others to deal:

Teoscar probably has the biggest value of a return. He gets into some bigtime funks where he'll swing aimlessly at anything in stretches. Can have bombs but is fairly hit or miss at times. Still would probably bring a big name in return.

Gurriel is a prime candidate for me. Seems to get injured easily but has the family name, is young, has shown some great flashes that teams would line up for him. I'd put his name out there to see the return possible.

Chapman I was a big fan of in Oakland, as he was one of the most underrated hitters in the league, but there's no way he made a mark aside from defence. His batting was mediocre at best. I'd look to deal him.

I think given the tough economic situation ahead for the world, combined with the renovations, and the need to sign Bo and Vlad soon, I don't think the Jays are going to be a big player in free agency at all. Combined with so much money tied up in Ryu and Kikuchi, I don't think there's much appetite to add more bigtime salary. So Chapman and Gurriel could bring back some good pitching in a deal. Move Espinal to 3rd (I personally think he has large upside). Perhaps have Moreno try LF until there's more clarity the following year. Sign some solid RP fireballs and you probably have a good retool for next year. I'm concerned about 2nd base but I guess you can't have your cake and eat it too.

If Jays had unlimited budget I'd love to see a 1A pitcher like Verlander come in, combined with one of the big name SS to move Bo to 2nd, but neither is happening.

[ben voyonsdonc]

Originally Posted by activeStick

So strong in that position. I think I keep Kirk and Jansen. Though totally understand keeping any other combination.

I’d move Kirk. As an all-star, he’ll likely get the best return. I think you need to trade high on him. He’s probably the best hitter of the three but I think Moreno can hit .280 and offer quality at bats plus has pretty good speed. He doesn’t have Kirk’s power but the catcher position doesn’t have to be a position where you get power.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by ben voyonsdonc

I’d move Kirk. As an all-star, he’ll likely get the best return. I think you need to trade high on him. He’s probably the best hitter of the three but I think Moreno can hit .280 and offer quality at bats plus has pretty good speed. He doesn’t have Kirk’s power but the catcher position doesn’t have to be a position where you get power.

I disagree a bit. Having power separates him from the majority of catchers. His eye is probably the best on the team next to Vlad. Borderline stuff he fouls off until he gets what he wants. Could be a good strategy to sell high but I think his smarts while batting are off the charts. I wasn’t a believer before but after the past couple seasons I am.

[Inferno]

It's a tough choice but if I had to choose I would move Jansen.

[ben voyonsdonc]

I think Jansen has more value to the Jays than he would have value in the eyes of other teams. If you are looking for a return, nothing about Jansen’s stat line really jumps out at you or for potential teams looking for a catcher. However, he is so good with the current Blue Jays staff that he adds value in other ways.

Kirk, I think is kind of the opposite of Jansen. He has great stats but I don’t know if the intangibles are there. Teams will look at an all star catcher with power and contact and would likely overpay.

Trading Kirk though would he pretty unpopular so they’d need a huge return to make it sellable to the fans.

[Samonadreau]

IF you can get the player you want you trade whomever of the 3 gets you that player/players.

[Inferno]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1590468056983441408

[KelVarnsen]

oh-no-anyway.gif

[Roof-Daddy]

Clearing spots on the 40 man so they can protect players not on it from the rule 5

[Inferno]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1590202131528617984

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Inferno

https://twitter.com/user/status/1590202131528617984

Always exciting to maybe be in on something like this, but with no proven track record it's a gamble if they sign him. Could end up with Kikuchi 2.0

In the end though the Jays might have to take a gamble like this to limit spending and hope it pays off.

[ben voyonsdonc]

The Jays are not qualifying Stripling. Not a fan of this decision at all.

$19m sounds pricey but it might be the going rate plus they lose out on the compensatory pick if he declines and signs elsewhere.