Blue Jays Discussion: free agency #2: Jays sign Cuban Gurriel Jr 7yr\22 mill, & Kendry Morales 3yr\33 mill)

[Eyedea]

Jeff Passan ‏@JeffPassan 7m7 minutes ago
Toronto's plan is to start Lourdes Gurriel Jr. at shortstop, probably at Double-A. Ultimately, thought is he may end up a corner outfielder.

Urena starts in Buffalo then?

Wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing Urena get more reps around the infield.

 

[Garlando]

Just to follow up on the MLB.com tool grades on Gurriel that was posted on the last page. This Fangraphs page includes a chart with what a tool grade projects to. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/scouting-explained-the-20-80-scouting-scale/

So with Gurriel being given: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 60 by MLB.com

That projects to roughly a .270 AVG with 15-18 HRs with a plus glove up the middle. That's a highly valuable player on the FA market so it seems to me the Jays got a good value contract with little risk at just a $3.1 Million price tag. Well done Atkins/Shapiro

 

[ShaneFalco]

 

[Muston Atthews]

Rosenthal:

Sources: #BlueJays making push for Kendrys Morales. Hit 30 HRs with .795 OPS for #Royals. Potential impact on Jays’ other FAs unclear.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Jon Morosi tell us that the Blue Jays are ‘showing interest’ in Josh Reddick,but they are waiting for Jose Bautista’s decision on the Qualifying Offer.

Reddick hit .281/.345/.405 with 10 home runs in 115 games, split between the Dodger and the A’s. He’s a left-handed hitter, which is something we could use. He’s likely better than Bautista in right field.

I don’t see why they wouldn’t look at Reddick even if they signed Bautista. It is time Jose was moved from the outfield anyway (and Jose said he was willing to play infield or DH).

The team has made an offer to Edwin Encarnacion, but Edwin wants to field other offers before making a decision. The Astros are rumored to be interested, but it sounds like the Red Sox aren’t talking to him.

I’m happy with the signing of Lourdes Gourriel. I’d imagine he’s most likely going to be playing left field, unless there are more moves ahead.

http://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2016/11/11/13600720/blue-jays-rumors-reddick

 

[le_sean]

That's an alarming OPS considering his HR totals.

Would it be possible to have both him and EE or is this simply a contingency plan if Edwin signs elsewhere? Because one of them becomes useless in interleague play, or in 3-4 games of a World Series.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Unless Beltran has openly told management he has no interest in Toronto, this seems stupid.

 

[Cor]

Morales would be DH, and Edwing would be 1B.

Would mean the end of Smoak, so I'm cool with it

 

[Nasty Nazem]

Jays would lose quite a bit of flexibility if they were to sign Morales. He can play the occasional 1B here and there but he is mostly just a DH. But I suppose if they can't sign Edwin and are going to stick with Smoak on the roster, then playing Smoak at 1B and Morales DH makes sense.

It's just... ugh, Smoak.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Jays would lose quite a bit of flexibility if they were to sign Morales. He can play the occasional 1B here and there but he is mostly just a DH. But I suppose if they can't sign Edwin and are going to stick with Smoak on the roster, then playing Smoak at 1B and Morales DH makes sense.

It's just... ugh, Smoak.

There should be a lot of upset fans if this what will end up happening. Morales at DH and Smoak at 1B full time? Uhhhh....

 

[Bob Barker]

Jays would lose quite a bit of flexibility if they were to sign Morales. He can play the occasional 1B here and there but he is mostly just a DH. But I suppose if they can't sign Edwin and are going to stick with Smoak on the roster, then playing Smoak at 1B and Morales DH makes sense.

It's just... ugh, Smoak.

Came here to say this. If it's a contingency plan for no EE, then it's fine, but I think they'd be better served putting their money into the outfield and have DH a bit more open to get JD, Tulo etc off their feet for a half day off now and then.

Edit: Didn't realize Morales isn't serviceable at 1B.

 

[Kurtz]

I can absolutely see Shatkins deciding to split $25 mil/year between Reddick and Morales rather than giving that to EE alone.

Would be similar to bringing in Happ+Estrada instead of Price this past season, and would fit their MO of risk diversification.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I can absolutely see Shatkins deciding to split $25 mil/year between Reddick and Morales rather than giving that to EE alone.

Would be similar to bringing in Happ+Estrada instead of Price this past season, and would fit their MO of risk diversification.

But then they will Smoak playing 1B every day? **** right off with that ****. Then you have this DH who is slow as molasses and who does not even hit for enough power. ********.

 

[canucksfan100]

That's an alarming OPS considering his HR totals.

Would it be possible to have both him and EE or is this simply a contingency plan if Edwin signs elsewhere? Because one of them becomes useless in interleague play, or in 3-4 games of a World Series.

Moralez won't get you any extra bade hits besides HRs. But he will get on base and doesn't strike out a ton

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

I can absolutely see Shatkins deciding to split $25 mil/year between Reddick and Morales rather than giving that to EE alone.

Would be similar to bringing in Happ+Estrada instead of Price this past season, and would fit their MO of risk diversification.

That's funny...I think they've shown a bit higher aptitude than to think that is a good idea.

Also, I think those two moves (i.e. Happ\Estrada vs. Price and Reddick\Morales vs. EE) are not the same at all...for several reasons.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Moralez won't get you any extra bade hits besides HRs. But he will get on base and doesn't strike out a ton

Who cares if he gets on base? The guy just clogs the bases. I really hope the backup plan is not just signing Morales and going with Smoak at 1B full time.

 

[Kurtz]

But they they will Smoak playing 1B every day? **** right off with that ****.

That'd be quite tragic for sure...but I can see them addressing that issue by bringing in a guy like Lind in another low-risk medium reward move.

 

[Suntouchable13]

That'd be quite tragic for sure...but I can see them addressing that issue by bringing in a guy like Lind in another low-risk medium reward move.

You know what? If they will just do that then just rebuild already. This is crap, half assed ********.

 

[Glenn Isildur Healy]

But then they will Smoak playing 1B every day? **** right off with that ****. Then you have this DH who is slow as molasses and who does not even hit for enough power. ********.

Doesn't mean at all that Smoak plays 1B everyday

People need to relax and watch this playout. FA has barely started and people are panicking

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

You know what? If they will just do that then just rebuild already. This is crap, half assed ********.

You're literally angry right now for no reason.

Shaner-lite

 

[Kurtz]

That's funny...I think they've shown a bit higher aptitude than to think that is a good idea.

Also, I think those two moves (i.e. Happ\Estrada vs. Price and Reddick\Morales vs. EE) are not the same at all...for several reasons.

It may be a fairly good idea depending on what the actual market for EE turns out to be. If he gets an offer well north of $100 mil, I'd be surprised if the Jays match.

It would be completely in line with everything they've done to date in both Cleveland and Toronto - that is avoiding monster contracts for a single player, and instead choosing to spread the money around for multiple average to good players.

 

[Brown Dog]

Unless Beltran has openly told management he has no interest in Toronto, this seems stupid.

Beltran? Ewww.

Hoping this Morales talk is a motivational tactic for Edwin.

 

[Kurtz]

You know what? If they will just do that then just rebuild already. This is crap, half assed ********.

To be honest, with all of the cap-killing monster contracts around baseball, their risk diversification strategy may not be the worst thing.

In any case, given what Cleveland and Toronto accomplished last season, these guys may have been validated in their approach.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

You know what? If they will just do that then just rebuild already. This is crap, half assed ********.

You need to chill

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

It may be a fairly good idea depending on what the actual market for EE turns out to be. If he gets an offer well north of $100 mil, I'd be surprised if the Jays match.

It would be completely in line with everything they've done to date in both Cleveland and Toronto - that is avoiding monster contracts for a single player, and instead choosing to spread the money around for multiple average to good players.

- Shapiro signed Travis Hafner for 4 years, $57MM in 2007. The EE contract will likely be 4 years. There's precedence.
- Reddick is a deteriorating asset, and I'm confident the front-office knows this
- Morales is a flawed asset, and I'm confident the front-office know this
- Both players are fine complimentary pieces signed very early or very late in free agency to value deals. That's all
- The beauty of the Happ deal was that they were purchasing an asset that was upward trending, under valued (perception), and known (health wise) to the org. The beauty of the Estrada deal was that they were purchasing an asset that was under valued (perception), and known (health wise) to the org. What made signing the two of them better than a single signing of Price was not so much the aav saved, but the mitigation in the years committed.
- An EE signing differs because there's far less risk involved with the term
- If I truly wanted to save money, I could sign Jon Jay, platoon him with BJ Upton, trump the production of a Reddick and sign EE.