2022 Blue Jays Off-Season Thread

[calculoso]

https://www.si.com/mlb/bluejays/.amp...ah-syndergaard


Toronto battle for Syndergaard this winter with the Angels reportedly came down right to the end. Whoever bumped their offer by $1 million first was going to land the former All-Star, Passan said.
"The Angels did it and Syndergaard went there. But Syndergaard came away from his meeting with the Blue Jays really impressed," Passan added.
The sense throughout baseball is the Blue Jays are a desirable team to play for, Passan said. It wasn't just Kevin Gausman and Syndergaard who came away impressed by Toronto, former Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager also nearly signed with the Blue Jays, per ESPN.

[Roof-Daddy]

It's nice to hear the Jays are a desirable destination and all that, but I'm so tired of hearing about the "almosts"

Syndergaard and Seager added to the Jays roster? FML

I guess the Jays aren't done big game hunting. Probably hard after Correa and/or Story if they were after Seager.

Hopefully doesn't end up as another add to the almost pile.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Probably a long shot but can you imagine?
https://calltothepen.com/2021/12/10/...picking-steam/

[DoubleK]

Freeman would be huge. Can't see it happening, but one can hope.

[Roof-Daddy]

Signing Freeman to a long term deal makes zero sense to me, unless the Jays are planning to move Vladdy back to 3B.

Well, I won't say ZERO sense. I guess Freeman could play 1B/DH and Vladdy could play 1B/DH/3B.

[flamingred89]

Yeah as fun as that would be I really don't see a fit. Unless Freddie wants to be a full time DH. I think baseball writers are just getting bored because there is nothing to write about during the lockout.

[bluejays]

Is Freeman really a good fit for this team? If you're going to go for a big name and to pay big dollars to, why go for an aging DH? I like the guy and all, but I see no fit, and even worse, dollars wasted. DH can be rotated at this point. Get better pitching and other IF positions.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by fleury

Is Freeman really a good fit for this team? If you're going to go for a big name and to pay big dollars to, why go for an aging DH? I like the guy and all, but I see no fit, and even worse, dollars wasted. DH can be rotated at this point. Get better pitching and other IF positions.

He's certainly not the greatest fit, no doubt. But the Jays have apparently been big game hunting and this is a guy that has 3 straight all-star appearances, a gold glove at 1B, 3 straight silver slugger awards, and has been top 10 in NL MVP voting for four straight season which includes his win in 2020.

He's a left handed bat that can hit in all situations, he can play 1B very well, and DH. He's projecting for 4.3 fWAR next season using steamer.

I agree that there is probably better spots that you would rather see the Jays improve, but Semien chose Texas. Seager chose Texas. Syndergaard chose Anaheim.

At the end of the day, if the Jays do sign Freeman it will certainly make them a better team next season than they would be right now, and if all the other options choose to go elsewhere then you have to take what you can get, and the Jays could do a lot worse than Freddie Freeman.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by flamingred89

I think baseball writers are just getting bored because there is nothing to write about during the lockout.

It was a rumor right before the lockout atleast. I don't think either him or Vladdy would want to split 1st base though and I don't think he would be ok being a DH either.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

He's certainly not the greatest fit, no doubt. But the Jays have apparently been big game hunting and this is a guy that has 3 straight all-star appearances, a gold glove at 1B, 3 straight silver slugger awards, and has been top 10 in NL MVP voting for four straight season which includes his win in 2020.

He's a left handed bat that can hit in all situations, he can play 1B very well, and DH. He's projecting for 4.3 fWAR next season using steamer.

I agree that there is probably better spots that you would rather see the Jays improve, but Semien chose Texas. Seager chose Texas. Syndergaard chose Anaheim.


At the end of the day, if the Jays do sign Freeman it will certainly make them a better team next season than they would be right now, and if all the other options choose to go elsewhere then you have to take what you can get, and the Jays could do a lot worse than Freddie Freeman.

More than just paper though, would you want to get Vlad angry? And would you want Vlad as your everyday 3B? I don't want either, and even if FF were to be a DH, it just seems like you can get better bang for buck elsewhere positionally. You're not wrong in the sense where now you have to look out for who wants to come to your team, and build around that, but you're also not spending that efficiently.

[ben voyonsdonc]

The mention of Ryu potentially missing the season is news to me. Haven't heard anything about an injury. I wonder where that information came from.

[KelVarnsen]

Skydome Rodgers Centre to get renovated

https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2021/...or-renovations

[Heavy Jack]

As long as they get rid of the astroturf, it’s the worst part of that stadium even though the concourses and food options compared to other parks is mediocre at best.

[bluejays]

The food options have nothing to do with the stadium, and they're totally mediocre compared to the ACC.

So, from a couple years ago Shapiro said they were looking at a few things including:

• shifting the symmetry feel of the place by moving home plate to where 3rd base is now. That would put the CN Tower at dead centre. Interesting change
• New seats to not only align to the field orientation but seats more comfortable that can hold beverages. Hopefully wider seats as well
• More field level fan zones (they can totally get creative with this)

Other changes I hope:

• Not that big a deal, but I hope they break down the 500 zone. I don't mind sitting up there but given the concrete feel of the entire place, why not lessen the seating to give it a more warmer feel for those in?
• New roof design. It was iconic for it's time but that time has passed and perhaps a flatter roof would look better

As for field, it seems to be a no go to get real grass, and I'm not torn up about it at all. The new turf this season looked great. I'm sure there are other things they can do but I think a lot of the changes have to do with getting rid of the bowl feel to the place. It's possible, but with only $200M to spend in renovations, it doesn't look like they'll be pouring much to change too much.

[calculoso]

Not sure if this is a real rumor or just a guess/proposal, but it seems like a very heavy price to pay

https://twitter.com/user/status/1473668106203586560

[flames_fan_down_under]

Ya that is an absolutely insane price.

[Arsenal14]

Originally Posted by calculoso

Not sure if this is a real rumor or just a guess/proposal, but it seems like a very heavy price to pay

Just speculation from the Blue Jays beat writer as to what an offer for Ramirez may look like. Idea being that Groshans would be blocked at 3B by Ramirez, Kirk is part of a surplus of catchers and probably behind Moreno as a prospect, Biggio is expendable as a utility infielder and Gurriel is the best trade chip of the outfielders. It's a lot of pieces moving, but in general I don't hate quantity for quality trades where you can got a star player. No reason to believe the teams are discussing anything like it though.

[Roof-Daddy]

Adding Ramirez would be absolutely amazing, but you don't want to create two other holes in the line up as a result.

Kirk and Groshans? Fine

But I can't see the Jays doing that unless they have a plan to replace Gurriel in LF via free agency. Suzuki, Conforto, Schwarber, etc.

2nd base would need to be addressed as well, someone like Harrison possibly.

1. CF Springer
2. 1B Vladdy
3. 3B Ramirez
4. SS Bo
5. LF Schwarber
6. RF Teo
7. 2B Harrison
8. C Jansen
9.

Only thing missing is a legit full time DH option.

[bluejays]

I know it's just a proposal, but I wouldn't be fine with giving up that much quality prospects for the guy. Groshans is someone they were huge on internally (I know that from someone in the organization). Whether they still project him from where they had him a few years ago, I don't know, but I do know a couple years ago he was virtually untouchable. Given the prospect capital they've dealt, and giving up Biggio and Guerriel for a single guy, no interest. Those are virtually all your trading chips for one guy, it doesn't make sense. You deal Guerriel or Biggio plus a bit, and you can probably alone get a #2 pitcher. I'm not sure why they'd go all in with that much capital for anyone really.

[alan21]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Adding Ramirez would be absolutely amazing, but you don't want to create two other holes in the line up as a result.

Kirk and Groshans? Fine

But I can't see the Jays doing that unless they have a plan to replace Gurriel in LF via free agency. Suzuki, Conforto, Schwarber, etc.

2nd base would need to be addressed as well, someone like Harrison possibly.

1. CF Springer
2. 1B Vladdy
3. 3B Ramirez
4. SS Bo
5. LF Schwarber
6. RF Teo
7. 2B Harrison
8. C Jansen
9.

Only thing missing is a legit full time DH option.

I think the days of getting a dedicated DH are gone anyways. The big bats are also good fielders and need to get them off their feet once in a while to keep them fresh but still keep their bat in there. Utility guy that can hit a little is way more ideal than a big lug that can't field.