Toronto Blue Jays - Offseason Thread

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

I'll believe that when a non-Rogers media source reports it. Would be awesome if it's true, but Sportsnet is pretty much fishwrap when comes to Blue Jays reporting.

I could see it happening.

Blue Jays are driving their media business - NHL deal hasn't been good and the Blue Jays performance and playoffs are keeping things positive.

They let that drop off and they know that they are likely in a little bit of trouble on the media side of things.

[Roof-Daddy]

Yeap, Jays need speedy left handed bats (or switch hitting) with good contact and OBP numbers more than anything. If Bautista is gone that is the type of OF they need to replace him with.

Dexter Fowler fits that mold to a T but will be pricey ($18m per?)
Jon Jay is another one and he'd cost a lot less ($8m per?)
Josh Reddick is yet another one although his career OBP is nothing special ($8m per?)


If EE is gone then the Jays also need to add a solid DH option, and again another left hand or switch hitting bat would be preferable.

Kendrys Morales fits that model pretty good ($13m per?)
Pedro Alvarez is another option ($10m per)
Carlos Beltran is another one especially on a one year deal ($16m per?)


It would also be nice to upgrade Smoak at 1B, or at least bring in a decent lefty to platoon with him, because I don't think he should be the everyday 1st baseman.

Logan Morrison ($4m per?)
Mitch Moreland ($6m per?)

If JB and EE can't be re-signed, then sign one from each of those groups for of $25-$35 million total and I think you will have filled out the offense nicely with a more balanced profile and done it for about $10-20 million less than it would cost to bring back Jose and Eddie. That would leave enough money behind to add a solid BP arm or two and come in around $160 million payroll give or take.

Of course, maybe none of the above guys would sign in TO, but I guess in that case they'll have to shore up those spots via trade, which they may do anyways.

[Otto-matic]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb...one-year-deal/

The Atlanta Braves have signed right-handed starter R.A. Dickey to a one-year deal with a club option for 2018.

Thanks R.A for pitching some good games, wish him nothing but the best in Atlanta.

[alan21]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb...one-year-deal/



Thanks R.A for pitching some good games, wish him nothing but the best in Atlanta.

So when does Thole get signed?

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb...one-year-deal/



Thanks R.A for pitching some good games, wish him nothing but the best in Atlanta.

Great news. I hope he brings his personal catcher with him.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by alan21

So when does Thole get signed?

Probably late and to a minor league deal. I mean... I know we joke about how not good he is, but as a third-string catcher with a niche skill he's a solid MILB signing (If you have a knuckleballer on staff).

[TheAlpineOracle]

I really hope the Jays bring back Navarro if he's willing to be a backup.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

MLBTR nailed the Dickey prediction.

All the best to the guy. After reading his book and seeing him speak about his childhood I became a huge fan of his. Just an awesome person.

[Parallex]

I can't bring myself to say anything bad about a departing player whose walk on music was the Imperial Death March.

All the best R.A.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

MLBTR nailed the Dickey prediction.

All the best to the guy. After reading his book and seeing him speak about his childhood I became a huge fan of his. Just an awesome person.

He'll do much better in Atlanta than he did in Toronto. Spacious outfield and foul territory at Turner Field and in the National League so he'll benefit from the pitcher hitting and less power baseball. Dickey was never an AL pitcher, let alone the AL East.

[Frequitude]

All the best, R.A. Thanks for eating a bunch of innings over the last couple years. The young arms appreciated it.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

He'll do much better in Atlanta than he did in Toronto. Spacious outfield and foul territory at Turner Field and in the National League so he'll benefit from the pitcher hitting and less power baseball. Dickey was never an AL pitcher, let alone the AL East.

AA did some pretty great things but this sure as heck wasn't one of them. Bought high on an older player who, like you said, didn't fit at all in Rogers center or the AL.

Massive screw up by what was a pretty decent GM, and it'll likely end up costing the jays 200 or so dominant starts from Noah Syndergaard. Not to mention what at the very least would be a solid, young cost controlled back up catcher in D'Arnaud, or at the very, very least a decent trade chip for something better than a 4+ ERA sub .500 RA Dickey.

Hate to keep bringing that up, I know some are tired of it, but what a colossal #### up that trade was.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Yeah but the Donaldson trade pretty much cancels out the Syndergaard trade. Make a bad trade, but cancel it out with a lopsided trade.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Yeah but the Donaldson trade pretty much cancels out the Syndergaard trade. Make a bad trade, but cancel it out with a lopsided trade.

Fair enough, but I'd rather just the good trade without having to cancel the bad one haha.

Ah well. Just had to get one last whine in about it.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I know, it really sucks as a trade and really if you could only have one (Syndergaard or Donaldson), you'd probably take Syndergaard. But at least AA made up for it pretty well. At least D'Arnaud hasn't been too great so far, having them both turn out amazing would be sad.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

He'll do much better in Atlanta than he did in Toronto. Spacious outfield and foul territory at Turner Field and in the National League so he'll benefit from the pitcher hitting and less power baseball. Dickey was never an AL pitcher, let alone the AL East.

They don't play in Turner Field anymore, they are moving to an new stadium, SunTrust Field, next year.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

They don't play in Turner Field anymore, they are moving to an new stadium, SunTrust Field, next year.

Jesus. Must be nice to have new things like that. I can remember when they opened the new Turner Field (think I was in High School) and i'm only 34 years old.

Looks to have a pretty spacious outfield still, and a 16 foot wall in right field which should really help Dickey.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

AA did some pretty great things but this sure as heck wasn't one of them. Bought high on an older player who, like you said, didn't fit at all in Rogers center or the AL.

Massive screw up by what was a pretty decent GM, and it'll likely end up costing the jays 200 or so dominant starts from Noah Syndergaard. Not to mention what at the very least would be a solid, young cost controlled back up catcher in D'Arnaud, or at the very, very least a decent trade chip for something better than a 4+ ERA sub .500 RA Dickey.

Hate to keep bringing that up, I know some are tired of it, but what a colossal #### up that trade was.

Yeah that trade was brutal. The Jays had to make a splash because fan support was at an all time low, but the return they got for Syndergaard was nothing short of horrendous. I think we all know why Dickey was chosen (older guy , known name, wouldn't command a ridiculous contract despite coming off a CY Young).

[Senator Clay Davis]

The Georgia Dome opened in 1992 and Turner Field opened in 1997, and they're both getting replaced already. Must be nice.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

The Blue Jays are still at the top of the list of free agent slugger Edwin Encarnacion, agent Paul Kinzer said in an appearance on Sportsnet 590 (audio available here). Toronto has made an offer, though it “wasn’t quite where [Encarnacion’s camp] wanted to be,” and it seems that there’s still some hope of a reunion. There are other suitors, but Kinzer notes that Encarnacion will weigh matters beyond the pure contract and that “there’s a short list of where he would go to.” Kinzer noted that the market has thrown some “curves” thus far. The Red Sox have been somewhat less aggressive than had been expected, the agent acknowledged, though he noted that some unexpected teams have been in talks. While it seems there’s a lot of ground still to cover, Kinzer suggested that a signing could come together by the start of the Winter Meetings — and might well take place sooner.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/1...ets-colon.html