No excuse for Rogers not to give Jays a $100m Payroll

[Kapono]

Its ridiculous.

Rogers makes billions of dollars of PROFIT per year.
Sportsnet saves a **** of cash by not having to pay for the rights to Blue Jays games.
Blue Jays constantly have the best TV ratings in MLB.
Rogers bought the Skydome at a GREAT bargain.
GTA is one of the most populated areas in North America.

Its a pure travesty that the Jays do not have a payroll north of $100 million

[Randle McMurphy]

$100M would only rank 13th in major league payrolls, so it's not like that would even be an accomplishment. Rogers seems pretty content to run like the Jays like a small-market team, it has since they bought them.

[lilneige]

I would said Jays should have the ability of taking 100m payroll, but I am all against spending the money for the sake of spending. Some FA are asking for more than what they worth IMO, for example CJ Wilson is seeking 6yrs for $120m, he is already 30 years old.

for reference from Cot's Baseball Contracts

Starting pitchers
The highest-paid starting pitchers, by average annual value:
1. CC Sabathia, $24,400,000 (2012-16)
2. Cliff Lee, $24,000,000 (2011-15)
3. CC Sabathia, $23,000,000 (2009-15)
4. Johan Santana, $22,916,667 (2008-13)
5. Roy Halladay, $20,000,000 (2011-13)
6. Carlos Zambrano, $18,300,000 (2008-12)
7. Barry Zito, $18,000,000 (2007-13)
8. Jake Peavy, $17,333,333 (2010-12)
9. Jered Weaver, $17,000,000 (2012-16)
10. A.J. Burnett, $16,500,000 (2009-13)
. . . John Lackey, $16,500,000 (2010-14)
12. Justin Verlander, $16,000,000 (2010-14)

We were 6th in MLB in terms of scoring run, but also the bottom 6th on runs allow. I do like to see getting 2 more SP and solidify our bullpen. This may be enough for us getting 90 wins.

[LBJSeizedMyID]

If you really don't see the big picture it's not worth explaining. They will have a $100M payroll eventually and as lilneige has said I'd rather sign a player for the sake of signing a player. If they did and that player bombed, it's just more ammo for us to complain about.

[WpgPage]

This argument is stupid so because Rogers Corp makes billions they should take those profits and invest it in a baseball team??? Please come on the Jays are run like any other team there is a budget and they must ad hear to it. As far as they are concerned it is a total separate company that they own as an asset, when the team starts winning they will draw more fans, more fans more gate revenue, more revenue more $$ in the player personnel budget the exact same way every other team works.

[rarefind]

This argument is stupid so because Rogers Corp makes billions they should take those profits and invest it in a baseball team??? Please come on the Jays are run like any other team there is a budget and they must ad hear to it. As far as they are concerned it is a total separate company that they own as an asset, when the team starts winning they will draw more fans, more fans more gate revenue, more revenue more $$ in the player personnel budget the exact same way every other team works.

This.

Rogers is not an eccentric owner willing to invest without any sign of a return. They will spend when they deem the time is right. However, I do side with the notion that the time is here for that especially when the business plan revolves around winning and drawing out fans.

[Rhettmatic]

Some of you guys seem really risk-averse.

Obviously, no one is in favour of a transparently stupid move meant to propel the Jays into a playoff spot. But if we overpay for a premium free agent by a few million, who cares? We don't have any bad contracts on the books and there's no salary cap.

Rogers certainly has the means to fund a team with at least a slightly above average payroll, and personally, I will not be satisfied if they cheap out again in the name of prudence. Especially since Bautista's prime years are ticking away.

We should be worried about wasting a golden opportunity, not about wasting money.

[Wo1verine]

Some of you guys seem really risk-averse.

Obviously, no one is in favour of a transparently stupid move meant to propel the Jays into a playoff spot. But if we overpay for a premium free agent by a few million, who cares? We don't have any bad contracts on the books and there's no salary cap.

Rogers certainly has the means to fund a team with at least a slightly above average payroll, and personally, I will not be satisfied if they cheap out again in the name of prudence. Especially since Bautista's prime years are ticking away.

We should be worried about wasting a golden opportunity, not about wasting money.

Many FANS need to WAKE THE HELL UP and realize THIS, haha

[LBJSeizedMyID]

Some of you guys seem really risk-averse.

Obviously, no one is in favour of a transparently stupid move meant to propel the Jays into a playoff spot. But if we overpay for a premium free agent by a few million, who cares? We don't have any bad contracts on the books and there's no salary cap.

Rogers certainly has the means to fund a team with at least a slightly above average payroll, and personally, I will not be satisfied if they cheap out again in the name of prudence. Especially since Bautista's prime years are ticking away.

We should be worried about wasting a golden opportunity, not about wasting money.

We're not overpaying by a few million though are we? The issue to me seems to be not only money, but years as well. Every single marquee free agent is looking for five plus years, something AA is adamantly against.

Not only that but we haven't even explored the fact that these free agents may have already flat out said they don't want to play here.

I got the feeling from AA's comments that if a marquee player was to come to Toronto, it was going to be via trade so I guess we'll see.

[CapeCrusader]

Honestly with AA you never know. The dude keeps things under wraps big time. He always has something up his sleeves. My thing is, I don't see why we can't OFFER a deal to Fielder/Pujols. Even if we give them what they want dollar wise...we still might not be the team or city for them....but at least we tried. Like Rhettmatic said, we can't waste Bautista's prime years. If we don't strike now and keep going the conservative route, then we mide as well trade Bautista.

[NeverGoingToWin]

Pujols is not a viable option anymore if the 9 years $225 million offer from the Marlins is true.

I do not like Fielder because he seems like the type that could lose it fast but hopefully we are kicking the can to see what he wants at least. I really want Darvish if he is an option.

I do not believe in Toronto sports fans so I have a hard time believing the fans will magically show up just because we sign a big name player. It is going to take us being good in August for that to happen.

Ugh. Why did you quote Garnett? I hate that guy and like being able to act like he doesn't exist.

[Weems]

I don't think it's a matter of being risk-averse. We have a budget. Giving Wilson $120m is stupid. Giving Pujols $250m is stupid.

[Randle McMurphy]

Halladay spent eight years here as the best pitcher in baseball and the team accomplished absolutely nothing, mostly because Rogers was not willing to take the extra step to win.

It's happened the last two years with Bautista, it's going to keep happening unless Rogers chooses to do something about it.

[NeverGoingToWin]

You really think we could have won more with Halladay? I really don't because Boston and New York were really good and we weren't even close.

[dballislife]

the game of baseball shows off a city's power and wealth to the rest of the world, if you have a strong baseball team, then you are a great city...show everyone what toronto is made of guys

[-MetA4-]

Halladay spent eight years here as the best pitcher in baseball and the team accomplished absolutely nothing, mostly because Rogers was not willing to take the extra step to win.

It's happened the last two years with Bautista, it's going to keep happening unless Rogers chooses to do something about it.

This isn't basketball where you can built a contender around 1 player. Halladay is one guy that pitches once every 5 games...you talk as if having Halladay (or Bautista) means you're "one move away" from a potential World Series, you're not.

[Randle McMurphy]

Halladay spent eight years here as the best pitcher in baseball and the team accomplished absolutely nothing, mostly because Rogers was not willing to take the extra step to win.

It's happened the last two years with Bautista, it's going to keep happening unless Rogers chooses to do something about it.

This isn't basketball where you can built a contender around 1 player. Halladay is one guy that pitches once every 5 games...you talk as if having Halladay (or Bautista) means you're "one move away" from a potential World Series, you're not.

Contending is not an issue of capability for Rogers and the Jays, but an issue of willingness.

The Jays were capable of winning with Halladay with a few more moves/improvements, just as they're capable of winning with Bautista in 2012. They simply chose not to go that extra mile and take those additional risks with Doc and it seems likely to happen again.

[Randle McMurphy]

You really think we could have won more with Halladay? I really don't because Boston and New York were really good and we weren't even close.

The Jays were a very good team in 2006-2008, too, one of the best in baseball when you consider their records against their schedule. However, Rogers was content with mediocrity/mid 80s win totals and never did enough to push the team over the top.

[Wo1verine]

Halladay spent eight years here as the best pitcher in baseball and the team accomplished absolutely nothing, mostly because Rogers was not willing to take the extra step to win.

It's happened the last two years with Bautista, it's going to keep happening unless Rogers chooses to do something about it.

This isn't basketball where you can built a contender around 1 player. Halladay is one guy that pitches once every 5 games...you talk as if having Halladay (or Bautista) means you're "one move away" from a potential World Series, you're not.

Contending is not an issue of capability for Rogers and the Jays, but an issue of willingness.

The Jays were capable of winning with Halladay with a few more moves/improvements, just as they're capable of winning with Bautista in 2012. They simply chose not to go that extra mile and take those additional risks with Doc and it seems likely to happen again.

That's exactly it, and it's pathetic!

[lilneige]

put it this way,
Tampa Bay got into playoff 3 times in 5 years recently, their payroll in 2011 was $39.1M. A-Rod alone is getting $27.5m per year.

2005 Champion Chicago White Sox, their best pitcher that year was Mark Buehrle who had ERA+ 144. Romero posted 146 in 2011. The best hitter was Konerko, who got 136 OPS+. Lawrie had 152 last year although it is small sample, Bautista had 181.

We actually had a team with $98m of payroll in 2008, five players received an anneal salary greater than $10m, Halladay, Burnett, Ryan, Thomas, and Rolen. It is a prove that Rogers can give Jays a $100 payroll, but it is not necessary enough to compete with NYY and Red Sox. However, the leader of AL East in 2008 was Tampa Bay who had $43m of payroll.