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

[Muston Atthews]

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

It's obviously being cheap. This is Shapiro were talking about here!

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

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

Jimenez is on the 40-man, Saltalamacchia is not.

He is minor league depth.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Jimenez is on the 40-man, Saltalamacchia is not.

He is minor league depth.

Was just about to say this.

 

[Discoverer]

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

I would have been happy signing him as the backup. A minor league deal is awesome.

 

[zeke]

Career vRHP:

Salty (32): 2299pa, 103wrc+
Smoak (30): 2010pa, 100wrc+

 

[SeaOfBlue]

So will Jimenez be the backup assuming he can beat the "competition" we brought in? Or will there be a Navarro signing in the future too and just a crap ton of catching depth (Ohlman, Monsalve, Salty, Graterol,McGuire,etc. for the top 2 levels already). Those 5 seem like enough, especially if the Jays decide to promote another prospect from a lower level to pair with McGuire. At least give Jimenez a chance, and just trade for someone in the middle of the season if he's not cutting it.

 

[Schenn]

My favourite Saltalamacchia fact is how his wife was his high school gym teacher.

 

[Woodman19]

My favourite Saltalamacchia fact is how his wife was his high school gym teacher.

 

[Brown Dog]

Jimenez is on the 40-man, Saltalamacchia is not.

He is minor league depth.

Gotta think this is Salty's job to lose, no?

 

[phillipmike]

Wonder if Cherrington had a lot to do with this signing. Had Saltalamacchia in Boston from 2010-2013... Saltalamacchia was their starting catcher when they won the World Series in 2013.

I dont mind them adding former WS champions in Morales and Saltalamacchia. Something we didn't have in 2015 or 2016.

 

[hockeywiz542]

the mets have notified bruce they anticipate starting the season with him as their everyday right fielder, an industry source told the post. general manager sandy alderson said two weeks ago that bruce, after being dangled in trade discussions for much of the offseason, could very well join the team at tradition field for spring training, and the team is now acting as if it will have bruce for the entirety of the season.

the mets would of course slam the brakes on this plan if a late suitor presented an interesting package, but that appears a long shot. And given all of their health questions, the idea of having the durable bruce, who has played in 137 or more games every season since 2010, holds additional appeal.

a glacially moving market for hitters foiled the mets’ original plan to trade bruce and his $13 million salary in return for a prospect and then use the payroll flexibility to acquire a reliever. none of those dominoes fell into place, meaning the mets might very well try to go forward with their current bullpen core despite the absence of a veteran left-hander to go after dangerous national league east lefty bats like the nationals’ bryce harper and daniel murphy and the braves’ freddie freeman.

The retention of bruce, who turns 30 on april 3 (the mets’ opening day), also has potential consequences for michael conforto, the mets’ top 2014 draft pick who regressed in 2016 after a blazing 2015 debut. Depending on how spring training unfolds, conforto could be part of the mets’ outfield mix, or he still has minor-league options available and could get more at-bats at triple-a las vegas.

Another piece of the puzzle to consider: With first baseman lucas duda returning from a serious back injury, the mets figure to try both bruce and conforto at first base in grapefruit league action so they can further assess their options. Bruce played three games at first base for the reds in 2014. David wright, with his own back and neck problems, also could wind up in the first-base mix, with wilmer flores and jose reyes set as insurance pieces for wright’s spot at third base.

 

[phillipmike]

If you want to talk about a misplay then the Mets and Bruce has to be one of the biggest by their FO.

They picked up his option as insurance for Cespedes. When Cespedes signs then they have 5 OFs in Granderson, Bruce, Cespedes, Conforto and Lagares (another bad contract) - hoped they could move Bruce but now realized teams can get better players in FA for almost half the cost. They are spending 55M of their 145M (38%) budget on 5 OFs - three of which had average or below average production with them last season.

They were hoping for someone to pick up all of Bruce's salary while giving them pen pieces back. They dont want to retain any of Bruce's salary even though they should while getting close to nothing back.

They lost Blevins, and Familia is expected to be suspended. They had the 2nd best bullpen last season but the loss of Blevins and Familia for potentially a month or 2 can really hurt. How many are expecting Reed to be dominant as he was last season?

Now they are stuck with Bruce and are likley forced to option Conforto back to the minors. Also dont have money to make upgrades in the pen unless ownership increases their budget.

Boston was lucky to get out from under Bucholz too. It was a similar situation but its always easier to move a pitcher.

 

[Discoverer]

If you want to talk about a misplay then the Mets and Bruce has to be one of the biggest by their FO.

They picked up his option as insurance for Cespedes. When Cespedes signs then they have 5 OFs in Granderson, Bruce, Cespedes, Conforto and Lagares (another bad contract) - hoped they could move Bruce but now realized teams can get better players in FA for almost half the cost. They are spending 55M of their 145M (38%) budget on 5 OFs - three of which had average or below average production with them last season.

They were hoping for someone to pick up all of Bruce's salary while giving them pen pieces back. They dont want to retain any of Bruce's salary even though they should while getting close to nothing back.

They lost Blevins, and Familia is expected to be suspended. They had the 2nd best bullpen last season but the loss of Blevins and Familia for potentially a month or 2 can really hurt. How many are expecting Reed to be dominant as he was last season?

Now they are stuck with Bruce and are likley forced to option Conforto back to the minors. Also dont have money to make upgrades in the pen unless ownership increases their budget.

Boston was lucky to get out from under Bucholz too. It was a similar situation but its always easier to move a pitcher.

Yeah, the Bruce situation is similar to (but much worse than, given the money involved and lack of flexibility it causes) the Jays with Smoak. They kept him around as a backup plan, but then other plans came together and now they're kind of stuck with him.

The Mets, though, really seem to have a skewed perspective of Bruce's value. They would probably have to eat $4-5 million to move him with no return, yet they're asking for prospects/relievers with no retention.

Having said all that, I can't help but think this "prepared to move forward with Bruce" stuff is just a way of trying to get teams to think they're not desperate to move his contract.

 

[phillipmike]

I didnt want this to go unnoticed. Great reference and an even better episode. Watched it last week! Well done.

 

[phillipmike]

Yeah, the Bruce situation is similar to (but much worse than, given the money involved and lack of flexibility it causes) the Jays with Smoak. They kept him around as a backup plan, but then other plans came together and now they're kind of stuck with him.

The Mets, though, really seem to have a skewed perspective of Bruce's value. They would probably have to eat $4-5 million to move him with no return, yet they're asking for prospects/relievers with no retention.

Having said all that, I can't help but think this "prepared to move forward with Bruce" stuff is just a way of trying to get teams to think they're not desperate to move his contract.

For sure. Once they have an opportunity to move Bruce they will.

The Smoak extension wasnt all that shrewd the time they made it and looks worse now. Hopefully he can give you 2015 production from the bench as a worse case. But if not then 4M (average salary for an MLB in 2016) isnt hard to release or try moving. At best he was expected to be a 1B first basemen and if he isnt then it isnt the end of the world. If your team success or exceptions hinges on Smoak (which isnt the case) then you have bigger problems.

The 4M would be nice to have but its that roster spot that is more important at this point. Twice this management team has brought him back. Maybe they see something we dont and he can be better - hopefully that is the case (highly unlikely). If not then he is at worse a switch hitter with some power off you bench.

 

[Canada4Gold]

Surprised Salty only got a MLC. Though I haven't had a peek at his numbers last year so maybe they're bad. He's should be an upgrade over AJJ, and they'll be in competition for the spot in spring training. I'm happy.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Surprised Salty only got a MLC. Though I haven't had a peek at his numbers last year so maybe they're bad. He's should be an upgrade over AJJ, and they'll be in competition for the spot in spring training. I'm happy.

I think it's a great deal for the Jays. If Salty doesn't take the job in spring training, he'll start off in the minors and be able to provide some quality catcher depth in case AJJ falters or Martin gets injured.

 

[Discoverer]

Surprised Salty only got a MLC. Though I haven't had a peek at his numbers last year so maybe they're bad. He's should be an upgrade over AJJ, and they'll be in competition for the spot in spring training. I'm happy.

69 wRC+ last year with an already terrible K-rate peaking at 35.6%. I also came after five straight years of being roughly a league average bat, though, and a huge part of it was a BABIP 90 points below his career mark.

The upside for a bounceback is there, and even if he doesn't he's fine.

 

[trellaine201]

Hopefully salty can play even a bit of Defense and cartch the ball. His offensive numbers are quite dismal. His past few years were rough. I remember media and bosom had high hopes for him. Not sure what happened.

 

[zeke]

It's the right way to built a bench imo. Good upside, zero risk, total flexibility so no need to forcefeed him playing time if he flops.

Contrasted with giving guaranteed deals to guys like Smoak and Carrera, both of whom Salty is a better bet to be more valuable than.

The only guy on our bench that actually deserves a guaranteed deal is Barney, and given Tulo/Travis' health issues I'm more than happy to have that one.

But there's going to be better players than Smoak and Carrera available for similar milb deal as we just gave Salty.

 

[Discoverer]

It's the right way to built a bench imo. Good upside, zero risk, total flexibility so no need to forcefeed him playing time if he flops.

Contrasted with giving guaranteed deals to guys like Smoak and Carrera, both of whom Salty is a better bet to be more valuable than.

The only guy on our bench that actually deserves a guaranteed deal is Barney, and given Tulo/Travis' health issues I'm more than happy to have that one.

But there's going to be better players than Smoak and Carrera available for similar milb deal as we just gave Salty.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with giving Carrera $1.2 million. That deal doesn't prevent them from doing anything.

 

[BertCorbeau]

It would be nice to make Smoak disappear maybe we just need more fans pointed in that direction to make it happen.

 

[zeke]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with giving Carrera $1.2 million. That deal doesn't prevent them from doing anything.

I disagree. It gives him first dibs. And a lengthy dibs most likely. The money is irrelevant really - 1mil or 4mil it's the same hurdle in the end.

He's a replacement player who should be earning every day he plays in the majors.

 

[Discoverer]

I disagree. It gives him first dibs. And a lengthy dibs most likely. The money is irrelevant really - 1mil or 4mil it's the same hurdle in the end.

He's a replacement player who should be earning every day he plays in the majors.

It doesn't give him first dibs at all. His lack of options might, but a guaranteed contract for such a tiny amount doesn't.

 

[TF97]

Appears as if Greg Holland will be heading to Colorado