dagger wrote:Agreed, you can't argue with Beltran's decision. However, it reinforced a point I've been making for months - that we're not a contender, so there is a glass ceiling of sorts that will have to be broken before we ever land a significant free agent. A lot of free agents wouldn't like to go to a mediocre team in the AL East. To get one, we're going to have to overpay the way the Nationals did with Werth last season. The Nationals paid that premium to be seen as a "serious destination". A free agent isn't going to be swayed by AA's organic growth strategy. Toronto fans have no choice but to be patient, but better free agents have a choice, and if it looks like Toronto won't be a contender for two, three or four years, they won't even give the Jays a second thought.
A perennial non-playoff team won't get the attention of free agents without making a splash or having a good narrative to make clear that there is a change of strategy to be more aggressive. For the Marlins, it's a new stadium. For another, it could be a big TV deal. Then they go big and force themselves into the free agent discussion as serious players. Free agents stop asking themselves "Why Miami?" and start asking "Why not Miami"
It pretty well works like that in all sports. You need money and/or a very strong appeal to attract the coveted free agents. The Jays don't appear to have either.
But they are willing to let the team's name be associated with every major free agent, which to me, after another winter of this, amounts to disrespecting your fans.
I can't believe you're basing your argument off the Jayson Werth signing as something the Jays should do.