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Make no mistake: Bautista wants to stay
Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 8:02 pm
by dagger
Whether one shining night will affect trade-deadline dynamics, Bautista certainly intensified the focus on his improbable breakthrough season with an eye-popping performance against Baltimore: two home runs, two singles, a walk and five RBIs, capped by an astounding throw from right field to nail a runner at third base.
“Might even raise my trade value,” he said with a smile in the Jays’ clubhouse on Wednesday. “So hopefully, the team doesn’t get overwhelmed [by trade offers] because I’d like to remain here. Obviously I like the team and I’m playing well here. I don’t see any reason to change.”
Bautista, 29, insists his transformation from banjo hitter to slugger is no fluke. With persistent guidance last summer of manager Cito Gaston and hitting coach Dwayne Murphy, he says he finally learned to start his swing earlier and unleash his latent power.
His swing itself has not changed, he said, and he is not trying to hit home runs.
“I’ve always tried to hit the ball as hard as I can. People say I have a violent swing, and I’m sure it looks like that. That’s just my tempo. That’s just the speed I work at.
“I finally found a way, with getting started earlier, to be able to have that hard, all-out swing and still be able to have good timing.”
Read more:
http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/Baut ... z0v6U3fuscThe Globe also has a mention in its item today that Bautista has been put in charge of helping Escobar get comfortable in Toronto, another sign the team won't sell him cheaply, if at all.
Re: Make no mistake: Bautista wants to stay
Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 8:29 pm
by U_Mad
i hope that this isn't a 1 and done season...29 too old i'd love to see him stay cuz imo he fit very well in the direction this team is going we have a great farm system, good young pitching and are finally starting to invest in international players..he could provide veteran leadership to this young club..but if AA does decide to trade him im hoping to get at least 1 good prospect
Re: Make no mistake: Bautista wants to stay
Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 8:37 pm
by dagger
U_Mad wrote:he could provide veteran leadership to this young club.
Given the role he's been given to help Escobar adjust to Toronto, it's not hard to imagine Bautista being a positive role model mentor for the young Latin players who are working their way up the ladder. Jose certainly has the character you want in that role.
Re: Make no mistake: Bautista wants to stay
Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 10:39 pm
by J-Roc
Is Escobar part of the plan for when we eventually compete? I thought he was also a stopgap. In that case, it makes sense to move Bautista for whatever we can get. And even if Escobar is part of the plan, there must be some other latin buddies we can find for him to play with.
Re: Make no mistake: Bautista wants to stay
Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 12:31 am
by chargerxthirty
maybe part of the idea when acquiring yunel was for him to mentor heideiny hecchevaria when he's ready to make the jump, much the way bautista is doing with yunel right now :p
Re: Make no mistake: Bautista wants to stay
Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:00 am
by J-Roc
Am I the only one who earlier read a wiretap story about "Jose Batista" and Miss Iowa?? I swear I read Jose earlier in the day and I was just too lazy to search if there really was another Jose Batista, with Batista spelled different than Bautista.
But now I see it was our old closer Miguel Batista.
Re: Make no mistake: Bautista wants to stay
Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:05 am
by U_Mad
J-Roc wrote:Is Escobar part of the plan for when we eventually compete? I thought he was also a stopgap. In that case, it makes sense to move Bautista for whatever we can get. And even if Escobar is part of the plan, there must be some other latin buddies we can find for him to play with.
imo Escobar is 100% apart of the plan hes a young shortstop that is good defensively and can hit the ball and also has speed...he'd be great at the top of our lineup along with lewis for years to come..
Re: Make no mistake: Bautista wants to stay
Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 3:24 am
by Ducksplatt
I would move Bautista now.
His value will never be higher. We are still a few years away from competing.
If he can bring back a blue chip prospect, then do it.
If just for scrubs, hold on to him.
Re: Make no mistake: Bautista wants to stay
Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 10:56 pm
by evilRyu
It's nice to know that one of the better players currently in the league has an interest in staying with the Jays. Go JB!
Re: Make no mistake: Bautista wants to stay
Posted: Sun Aug 1, 2010 4:15 am
by Chevy Chase
I'm on the fence. But if you're going to gamble that he continues to produce, now's the time to do it. I mean if you can't take risks (and keeping him was the riskier move) when your team isn't expect to be .500, when can you.
And if you read the ESPN ratings of trade deadline deals, the BJ's got rated poorly because of negative press from a bunch of execs from teams that were upset that Alex held firm to his high price tag for his players. Hey, if the execs from other teams are pissed, I'd see that as a good sign.
Re: Make no mistake: Bautista wants to stay
Posted: Sun Aug 1, 2010 7:27 am
by CapeCrusader
J-Roc wrote:Am I the only one who earlier read a wiretap story about "Jose Batista" and Miss Iowa?? I swear I read Jose earlier in the day and I was just too lazy to search if there really was another Jose Batista, with Batista spelled different than Bautista.
But now I see it was our old closer Miguel Batista.
Yeah it was something about Strasburg getting injured and Batista was the last minute pitcher to start. He said something along the lines of people coming out and expecting to see Miss Universe and instead get Miss Iowa (referring to him and Strasburg).
Re: Make no mistake: Bautista wants to stay
Posted: Sun Aug 1, 2010 7:31 am
by CapeCrusader
U_Mad wrote:imo Escobar is 100% apart of the plan hes a young shortstop that is good defensively and can hit the ball and also has speed...he'd be great at the top of our lineup along with lewis for years to come..
Escobar I agree is part of the future for sure. Lewis possibly, but he'll be a bench player.
Re: Make no mistake: Bautista wants to stay
Posted: Sun Aug 1, 2010 12:02 pm
by TheMainEvent
I really do hope that he can keep this up. Aside from just the homeruns, he's been hitting well with runners in scoring position, he has a fantastic eye for the ball and draws a lot of walks, he's had a good mix of aggressiveness and patience at the plate, he's been getting a lot of outfield assists, he can play the 3B if needed (although I prefer him at RF), and he can (seemingly) speak both English and Spanish well. It'd be nice to have him around for a while.
Re: Make no mistake: Bautista wants to stay
Posted: Sun Aug 1, 2010 12:51 pm
by baulderdash77
I'd like to see them sign him to a 3 or 4 year contract to just lock him up at this point. At least then we won't have to hear the will we/won't we trade him talk.
Re: Make no mistake: Bautista wants to stay
Posted: Sun Aug 1, 2010 9:04 pm
by vaff87
baulderdash77 wrote:I'd like to see them sign him to a 3 or 4 year contract to just lock him up at this point. At least then we won't have to hear the will we/won't we trade him talk.
If he has a great year next year, we'll probably have to hear about how he's "rotting away in Canada" or how he can't wait to leave so he can play in the good ole US of A, and how he wants out because Toronto "smells different". The fact he's from the Dominican Republic will just be brushed off as semantics.