2023/24 Blue Jays Off Season Thread

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by zukes

I think that a longer term deal is imminent. It seems silly to quibble over $1,000,000.00. Not sure if it'll be a Bo-like deal to get Vladdy to free agency or longer term, but I bet he signs something before arbitration.

They should tell him the $1mm is to fund research into a helmet that will stay on his head.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Vladdy was supposed to be a core player, and maybe he'll turn things around.

But right now he's an overweight, replacement level 1B who finished 12th of all Jays position players last season with 1.0 fWAR. Biggio had 1.0 fWAR for crying out loud.

I don’t disagree, but the offseason approach after a failed attempt at Ohtani appears to be hoping for a bounce back from our thumper bats and more defensive wizardry.

Let’s say it pans out and he hits his stride, going to arbitration is an emotional process that takes a toll on players. It could negatively impact a long term contract.

Why risk it? It just feels like a lot more to potentially lose than the ~ $1M in salary difference.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

I don’t disagree, but the offseason approach after a failed attempt at Ohtani appears to be hoping for a bounce back from our thumper bats and more defensive wizardry.

Let’s say it pans out and he hits his stride, going to arbitration is an emotional process that takes a toll on players. It could negatively impact a long term contract.

Why risk it? It just feels like a lot more to potentially lose than the ~ $1M in salary difference.

Agreed, however its been years (2019 was last time) since the last blue jay went to arbitration

My guess, they are working on a multi year deal.

[Roof-Daddy]

Jordan Hicks to the Giants

4 years $44 million total

Tweet says they are going to try stretch him out into a starter lol

I hate that the Giants are always tossing money around too, along with the Mets, Yanks, Dodgers and up until this year the Padres.

[Roof-Daddy]

Soler smashes left handed pitching and has power, Jays need both. I find myself hoping he gets signed as the DH. Just keep him the EFF off the field.

[bluejays]

I’m not sure Hicks can be converted to a starter at this point in his career but I can see why the Jays balked at signing for four years.

As for Solar, agree. I don’t think it’s their MO. They seem to be signing multi position players unnecessarily. I personally would like to see if a bounce back from Hoskins would work. Solar’s fielding is rough.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by bluejays

I’m not sure Hicks can be converted to a starter at this point in his career but I can see why the Jays balked at signing for four years.

As for Solar, agree. I don’t think it’s their MO. They seem to be signing multi position players unnecessarily. I personally would like to see if a bounce back from Hoskins would work. Solar’s fielding is rough.

Hicks command is atrocious. I will be completely shocked if he succeeds as a starter. He's only 27 though, so I would have been just fine if the jays gave him that contract. $11 million per for a solid high leverage late inning reliever in his prime is not too bad. Assuming he fails as a starter that is, if he actually succeeds that's a really good deal then. He's making Kikuchi/Green money

[Cheese]

Jays 2024 Coaching staff

https://twitter.com/user/status/1745870132683977017


Soler down to 2 teams...

https://twitter.com/user/status/1745825216255676697

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Hicks command is atrocious. I will be completely shocked if he succeeds as a starter. He's only 27 though, so I would have been just fine if the jays gave him that contract. $11 million per for a solid high leverage late inning reliever in his prime is not too bad. Assuming he fails as a starter that is, if he actually succeeds that's a really good deal then. He's making Kikuchi/Green money

I think I like Hicks more than anyone else on here, but I don't think he's likely to succeed as a starter. I don't think he has the pitch mix to be a traditional starter, and there have to be durability concerns with his elbow and more innings.

However, he throws fire and the pitches he does throw are elite. I'd have given him that contract as a high leverage reliever if I was the GM.

But the Giants are probably a good place for him strategically. They run with an opener fairly often, and putting him in as opener for 1-2 innings once per series is probably very effective. Batters never see him twice, he burns through the top of the order and then you bring in a higher command and control long reliever to eat up the bulk of the innings starting with the bottom of the order. Maybe over time you stretch him to 3 innings or whatever, but I don't think he needs to become a 200 inning/year starter to be worth that contract.

[flamingred89]

I'm warming to the idea of Soler. I'm just going to keep my expectations low and understand that there's a lot of swing and miss. But if he could run into 35 and provide Vladdy with a Latin buddy than I see nothing wrong if the Jays pick him up.

[flamingred89]

AA signed an extension with the Braves to keep him until 2031. Good for him. He's putting together quite the career.

[bluejays]

I really am a bit scared if Solar is deciding between two teams here. Not at risk of losing him but more so how long this contract will be if he has leverage here. Ideally it’s a two year deal for whatever he wants. But you start going beyond that and it gives me the cold sweats.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by bluejays

I really am a bit scared if Solar is deciding between two teams here. Not at risk of losing him but more so how long this contract will be if he has leverage here. Ideally it’s a two year deal for whatever he wants. But you start going beyond that and it gives me the cold sweats.

Yeah. I like the Teoscar deal a lot more than long term deals for guys on thr back half of 30. This team has a short window with the Bo/Vlad control and the current pitching. Once that's up you probably need to at least re-tool anyway, and that'll be a lot easier without a bunch of deadweight contracts on the books.

Pay up for 1-2 year deals

[bluejays]

I will say if the Jays are trying to lock up Vlad long term, it would be pretty astute. 5 years at $19M could be a steal. Likely the worst case is who he is right now. I’m just making up the current value but he has the natural talent to be up there. It’s just the discipline these days to not get frustrated and swing at junk. Why not sign him when he’s at his lowest?

[ben voyonsdonc]

5x$19m would be a great deal for the Jays but I don’t think Guerrero will give up any of his free agent years for that cheap.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by bluejays

I really am a bit scared if Solar is deciding between two teams here. Not at risk of losing him but more so how long this contract will be if he has leverage here. Ideally it’s a two year deal for whatever he wants. But you start going beyond that and it gives me the cold sweats.

Usually when it comes down to two teams and Toronto is one of them, the oher team gets picked. I can't think of an occasion where it ended up being the Blue Jays.

When Blue Jays land a big fish, they're usually offering way more than anyone else and it's not the player deciding between two (like Clemens).

[calculoso]

Originally Posted by ben voyonsdonc

5x$19m would be a great deal for the Jays but I don’t think Guerrero will give up any of his free agent years for that cheap.

He’s asking for 19.9 in this arbitration… imo the chances of agreeing to 19 over 5 is close to zero

[ben voyonsdonc]

I think 5x$28m is probably closer to where it would end up. That still might be on the low side but the team could say “we are paying you $20m for your two arb years like you asked and around market rate ($33m) for the last three years of the deal and, at the end of the deal, you are still in your prime with the opportunity to earn another long term deal.”

[browna]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

Usually when it comes down to two teams and Toronto is one of them, the oher team gets picked. I can't think of an occasion where it ended up being the Blue Jays.

When Blue Jays land a big fish, they're usually offering way more than anyone else and it's not the player deciding between two (like Clemens).

Ryu?

[ben voyonsdonc]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

Usually when it comes down to two teams and Toronto is one of them, the oher team gets picked. I can't think of an occasion where it ended up being the Blue Jays.

When Blue Jays land a big fish, they're usually offering way more than anyone else and it's not the player deciding between two (like Clemens).

Some guys are worth an overpay…I don’t think Soler is one of them - at least not on a long term deal. If they overpaid on a 1-2 year deal, it wouldn’t be quite so bad.