2024 Toronto Blue Jays Season Thread

[Roof-Daddy]

Some guy named Billy Stefan tweeted out last night that. Burnes is going to the Jays at 7 years / $252 million.

I guess we'll see if he's right or just another insiderrrrrr

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Some guy named Billy Stefan tweeted out last night that. Burnes is going to the Jays at 7 years / $252 million.

I guess we'll see if he's right or just another insiderrrrrr

Oof that’s a hefty price. $36M for a pitcher. I suppose everything looks peanuts in comparison to the Soto deal but when you look at it at AAV that’s a painful number to swallow. Given his good numbers hopefully he’s more Kershaw than Price after signing that deal.

[Jason14h]

With Burnes, if Bowden Frances even came close to duplicating his 2nd half performance we have the best rotation in the majors

Bassitt's 22 million comes off the books in 2 years, and then Gausman's 23 million the year after (And Springer) so while 35 million is a lost it's 'only' 15 million more then Bassitt

[Jason14h]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/team/stats/...WARBR/dir/desc

Also just because I was on the Page checking France's WAR - Our bottom 20 pitchers that we used last year in WAR - Mostly the bullpen - Were a combined -8 WAR!

Literally if we can just have a replacement level bullpen we add a Juan Soto worth of wins.

Historically bad

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Some guy named Billy Stefan tweeted out last night that. Burnes is going to the Jays at 7 years / $252 million.

I guess we'll see if he's right or just another insiderrrrrr

He apparently reported the Springer signing before Passan even announced it. But the number he reported was wrong.

A guy going under the handle MoccBomb is saying the Blue Jays are in the driver's seat too saying Burnes either has to decide to go to Toronto for more money or San Francisco to be closer to home.

[Roof-Daddy]

Sure seems like the Jays are once again being used as leverage for the free agent to get more money from a preferred destination.

Jays probably have the biggest offer, but in this case Burnes likely wants to be on the West coast where he lives and grew up. If the Giants budge and up their offer that's where Burnes will end up.

[jayswin]

Oh yeah, no way he ends up here. This is just another leverage situation, as he lives out there. He'll just let the Giants get closer to the Jays offer and then be a Giant. Man, star players and their agents must LOVE the Toronto Blue Jays.

We're a professional salary raiser for star players.

[SuperMatt18]

I don't know if I blame them for that though, if you're the Jays it's all you can do.

You're a Canadian team in a sport that is full of American or Latin players, you're going to have a hard time attracting free agents.

And Baseball is also a sport where it's hard to build via the draft with how the draft works and free agency rules.

So all they can do is identify guys they want, be willing to pay them, and hope that every once in a while one of the free agents ends up choosing them.

[Senator Clay Davis]

It's pretty crazy that the cost of starting pitching is higher than ever, even as starters are pitching fewer innings than ever and injuries to pitchers are more common than ever. Still important, obviously, but feels like a top end bullpen matters more in todays overmanaged game.

[Inferno]

Another reason why Atkins shouldn't have dicked around with Guerrero and Bichette.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1867339114481115208

[SuperMatt18]

I think Shapiro and Atkins actually take some unfair criticism...but the piece of criticism that is 100% justified is their reluctance to pay and lock up those two young core pieces.

[Roof-Daddy]

Can you really blame anyone for not locking in those two "core" pieces based on their wildly inconsistent performance year over year?

They aren't Judge or Ohtani or Soto. Vlad was barely replacement level in 2023 and Bo was barely replacement level last year. You'd have to be a moron to give them hundreds of millions of dollars and then try to build around them.

Maybe that's the problem with this team, more than Atkins and Shapiro. The core they've been trying to build around the last few years is rotten. Maybe the FO is looking at it like "one more year and we can try to start over"

Too bad they missed out on Ohtani and Soto. Those are core pieces you can actually build around.

[Andrew]

Sometimes signing a player at a young age gives them confidence to perform without worry of injury.
Really depends on individual. We don't know whole story. Vlad could be asking for alot same with bo. Are they right? Look at current escalation in salaries last two years. To fault Atkins might be fair might not

[Jason14h]

Obviously the risk of signing a pre-arb player long term is they don't work out

However, when they do the savings are hundreds of millions based on latest contracts.

Bobby Witt is locked up 288 million for the next 11 years.

Acuna was locked up for $100 million for 8 years

The Jays should have (who knows if it was an option) did something similar 6-7 years ago

It is too late now.

Now : If Bo has another down year you could argue they dodged a bullet on him. That's the risk you take. However, in a market that (may) struggle to attract FA's its a risk they should be taking and card afford to take IMO

[SuperMatt18]

Thing is if they signed them they would probably be seen as cheap even if they didn't live up to the hype.

It would have probably been $20-$25M in a world where $35M+ for FAs is not uncommon now.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Thing is if they signed them they would probably be seen as cheap even if they didn't live up to the hype.

It would have probably been $20-$25M in a world where $35M+ for FAs is not uncommon now.

Well Bo at 25 million if he hits .220 again with no power would be horrible.

But yes I agree - Jays have the financial flexibilty to take these chances and in the long run it will usually pay off for them

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Inferno

Another reason why Atkins shouldn't have dicked around with Guerrero and Bichette.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1867339114481115208

Yep, that would definitely be my number 1 concern.

Would bet, Soto and his agent had the same feedback

Basically its a situation, Jays GM should have handled with Vladdy awhile ago

Totally miss-managed in my view

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Long, great thread about Gimenez. Makes you a little more excited about the trade. I think I underestimated his glove, it’s spectacular.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1867580480238846116

[JTech780]

Yeah Chris Black is a must follow if you are a Jays fan. Love the detailed threads about players.

The biggest thing that has always worried me about Bo is the defense, his range and arm just aren’t good enough to be a high end SS. He profiles as a 2B. The problem is that he sees himself as a SS and wants to be paid like an elite SS. Now with Gimenez in the fold the Jays would be better off playing Gimenez at SS and Bo at 2B. At this point I would just tell Bo to suck it up and be the best 2B he can be. I think if teams see that he is willing to play 2B and can play some SS too, it will increase his value.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by JTech780

Yeah Chris Black is a must follow if you are a Jays fan. Love the detailed threads about players.

The biggest thing that has always worried me about Bo is the defense, his range and arm just aren’t good enough to be a high end SS. He profiles as a 2B. The problem is that he sees himself as a SS and wants to be paid like an elite SS. Now with Gimenez in the fold the Jays would be better off playing Gimenez at SS and Bo at 2B. At this point I would just tell Bo to suck it up and be the best 2B he can be. I think if teams see that he is willing to play 2B and can play some SS too, it will increase his value.

I agree. Bo is kinda mid at best at d. If he wants to win he should suck it up or improve his game. If he makes a fuss... maybe not the right guy for the team