MLB Free Agent Season

[Toronto Passions]

As the Blue Jays chase around Juan Soto and have this secret budget available for him, and let’s say he will then sign somewhere for $600 million…. what are the Blue Jays going to do, extend Guerrero and think he’s going to go for anything less than $400 million for 10 years? The way this administration has handled extending Guerrero is inexcusable. They have their priorities backwards. Like Buck Martinez said, number one priority is extended Guerrero and everything else will fall into place, including free agents taking you seriously. This administration really screwed up because they could’ve gotten Guerrero for cheaper if they did the extension before Soto signs. I can’t believe this organization, and with all of their so-called analytical experts… How can they not see that Vladimir Guerrero Junior has now found something with his approach to be productive in an extremely dangerous way. And he’s doing this with no protection in the order. Imagine giving him some protection like 2021.

This front office is a bunch of dingbats. Like for real….. get ready for some 2000s Blue Jays baseball coming very soon.

Philip

 

[onomatopoeia]

@Toronto Passions:

What the Jays have paid Vlad so far:

2015: $3.9 Million signing bonus as International amateur free agent.

2016-18: Peanuts, (minor leagues)

2019: $555,000

2020: $579, 300

2021: $605, 400

2022: $7.9 Million (1st year arbitration eligible)

2023: $14.5 Million (2nd year arbitration eligible)

2024: $19.9 Million (3rd year arbitration eligible)

Source: https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/player/_/id/21295/vladimir-guerrero-jr

Major League minimum salary, historical: https://www.statistico.com/s/mlb-minimum-league-salary-by-year

In 2019, he received the Major League minimum. In 2020, he was $15.8K above minimum, and in 2021, $34.9K above.

This is typical of how the Jays treat players who have no leverage, and a large part of the reason why they tend to bolt as soon as their period of indentured servitude expires.

This reminds me of a Christmas decoration I used to pin up on my office wall each December when I was an office drone. It was the front page of the New York Daily News from some day in 1982, with the huge headline:

KILLS BOSS
YULE BONUS
TOO SMALL

 

[Toronto Passions]

… as Shapiro and Atkins chase around Soto like a couple of well wishing morons. All the while they haven’t locked up Vladdy. Complete morons. Backwards priorities horrible organization running. This admin really is a joke. And now Soto is going to sign somewhere and there’s no way Guerrero is taking half of that money for his own deal. So if Guerrero hits 40 home runs in 2025, what’s his free agent signing deal going to be? This administration is so disappointing.

Philip

 

[K Douglas]

Blue Jays Believed To Have Gotten Under Luxury Tax Threshold

The 2024 Luxury tax threshold is $237 Million. It's possible that the Blue Jays may have been marginally over the 2024 cap, which won't cost them much THIS year, but it will be REALLY expensive if they exceed the 2025 $241 Million threshold, because that would be three years in a row, and the financial penalty alone would be 50% of any spending above the line, and they would also lose draft picks and International Pool signing money - see the link in post #9 for details about Competitive Balance payors.

That truly is a sad indictment of management. To be that bad with such a high payroll is inexcusable.

 

[onomatopoeia]

That truly is a sad indictment of management. To be that bad with such a high payroll is inexcusable.

This is what happens when a team has no 'talent' being paid pre-arbitration salaries.

 

[Insidious Von]

Vlady's gone and it's Ed Rogers fault, he could have fired these Nimrods after the WS. This is how the free agent market will amount to in Toronto.

 

[Toronto Passions]

Vlady's gone and it's Ed Rogers fault, he could have fired these Nimrods after the WS. This is how the free agent market will amount to in Toronto.

They are nimrods. Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins are the worst of the worst of the worst. How stupid must they be to chase around Soto like this. How the hell are they going to extend Vladimir like this? Even if they did get Soto which will never happen….. what are they going to do to then extend Guerrero? Expect him to accept half of the money that Soto accepted? These morons are probably not even thinking that far ahead.


Philip

 

[tml]

Word is the Jays will not tender a contract to Romano.

 

[shack]

Wherever he signs, I think it will be for less than his previous contract. He made $7.75M last year.

 

[tml]

If the Jays don't tender a contract to Romano they can still sign him. Apparently, management is weary of the progress of his recovery.

 

[onomatopoeia]

If the Jays don't tender a contract to Romano they can still sign him. Apparently, management is weary of the progress of his recovery.

Non tendering a player also removes his from the 40 man roster. Perhaps the Jays plan to select and keep someone in the Rule 5 draft.

Romano was projected to receive close to $8 Million in arbitration, (his 2024 salary was $7.75 Million). It's likely that the Jays don't believe that another team would offer him at least that much, so this could be just an accounting transaction.

 

[Toronto Passions]

Word is the Jays will not tender a contract to Romano.

Stupid administration. And I don’t even like Romano., but they have no bullpen. Didn’t they also not extend Cabrera and Yarbrough? These two morons Atkins and Shapiro are too busy chasing Soto around in circles driving up his price to sign with the Mets.

It’s hard not to be negative on these guys. The worst front office we’ve ever had. I would rather have Gord Ash.

Philip.

 

[maurice93]

Stupid administration. And I don’t even like Romano., but they have no bullpen. Didn’t they also not extend Cabrera and Yarbrough? These two morons Atkins and Shapiro are too busy chasing Soto around in circles driving up his price to sign with the Mets.

It’s hard not to be negative on these guys. The worst front office we’ve ever had. I would rather have Gord Ash.

Philip.

Its not a bad move. Shatkins have done some real questionable stuff but this is most likely not one of them.

Tendering a contract to Romano means that you have to pay him $8 million to keep him from becoming a free agent (its a non negotiable amount)

Do we really want to pay Romano 8 million if his elbow is in tough shape? I'd rather they use the $8 million on other bullpen arms instead via free agency or trade.

The Jays still have the ability to sign Romano now for much less - but will have to compete for his services against all MLB Teams.

 

[maurice93]

Wherever he signs, I think it will be for less than his previous contract. He made $7.75M last year.

He will certainly get less than $8m given his health concerns. The medicals on his elbow must have not been good at this point. The proper play was not tendering him at the $8m minimum offer -- I was sort of expecting them to do otherwise and offer him arb.

I prefer the strategy of using that $8m on other free agent relievers instead. It's been the approximate cost of pitchers acquired in FA by the Jays in recent year, like Yimi Garcia, Chad Green or an international Free agent like Yariel Gonzalez last year.

 

[Toronto Passions]

Its not a bad move. Shatkins have done some real questionable stuff but this is most likely not one of them.

Tendering a contract to Romano means that you have to pay him $8 million to keep him from becoming a free agent (its a non negotiable amount)

Do we really want to pay Romano 8 million if his elbow is in tough shape? I'd rather they use the $8 million on other bullpen arms instead via free agency or trade.

The Jays still have the ability to sign Romano now for much less - but will have to compete for his services against all MLB Teams.

I see that point. I guess I’m just frustrated with the fact that they have no bullpen, and they’re chasing around Soto without extending Guerrero. I think at this point everything they do is shit.

Whoever thought we would see the day where a president and a general manager are so joined at the hip that one equates to the other. As a Jays fan since birth, I have to say it feels pretty claustrophobic being stuck with these bozos.

Philip

 

[tml]

Looks like it's official. Romano out, Swanson in.
https://www.tsn.ca/mlb/toronto-blue...n-romano-who-will-become-free-agent-1.2208683

 

[maurice93]

Looks like it's official. Romano out, Swanson in.
https://www.tsn.ca/mlb/toronto-blue...n-romano-who-will-become-free-agent-1.2208683

Swanson was terrible but at around $3m it was probably a worthwhile gamble to keep him, given how relievers can fluctuate.
His season never got off on the right foot last year due to the unfortunate accident involving his young child.

Hopefully this offseason offers a reset.

Still lots of work to do in that bullpen

Right now looking at this for pitching. They need to acquire at least 3 quality pitchers. Probably one more.

SP - Gausman, Bassitt, Francis, Berrios, EMPTY

Others:
RP - Swanson
RP - Green
RP - Cabrera
RP / SP - Yariel Rodriguez


Others:
Lots of #12-#13 pitchers candidates on the 40 man such as Little. But there is a reason they are only #12-#13 candidates

 

[mitchell76]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1860493255848136943

Mock trades hit a new low with ridiculous Vladdy-Yankees trade proposal

Mock trades have officially gone too far after seeing this ridiculous Blue Jays-Yankees proposal that'd send Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to the Bronx.

jaysjournal.com

 

[tml]

Jon Heyman reporting that Kikuchi has signed with the Angels for 3 years at $63 million.

 

[Toronto Passions]

Jon Heyman reporting that Kikuchi has signed with the Angels for 3 years at $63 million.

that’s too bad. I was hoping the Jay’s would sign him as that left-handed starter they desperately need.

Philip