2023/24 Blue Jays Off Season Thread

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Remind me again why they fired Anthopolous…

The Dickey trade.

[flamingred89]

I don't mind this pickup. It just means that they didn't panic and throw 20 million per at Chapman. Which is great. Because I wont miss Buck fawning over Chapman's glove and then proceeding to watch him strike out 3 times a game. If you take out Chapmans April, IKF was a better hitter. So that says something.

Now we just wait until the Jays pick up JD Martinez as a replacement for Belt. And then they run it all back again to see what the "kids" can do. If they faulter, I'd expect them to blow it up. Bo and Vlad would fetch some decent assets with 1 year of control left.

[bluejays]

I still think it would be great to bring in Brantley. have him DH or platoon every now and then with Varsho. He just oozes calm and collected all the time and I think that would be something worthwhile to carry into the season.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by flamingred89

I don't mind this pickup. It just means that they didn't panic and throw 20 million per at Chapman. Which is great. Because I wont miss Buck fawning over Chapman's glove and then proceeding to watch him strike out 3 times a game. If you take out Chapmans April, IKF was a better hitter. So that says something.

Now we just wait until the Jays pick up JD Martinez as a replacement for Belt. And then they run it all back again to see what the "kids" can do. If they faulter, I'd expect them to blow it up. Bo and Vlad would fetch some decent assets with 1 year of control left.

I don't see the Jays as blow it up" mode, not going to happen with this management group.

If they only add a bat like JD Martinez, Jays will definitely struggle.

[ben voyonsdonc]

I wouldn’t mind a piecemeal solution at third but only if they add a real bat or two elsewhere. A weak third base with a very meh rest of the lineup is a problem. I like re-signing Kiermaier but they need an impact guy in the outfield and then using platoons to put together a solid defensive outfield.

I do think Teo makes more sense now that you can put him in a role where he always will play with either Varsho or Kiermaier in CF. I still doubt that the Jays are interested in a long term deal with Teo’s all or nothing approach at the plate and his poor defence.

[browna]

Any chance of Teoscar coming back? Vlad would want that immensely. Rumored to be the Red Sox making a push.

I do still think they need a new name to inject to the club house and sell the fans on, but message will be about how a good group of guys has to be better at the plate next year, and Rogers can hold onto some cash and see where the team is come July and the trade deadline and spend it then.

[ben voyonsdonc]

If the Jays continue to tinker around the margins of the team, it tells me that they are likely going to sleepwalk to the deadline to move Bo, Vlad, and a bunch of starting pitchers. I don’t understand what the point of doing that would be…maybe hope that Vlad improves his stock so that he can increase his market value?

This team, as constructed, can’t compete within their own division with the Yanks and Orioles (and god knows who the Red Sox are and what kind of alchemy the Rays can pull off again). I don’t understand what this team really is. We were “mid” last year while the teams around us have gotten better. We very possibly could be AL East bottom feeders if one or more of our aging pitchers gets injured.

[Roof-Daddy]

I wonder if Bellinger is still an option...

He did play 40% of his time last year at 1B.

He could split time between OF and 1B, let Vlad DH more often and just concentrate on hitting and not getting picked off on the base paths. The less he has to think the better.

[bluejays]

They're simply a "mid" team, nothing more, nothing less. There isn't a magic bullet on the FA market to save the team considering the amount of empty spots heading into this off-season. That combined with the hope the existing roster bats bring their average up, and the pitching remains the same, is a tall ask. The fact Atkins effed up and traded a heavy amount of prospects without having a steady stream of callups, is causing what we have today. The only reason they're rolling this back again is marketing - who can blame them? I really do think one or two of Vlad and/or Bo are gone, but I doubt it'll be at the deadline unless they're completely out of it. Really those conversations at extension or deal should be done now. Tough to get full value if waiting a lot longer.

[ben voyonsdonc]

If Vlad continues to get into great shape, it would be perfect if he could move over to third. He has a surprisingly strong arm and his range and 1st looked good when he was in peak shape. Last season, his biggest defensive weakness at first was his footwork at the bag…he was not receiving the ball well which wouldn’t be an issue at third. Would a Vlad/IKF solution be a worse option at third than Davis Schneider/Cavan Biggio/Orelvis Martinez?

It’s a pipe dream but it would be a lot easier to find a solution at first base than it is at third.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by ben voyonsdonc

If Vlad continues to get into great shape, it would be perfect if he could move over to third. He has a surprisingly strong arm and his range and 1st looked good when he was in peak shape. Last season, his biggest defensive weakness at first was his footwork at the bag…he was not receiving the ball well which wouldn’t be an issue at third. Would a Vlad/IKF solution be a worse option at third than Davis Schneider/Cavan Biggio/Orelvis Martinez?

It’s a pipe dream but it would be a lot easier to find a solution at first base than it is at third.

Agreed. Though do you think it's too late to have him move back to third again? I dunno. I don't trust instagram pictures whatsoever. We see the same stuff every year with Vlad and other athletes and they never turn out like the right angled pictures.

[Jiggy_12]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

I wonder if Bellinger is still an option...

He did play 40% of his time last year at 1B.

He could split time between OF and 1B, let Vlad DH more often and just concentrate on hitting and not getting picked off on the base paths. The less he has to think the better.

I hope he's still a priority. Springer needs a lot of days off and DH days, Between him and KK there are bound to be injuries the way they play.

Vlad needs rest and DH time.

There would be a full season of work available for Bellinger factoring in his rest days/DH days too

[ben voyonsdonc]

It’s probably too late and there’s about a .01% chance of it happening.

With Vlad, he seems like a guy who is always looking to contribute more and do more…often to a detriment. I wonder if putting him back at third, might make him feel like he’s more of a contributor than at first/DH. It also could significantly increase his trade value.

Once again, it’s unlikely but it could be very interesting.

[Kasi]

IKF is 3b insurance and backup for other positions. Yeah he sucked last year but was 3WAR the two years before. It’s silly to think but a 7.5 million contract is nothing today. It’s like 2% of the Jays payroll.

Kk is a good player still and does improve the team but forces Varsho to play a position that requires more offense. Maybe they bring in someone to platoon with him? Perhaps C is still on the table? Regardless it would do a lot if he returned to 22 numbers. I do think a rebound of some sort is in order, switching from the NL west to Al east is quite the change but we’ll see how able he is to adapt. Pretty sure he has the ethic but he might not have the physical gifts. We’ll see I guess.

[browna]

Really, doesn't IKF simply replace Merrifield? With a little more versatility.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by browna

Really, doesn't IKF simply replace Merrifield? With a little more versatility.

Bingo.

Plus he plays 3B at an elite level, which Merrifield did not and is something the jays really need.

[Kasi]

Espinal is just a bad fit with his skill set. He isn’t really good enough for SS or 3B defensively. Offensively he’s decent but he’s a righty. So that means for 2b the jays would much rather play Biggio there. I think they just need what they did last year which is a LH DH/LF. I mean it’s unlikely they get someone who will outhit belt from last year but if that player can do more in the field it would help.

[cross16]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Remind me again why they fired Anthopolous…

Technically they didn't. He left.

[cross16]

Bringing back KK and brining in IKF for sure are underwhelming but I don't think the signal anything, at least to me. Sure if they were able to get Ohtani the money wouldn't exist for this but absence of that I think these 2 fill roles the Jays would want anyway. They want that flexibility of multiple positioning, ++ defense, and the ability to move players around (ie Springer and Biggio) as needed. I don't think what they have on the roster, before these 2 guys, provided that but I'll admit I'm not that high on Espinal or Schneider. Think you need to do better than both of those guys.

Absolutely have to have a power LH bat into this lineup so remains to be seen if they can get that, but I don't think these 2 signings impact that.

[Inferno]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1740398028429672850