2024 Toronto Blue Jays Season Thread

[JTech780]

Apparently ownership loves Shapiro so I think he is going to stick around till the fans stop going and watching. As long as Shapiro is around Atkins is going to be the GM. It sounds like Shapiro is really the guy pulling the strings and Atkins is just the guy who gets to talk to the media.

[JTech780]

Cartaya was traded to the Twins, so there goes that.

Zach Pop avoided arbitration signing for $900k.

Varsho settles at $8.2m

Sandlin settles at $1.63m

[Andrew]

Tarik skubal expected arb salary 8 tigers reward with 10. Maybe Atkins can learn. Don't dick around with stars

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Andrew

Tarik skubal expected arb salary 8 tigers reward with 10. Maybe Atkins can learn. Don't dick around with stars

lol the Tigers are supposed to be some model org that the Jays should emulate?

[JTech780]

Manoah settles at $2.2m

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

lol the Tigers are supposed to be some model org that the Jays should emulate?

They made the playoffs... they aren't great but making better moves than jays. My point is clear.

I assume your suggesting this should drag out like it has? Lol

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Andrew

They made the playoffs... they aren't great but making better moves than jays. My point is clear.

I assume your suggesting this should drag out like it has? Lol

I assume you're talking about Vlad an Bo, and you're saying they should have given into these two's contract demands long ago?

When players are asking for much, much more than they are worth you don't just give them what they want to keep them happy. That's a really stupid idea.

[flamingred89]

Pitchers and Catchers report in a month. The Jays have more holes than Swiss cheese. This very well could be the worst offseason in recent memory.

[JTech780]

Worst case scenario would have been if the Jays and Vladdy settled previous to the deadline. Vladdy on a one year deal means he is gone after this season. Hopefully they can still work out a multi year deal. If they have to trade him, they are more likely to get quantity over quality.

The Padres moved Soto last year to the Yankees in a similar spot to Vladdy. This is what they got in return:

Michael King - A 28 year old pitcher who had started a few games but was mostly a reliever. He had two years of control.

Jhony Brito - A 25 year old SP who had 13 career starts and 25 games and a 4.28 ERA.

Drew Thorpe - A 23 year old SP who was the 99th ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline, who had 1 year in the minors. He was then flipped to the White Sox in the Dylan Cease trade.

Randy Vasquez - A 25 year SP who was the Yankees 13th ranked prospect, he had 5 career starts and 11 games with a 2.87 ERA.

Kyle Higashioka - A 33 year old defensive C, with 1 year before free agency.

Not exactly a ton of high end prospects. I would think Vladdy would get a fair amount less in return as well.

I still think signing him is the smart option.

[JTech780]

Ernie Clement settles at $1.975m.

[flamingred89]

They have to sign Vlad. They'll overpay. And maybe by a fair chunk. But they can't play hardball and win every contract. That will get you in trouble. And we've seen with recent contracts that it isn't all about the correlation between Production and dollars. There's the marketing aspect, putting butts in seats, showing fans and opposing players that you're willing to spend. Cheaping out on home grown talent handcuffs your team going forward. Think back to Godfrey and Beaston having a team mandate of not giving out contracts longer than 5 years. That set the team back on attracting free agents for years.

[JTech780]

"If you're always rational about every free agent, you will finish third on every free agent."
-Andrew Friedman

[dammage79]

In my opinion the Jays have to sign Vlad JR based on marketing alone. He's their most marketable player and you're not going to replace him any time soon if you let him go.

A secondary point, is that you cannot be the bridesmaid to all those high end players you went chasing after AND then be the bridesmaid to your own players and have him stay in division. IMO, that's how you truly tank a franchise.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

I assume you're talking about Vlad an Bo, and you're saying they should have given into these two's contract demands long ago?

When players are asking for much, much more than they are worth you don't just give them what they want to keep them happy. That's a really stupid idea.

I sort of disagree. It's an internet forum going to happen. It's been debated over and over.

U take a gamble on player u keep them happy. That's my perspective. Happy player wants to stay.
Cost is now doubled. No idea is stupid btw

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

I assume you're talking about Vlad an Bo, and you're saying they should have given into these two's contract demands long ago?

When players are asking for much, much more than they are worth you don't just give them what they want to keep them happy. That's a really stupid idea.

With Vladdy, absolutely they should have signed him awhile ago

If they sign him now (big if)

Its going to be 100m+ higher.

With Bo, different story in my view he is gone

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Andrew

I sort of disagree. It's an internet forum going to happen. It's been debated over and over.

U take a gamble on player u keep them happy. That's my perspective. Happy player wants to stay.
Cost is now doubled. No idea is stupid btw

Maybe they don't want him to stay, at least for the price he's asking.

The thought of paying a 35 year old Vladdy $40 million per year is nauseating. The guy can barely stay in shape, field or run the bases in the prime of his life. Just imagine what'll be like then.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by JTech780

"If you're always rational about every free agent, you will finish third on every free agent."
-Andrew Friedman

Might not be the worst thing.

I know I'd love for them to announce they signed Bregman and Santander. It'd be exciting as a fan, and almost certainly make them a better team in 2025.

Probably end up with Springer part II & III in a few years though, which is something they have to, and should be taking into consideration.

[SuperMatt18]

I'd much rather they try to trade for pieces like Gimenez who are potentially overpaid younger players they are trying to buy low on than pay a premium for guys who are 30+ in free agency.

Swinging for guys like Ohtani and Soto is fine because they are true gamebreakers, but overpaying for mid-tier free agents is not a plan that usually works well.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I'd much rather they try to trade for pieces like Gimenez who are potentially overpaid younger players they are trying to buy low on than pay a premium for guys who are 30+ in free agency.

Swinging for guys like Ohtani and Soto is fine because they are true gamebreakers, but overpaying for mid-tier free agents is not a plan that usually works well.

I wish they could trade for Luis Robert Jr.

Could be a very good buy low candidate with potential high upside.

[JTech780]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Might not be the worst thing.

I know I'd love for them to announce they signed Bregman and Santander. It'd be exciting as a fan, and almost certainly make them a better team in 2025.

Probably end up with Springer part II & III in a few years though, which is something they have to, and should be taking into consideration.

Like I said before MLB is a pay to win league. If you don’t go for top end players, and probably over pay for them, then you will end up as an also ran, or a bottom end team.

if you look at this offseason the contracts Soto, Fried and Burnes have signed are crazy overpays for those players, but those teams are pushing to be competitive and be playoff teams.

If you only sign smart deals you probably aren’t a playoff team.