2015-2016 Blue Jays Off-Season Thread

[Sakic19]

Pillar working out with Bautista's trainers. If he can step up his offence this team will be even more terrifying for pitchers, and if he is able to dominate at the plate it would be easier to let EE go if he regresses this year.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb...st-a-defender/

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Uh... that's not gonna happen. Yulieski Gourriel was widely considered the best ballplayer in Cuba. He's gonna get a lot of $$ all on his own.

The younger brother is the big prize but Yulieski isn't a scrub you sign just to get the 22/23 year old.

Yulieski Gourriel will be 32 years old this season. Might not be a scrub, but that's pretty old to be taking a chance on a guy regardless of what he has done in the Cuban National League.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

Yulieski Gourriel will be 32 years old this season. Might not be a scrub, but that's pretty old to be taking a chance on a guy regardless of what he has done in the Cuban National League.

It'll limit the dollars but we're talking more in the vacinity of 20M not a minor league deal.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Parallex

It'll limit the dollars but we're talking more in the vacinity of 20M not a minor league deal.

Yeah I didn't realize how good his stats were. MLB contract for sure. That said, if someone gives a 32 year old player with zero MLB experience a 20 M contract, they should have their head examined.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

Yeah I didn't realize how good his stats were. MLB contract for sure. That said, if someone gives a 32 year old player with zero MLB experience a 20 M contract, they should have their head examined.

Someone will do it. Hell... I'm probably being conservative with the 20M, could easily be more.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/findi...ieski-gurriel/

I can see a team signing him for a lot the moment he establishes residency with an eye towards also signing Lourdes on October 19. I'd bet on the Dodgers...

A: Turner is a free agent next year, so sign Yulieski option him to AAA to get him up to speed if he rakes you can then either trade Turner or just give him a QO and collect the high draft pick.

B: They have more money then anyone so a big miss is near irrelevant to them.

C: If they also get the brother they can send him to AAA for a year at which time they'll be free of Crawford's contract and a spot opens for him (Lourdes) in the OF.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Apparently the Jays only have until July 2nd to make any more international signings as after July 2nd they are over the limit (must be the Guerrero signing). Seems weird but that's what ESPN was reporting.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

Apparently the Jays only have until July 2nd to make any more international signings as after July 2nd they are over the limit (must be the Guerrero signing). Seems weird but that's what ESPN was reporting.

Correct. They exceeded their bonus allotment when they signed Guerrero and can't sign any guys for more then 100K for the next year after July 2. They traded for more IFA bonus slots so they wouldn't exceed the threshold that would incur a two year 100K cap (so don't expect any more IFA signings before then).

That's why October 19 is important in regards to Lourdes. It's his birthday, when he turns 23 he'll be old enough that he won't be under the same rules as guys like Guerrero. They'll be no luxery tax levied by MLB (it's dollar for dollar when you exceed the cap) and signing him won't block you from other IFA signings.

[TheAlpineOracle]

I think it's pretty obvious from my posts that I have zero respect for Rogers as a major league baseball owner and think they create a completely toxic environment for their baseball club, but that said.........

I give you Jose Bautista. Maybe the biggest tool to ever put on a Jays' uniform. I don't ever think I've ever seen such an arrogant interview for an upcoming free agent in my life.

http://www.tsn.ca/bautista-not-givin...count-1.441718

Though I did smile a little when he seemed to imply that Rogers budget was BS given the structure around the Blue Jays.

[TheAlpineOracle]

"I don't believe in budget, and payroll.... I don't believe in any of that stuff, especially in an organization structured like ours"

"A home town discount doesn't exist.... Not in my world. In my eyes i've given this organization a 5 year hometown discount already"

"There should be no negotiations. I've been asked what will it take, and i've given them a number. There will be no negotiations, i know my value and i've proven it"

This guy sure likes to make sure you know he is an arrogant prick, though he gave a much less confrontational video to ESPN on the same subject.

[Senator Clay Davis]

He's pretty much right though. He's been a major bargain for the Blue Jays for years, he got paid far below market value for what his numbers were (like $7-10 million a season below market). So of course he's gonna look to cash in next contract, as he should. Obviously makes him a prime candidate to be dealt in season if the year doesn't go well.

[dino7c]

give them one number with no negotiation...seems fair lol

he was paid based on the contract he signed, had he done poorly would he have given some back?

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

He's pretty much right though. He's been a major bargain for the Blue Jays for years, he got paid far below market value for what his numbers were (like $7-10 million a season below market). So of course he's gonna look to cash in next contract, as he should. Obviously makes him a prime candidate to be dealt in season if the year doesn't go well.

Sure he's right, but he signed that contract after the Jays picked him off the scrap bin. When's the last time you heard ANY professional athlete come out and say i'm not negotiating, here's what I want, pay or F off? The greatest of the game have never said anything like this publicly despite what might get said behind closed doors, but Jose Bautista feels the need to? He's not even a top 15 player in the game.

[TheAlpineOracle]

With the Price debacle last off-season and Edwin and Bautista already lining up their crosshairs purely at Rogers, this is going to be one interesting year. There's going to be riots in the streets in Toronto if these guys leave, whether it's a smart baseball move or not.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by dino7c

give them one number with no negotiation...seems fair lol

he was paid based on the contract he signed, had he done poorly would he have given some back?

Well no, of course there's the risk. But that's also the risk for the team that signs the player, that if he outperforms his contract, he'll likely be unwilling to take less seeing as he believes he technically already has taken less. Let's not be naive or ridiculous here, every one of us would wanna max out next summer if we're him. And it's baseball, there's not a cap to make a "home town discount" matter. In this case, lets face it, it'd be letting the Jays be cheap to keep a player so they don't have to pay full value.

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

Sure he's right, but he signed that contract after the Jays picked him off the scrap bin. When's the last time you heard ANY professional athlete come out and say i'm not negotiating, here's what I want, pay or F off? The greatest of the game have never said anything like this publicly despite what might get said behind closed doors, but Jose Bautista feels the need to? He's not even a top 15 player in the game.

He got asked the question, he answered honestly. If he gave a BS non-answer, people would call that out too. He wants to stay, but won't devalue himself to do so. Sounds like a solid answer to me. Would people prefer he sort of lie like Price did? Probably not.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Well no, of course there's the risk. But that's also the risk for the team that signs the player, that if he outperforms his contract, he'll likely be unwilling to take less seeing as he believes he technically already has taken less. Let's not be naive or ridiculous here, every one of us would wanna max out next summer if we're him. And it's baseball, there's not a cap to make a "home town discount" matter. In this case, lets face it, it'd be letting the Jays be cheap to keep a player so they don't have to pay full value.



He got asked the question, he answered honestly. If he gave a BS non-answer, people would call that out too. He wants to stay, but won't devalue himself to do so. Sounds like a solid answer to me. Would people prefer he sort of lie like Price did? Probably not.

Bautista is probably one of the most universally despised baseball players in the league. I've said for years that he's been costing the Jays every single close call possible because no umpire can stand his childish behaviour. This is just another example of it. All he had to say was they've asked me what it would take, i've told them, the balls in his court. He had no need to go on a 5 minute tirade about being underpaid for the previous 5 years and how he knows his value and doesn't feel he should have to negotiate.

[Roof-Daddy]

Here I thought maybe there was some new Jays news today, but nope, just TAO bitching about Rogers again with an added Bautista bitch as well, just for good measure.

[SuperMatt18]

Dude will be 36 by the time this contract starts and has been breaking down physically the last couple seasons.

Personally with his position on his contract I would have him on the trade market today - pretty easy sell to the fan base too if you can get a decent return.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Here I thought maybe there was some new Jays news today, but nope, just TAO bitching about Rogers again with an added Bautista bitch as well, just for good measure.

I'd say the face of the franchise saying he's completely unwilling to negotiate with the Jays, that there's no such thing as payroll budget in MLB in his eyes and that there shouldn't be in an organization such as Toronto's, and that he's given the team a discount for the past 5 years (completely ignoring the fact that he signed his contract after only one year of solid stats) is some pretty big Blue Jay news.

But proceed with your drive-by posts while contributing nothing.

[Fire]

Bautista is 35 years old, how long can he keep his level of play up? He's already slowing down in right field. Soon he will only be capable of being a DH. Personally for the amount he is probably asking for I would not re-sign him and trade him before the trade deadline if the Blue Jays are not in a playoff spot. If the Blue Jays are in a playoff spot then keep him even if it means losing him for nothing in the off-season and use the money for a younger player.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Dude will be 36 by the time this contract starts and has been breaking down physically the last couple seasons.

Personally with his position on his contract I would have him on the trade market today - pretty easy sell to the fan base too if you can get a decent return.

I was all for moving him to first base and dealing EE (let's be honest, there's no way the Jays are keeping both with their self-imposed budget).

After today, I've done a 180 on that. His act is tiresome. If things go south this year, resign EE (shorter and cheaper deal) and move Bautista at the deadline for some young pitching prospects to replace the ones AA moved last year.