EE to Cleveland

[dagger]

As Toronto athletes like Bautista and Lowry have discovered, Toronto offers lucrative endorsement and business opportunities as opposed to markets like Cleveland, Milwaukee and Kansas City. Edwin could have capitalized big time over the next few years if he stayed with the Jays.

I disagree. Edwin never made the same connection top athletes have made here: 1) His run of success wasn't that long, 2) he offered little in the field, having been an awful third baseman and an okay first baseman, but mainly a DH; 3) perhaps more importantly, he's shy and/or has a poor command of English, so he won't speak English in public. If not for the Edwing, there was nothing particularly endearing or charismatic about him. Even Jose never got a bigger deal than Booster Juice, which isn't exactly Tim Horton's or a major bank or automaker. And Jose had a couple of better seasons than Edwin's best and also has great command of English, used to play strong D in the field with an arm opponents wouldn't run on, and had some charisma.

[C Court]

Edwin was extremely likable and popular with the fans. The parrot and Edwing were becoming a Toronto thing. Edwin and a sponsor could have played off that without Edwin saying a word. Just like in the TD Bank Edwing commercials.

No question Edwin stood to do better in off the field endorsements than anything he'll get in Cleveland.

That said, endorsements are driven by good agents, which Kinzer is not. Basketball is still pretty much a local sport in Toronto, yet Kyle has the biggest endorsement contract of any Raptor or Blue Jay. A Blue Jay is far more marketable across Canada than a basketball player.

Also, it should be noted that Bautista received a Booster Juice franchise as part of his deal. So the ability to earn income in Toronto goes beyond just endorsements.

[suntzuballin]

OMG same price tag he sign some were else. ...because jays go sign value players hahaha irony...

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[suntzuballin]

Don't matter change is good.

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[Chevy Chase]

This doesn't even make sense.

It's Edwin's fault, but the end result it's the Jays who lost. Cleveland wins. Edwin loses (but still wins if he gets a world series). Shatkins gets to field a team featuring Justin Smoak.

Smoak is a part time player in 2017.

And depending how Edwin plays over the next 4 years, it might be the Jays who dodged the bullet. It took less than 12 months to realize what a bullet we dodged in Price.

And its not hard to visualize EE declining similar to what happened to Bautista this year.

[KL78192020]

It's Edwin's fault, but the end result it's the Jays who lost. Cleveland wins. Edwin loses (but still wins if he gets a world series). Shatkins gets to field a team featuring Justin Smoak.

Smoak is a part time player in 2017.

And depending how Edwin plays over the next 4 years, it might be the Jays who dodged the bullet. It took less than 12 months to realize what a bullet we dodged in Price.

And its not hard to visualize EE declining similar to what happened to Bautista this year.

Well that would mean he has 3 good years left in him. Especially if he only plays DH, less wear and tear. Where as Jose was in the outfield. Cleveland got a great deal.

[McBlunt]

So far Toronto print sports media has shown me that it's good they aren't running the Jays. DiManno, Arthur, Buffery et al, are all whining that the Jays acted too hastily on beloved Edwin. If they were negotiating, they likely would have given Kinzer the $125M he asked for and left the Jays in salary hell through 2021.

Of course, if Shapiro had waited, only to see Edwin sign in Boston, while Morales signed elsewhere, these same idiots would be slamming the Jays for being a step slow.

Taking the draft pick to help replenish a depleted farm system and signing Morales to 3/$33M makes good sense for a team looking to build a sustainable winner and break away from Alex's win now, worry about it later approach.

I tend to not read a lot of Toronto Sports Media Articles, because most do nothing but spew whiney tirades about how management is bad, the Blue Jays should have done this, or done that, The Raptors are terrible, even though they made it to the ECF last year, The Leafs Need to play middling D-man Frank Corrado more blah blah etc

[McBlunt]

David Ortiz never earned more than $16 million a season and signed short deals. He wanted to stay in Boston and he played on a hometown discount.

Edwin apparently loved Toronto, but his agent wanted as much as 5/$125M and he would have jumped at the money, even if it meant signing with a perennial cellar dweller. Loyalty is a two way street and Edwin/Kinzer were looking out for themselves, first and foremost.

That's fair. But the notion that Shapiro disrespected Edwin is laughable.

I know right if Edwin really wanted to come back he would have accepted that 4 yr deal the Blue Jays put on the table. Greed comes first always

[McBlunt]

As Toronto athletes like Bautista and Lowry have discovered, Toronto offers lucrative endorsement and business opportunities as opposed to markets like Cleveland, Milwaukee and Kansas City. Edwin could have capitalized big time over the next few years if he stayed with the Jays.

Oh well. He's gone. It's his & his agent's fault

[I_Like_Dirt]

it came down to Cleveland being closer to home [in the Dominican Republic]

Another free agent lost to Cleveland's vaunted proximity to Latin America.

Cleveland has a lot to offer. Check it out.

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

[Patman]

[North_of_Border]

On an unrelated note:

is Encarnacion black?

Or brown?

Mix?



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[wazabifuzz]

It's going to hurt when he launches bombs and brings the parrot out in the rogers centre as an Indian.

[BramptonYute]

It's going to hurt when he launches bombs and brings the parrot out in the rogers centre as an Indian.

he should retire it tbh

wouldnt be the same doing it somewhere else

[Scott Hall]

On an unrelated note:

is Encarnacion black?

Or brown?

Mix?



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He's an Indian

[polo007]

Read on Twitter

Encarnacion’s sensitive side was exposed more than he expected in his first run at free agency during the offseason. As a three-time All-Star and one of the game’s premier sluggers, he figured there would be abundant demand for his services.

It made sense. Over the last five years, Encarnacion averaged 39 homers, 110 RBI and a .912 on-base-plus-slugging percentage with the Toronto Blue Jays. His 127 RBI in 2016 tied for the American League lead, and his 42 home runs were the third-highest total in baseball.

The well-regarded MLBtraderumors.com website ranked him second on its list of the top free agents available, after outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. The retiring David Ortiz had made a public plea for the Boston Red Sox to sign Encarnacion as his successor.

So Encarnacion turned down the Blue Jays’ early-November offer of $80 million over four years, amid speculation that he would command a nine-figure deal. It never came.

With several DH candidates like Mark Trumbo, Jose Bautista and Mike Napoli also available, and teams increasingly mindful of defensive performance, the market for right-handed sluggers tanked.

The Blue Jays promptly moved on from Encarnacion, signing Kendrys Morales to a three-year, $33 million contract in mid-November. Two of the majors’ biggest spenders, the Red Sox and New York Yankees, addressed their first base-DH needs with one-year deals.

Suddenly, Encarnacion found his suitors had dwindled, and he leaned on Yapoort to help him deal with his new reality.

“I didn’t know free agency was going to be so challenging,’’ said Encarnacion, 34. “There were times when I wasn’t drawing the interest I thought I would, and it got me down. She would support me and tell me not to worry, that it’s in God’s hands and He knows where to lead you. I helped because as much as you try to avoid it, you get worked up about these things.’’

The AL-champion Indians, who fell just short of claiming their first World Series crown since 1948, made their biggest investment ever in a free agent when they landed Encarnacion with a three-year, $60 million deal that includes a club option for a fourth season.

That still represents a $20 million loss in guaranteed income, but Encarnacion realizes he still landed in a nearly ideal situation with a contending team. In fact, the Indians eliminated the Blue Jays in last October’s AL Championship Series.

“Toronto was always my first option, but I had never been a free agent, and anybody who gets to free agency wants to find out what’s out there,’’ he said. “I think they got too hasty in making their decision, but now I’m with Cleveland and I’m happy to be here.’’