The Toronto Blue Jays/MLB Thread.

[Mack North]

How bout that Granderson signing though! Wow, what a great fit!

Is the plan to remain "respectable" for the next few years or is it to win now? Why would we need a 36 year old that does nothing but hit HR's every now and then? We had Jose and saw how that worked out...

[Demographic Shift]

How bout that Granderson signing though! Wow, what a great fit!

Is the plan to remain "respectable" for the next few years or is it to win now? Why would we need a 36 year old that does nothing but hit HR's every now and then? We had Jose and saw how that worked out...

Not sure what the robots plan is..Jays look pretty much identical to where they were last year at this time.

Still need that corner outfielder ..last year they signed Jose..this year..it can’t be Granderson for an everyday OF and you just can't have Zeke Carerra out there wondering where to throw the ball on almost every play.......Shatbot has to have someone in mind... Someone ?

Still need a backup catcher..last year it was Saltalamachhia and then Maile.. that just wasn't what the doctor ordered at all.... and this year they are still looking for that backup C and so far no prospects or even suspects are on the radar....

They NEED some more starting pitching. Just like you can’t have too much beer or too much money you can’t have too much starting pitching....and we don't have enough yet.

So with 15M$ left in his wallet the Shatbot will likely get only one value village OF or one value play SP .....and maybe a backup catcher....

I don’t think they have near enough pitching...their once airtight defense is pretty porous and we have to wait to see what the bats look like...It has to be better than last years last place offence but right now not much better and Smoak has to have a repeat year.

To me they are in the same place as last year..where they spent 161 games out of 162 in last place. They do look to have more flexibility in the infield with better hitting. No more Rob Refshnyder off the scrap heap type guys......but hard to believe the Shatbot when he says they will contend this year...They seem to have passed on this year for the big team and are focused on building depth in the farm system....

[Mack North]

I can't stand these two gobshytes... we should've kept AA.

I'll be watching even less games this year, no time to waste with a team with no real aspirations of being a contender. Guess they're saving all their money for JD, Machado and Harper next offseason!? It will take a minor miracle just to get JD to re-up, let alone sign any other big-timer.

[Demographic Shift]

I can't stand these two gobshytes... we should've kept AA.

I'll be watching even less games this year, no time to waste with a team with no real aspirations of being a contender. Guess they're saving all their money for JD, Machado and Harper next offseason!? It will take a minor miracle just to get JD to re-up, let alone sign any other big-timer.

Theres a log jam of players just waiting for an offer... yet none are forthcoming.... from anywhere... Read that JD Martinez was supposed to have been give a 5 year 100M offer.. but his agent was thinking more... more term and 200M....

I as well loathe the smug Shatbot.. but maybe they are just waiting it out till a market is established for free agents.......but they are also missing an oppty to exploit a no offer marketplace by putting something in front of an outfielder or SP they really like....sometimes its better just to get there first.

[slaw]

Everyone is waiting it out. There's all sorts of conspiracy theories about collusion, etc. but everyone who has signed has got paid big $, so I don't think it's that. My guess is that a lot of teams are balking at the 5th and 6th years on these big deals. You couple that with teams all looking for young players under control and the market for free agents is slow. The big free agent market next year is probably also affecting things. I think it's just a perfect storm this year working against the players.

[Demographic Shift]

Everyone is waiting it out. There's all sorts of conspiracy theories about collusion, etc. but everyone who has signed has got paid big $, so I don't think it's that. My guess is that a lot of teams are balking at the 5th and 6th years on these big deals. You couple that with teams all looking for young players under control and the market for free agents is slow. The big free agent market next year is probably also affecting things. I think it's just a perfect storm this year working against the players.

The Shatbot broke through the log jam though..... it signed Al Alburquerque..... an aging RP who gets an minor league deal and an invite to camp. I swear I felt the earths telemetry wobble on that one.

25 days give or take till Pitchers and Catchers report...

Still time.. but its ticking

[slaw]

The Shatbot broke through the log jam though..... it signed Al Alburquerque..... an aging RP who gets an minor league deal and an invite to camp. I swear I felt the earths telemetry wobble on that one.

25 days give or take till Pitchers and Catchers report...

Still time.. but its ticking

They needed to add infield depth and they did. They could use a 5th starter but they are not completely bereft of in-house options. There are a few good arms this year in Buffalo if need be. The bullpen looks fine and they are so unpredictable in any case. It's really that corner outfield hole that needs to be addressed but I don't see how that happens. They aren't giving a guy like Martinez +$100,000,000 and the other options are fairly meh....

[Demographic Shift]

They needed to add infield depth and they did. They could use a 5th starter but they are not completely bereft of in-house options. There are a few good arms this year in Buffalo if need be. The bullpen looks fine and they are so unpredictable in any case. It's really that corner outfield hole that needs to be addressed but I don't see how that happens. They aren't giving a guy like Martinez +$100,000,000 and the other options are fairly meh....

The Robot has 15M$ of carry over budget left....They aren't getting a starting corner OF who can hit for average for that kind of money... no matter how long they wait....So unless theres a trade I am resigned to the scenario that says the OF.. especially in the corners.... remains a defcon 1 problem. Watching fly balls drop in for doubles on Pearce and Careera and then watching Zeke throw to the wrong base is seared into my memory. Errors in the infield can cause you to have long innings.. Errors in the OF put up crooked numbers.

Just like you can't have enough defenseman in hockey... to much beer for the long weekend... or to much money .... you can't have to much starting pitching.... If there were guys in Buffalo or in New Hampshire at AA we would have seen them last year. Cripes they brought in Matt Latos for a whril...... Not sharing your optimism that things work out for the starters..Someone from Strohman, Sanchez, Happ or Estrada and ?? is going to get hurt and at present don't see a capable replacement . I can smell a value play deal for a guy who could just as easily be a Latos rather than a Happ... Agree that they dont have to overthink the bullpen.. that situation changes on a monthly basis... we are as good as any other team out there in the pen....

Think your spot on with Martinez... no one is giving JD Martinez 100M let alone 200M.....Boras is going to be standing at the alter on this one if he waits in out. Edwin and Trumbo got 65 and 35 respectively as one dimensional power guys... and they are certainly no worse at it than Martinez.The guy we can use... Lorenzo Cain.. isn't playing on 3/45 deal.

So despite talk to the contrary.. the Jays unless they do deal for Bichette and a couple of other prospects for Yelich.... are going to break camp with Pillar in C... and a grab bag of Hernandez Granderson Pearce Carrera as the OF....ALford is lurking at AAA but so far there hasn't been enough of a track record to say if he is an everyday player or they just waive Pearce.

Lord help Gibbys stomach lining.


EDIT.... and just after I post this to print.... The Jays make a trade for a Corner OF from the Cards. No idea what this guy is as he NL'er but the clips say he hit 22HR .. not much for average as he is 250 and he bats RH. They gave up pitching to get him. Leone is a competent ML'er and a loss to the BullPen. Conner Green was somewhat stalled last year at AA but still is a hard throwing young arm who can bring it. You never know with pitchers ....The Jays gave up on Chris Carpenter and he went to the Cards as wel an did pretty well (huge tongue in cheek comment)....

So on the scale of it costs something to get something... hoping Grichuk adds to the mix.

This game is a never ending set of surprises. Lets hope the Shatbot has found a player and he still has 15M$ of folding money left.

[Bendit]

Wow....surprises never cease...report that autopsy of Roy Halladay found drugs in his system. Amazing. Was it injuries in his career. We know so little about what pro athletes endure.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...icle-1.3766855

[Demographic Shift]

Milwaukee Brewers going all in..... Trade for Yelich and sign Cain for 16M per season...

[Mack North]

Milwaukee Brewers going all in..... Trade for Yelich and sign Cain for 16M per season...

Heck of an upgrade to an outfield in just one day. Glad we didn't give up Vlad Jr though.

[Mack North]

Signed Jon Axford... maybe 5 years late, but hey...

[Demographic Shift]

Well.. Couple of big names still left out there for starting pitching in Jake Arietta, Lance Lynn and Alex Cobb.. But it looks like the Jays are done....and this is what the 25 man roster on Opening Day looks like .

SP Sanchez, Stroman, Happ, Estrada, Garcia and maybe Biagini as the 6th starter.. cuz someone is going to get hurt.
BP Osuna to close... Tepera and Biagini as set up starting in the 7th.... Loup as the situational lefty... and 3 other guys.

1B Smoakie
2B Travis
SS Tulo
3B Donaldson
Utility guys Solarte and Diaz

CF Pilar
RF Grichuk
LF Careera
Backup OF Granderson

C Martin and Luke Maille

DH Morlaes

Don't know where Steve Pearce fits if they carry 12 pitchers... 6 INF .. 4 OF.. 2 C and the DH is Morales.. guess he is going to open the year on the 7 day DL....

They don't look much different than last year..Grichuck in for Jose and two better Utility Infielders with better bats than Barney and Goins...they get more flexibility as Solarte and play the OF... but none of the kids.. Hernandez or ALford are going to see time this year unless there are injuries or they just outright Carerra or Granderson.

[DanH]

Pretty decent floor, not a great ceiling. Have to think they'll be in the running for a WC spot, but not a favourite for one. Meh.

[slaw]

They don't look much different than last year..Grichuck in for Jose and two better Utility Infielders with better bats than Barney and Goins...they get more flexibility as Solarte and play the OF... but none of the kids.. Hernandez or ALford are going to see time this year unless there are injuries or they just outright Carerra or Granderson

They are going to need to stay healthy. The long, long Beeston/Ricciardi/Antopolous run of completely failing at (or choosing not to) develop everyday position players from within still biting them in the ass....

Everything depends on the pitching. I don't think they're going to hit a tonne, so they better get people out.