E5 is back!!!!!!

[dagger]

jcrasnick
#BlueJays sign Edwin Encarnacion to one-year, $2.5MM deal with club option for 2012. #Rays had talked to him as well.
less than 20 seconds ago via

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water...

Well, this deal is reasonable, and he gets to continue popping homers in the power-friendly dome. Puts off the permanent replacement at 3B for a year (Lawrie?).

[LBJSeizedMyID]

Haha, but at that price, you can't argue with the signing.

[Wally West]

WOW, I'm shocked we resigned him lol. I thought that when the A's picked him up from waivers, that meant a sign of him not returning. I'm now guessing that he can Lind will share first base and DH duties because him playing 3rd truly will be an epic fail just like last season.

[SharoneWright]

Best value out there for a 3rd base. Any compensation after next year?

[Wally West]

The Blue Jays announced that they signed Edwin Encarnacion to a one-year, $2.5MM contract that includes a club option for $3.5MM in 2012. The A's claimed the third baseman off of waivers only to non-tender him a month later, making him a free agent. Encarnacion would have been due for a raise from the $4.75MM salary he earned in 2010 if the A's or Blue Jays had gone to arbitration with him.

Encarnacion, who turns 28 next month, hit .244/.305/.482 with 21 homers in 367 plate appearances for the Blue Jays last year. He surged at the end of the season, homering in his last four games. The Blue Jays say that Encarnacion will play first base/DH, instead of third base, where he spent last season. He has a career .266/.373/.474 line against left-handed pitchers, so he could spell Adam Lind against lefties given Lind's struggles against southpaws.

The Rays and Indians also had some interest in Encarnacion.

[SharoneWright]

The Blue Jays say that Encarnacion will play first base/DH, instead of third base, where he spent last season. He has a career .266/.373/.474 line against left-handed pitchers, so he could spell Adam Lind against lefties given Lind's struggles against southpaws.

The Blue Jays announced that they signed Edwin Encarnacion to a one-year, $2.5MM contract that includes a club option for $3.5MM in 2012.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

[number15]

i agree with this signing...... i was against waiving him in the first place. He is the perfect DH, with Lind at 1st base.

last season E5 was injured, benched and sent down,which is acceptable because he is decently young like Lind...... yet he managed 21 homers and decent RBI total in only 90 games (and we got him at dirt cheap price). give him a full years work and he will be near 30 HRs. Even Cito said that last offseason.

good signing

[J-Roc]

Wow, so he's our first basemen? Yikes.

Is this right, that he has no real experience at 1st base?

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?pl ... ngadvanced

[number15]

Wow, so he's our first basemen? Yikes.

Is this right, that he has no real experience at 1st base?

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?pl ... ngadvanced

first base is the easiest position to play and arguebaly least effective to the game. You dont have to be a star defender to be there..... why do u think JAYS are so comfortable giving Lind so much time to learn there. Anyone can learn 1st base, even E5.

now im not saying expect a gold glove season..... but he will likey be fine

otherwise he is DH, permanently..

[J-Roc]

Wow, so he's our first basemen? Yikes.

Is this right, that he has no real experience at 1st base?

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?pl ... ngadvanced

first base is the easiest position to play and arguebaly least effective to the game. You dont have to be a star defender to be there..... why do u think JAYS are so comfortable giving Lind so much time to learn there. Anyone can learn 1st base, even E5.

now im not saying expect a gold glove season..... but he will likey be fine

otherwise he is DH, permanently..

Actually a big deal was made this past season about if Lind could even pickup first base duties. But maybe it's different because Lind can't play any position, whereas Edwin has some fielding experience.

[Randle McMurphy]

Why not just play him at 3B again?

$2.5M is very good value for his production.

[luvtheteam]

This makes a lot of sense. EE had decent glove work at 3rd, but the problem was his erratic throwing arm to first and second. Putting him at first is the perfect solution as you get the benefit of his glove and he doesn't need to throw the ball very often. I'd love to see him play a full season and see what kind of numbers he can put up. His power is incredible. He can definately hit his position whether 1st or DH. This also allows them to work Lind in slowly. Nice signing.

Wonder how they are going to resolve the 3rd base/right field situation.

[SharoneWright]

Why not just play him at 3B again?

$2.5M is very good value for his production.

I agree.

[s e n s i]

cue the nacho libre clip

[LBJSeizedMyID]

Just gives the Jays more flexibility. Play him at 1st, occasional day can play 3rd if needed and push Bautista to RF. AA likes his dual positional eligible players.

[Duffman100]

Ugh, I really dislike this signing. Production aside, he's a slacker and doesn't give 100%.

We don't need that type of guy in the clubhouse.

[SCF99]

Pat on the back there AA,,put him where he is getting thrown at ,not too

[Randle McMurphy]

Ugh, I really dislike this signing. Production aside, he's a slacker and doesn't give 100%.

Slacker? What is this opinion based on?

[LBJSeizedMyID]

There's been a couple incidents apparently where he didn't hustle out on a play or what not.

[Duffman100]

Ugh, I really dislike this signing. Production aside, he's a slacker and doesn't give 100%.

Slacker? What is this opinion based on?

He didn't run out on ground balls....and was criticized by Cito for it.

I believe he was sent down as a message to start hustling.