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Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 10:48 pm
by phillipmike
https://jaysjournal.com/2019/10/28/blue-jays-one-pitcher-management-will-most-likely-sign-this-offseason/Jays Journal called this over a month ago.
There are a few reasons Tanner Roark will most likely be considered as a top option on the Blue Jays management free agency whiteboard.
For one, he pitches with a level of consistency that would make him a #3-4 dependable starter. Roark has shown flashes of 3.00 ball while going deep into games as a starter, doing this both in 2014 and 2016 with 30+ games each season. For the past three seasons, Roark has sat between the 4.00 to 4.70 ERA range, which at first glance doesn’t seem that appealing to fans.
His 4.35 ERA this past season would have narrowly won him the lowest ERA award on the Blue Jays starting rotation, narrowly beating Jacob Waguespack by 0.03 points for qualified starters (I don’t count Wilmer Font and the opener strategy). He also pitched against some tough teams like the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Milwaukee Brewers, so he did have to earn his wins and strikeouts against tough playoff-bound teams. This would bode well against teams in the tough A.L. East division.
It’s his consistency that makes him more appetizing than other options on the market, as well as internally within the Blue Jays organization. With his 7 years of MLB experience comes a player with Marco Estrada like qualities that fans are used to seeing.
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 10:51 pm
by Brinbe
lol
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 10:55 pm
by BigLeagueChew
"MLBTR predicted Toronto would sign Roark to a two-year, $18MM contract at the outset of the offseason. Roark is a client of Matt Colleran."
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 10:57 pm
by dagger
BigLeagueChew wrote:MLBTR predicted Toronto would sign Roark to a two-year, $18MM contract at the outset of the offseason. Roark is a client of Matt Colleran.
They got the two year part right, but Heyman says it's for $24m. Whether all of that is firm, can't say yet.
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 10:58 pm
by Schad
It's impossible to have strong feelings about Tanner Roark, positive or negative. Sometimes, you just go with a slight, expressionless head nod as acknowledgement and move on with your day.
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 11:00 pm
by BigLeagueChew
dagger wrote:BigLeagueChew wrote:MLBTR predicted Toronto would sign Roark to a two-year, $18MM contract at the outset of the offseason. Roark is a client of Matt Colleran.
They got the two year part right, but Heyman says it's for $24m. Whether all of that is firm, can't say yet.
MLB contracts are getting ridiculous but we did give Grichuk 10 mil a year. An MLB average starter costs 12m per now in free agency.

Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 11:08 pm
by Ado05
Not a bad signing.
Still hoping they add someone better as the offseason goes on.
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 11:09 pm
by Wo1verine
Can't wait for Wade Miley next!!!
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 11:11 pm
by Wo1verine
Adrian_05 wrote:Not a bad signing.
Still hoping they add someone better as the offseason goes on.
Waste of money if they don't get anyone better
I mean we'll still be bad if the rotation is full of Andersons and Roarks but we could have been much more terrible.
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 11:11 pm
by phillipmike
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 11:15 pm
by Schad
Adrian_05 wrote:Not a bad signing.
Still hoping they add someone better as the offseason goes on.
At this point, it either needs to be someone on the higher end, or it's probably not worth doing. We have filled up our "mid/back-end starter" quota...any more and we're really only serving to crowd out younger pitchers that might have a shot at being more than that.
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 11:18 pm
by phillipmike
Been durable and over the last 3 seasons among qualified starters, Roark ranked 45th in fWAR.
https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=y&type=8&season=2019&month=0&season1=2017&ind=0&team=&rost=&age=&filter=&players=&startdate=&enddate=&page=2_3042. Happ: 7.1 fWAR
44. Odorizzi: 7.0 fWAR
45. Roark: 6.9 fWAR47. Maeda: 6.7 fWAR
49. Darvish: 6.5 fWAR
53. Hamels: 6.5 fWAR
55. Keuchel: 6.3 fWAR
58. Gibson: 6.2 fWAR
59. Bumgarner: 6.2 fWAR
60. Price: 6.2 fWAR
61. Porcello: 6.2 fWAR
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 11:21 pm
by Hoopstarr
I give this signing a Meh+
If nothing else, very on brand
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 11:27 pm
by Schad
Will say that I like the Lindblom deal ($9.1m/3 maxing at $18m/3 with incentives) more than the Roark deal. Roark's by far the safer bet, because the only thing more consistent than Roark is unsweetened oatmeal, but the downside is the same as the upside: you get Tanner Roark, and he will do Tanner Roark things. Lindblom may well end up getting tagged and spending a couple years in long relief, but at that price there's more of a chance of him outperforming than underperforming (as he'd basically need to be non-playable to underperform it).
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 11:32 pm
by phillipmike
Schad wrote:Will say that I like the Lindblom deal ($9.1m/3 maxing at $18m/3 with incentives) more than the Roark deal. Roark's by far the safer bet, because the only thing more consistent than Roark is unsweetened oatmeal, but the downside is the same as the upside: you get Tanner Roark, and he will do Tanner Roark things. Lindblom may well end up getting tagged and spending a couple years in long relief, but at that price there's more of a chance of him outperforming than underperforming (as he'd basically need to be non-playable to underperform it).
Lindblom's deal can top out at 18M with incentives.
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 11:33 pm
by Natural11
All kinds or articles about Ryu and Kuechel and we get this guy. Lol. Same old Shatkins. They'll sign another 4-5 starter, a 5th outfielder and call it done.
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 11:37 pm
by Schad
phillipmike wrote:Lindblom's deal can top out at 18M with incentives.
Still only a $6m AAV, and assuming the incentives are innings-based you'd have to imagine that he only reaches that if he merits a rotation spot for three years.
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 11:39 pm
by Brinbe
it's completely fine. he hopefully/competently eats innings, not a long-term contract, is most importantly not edwin jackson or on that level of bad and bridges the gap to when our prospects come up.
another signing would be nice and is in fact necessary.
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2019 12:34 am
by bluerap23
#4 starter to block young kids.
At least it is only 2 years so should be tradeable.
Re: Jays Sign SP Tanner Roark
Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2019 1:33 am
by Tanner
I'm ok with Roark and Anderson, but I agree that the next SP acquisition has to be a significant step above league average. So either Ryu, Keuchel, or just roll with internal options.