2023/24 Blue Jays Off Season Thread

[bluejays]

I love the classic baseball guys who can stay quiet to hear the ballpark noises, when listening on the drive on a good summer day. Unfortunately radio is a dying breed and good guys get the axe. Interestingly they're saying Dan Shulman's son may get the job? While I respect the dad, you're telling me it just happens his son gets one of a handful of jobs out there in Canada? Talk about nepotism.

[Roof-Daddy]

Any predictions?

I'm going to guess:

1. Jays sign SP Yamamoto
2. Jays sign DH Brantley
3. Jays sign 3B Candelario
4. Jays trade for Soto

1. RF Springer
2. SS Bichette
3. LF Soto
4. 1B Vlad
5. DH Brantley
6. 3B Candelario
7. C Jansen / Kirk
8. CF Varsho
9. 2B Biggio / Schneider

SP Gausman
SP Berrios
SP Bassitt
SP Kikuchi
SP Yamamoto

CL Romano
SU Green
SU Swanson
RP Mayza
RP Richards
RP Garcia
RP Cabrera
RP White

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Who they giving up to get Soto? I'm guessing picks/prospects?

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Who they giving up to get Soto? I'm guessing picks/prospects?

Probably Tiedemann ++

I'd be OK with it if they had signed Yamamoto who projects as a potential #1 SP

[browna]

Originally Posted by bluejays

I love the classic baseball guys who can stay quiet to hear the ballpark noises, when listening on the drive on a good summer day. Unfortunately radio is a dying breed and good guys get the axe. Interestingly they're saying Dan Shulman's son may get the job? While I respect the dad, you're telling me it just happens his son gets one of a handful of jobs out there in Canada? Talk about nepotism.

If it keeps Shulman calling Jays games...I'm fine with it. He's the best in the business and takes a discount to call Jays games vs what he could get from a decent size regional broadcasters nevermind going back to a US national gig.

Can't recall last time I've listened to more than an inning in the radio for baseball.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Any predictions?

I'm going to guess:

1. Jays sign SP Yamamoto
2. Jays sign DH Brantley
3. Jays sign 3B Candelario
4. Jays trade for Soto

1. RF Springer
2. SS Bichette
3. LF Soto
4. 1B Vlad
5. DH Brantley
6. 3B Candelario
7. C Jansen / Kirk
8. CF Varsho
9. 2B Biggio / Schneider

SP Gausman
SP Berrios
SP Bassitt
SP Kikuchi
SP Yamamoto

CL Romano
SU Green
SU Swanson
RP Mayza
RP Richards
RP Garcia
RP Cabrera
RP White

2 and 3 I’d guess are virtual locks to be done. Jays have wanted Brantley in the past. He’s coming off injury but if healthy he’s good. Candalero is the second best third out there so I’d guess as well they’ll pursue hard as it’s a hard drop off soon after.

I don’t think they’ve ever wooed over a Japanese player so I’m skeptical anyone posting would come here initially, though it’s possible. If it’s Tiedemann and B grade prospect for Soto, count me in. If it’s Tiedemann and Barrera, nope. We’d almost have no prospects at that point.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Any predictions?

I'm going to guess:

1. Jays sign SP Yamamoto
2. Jays sign DH Brantley
3. Jays sign 3B Candelario
4. Jays trade for Soto

1. RF Springer
2. SS Bichette
3. LF Soto
4. 1B Vlad
5. DH Brantley
6. 3B Candelario
7. C Jansen / Kirk
8. CF Varsho
9. 2B Biggio / Schneider

SP Gausman
SP Berrios
SP Bassitt
SP Kikuchi
SP Yamamoto

CL Romano
SU Green
SU Swanson
RP Mayza
RP Richards
RP Garcia
RP Cabrera
RP White

I admire your optimism. Would be an offseason for the ages.

[Sylvanfan]

I saw that Buster Olney pretty much laughed off Toronto as a destination for Ohtani. I'm paraphrasing and likely poorly...but his thought is that the Ohtani camp know where they want to go and he speculates that it's the Dodgers. So now it's about getting the Dodgers to try and meet all his terms and conditions.

Also saw that he's skeptical that Chapman will get a long rich 9 figure a contract since he's already struggling to hit higher velocity fast balls.

I guess Buster is not bullish on the Blue Jays.

[Roof-Daddy]

People have expected Ohtani to go to the Dodgers for years now, Buster really going out on a limb with that prediction.

[Jiggy_12]

I really think (if given the chance) the Blue Jays will blow Ohtani away with their spring training facilities. That will matter a lot to a player like Ohtani. He takes a great deal of care in his training and nutrition and their facility is world class. It would make such an impact on his arm rehabilitation as well as future years of his career as he gets into his 30’s.

It’s really where the Jays have the leg up on anyone.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Buster really going out on a limb with that prediction.

Buster Olney... never has someone so thoroughly eked out a career merely by regurgitating the conventional wisdom. I mean it. Nobody has ever learned anything they didn't already know or suspect from Buster Olney.

[Jiggy_12]

Fwiw

https://twitter.com/user/status/1730296463366734174

[Roof-Daddy]

Saw some speculation yesterday that Ohtani's decision could come at the end of the winter meetings, a week tomorrow I think?

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

Fwiw

https://twitter.com/user/status/1730296463366734174

I'd rather not hear stuff like that unless it came with a "Ohtani had a tour of the complex in Dunedin" or "Atikins has approval from ownership for what it would cost to acquire him"... something (anything) other then "The Blue Jays are finalists"... the Blue Jays always seem to be "finalists" they're "finalists" so much that saying it is meaningless. I like hopium as much as the next bloke but they try to mainline it into us so much that we ought to have a heavy tolarance to it.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Parallex

I'd rather not hear stuff like that unless it came with a "Ohtani had a tour of the complex in Dunedin" or "Atikins has approval from ownership for what it would cost to acquire him"... something (anything) other then "The Blue Jays are finalists"... the Blue Jays always seem to be "finalists" they're "finalists" so much that saying it is meaningless. I like hopium as much as the next bloke but they try to mainline it into us so much that we ought to have a heavy tolarance to it.

Haha yep, "Jays are finalists for...." is usually the death knell.

[Jiggy_12]

I’m getting major “Yu Darvish Sweepstakes” flashbacks. Does anyone remember how painful that was? IIRC it was this same sort of process, teams being eliminated until it was down to the Jays and rangers. Then reports came out that it was officially the Jays, until the rug was pulled minutes later and it was the Rangers all along and the Jays weren’t even that close.

Totally different scenarios (old posting system versus legit free agent) but hard to forget what that felt like

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Haha yep, "Jays are finalists for...." is usually the death knell.

Honestly I prefer the free agent frenzy of the NHL... very little "so and so is talking to so and so" for weeks on end, just "*boom* your favorite team signed a player". Free agency is an event in the NHL, in MLB it's a gossipy slog.

[zukes]

Originally Posted by bluejays

I love the classic baseball guys who can stay quiet to hear the ballpark noises, when listening on the drive on a good summer day. Unfortunately radio is a dying breed and good guys get the axe. Interestingly they're saying Dan Shulman's son may get the job? While I respect the dad, you're telling me it just happens his son gets one of a handful of jobs out there in Canada? Talk about nepotism.

Actually, I believe that the younger Shulman has already done work at Sportsnet and has some experience. That being said, Sportsnet is so cheap and doesn't even send their radio guys on the road. So frustrating, barely a drop in the bucket for them.

[flamingred89]

This will likely end in disappointment but I'm going to enjoy the ride.

Then they should be able to land Yamamoto and have a mostly Japanese starting rotation in 2025. Bring in Munenori Kawasaki to be bench coach and interpreter. Bush parties for everyone!

But seriously if they sign Ohtani they should bring back Ryu for a year until Ohtani can pitch. And then trade Manoah and Tiedemann for Soto. And watch the crippling disappointment...err. I mean. Championships roll in.

[zukes]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

I saw that Buster Olney pretty much laughed off Toronto as a destination for Ohtani. I'm paraphrasing and likely poorly...but his thought is that the Ohtani camp know where they want to go and he speculates that it's the Dodgers. So now it's about getting the Dodgers to try and meet all his terms and conditions.

Also saw that he's skeptical that Chapman will get a long rich 9 figure a contract since he's already struggling to hit higher velocity fast balls.

I guess Buster is not bullish on the Blue Jays.

I used to start listening To Buster's podcast in mid February when players start reporting and he'd be down there doing the podcasts outside and you could hear the birds and crack of the bat...but I had to stop because all he cares or really knows about is Yankees, Dodgers, and whatever other big US market is good That's 90% of his content. I do not consider him a good insider source at all.