2020 Blue Jays Season Thread

[Roof-Daddy]

Kim to the Padres is confirmed now.

Maybe the Jays can get Didi on a short term deal. That'd help the infield defense tremendously, and wouldn't bog them down with a bloated long term contract. By the time his contract ends you can pay Bo the big money long term deal, plus Groshans/Martin/Martinez will be all but kicking down the door.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Padres making a lot of moves. Looks like Darvish is going there as early as tonight.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1343722698787078144

[KootenayFlamesFan]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1343712336582832128

[Blaster86]

As with hockey, bringing in players from out of league must always have the ability to send them down to the minors if they arrive and need time to polish. No issues with that being the only holdup issue.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

We'll see how it plays out, but if you're a Padres fan you gotta be pretty pumped that your team is at least being aggressive. Darvish, Snell and Kim all within hours of each other. I'm cheering for them big time next season.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1343746828517462018

[flamingred89]

Yeah. Small market team looking to capitalize on a once in a lifetime talent like Tatis jr before he commands a massive contract. It will be fun to watch them play.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

The Rays, Phillies, and Dodgers are in combination on a three-team deal, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter links). As part of the swap, left-hander Jose Alvarado will go from the Rays to the Phillies, and minor league first baseman Dillon Paulson and a player to be named later or cash considerations will go from the Dodgers to Tampa Bay. The Phils announced that left-hander Garrett Cleavinger has been sent to Los Angeles to complete the Dodgers’ end of the trade.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/...eam-trade.html


edit: Crap, didn't see the MLB thread, sorry everyone. I will keep all non-Jays stuff out of here from now on, my apologies.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

The race for George Springer has narrowed down to two teams.

Steve Cohen’s Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays are the final clubs competing to land the high-priced outfielder, a source told the Daily News.

Springer, 31, is expected to sign with either team in January. He figures to pick up a long-term contract worth well over $100 million.

https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/b...p5u-story.html

[bluejays]

As much as I want Springer, when the most recent rumors say he's gunning for a $150MM contract, I'd say I'm out. $100MM over 4 years, sure, but when you push for 6 years and you're playing the outfield, combined with this type of year where there isn't that competition for your services, would push me to look elsewhere. Greed is fine especially on the players part where they think they earned it, but the team shouldn't get caught up in a terrible contract which can cripple them in the near future.

[Jiggy_12]

I hope if they throw a truckload of money at somebody, that it’s Realmuto over Springer.

Nothing against Springer, he’s great, but the scarcity at the Catcher position really pulls me towards Realmuto. Elite outfielders aren’t nearly as hard to come by as THE best catcher in the game.

Then trade Kirk/Jansen for an outfielder/Lindor and fill two holes for the price of one

[Roof-Daddy]

Haven't seen much smoke around him, but I wonder if the Jays end up snagging Bryant from the Cubs. They are clearly tearing it down and Bryant only has two seasons left before free agency and is 28.

Plus 3B has been a black hole for the Jays since they traded Donaldson and Vladdy isn't the answer over there.

[Samonadreau]

Springer is on the downhill.

[flamingred89]

Yeah I’d stay far away from Springer at that money. He’s going to be 32 next season and his numbers really aren’t that impressive. Especially considering the cheating. His WAR over the last 5 seasons isn’t that much higher than Kevin Pillars. Yet one player is going to get 100+ million and the other can’t seem to find a starting job. Baseball is weird. The other huge red flag is the main competition to land him is the Mets. Arguably the worst team in pro sports at picking free agents. Please look elsewhere Shatkins.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

If it comes down to money, I'd be shocked if Cohen allowed himself to be outbid.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by flamingred89

Yeah I’d stay far away from Springer at that money. He’s going to be 32 next season and his numbers really aren’t that impressive. Especially considering the cheating. His WAR over the last 5 seasons isn’t that much higher than Kevin Pillars. Yet one player is going to get 100+ million and the other can’t seem to find a starting job. Baseball is weird. The other huge red flag is the main competition to land him is the Mets. Arguably the worst team in pro sports at picking free agents. Please look elsewhere Shatkins.

I wouldn't shy away from he because the Mets are interested. I'd move away from him because of his asking price to what he brings to the table. I don't believe the position he's in warrants a bidding war. Realmuto would be more worthwhile at the price requested, but who knows - these guys probably get a feel of what each player is leaning towards. In this case I could totally see many of these guys having a preference for one team over another but trying to leverage the other team to outbid another. And not based on anything but how long this has dragged out, I can see Springer specifically using the Jays as leverage but angling to go to the Mets. With the Jays outwardly saying they're pursuing guys, every player knows the pressure is on them now, and they're taking advantage.

[cross16]

Springer was the FA i was most interested in due to his ability to impact multiple areas of the game and the fact I really don't like the Jays OF outlook in both the short or the long term.

However, at that rumored ask I would pass. Too risky of a contract that i fear would become a really large albatross right when they are going to start needing to pay their young players. Jays will need to take that risk at some point, just not sure this offseason and that player are worth it.

I am a fan of Jansen and I still think he could wind up being an above avg starter but at the same time getting Realmuto and then using him, plus others, to address other areas makes a ton of sense. That is the way i'm starting to learn given the rumored asks of Springer and Baeur.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Ok well let’s give Springer at least some of the credit he is due: first of all I wouldn’t call him “on the downhill” as basically every single statistic, both standard and advanced, indicates that he is basically the same player every year: ~.360 OBP, OPS+ of 150 in 2019 (career high) and 140 last year, and since 2016 is ranked 3rd in WAR for CF behind Trout and Yelich, if you go by 2017-2020 hes is 4th behind Trout, Yelich and Bellinger. Also as much as I love Pillar these two aren’t even in the same league when it comes to hitting a baseball, Springers fWAR over last 5 years: 20.8, Pillar 9.0.

I think the concerns about his age are valid, if his stats this year are to believed the bat hitting the trash can wasn’t really helping him that much, but in reality this is a perennial all star that would bring a legit bat to the top of the Jays line up.

[Strange Brew]

It’s a cliche but the way to a championship is to draft and develop players like Springer, not sign them to massive free agent contracts when they’re on the wrong side of 30. Not unless you have an unlimited budget.

[flames_fan_down_under]

I completely agree that you absolutely have to develop elite talent within your own system to compete for championships. However supplementing talent via free agency is crucial as well. Washington Nationals did it with Howie Kendrick and Adam Eaton. Red Sox did it with JD Martinez and David Price. The Astros developed an incredible roster and supplemented it with Charlie Morton and later Michael Brantley.

Free agents are great because they don’t cost assets and only cost money, which as we all know Rogers has a lot of, but the Canadian dollar doesn’t help us. However those teams I listed above were really able to supplement their rosters with talent via trades because of their immense pools of prospect talent. The Red Sox adding Sale, Kimbrel, Porcello. Astros adding Cole, Verlander. Also the Dodgers adding Betts via trade.

The Jays are in a great position to do both, add players via free agency due to their financial flexibility and through trades because of their immense prospect capital.

I say go for it and grab Springer and Realmuto and trade for Lindor and accelerate this rebuild. Why not. We have loads of talent coming up the pipeline.

[flamingred89]

Can’t argue with that. I’d love for the Jays to go all in and try and take advantage of their young talent just like the Padre’s are.

I’m probably being a little too hard on Springer, but I was pretty blown away going through some stats the other day and noticing his numbers are pretty underwhelming for the money he’s asking for. But I think that’s more indicative of CF being a pretty weak position in the bigs right now. I bring up the Pillar reference because they are the same age and broke into the bigs at the same time. Baseball-reference has their career WAR’s at 26 for Springer and 18 for Pillar. Not a huge discrepancy for 2 players at different crossroads in their careers. A more comparable player would likely be Lorenzo Cain who had some monster years for KC before cashing in with the Brewers. He signed his big contract at age 32 and that was 5 years 80million. I’d be ok with Springer at the contract. Just hopefully not 5 years 125million.