The Toronto Blue Jays/MLB Thread.

[planetmars]

I don't follow baseball or know anything about its CBA.. but could the Blue Jays resign Batista to whatever he wants, and then consider moving him in a trade the following year? Or does a trade have to take back what was sent like in the NBA?

I would imagine he'd have trade value after one season. Blue Jays could get an asset back and get some support/love from the fans for bringing him back for one season.

Or would his single season contract blow their budget so much that it's not even worth it?

[Bendit]

I don't follow baseball or know anything about its CBA.. but could the Blue Jays resign Batista to whatever he wants, and then consider moving him in a trade the following year? Or does a trade have to take back what was sent like in the NBA?

I would imagine he'd have trade value after one season. Blue Jays could get an asset back and get some support/love from the fans for bringing him back for one season.

Or would his single season contract blow their budget so much that it's not even worth it?

I shall attempt to answer.

MLB has no salary cap. Teams tend to have their own internal budgets. There are large and small market teams...so their immediate regional TV deals tend to reflect their local coverage vis a vis numbers and hence values. So there tends to be a disparity in terms of teams budgets and hence affordability. I think the BJs are in the top quartile (?).

Yes, the BJs can sign JB to whatever he asks for. And, no, in a trade there is no provision for matching of salaries...one can trade someone for a bag of balls. This happens occasionally (to off load salary) and even retain responsibility for a certain percentage.

The major issue here with JB is his age and the high probability of a performance drop off fairly soon. So while a team can sign him for whatever but is ultimately responsible for the entire contract until a trade. Teams do not make public their "real" budgets (meaning what they are willing to spend ultimately). This for obvious business/negotiating reasons.

So, while everyone would like to retain JB there are budgetary realities which are also inclusive of what the team's other plans are re player acquisition or other players who maybe coming up for individual new contracts/increases...the usual money management considerations in any sports league.

My own guess is yes JB would still have value after a season (he actually has one season to go on his current deal). An alternative to giving him a fresh deal is to let his deal expire and when he becomes a f/a to get in on the bidding for his services alongwith all the other bidders...the sure way to judge his real market value. In baseball however, if a team loses a player to free agency, it gets a compensatory draft pick...and in JB's case it would be a relatively high first rounder. So he does not leave for zilch. The team can also trade him at the trade deadline this coming season...but this only if it is having a bad season. They would get a pretty good return in prospects termsfrom a contender team (if he is having a decent season).

Hope that covers it.

[Joey]

I guess Jose has denied the $150M over 5 years claim ... so that's good?

Not sure why TSN would have any inside track anyway, they're owned by Bell .. if anything, Bell would be looking to stir the pot here. Haha


If its something more like $120/5, then I think its something we should at least consider. $150/5 is a bit rich though, by most anyones standards. It would put him on par with David Prices contract, and Price is much younger, and the 2nd highest paid player in the league.

[Bendit]

I guess Jose has denied the $150M over 5 years claim ... so that's good?

Not sure why TSN would have any inside track anyway, they're owned by Bell .. if anything, Bell would be looking to stir the pot here. Haha


If its something more like $120/5, then I think its something we should at least consider. $150/5 is a bit rich though, by most anyones standards. It would put him on par with David Prices contract, and Price is much younger, and the 2nd highest paid player in the league.

Bold: It was 149.5...the reporter rounded it up

Rick Westhead who spilled the "rumour" is actually quite a good reporter. His beat until recently had been foreign affairs reporting and stationed in the Afghanistan/Pakistan/India area. He would be a reporter I would "trust" actually.

My own comfort zone would be a max of say 100 over 4 yrs. (starting this year) and tack on a team option 5th yr. at a larger amt (eg. 30 mill). This would of course be exercised if JB has been performing @ age 40...and by that time 30 per would be being thrown around. It also shows a commitment by the Jays and competitive juices in JB to perform.

[Joey]

Bold: It was 149.5...the reporter rounded it up

Rick Westhead who spilled the "rumour" is actually quite a good reporter. His beat until recently had been foreign affairs reporting and stationed in the Afghanistan/Pakistan/India area. He would be a reporter I would "trust" actually.

My own comfort zone would be a max of say 100 over 4 yrs. (starting this year) and tack on a team option 5th yr. at a larger amt (eg. 30 mill). This would of course be exercised if JB has been performing @ age 40...and by that time 30 per would be being thrown around. It also shows a commitment by the Jays and competitive juices in JB to perform.

Where are we seeing that confirmed? I'm not able to find anything on that yet.

And I also listened back to his interview .. it sounds like he WILL leave room for negotiation perhaps down the road, but when the team asks what it'll take to sign you, you give them a number you know you're not going to question when/if they say "Sign here!".

[slaw]

Rogers ham-handedness continues. They didn't handle the AA situation well at all. They stumbled through the Price free agency problem, did a poor job communicating their offseason moves and they've already completely lost control of the narrative with Bautista - if they leaked this to fire back, it was a terrible decision. Certainly makes you appreciate how well Colangelo and now Ujiri's team has handled that stuff with the Raps - zero drama.

[Bendit]

Where are we seeing that confirmed? I'm not able to find anything on that yet.

And I also listened back to his interview .. it sounds like he WILL leave room for negotiation perhaps down the road, but when the team asks what it'll take to sign you, you give them a number you know you're not going to question when/if they say "Sign here!".

Haha...I thought the smiley might be enough re sarcasm. Actually, truth is we dont know if "False" is the truth either!

[Joey]

Haha...I thought the smiley might be enough re sarcasm. Actually, truth is we dont know if "False" is the truth either!

Hah! Touche. I'm ashamed I missed it actually. Haha



But ya, I agree that this is yet another situation that seems to have been completely mishandled by Management.

[Bendit]

Rogers ham-handedness continues. They didn't handle the AA situation well at all. They stumbled through the Price free agency problem, did a poor job communicating their offseason moves and they've already completely lost control of the narrative with Bautista - if they leaked this to fire back, it was a terrible decision. Certainly makes you appreciate how well Colangelo and now Ujiri's team has handled that stuff with the Raps - zero drama.

Agreed. But Jose is a bit of an outlier we must admit when it comes to how he comports himself. Can't think of another major leaguer who would have fired the shot the way he did first day of training camp. I think he smelled "blood in the water" when he met these guys a couple of weeks ago and decided to have a go at them. It's a high wire act.

Wonder how much input Rogers the younger is having on this spat. If I remember, the board decided to give him the BJs toy to play with and leave the Comm. business alone.

[Bendit]

Oh boy!....report that Bautista is actually asking for more than 150 mill. and possibly more term as well.

Well enjoy him for 2016 then!

http://baseball.realgm.com/wiretap/44780/Report-Jose-Bautista-Seeking-More-Than-$150M

[Mack North]

The Boys of Summer are back! Fuck Shapiro, but I'm rooting for the team.

Up 5-3 on Philly right now in their first Spring Training game. Can't wait for April!

[slaw]

Ah, the heady days of spring. When everyone is in the best shape of their lives, happy to be there, wants to give 110% and is looking forward to competing day in and day out with the best group of guys he's ever been around.

[Bendit]

The BJs seem to be doing fairly well at spring ball....looks promising.

The audio link attached on the talent coming up and some of the performances (courtesy of Buck Martinez on PTS today) got me excited of what can be. Was surprised somewhat since all I seemed to hear was how AA had decimated the farm talent to make those deals. Anyway, worth hearing I think if you are a BJs follower.

http://pmd.fan590.com/podcasts/pts/p...ch-7---5pm.mp3

[Joey]

New infield is coming along!

[Bendit]

Did not realize the dirt area was such a wide swath of the infield. That should be a plus for the hitters...not have the turf slow down a hit along the surface. Since the BJ infield is pretty good this should be an advantage (knock wood )


ps...here's hoping Sanchez is a starter too