Jose Bautista turned down a contract offer worth considerably more than what he would eventually receive from the Toronto Blue Jays this offseason.
"I wanted to be happy and comfortable," Bautista said. "And this is where I'm happy and comfortable."
Bautista reportedly wanted a monster contract as a free agent, but the market for his services was slow to develop.
"Of course [the market] bothered me," he said. "I'm human. And anybody that knows what they can bring to the table will be frustrated. And I'm sure I was not the only one."
He received a three-year offer and had $50 million in guaranteed money on the table, according to sources, but ultimately signed what is essentially a one-year, $18.5 million deal with the Blue Jays because "you look at the factors -- loving the city you play in, marketplace, a chance to win, taxes, endorsements -- in a balance and make the decision you think is best for you. And understanding I came off a tough year, where I necessarily didn't have the most fun I had playing in the big leagues, this was the best place."