Blue Jays Discussion: Almost through the off-season - Bautista keeping his bat-flipping talents in Toronto

[ShaneFalco]

What teams (besides Jays) are still in the market for a backup catcher?

Is Navarro a candidate for minor league deal (and ST competition with Jimenez) or is he likely to get a big league deal somewhere?

I know he wants to be a starter but I think those days are over

 

[phillipmike]

No, because he constantly cries to the umpires. He just came off the most embarrassing free agency ive ever seen. Guy goes out and says he wants a 150 million dollar contract, nobody signs him right away. Toronto qualifies him, he rejects it, Baltimore tells him "Sorry, our fans hate you", Boston tells him "Sorry, we have no money" he then crawls back to Toronto and gets half of what he thought he was worth on a 1 year deal. In fact after the garbage he spewed in the media I'm surprised you are fine with him too. But yes, what a likeable guy.

But that makes him "the biggest jerk in MLB?" He's an idiot at times and says stupid things but definitely not the biggest jerk.

I think Edwin is more embarrassing. He "wanted" to return to the Jays and more than the 80M he got offer. Didnt get the Jays and got 20M less. Bautista never had an offer of 150M on the table or even much better than what he got from the Jays. Trumbo is up their too - leaving money on the table.

What Bautista said last year at ST was incredibly stupid. GMs not wanting him on their team because their fans dont like him is incredibly stupid too but i am not complaining - their stupidity gave him less suitors which led Bautista back here on a one year deal. Regardless of all that i doubt the market changes that much for Bautista. A 33 year old Morales got 3 years when the market was unknown, EE got 3 years when it was know. Regardless of what Bautista has done or said no one was going to give Bautista more than a year or 2 coming off a 1.4 WAR season as a 36 year old who was injured and can play defense all that much.

The 150M was always a pie in the sky. If Bautista had a 4 WAR season like EE then he was at best getting 60M over 3 and i even doubt that being 36. Edwin had to fight for that 60M coming off a very productive season. All things considered i think Bautista got a great deal.

 

[phillipmike]

What teams (besides Jays) are still in the market for a backup catcher?

Is Navarro a candidate for minor league deal (and ST competition with Jimenez) or is he likely to get a big league deal somewhere?

http://www.fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=C

Still quite a few. But i like the Jays chances of waiting the market out. If Suzuki cant get more than 1.5M guaranteed, same with Iannetta then there should be cheap and a lot to choose from.

Still 7 catchers left - wonder where Wieters goes. Take Mathias off the list.

http://www.fangraphs.com/freeagents.aspx?sign=unsigned&pos=C&nteam=all&oteam=all

Should be focusing in on bullpen and LF. Other than Wieters and maybe Salty none of those remaining guys can expect to me more than a backup. So the Jays should be attractive - especially since they will be a contender.

 

[Discoverer]

Should be focusing in on bullpen and LF. Other than Wieters and maybe Salty none of those remaining guys can expect to me more than a backup. So the Jays should be attractive - especially since they will be a contender.

Yeah, I don't feel like any of the remaining free agents are that much better of an option than Jimenez, but having one of them with Jimenez as depth would be better than having Jimenez with Graterol as depth.

Jimenez is out of options, so they would have to get him through waivers.

 

[theaub]

I don't exactly see it being a challenge to get a guy who's played 170-ish games over the past 3 years and put up a .237/.276/.348 slash line through waivers

 

[Discoverer]

I don't exactly see it being a challenge to get a guy who's played 170-ish games over the past 3 years and put up a .237/.276/.348 slash line through waivers

All it takes is one team with an injury to a catcher who's looking for a good defender/game-caller as a stop-gap until said catcher comes back.

I'm not saying teams would be clamoring to scoop him up. I would expect him to clear, but there's a reasonable chance that someone is looking for someone like him.

 

[phillipmike]

Cross Nick Hundley off the list.. Signed with the Giants. No idea they were in the market for a backup.

 

[The Nemesis]

Didn't the Jays just get Jimenez's competition?

Graterol? He's more likely here to be Jimenez insurance for Buffalo. He's got nothing in his resume that says he's likely to be strong competition in the MLB. Though I suppose if that happened he'd have to go through waivers again and there'd be potential for him to get claimed again (he's changed hands like 4 times in the last couple months as it is.

 

[Canada4Gold]

MLB.com 3B prospect ranking came out today. Vlad Jr ranked the 3rd best 3B prospect

 

[hockeywiz542]

cross nick hundley off the list.. Signed with the giants. No idea they were in the market for a backup.

 

[Discoverer]

MLB.com 3B prospect ranking came out today. Vlad Jr ranked the 3rd best 3B prospect

That's really, really impressive for a 17-year-old. Damn.

 

[Eyedea]

Graterol? He's more likely here to be Jimenez insurance for Buffalo. He's got nothing in his resume that says he's likely to be strong competition in the MLB. Though I suppose if that happened he'd have to go through waivers again and there'd be potential for him to get claimed again (he's changed hands like 4 times in the last couple months as it is.

And what exactly is on AJJ's resume?

 

[theaub]

Yeah if anything Graterol looks like a better candidate for the backup job right now

 

[hoc123]

That's really, really impressive for a 17-year-old. Damn.

He should be in the top 100 considering he has a 55 overall.

 

[one77]

What is Vlad Jr.'s potential?

 

[Discoverer]

Yeah if anything Graterol looks like a better candidate for the backup job right now

Not sure how he looks better, but they look about the same offensively, at least. Jimenez has the defensive reputation and I don't know much (anything, really) about Graterol's defense/game-calling ability (though I assume he's good, since he made it to the majors with the Angels, and we all know about Mike Scioscia's hilarious obsession with catcher defense).

 

[Muston Atthews]

Jays closing in on deal with Jarrod Saltalamacchia

 

[theaub]

Not sure how he looks better, but they look about the same offensively, at least. Jimenez has the defensive reputation and I don't know much (anything, really) about Graterol's defense/game-calling ability (though I assume he's good, since he made it to the majors with the Angels, and we all know about Mike Scioscia's hilarious obsession with catcher defense).

Admittedly I just assumed he was good defensively because of that. And even though its PCL, Graterol seems to actually be able to hit a bit.

Jays are signing Salt guy anyways so its a moot point

 

[Muston Atthews]

 

[BertCorbeau]

Sweet!...

.. Er.. I mean, Salty!

 

[Suntouchable13]

Well, that's not too bad. Backups are not great, that's why they are backups. But this is a huge upgrade on Thole. He will probably catch 3 times a week.

 

[Walshy7]

is it a surprise he is signing a minor league contract? he is a MLB regular (backup) isn't he

edit: played 90 games last year

 

[phillipmike]

Minor league deal is a steal. Switch hitter who can easily be more than just a back up. Also has AL east experience where he had success.

 

[The Nemesis]

Sweet!...

.. Er.. I mean, Salty!

Why not both?

 

[Hoverhand]

Is this them bring cheap on a backup catcher or do they legitimately think Saltalamacchia will be any better than Jimenez wouldve been.