Toronto Blue Jays - Offseason Thread

[mrkajz44]

Thoughts on CBA:

- Don't like the change to FA compensation. Just makes it easier for big spending teams to be powerhouses every year. At least the first round pick hurt the teams signing all the big money free agents, and gave the small market teams that could not afford big FAs some path to replacing that player

- Don't like that September rosters are still expanded as was done in the past. It makes no sense that games down the stretch are altered by a vastly different roster than was used for the other 5 months of the year

- Neutral on the All-Star game no longer determining home field. Makes sense from a purist standpoint that the better team in the regular season gets home field, but this pretty much removes any importance attached to the All-Star game and I bet a lot of people don't tune in anymore as a result. The level of play will also be weaker as the game doesn't matter and guys will just play to not get hurt

- Like the change that the DL stint can now only be 10 days. With teams playing 6 of 7 days every week, a 15 day DL stint meant you missed at least 12, if not more games. The shorter DL time will make it easier for teams to not have a short bench for extended periods of time when a guy is hurt in the short term

- Making the luxury tax more punitive is helpful, but won't stop the current trend that small market teams will continue to have a very hard time competing with the big spenders. I'm not sure I want a salary cap, but something needs to change. It's clearly not fair to have the top payroll teams spending 2 - 2.5x as much as the smaller market teams.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

Thoughts on CBA:

- Don't like the change to FA compensation. Just makes it easier for big spending teams to be powerhouses every year. At least the first round pick hurt the teams signing all the big money free agents, and gave the small market teams that could not afford big FAs some path to replacing that player

For reference (Hat tip MLBtraderumors)...

There are actually three categories of teams in assessing the loss of a pick.

Revenue-sharing recipients would lose their third-highest selection (not necessarily a third-round choice).

Revenue-sharing contributors would lose their second and fifth-highest selections and also sacrifice $1MM in international signing availability. And all other teams would stand to give up their second-highest pick along with $500K in international bonus funds.

In terms of compensation, an organization which loses a QO-declining player who signs for $50MM or more will pick up a draft choice that falls “after the first round.”

If a QO-declining player inks for under $50MM with another organization, the draft compensation slides to “after competitive balance round B.” There’s a different set of rules for teams that are over the luxury tax line; any compensatory picks they receive will take place after the draft’s fourth round.

Also...

Teams that go $40MM over the luxury tax line will see their top draft pick fall by ten spots.

On the whole I think these changes are fine. Better even. The hyper-spenders are seeing their ability to acquire amateur talent more curtailed. I know folk are going to focus on the 1st pick no longer being forfeited but under the old rules the big-money free spending teams benefited as much as the lowest teams from seeing their free agents walk in the old comp system... that won't be the case any more. The luxery tax line has significantly more meat to it then it used to.

[greyshep]

I wonder if the Jays are still holding out hope that Bautista can sign somewhere so they get a 1st rounder back? That way they can take the plunge on another free agent with draft pick compensation attached to them. (Fowler)

It seems like Bautista has painted himself into a hole here though. Not sure anyone has much interest to throw a lot of money at him, and when you add in the draft pick they have to give up, yikes!

[calculoso]

From Rosenthal's Twitter:

Some additional details on new CBA coming, starting with this: A player no longer can receive a qualifying offer more than once.

Team that loses QO free agent will get pick only if player signs contract of $50M+. Pick it gets will depend upon that team's market size.

[Finger Cookin]

I think most MLB players make more than $50.

[Parallex]

One thing I forgot to mention... a big win for the Jays is that the IFA $$ are hard capped. So no more Boston throwing 30M at Yoan Moncada. Although that sucks for South American players and acadamies.

I haven't seen if there is a change to the posting system for Japanese/Korean players, if they fall under the same IFA signing pool then that mean we won't get to see Shohei Otani in North America for at least three years... that makes me a sad panda (as a baseball fan... as a blue jay fan I'm fine with that since it means that we won't have to face him).

[calculoso]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

I think most MLB players make more than $50.

Oops. That should be $50M+

[calculoso]

@SNBarryDavis: Stroman, Loup, Barney and Carrera https://twitter.com/bluejays/status/804857212623429633

@BlueJays: We have tendered contracts to all of our eligible players! https://twitter.com/BlueJays/status/...429633/photo/1

[calculoso]

@Ken_Rosenthal: Source confirms: Beltran in agreement with the #Astros, one year, $16M, full no-trade clause. First on agreement: @Buster_ESPN.

[puffnstuff]

Originally Posted by calculoso

@Ken_Rosenthal: Source confirms: Beltran in agreement with the #Astros, one year, $16M, full no-trade clause. First on agreement: @Buster_ESPN.

Does this mean no EE to Houston? I have no idea, anyone?

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by puffnstuff

Does this mean no EE to Houston? I have no idea, anyone?

Barring trades most likely. Scuttlebutt is that the Astro's are looking to trade for pitching so the door isn't completely closed but for now they're full up (pretty impressive lineup at that).

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Looks like it's either the Jays or Yankees for EE, unless another team steps up.

[jayswin]

Beauty, as soon as I saw his name linked to Houston and that they were willing to pay for hitting I assumed Edwin signing there was a done deal. Hopefully this pushes him to Toronto.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Matt Holliday apparently is going to sign a one year deal with the Yanks. Is there anyone besides the Jays left who are seriously going after EE?

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Matt Holliday apparently is going to sign a one year deal with the Yanks. Is there anyone besides the Jays left who are seriously going after EE?

The only two teams that make any sense beside the Jays are the M's and Rangers, and its doubtful either would do it.

[ben voyonsdonc]

Apparently, according to Sportsnet, Moreland is looking more and more like a Blue Jays target. Not sure what I think of that.

[flamingreen]

Originally Posted by ben voyonsdonc

Apparently, according to Sportsnet, Moreland is looking more and more like a Blue Jays target. Not sure what I think of that.

Justin Smoak replacement?

[ben voyonsdonc]

I'm afraid that he is more of an EE replacement.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Benoit is going to sign a one year deal with the Phillies, pending a physical. As per MLBTR.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

From earlier tonight.

The Blue Jays’ four-year, $80MM offer to Edwin Encarnacion has been taken off the table, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter link). Though that initial offer — made before Toronto signed Kendrys Morales — no longer stands, the Jays are reportedly still interested in Encarnacion’s services, according to FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman (Twitter link). Encarnacion is still “in play” for the Jays, Rangers and potentially two National League teams, who have called about the slugger with an eye towards using him as an everyday first baseman.

It probably isn’t a surprise that the Jays withdrew their offer in the wake of the Morales signing, as according to Encarnacion’s agent Paul Kinzer earlier this week, the two sides hadn’t talked numbers since that initial offer. Other teams had made offers, though Toronto was “showing Edwin the most love,” in Kinzer’s words. As Rosenthal notes in another tweet, however, the Blue Jays are also still exploring the outfield market, and they could forego re-signing Encarnacion if they land a big-ticket outfielder like Dexter Fowler.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/1...ns-market.html