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Savings of 6-6.5 million.

Somewhat surprising considering they were talking up Dirks and Smoak, but I guess they feel they can spend the money more effectively elsewhere.

Good news is they must feel pretty confident they are getting a LF, since they just released their two options.

Doesn't make sense... some media is saying that the payroll budget will increase but AA was on a radio show recently saying that he doesn't expect it to be increased.

Or they resign at lower rates? Is that even possible?

I can't wait to see who they dump this money on!

With both sides of the LF platoon out, you'd think this would mean they're going to acquire another OF for sure.

Smoak is terrible, had no place on a possible contending team.

We have five open slots on the 40-man roster now, and a few disposable bodies on that list, too.

I would be somewhat disappointed if my Korean league team signed Smoak.

CPT wrote:I would be somewhat disappointed if my Korean league team signed Smoak.

Wow man, you really have a hard on for Korean baseball. Half of your posts are about the league, or its players.

torontoaces04 wrote:

CPT wrote:I would be somewhat disappointed if my Korean league team signed Smoak.

Wow man, you really have a hard on for Korean baseball. Half of your posts are about the league, or its players.

Probably more

Just saying, Smoak is ****.

CPT wrote:

torontoaces04 wrote:

CPT wrote:I would be somewhat disappointed if my Korean league team signed Smoak.

Wow man, you really have a hard on for Korean baseball. Half of your posts are about the league, or its players.

Probably more

Just saying, Smoak is ****.

Yeah, he's a bum.

I'm in Korea from Feb-Mid March. When does the season run from?

Randle McMurphy wrote:With both sides of the LF platoon out, you'd think this would mean they're going to acquire another OF for sure.

Smoak is terrible, had no place on a possible contending team.

This is a happy day. Those early moves were terrifying, but I had my fingers crossed they were basically insurance for AA's psyche to let him go get **** done knowing if it all went pear-shaped he wouldn't have to beg Dan Johnson to be the DH and start Melky Mesa in LF.

I was curious about Dirks/Pillar in LF though. If Dirks could come back as the old player that's the kind of money-saving platoon that can be pretty strong. But it's another medical data issue and even then it's not a risk you start out with when your team is in the position our is IMO.

With Mayberry out too, I'd say it's very very likely we're rolling Pillar and Pompey on this team as the CF and 4th OFs, which isn't terrible, but if they struggle and we have an OF injury, then look out.

And to reiterate everyone else, just for the cheap seats, Smoak is terrible.

Still pissed that we tendered Estrada...what does AA know, that we, and the metrics, don't?

I would think the Jays are definitely going to acquire an outfielder and first baseman now as Dirks and JMJ were their only internal LF options and Smoak (as bad as he has been) was their only 1B option outside of Edwin (who they should be DH'ing). Maybe they know they'll get one of Melky, Aoki, or Markakis, or have a trade option in mind.

As I said yesterday, tendering Estrada does not surprise me. The Jays are very short on SP depth and AA must see something in him that the numbers don't show. He acquired Happ when his HR numbers were extremely high as well so he might be hoping for a regression from Estrada. That's too much to be spending on a 6th starter but at least he got rid of some other replacement level talent.

Rumors are running rampant that AA is signing Markakis. Hopefully it's either him or Melky.

No issues with any of the non-tenders. Mayberry is a useful platoon bat but one of Valencia and Mayberry had to go, and Mayberry drew the short straw. I'd expect Valencia to find playing time at 1B and DH.

Tendering Estrada is disappointing. Let's hope we get supremely lucky and we won't need him much this season.

torontoaces04 wrote:Still pissed that we tendered Estrada...what does AA know, that we, and the metrics, don't?

Well we only have MLBTR's version of what he'll cost, they're fairly reliable, but they're hardly foolproof. We might even be very close to a deal, enough to make it safe/worthwhile to tender. I won't piss on it 'til I see what they actually pay for him.

And even if that's all wrong, plenty of guys who are bad starters make good relievers, which he'll be (a reliever that is, not necessarily good). Now, if we spend 4-5m for this year's version of Esmil Villanueva and the same results, then sure, likely that money could've been better spent. Think of it this way if you need to, he's the insurance that let's AA move Nolin and Graveman in the Donaldson deal. He's the necessary depth you need, but don't necessarily use, so having a guy who has some experience and willingness to be used in a MLB 'pen is a benefit, just maybe not one worth quite so much.

At the very least it didn't seem too likely we'd moved Lind for a complete zero sum part, the Jays like something about Estrada. It's just clear to the rest of us that we're not entirely sure what that is.

Yeah, we could have had over $11 million in savings if we non-tendered Estrada..

Maybe Estrada will be used in a deal that we're currently negotiating? Is that possible?

Duffman100 wrote:Maybe Estrada will be used in a deal that we're currently negotiating? Is that possible?

While I don't think this is necessarily the case, I do think it's a point worth making that Estrada at 4.7m is probably a worthwhile trade asset.

IMO, Estrada is easily worth 5m to the right team, just not necessarily one that plays in our stadium where flyballs become HRs. But for something like half the league, Estrada will likely look very good as a back-end starter or 'pen arm for 1 year and less than 5m.

Rosenthal had an interesting piece on the Dodgers OF situation with his estimates on the amount of money the Dodgers would have to include to entice other teams.

For Ethier, he suggested the Dodgers eat $26 Million making the contract essentially 3/$30. If we wanted a lefty outfielder would we not be better off pursuing Ethier to Markakis. Ethier is projected to produce a 2.2 WAR over 600 PA's in 2015 and is pretty much the same age as Markakis. However, Markakis is likely to get more than $30 million and is possible to get an extra year as well. I know Ethier's splits are more pronounced than Markakis, however, Ethier, does have the ability to play CF.

Not sure I'm advocating an Ethier acquisition or just not to sign Markakis.

I think I could live with the Dodgers kicking in the cash to bring his deal down to 3/30 and taking Dioner back in the deal. Which would change the payroll in the following way +5/+10/+10.