So is Rogers really commited to fielding a contender?

[Kapono]

IE: Increasing our payroll to the $100-125 million dollar region.

AA and Ferrell both of said various times that the Jays got the green light to spend when the time is right.

Others here think other wise and that Rogers just wants to make a profit thanks to the Jays great TV ratings. And Sportsnet having the luxury of hosting Jays games for free because Rogers owns both.

Also the Jays provide another platform for them to advertise their tv/cellphones/internet etc...

So is Rogers really willing to spend? Or are they just bullshiting?

[J-Roc]

I think they're willing the spend the way we did with Halladay. Extensions. I don't think Rogers wants to get stuck with a major free agent signing, like they experience with Wells. I'm not even sure about an AJ Burnett free agent. I think they want to sign guys like Aaron Hill and Lind and Bautista before they command big dollars. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. But it's less risk than it not working out with a $20M/yr contract.

[Randle McMurphy]

No fan has any real answer to that question. They've been saying they are, but the last ten years kind of indicate something different.

[U_Mad]

we were supposed to have a bad team last year and I think rogers would have been forced to spend some money, but since we had a fairly successful season with many young players playing well I am inclined to believe the rogers will continue to blow smoke and spend as little as possible until they ultimately have to

[darth_federer]

Yes. AA's tenure has proved that they are willing to spend. They wouldnt make their willingness to spend that public either unless they were going to do it.

[Skin Blues]

I think they'll spend when they need to. It's not like Halladay, Vernon, Rios, etc weren't given large contracts. Sure, they got rid of all of them before the contracts expired but only because they weren't contending anyway (Halladay), the players weren't worth the contract anymore (Wells), or both (Rios).

Also, a popular comment is that Rogers has so much money so that means they should spend a lot on the team. I don't know how that makes sense to people outside of fairytale land. An owner's spending habits rarely depend on their access to money. It depends on their likelihood of getting a good return on that money. You think because they have a lot of money that they'll feel charitable and dump money into players that won't get them any profits? The fact that they're a huge corporation and not a single person or small group of people pretty much removes that possibility entirely.

Luckily, there's a huge market to tap into and if they can get a winning team and a lot of buzz, then there will be incentive on the part of Rogers to invest.