2023/24 Blue Jays Off Season Thread

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by Locke

Are Baseball contracts Guaranteed like NHL contracts?

They're more locktight than other pro sports. They're the opposite of the NFL. AFAIK, it's full money owed to him no matter how bad he plays. Not that I think that, but I'll give him pitching for three years, then nope. So they're paying for his bat and marketing premium and other things that come with that. It's really unprecedented for the sport.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

I’ve watched 100+ of his games for the past 6 years. I watched him develop into the best player in the game on my favourite team. I also watched that team piss away a golden opportunity.

I’m fully in agreement that from a playing standpoint he isn’t worth that contract, but it still sucks losing the luxury of watching him play every day because the team failed to build around him properly.

I’d say I’m justified in my anger.

Sure, I get how you feel. I guess I would have felt that in September, not now.

It's not like they didn't try. David Fletcher didn't maintain the early results, Trout has been getting hurt a lot lately, and Rendon has been getting hurt a lot since he signed his own megadeal. Andrelton Simmons forgot how to hit, Adell hasn't developed, the trade for Justin Upton never worked.

It was kind of cool when Seattle would come down here (I am a Mariners fan) and Angel fan friends would talk about going.

"Let's go to the game on this day?"
"No, let's go to this one. Ohtani's pitching!"

Try to be happy that it happened, not sad that it's over.

[GreenLantern2814]

Ohtani goes from a joke franchise to a crown jewel franchise, gets $700M, and he doesn’t even have to move.

How was Toronto ever deluded into thinking they could compete with that?

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Kasi

Seems likely that the rumors on Friday were leaked by Ohtani’s camp. We had trusted insiders being reported by Morosi and that dodgers guy that the Jays were going to get him. But then in that day the dodgers came up with another 100 million for this. So I think Ohtani always wanted the dodgers and just used the Jays as leverage. Sure if the dodgers hadn’t caved then maybe we would get him. But I think it’s clear his preference was LA.

Edit: that guy on the plane we were all tracking is represented by the same agency as Ohtani.

Hahaha, well yeah that is pretty obviously what happened then. Hook, line and sinker. Worked like a charm. Unreal

[Kasi]

And yeah between this and all the special treatment he demands and how he doesn’t interact with the fans then &$@# him. I hope he goes into a steep decline. Btw look at how the huge signings of last year are looking. Turner is okay, Machado and Boggaerts look awful. It’s just not worth paying that much money to someone in the 30 age range.

[dirk diggler]

Originally Posted by Kasi

And yeah between this and all the special treatment he demands and how he doesn’t interact with the fans then &$@# him. I hope he goes into a steep decline. Btw look at how the huge signings of last year are looking. Turner is okay, Machado and Boggaerts look awful. It’s just not worth paying that much money to someone in the 30 age range.

agreed, Toronto dodged a bullet here. this will not age well but the Dodgers have so much money, they dont care. As a Padres fan, those 2 signings are horrific. Not a huge Tatis fan but him and Soto are at least the correct age to sign these kind of deal too.

[ben voyonsdonc]

Originally Posted by Kasi

Seems likely that the rumors on Friday were leaked by Ohtani’s camp. We had trusted insiders being reported by Morosi and that dodgers guy that the Jays were going to get him. But then in that day the dodgers came up with another 100 million for this. So I think Ohtani always wanted the dodgers and just used the Jays as leverage. Sure if the dodgers hadn’t caved then maybe we would get him. But I think it’s clear his preference was LA.

Edit: that guy on the plane we were all tracking is represented by the same agency as Ohtani.

Clearly I don’t have a career in being a sports agent because the idea of destroying the credibility of guys making probably a hundred K a year to help my filthy rich client squeeze another $100m from the Dodgers makes me queasy.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by ben voyonsdonc

Clearly I don’t have a career in being a sports agent because the idea of destroying the credibility of guys making probably a hundred K a year to help my filthy rich client squeeze another $100m from the Dodgers makes me queasy.

Would it make you feel better about lying to journalists and millions of regular people if I told you that you got to keep a percentage or two of the extra hundred million?

If not, I agree sports agent might not be for you.

[flamingred89]

And so it begins...Cody Bellinger's fiance posted a photo of the CN tower on IG...lol

[KelVarnsen]

So he’s going to sign with the Dodgers or Red Sox?

[flames_fan_down_under]

Who is Bellinger trying to squeeze $$ out of? Cubs? Yankees? Who cares just use the Blue Jays as leverage, works every time !

[bluejays]

I don’t care for HRs as much as most people, but I care about guys getting on base. Bellinger fits both which is really a good fit. However, if it’s more than 5 years, likely to be terrible.

[Roof-Daddy]

Bellinger went from MVP to 3 seasons of basically replacement level. Then he bounced back last year, finally.

Giving him a big contract would be terrifying.

If you're getting 2023 Cody Bellinger, that is absolutely 100% a player the Jays could use. That player gets on base, hits for OK power, bats left handed, has decent speed and plays in the outfield.

Pretty risky though.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

So he’s going to sign with the Dodgers or Red Sox?

It has to be the Dodgers because according to Jon Heyman it's what's best for him and what's best for "us" because everyone should play for the Dodgers because Jackie Robinson played for the Dodgers. Nobody would be able to watch him if he didn't because televising games in Canada is impossible.

[Jiggy]

Originally Posted by Inferno

It has to be the Dodgers because according to Jon Heyman it's what's best for him and what's best for "us" because everyone should play for the Dodgers because Jackie Robinson played for the Dodgers. Nobody would be able to watch him if he didn't because televising games in Canada is impossible.

I can't stand Americans and their line of thinking that the best players should play in America and it would be an injustice to baseball if they played for the Jays. It's the only reason I wanted the Jays to somehow get Shohei.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Jiggy

I can't stand Americans and their line of thinking that the best players should play in America and it would be an injustice to baseball if they played for the Jays. It's the only reason I wanted the Jays to somehow get Shohei.

Even American fans who don't cheer for the Dodgers are calling him out for that ridiculous take. Ricky Romero called him out too.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1734066341550936211

https://twitter.com/user/status/1734072317825917170

[Jiggy]

Originally Posted by Inferno

Even American fans who don't cheer for the Dodgers are calling him out for that ridiculous take. Ricky Romero called him out too.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1734066341550936211

https://twitter.com/user/status/1734072317825917170

There was a ton of those takes. I was listening to ESPN radio and some guy was going off on the same thing. A bunch of writers were saying the same thing on X.

On a side note, RR has always been a good ambassador for the Jays and Canada. No wonder he married a Canadian girl. He's awesome.

[Inferno]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1734235411399004272

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

I have a feeling the Jays are probably going to try to swing for the fences with a big trade, they are probably feeling a little desperate after what took place

I hope not, that's the Treliving way of business. Be personally butthurt about how things went and trade stupidly.

[flamingred89]

Jon Heyman is a knob. If this Shohei ordeal has taught me anything is that baseball writers are some of the biggest shills in sports. Which we already knew because of how much of an old boys club the BBWAA is.