2019-20 Offseason Thread

[polo007]

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[BigLeagueChew]

With multiple pitchers flying off the board, the rotation-needy Blue Jays “began to engage more aggressively with” Tanner Roark, Josh Lindblom, and Rick Porcello over the last two days, Sportsnet.ca’s Shi Davidi writes. The result was one miss as Lindblom signed with the Brewers, one success in the form of a two-year, $24MM deal with Roark, and one result to be determined as Porcello continues to weigh his options. Toronto is also looking towards relief pitchers, as Davidi reports that Hector Rondon has received some interest.

Davidi’s piece also contains some interesting details on two other Blue Jays targets who signed elsewhere. The Jays met with Blake Treinen’s agent prior to Treinen’s one-year, $10MM pact with the Dodgers. Perhaps more surprisingly, it seems the Blue Jays put significant effort into a pursuit of Mike Moustakas, as GM Ross Atkins and manager Charlie Montoyo both visited Moustakas at his home. Toronto wasn’t known to be an ardent suitor for Moustakas, though his left-handed power bat and multi-positional infield ability would have made him a quality upgrade for the Jays’ lineup. Moustakas wound up surpassing all expectations by landing four years and $64MM in a deal with the Reds.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/12/free-agent-notes-keuchel-cards-hudson-nationals-jays-porcello-rondon-moose-treinen.html

[dagger]

Just to round up the Rule 5, the Jays passed in the major league phase, and lost reliever Dany Jimenez to the Giants. In the minor league phase, they took the Yankees Hobie Harris off the Tampa roster, and lost Brock Stewart and Danny Young off the New Hampshire roster and RHP Jose Espada off the Lansing roster.

[The_Hater]

Russell Martin was brought up by The_Hater ^. He was the final piece and our largest actual signing. Nearly everyone else was brought in via trade but AA is looked at as a good GM by many Jays fans. Shatkins hasn't really had the opportunity yet.

AA and Martin probably crossed paths once or twice in Montreal before getting him and I thought it was weird he signed with the Pirates for just 2 years, perhaps was told we need some time to get better but we want to sign you, and only took 2 years with the Pirates then joined us. That was a huge contract but probably worth it.

AA is looked at as being a good GM while he was here because he is Canadian and threw all of his chips into the middle of the table after several years of largely being trash (Marlins trade and Syndergaard blunders come to mind)

At least he left on a high note...

Leaving on a high note was his smartest move, he emptied the farm system while leaving an old roster with a blotted payroll for his successor.

And now he’s in Atlanta, inheriting a solid young team that was on verge of contention from the previous GM. More good timing.

I don’t think AA is a bad GM, but he’s closer to average then the elite guy that many causal Jays fans seem to think he is.

[The_Hater]

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Trading high on Maguire rather than low on Jansen would be the smart move here.

[Schad]

Especially as McGuire has done this a couple times between the minors/majors: he had a big power surge in 2018 that last a couple weeks, before he went back to topping balls into the dirt. Has some upside if a team thinks his swing can be reworked/made more consistent, but he's the one I would move, as defensively they're comparable but I suspect Jansen has the better bat over time.

[SharoneWright]

Don't trade either for another 4th starter. Also, let them make it obvious who we need to keep by their play this year. No reason to gamble and make a mistake.

[polo007]

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[wazabifuzz]

Jays should find a trade to upgrade their CF and RF positions, trade Teoscar, fisher, alford, for pitching .. easier said than done I guess...

[Schad]

None of that trio have any real value, unfortunately. Fisher/Alford are out of options and have yet to demonstrate that they are major leaguers; Teoscar might fetch an middle reliever, but not much else.

[Brinbe]

Give Ryu whatever he wants. I want that Ryu Jays jersey.

[metafisical]

Give Boras whatever he wants. I want that Ryu Jays jersey.

Corrected.

[Brinbe]

Give Boras whatever he wants. I want that Ryu Jays jersey.

Corrected.

hell yea. raise my internet rates, idgaf

[polo007]

Blue Jays' off-season still far from over as frenzied winter meetings end - Sportsnet.ca

It’s within that context that the Toronto Blue Jays operated over the past week, landing right-hander Tanner Roark on a $24-million, two-year deal that raised some eyebrows but was described as reasonable by a couple of rival executives.

The deal came after the club shifted its more conservative tactics to adjust to the bull market, and was the first time their aggressiveness in the market was rewarded. Another of their targets – righty Rick Porcello – agreed on a $10-million, one-year deal with the New York Mets on Thursday morning, more money failing to lure the New Jersey native north.

The Blue Jays were also right there financially earlier this winter on Kyle Gibson, who opted for the Texas Rangers, underlining some of the challenges the front office faces in convincing players to join a rebuilding club in the meat-grinder American League East.

The money thrown around also demonstrates how the money this off-season is being spread to players all along the spectrum, an upside gamble like Zack Wheeler reeling in $118-million over over five years from the Philadelphia Phillies, and a non-tender, bounce-back candidate like Blake Treinen getting $10 million for one year from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Missing out on Porcello was a disappointment and they also tried on Kevin Gausman and Didi Gregorius this week, having already missed out on Gibson, Jake Odorizzi and Mike Moustakas, but they remain in the mix for Hyun-Jin Ryu, among others in free agency and are active on the trade front, too.

[Tanner]

Sign Ryu and load manage him throughout the season to keep him healthy. Montoyo likes to use openers and the Jays have a lot of AAA depth with options. It would be easy to pull it off. Whether they would do 4 years and $20m aav is the question. That's probably what it would take.

[Al_Oliver]

Russell Martin was brought up by The_Hater ^. He was the final piece and our largest actual signing. Nearly everyone else was brought in via trade but AA is looked at as a good GM by many Jays fans. Shatkins hasn't really had the opportunity yet.

AA and Martin probably crossed paths once or twice in Montreal before getting him and I thought it was weird he signed with the Pirates for just 2 years, perhaps was told we need some time to get better but we want to sign you, and only took 2 years with the Pirates then joined us. That was a huge contract but probably worth it.

AA is looked at as being a good GM while he was here because he is Canadian and threw all of his chips into the middle of the table after several years of largely being trash (Marlins trade and Syndergaard blunders come to mind)

At least he left on a high note...

Leaving on a high note was his smartest move, he emptied the farm system while leaving an old roster with a blotted payroll for his successor.

And now he’s in Atlanta, inheriting a solid young team that was on verge of contention from the previous GM. More good timing.

I don’t think AA is a bad GM, but he’s closer to average then the elite guy that many causal Jays fans seem to think he is.

Bang on, well said

[polo007]

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[Cyrus]

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Another guy we were rumored to be interested. Guess he didn't want to be here part of the log jam of OF types we have.

[polo007]

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[phillipmike]

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