Blue Jays Discussion: Edwin, Donaldson, Saunders, Sanchez, Estrada to the ASG

[hockeywiz542]

oakland, calif. – rather than raising the bar, toronto blue jays general ross atkins feels the steep price paid by the boston red sox for drew pomeranz is simply reflective of the current trade market rate for starting pitching.

The red sox acquired the all-star left-hander from the san diego padres on thursday for right-hander anderson espinoza, an 18-year-old baseball america ranked as the no. 15 prospect in baseball. While pomeranz is in the midst of a breakout season and is under club control for two more years after this one, he doesn’t have the track record more typical of players that fetch a premium prospect in trade.

“it’s really more indicative of the alternatives, or lack thereof,†atkins said on a conference call saturday. “there just aren’t a lot of them. I’m not so sure it’s going to increase the market drastically. There’s just more buyers than there are sellers at that position. The market was already set very high based on the alternatives. It wasn’t surprising to see that’s what it took to get some deals going.â€

the blue jays, of course, are on the lookout for some pitching help but are not expected to pay the going rate, especially after last summer’s buildup. Given that they have eight pending free agents even after extending justin smoak, they could get more of their off-season work done ahead of the aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline by targeting controllable players.

Atkins, however, says the blue jays aren’t ruling out rentals, either.

“we’re considering and talking to teams on both of those fronts,†he said. “there’s an acquisition cost that will be factored in. Typically you pay for control, so that would mean probably giving up more prospect-level. Everything’s a balance. We’re not focused on one versus the other. We’re focused on winning this year and obviously every team would say that. You just don’t want to compromise your future in how hard you try to do that. We’ll keep those things at the forefront, but we’ll 100-per-cent recognize the opportunity that we have in front of us, with a very good team. We’ve been playing very well and hopefully and seemingly peaking at a very good tie. We’re going to look to complement the team every day that we wake up.â€

 

[King Mapes]

omg 2019 is also the year Smoak becomes free agent

So... Harper, Machado, Donaldson and Smoak. Oh ****!

 

[trellaine201]

So... Harper, Machado, Donaldson and Smoak. Oh ****!

Oh no Smoak to NYY the guy we just signed and has gone something like 7/56 in his past 20 games.

 

[zeke]

way to show up for the 2nd half, guys!

 

[zeke]

Everything’s a balance. We’re not focused on one versus the other. We’re focused on winning this year and obviously every team would say that. You just don’t want to compromise your future in how hard you try to do that. We’ll keep those things at the forefront, but we’ll 100-per-cent recognize the opportunity that we have in front of us, with a very good team. We’ve been playing very well and hopefully and seemingly peaking at a very good time. We’re going to look to complement the team every day that we wake up.â€

more meaningless pre-excuse making.

 

[zeke]

We saw this as an opportunity and a short window to see if there was something there with justin and it turned out we were both really efficient."

Atkins: "hey justin we want to lock you up for a couple years"
Smoak: "lol are u joking...ER I MEAN WHERE DO I SIGN!"

efficient.

 

[TootooTrain]

James Loney got a similar 3yr deal. 5m signing bonus, 1m/7m/8m respectively. I'm not one of Smoak's biggest supporters, but it's not a real hindrance to the team. Decent power off the bench, good glove, switch hitter. Not enough to be upset about here.

There are quite a few free agents to be on this team. So be prepared for the re-signing of, *gasp*, non-star players.

 

[Swervin81]

La Russa and Stewart honestly straight up should just be fired on the spot if this is true. Not like those clowns should've lasted there for this long in the first place with how utterly inept they've been.

 

[Cor]

A short term, low money deal has people angry.

Colour me shocked.

 

[King Mapes]

Oh no Smoak to NYY the guy we just signed and has gone something like 7/56 in his past 20 games.

When are Barney and Goins FA? We can't afford to lose them too!

 

[zeke]

Jansen's in a bit of a groove now. His usual decent power hasn't shown up yet but babip has finally looked favorably on him and with his elite plate discipline he's rocking a near .400obp giving him a very good 118wrc+.

Through his career so far, injury riddled as it has been, but age appropriate at every level with apparently a legit defensive C profile:

612pa, 11.9bb%/12.3k%, .264babip/.242avg, .110iso, 110wrc+

he already looks good, and if that low babip is at all fluky he's not far from looking very good.

 

[hockeywiz542]

what to do with brett cecil is next on the blue jays agenda of internal decision making.

He isn’t the cecil of a year ago. He’s not even close to that unhittable pitcher.

Cecil started the season terribly, got injured and missed six weeks in the process. The jays hoped upon his return that they would find a pitcher somewhere between the troubled reliever of the early season and the overwhelming lefty of a year ago.

Now they can’t be certain what they have.

Cecil has made six appearances since coming back. He has pitched one clean inning. His earned run average this month is 6.23. And this has been his worse month.

With aaron sanchez remaining in the starting rotation for now and cecil no longer dependable, the pressure shifts to president mark shapiro and general manager ross atkins to fortify the bullpen. Or in the case of manager john gibbons, to establish roles for seventh and eighth inning relievers that don’t necessarily include cecil.

Cecil can still get it back: He has proven that in the past. But right now, the longest-serving blue jay can’t be trusted in game-on-the-line situations.

This and that

two words on edwin encarnacion: Sign him. Three more words: Sign him now. I’m figuring three years at $63 million, with a club option for a fourth year, should get it done ... A thought on the justin smoak contract extension: Smoak is the least valuable starting player on the jays roster. Why the rush to extend him? ...

 

[tp71]

So how are they supposed to sign him if Edwin isn't listening to offers...any Jays fan or casually paying attention reporter would know this, but SIGN HIM NOW!! Wonderful journalism...

 

[Cor]

"Why the rush to sign him"

Maybe there was no rush. Maybe they began extension talks with multiple players and Smoak's asking made it an easy deal to make.

No, that can't be it, doesn't fit the narrative.

 

[Scrub*]

steve simmons..

 

[Damisoph]

lol rush. **** I really loathe Simmons.

 

[trellaine201]

Atkins: "hey justin we want to lock you up for a couple years"
Smoak: "lol are u joking...ER I MEAN WHERE DO I SIGN!"

efficient.

Hahahahha

 

[Muston Atthews]

Still complaining about a 2 year deal for an average player making average money I see...

 

[Longshot]

So how are they supposed to sign him if Edwin isn't listening to offers...any Jays fan or casually paying attention reporter would know this, but SIGN HIM NOW!! Wonderful journalism...

Three years with a club option for a 4th?

Unless he has a source for that information, which he doesn't mention, it's completely nonsense.

Why would EE sign for three years right now, when in the winter a team will probably offer him six or maybe even seven years?

 

[Eyedea]

Three years with a club option for a 4th?

Unless he has a source for that information, which he doesn't mention, it's completely nonsense.

Why would EE sign for three years right now, when in the winter a team will probably offer him six or maybe even seven years?

Highly doubtful he'll get anything over 4 years.

 

[Paladin2799]

Highly doubtful he'll get anything over 4 years.

Better be prepared to see EE in a redsox uniform when he signs a 6+ year deal.

 

[Eyedea]

Better be prepared to see EE in a redsox uniform when he signs a 6+ year deal.

Okay. That would be a no brainer of a deal to take in his case then.

 

[tp71]

Highly doubtful he'll get anything over 4 years.

Sure, but would you take a 3 year deal now or try for a longer one when 29 other teams will be able to talk to you? All it takes is one dumb GM.

Simmons, as usual, is just throwing **** at a wall and calling it journalism. There is nothing "inside" or interesting in this article. Anything Shi Dividi has told anyone is all you'd need to know.

 

[Eyedea]

I never said Simmons isn't ************. I just said that EE will very likely not receive anything longterm.

 

[tp71]

I never said Simmons isn't ************. I just said that EE will very likely not receive anything longterm.

I never tried to insinuate you said that.

Why would EE not try to get something long term if there's a chance?