MLB Free Agent Season

[maurice93]

Poor Spencer being used while everyone gets what they want. And brilliant Ross acquires our 40th second base on the roster with no power. Great thinking Ross…

Philip

Other than Leo Jimenez and Ernie Clement none of our second base or SS options even reach the low threshold of being a bit below average defensively (Bo, Wagner, Horwitz, Martinez)

Gimene. is elite defensively and that matters up the middle. So at least in that regard he is not replicating others. That being said like most of the Jays he hit better in 2022 vs 2024. He needs to step up his obp.

As I said before I think the Jays see Will Wagner as the 2025 version of Horwitz. It’s certainly a risk and I wouldn’t count on it. Alternatively why not have and keep both is still a valid and fair question. But the Jays value D — sometimes to a fault. We will find out which.

 

[K Douglas]

Poor Spencer being used while everyone gets what they want. And brilliant Ross acquires our 40th second base on the roster with no power. Great thinking Ross…

Philip

This guy is just a horrible GM. I cannot believe he still has a job.

 

[K Douglas]

Other than Leo Jimenez and Ernie Clement none of our second base or SS options even reach the low threshold of being a bit below average defensively (Bo, Wagner, Horwitz, Martinez)

Gimene. is elite defensively and that matters up the middle. So at least in that regard he is not replicating others. That being said like most of the Jays he hit better in 2022 vs 2024. He needs to step up his obp.

As I said before I think the Jays see Will Wagner as the 2025 version of Horwitz. It’s certainly a risk and I wouldn’t count on it. Alternatively why not have and keep both is still a valid and fair question. But the Jays value D — sometimes to a fault. We will find out which.

Yes he has back to back GG and he can run. But he barely gets on base at a .300 clip. And that's a problem especially if we want to use him near the top of the order.

 

[maurice93]

Yes he has back to back GG and he can run. But he barely gets on base at a .300 clip. And that's a problem especially if we want to use him near the top of the order.

He was also 6th in the MVP race in 2022 with an OBP of .371 (and WAR of 7.3) - obviously reaching those same levels again seem unrealistic but there is huge room for some improvement between 2024 and 2002.

It ultimately comes down to whether you think a 26 year old, who was 6th in the MVP race as a 23 year old, has bottomed out and will never recover in any meaningful way.

The Jays are obviously taking a gamble that he can return partway (or at least halfway) to his 2022 OBP level of ,371. Coming off years of ,298 and .314, If he could cut the gap from 2022 in half it would be pretty good (.335-.340). We are also banking on our hitting coaches, whomever they are, can make an adjustment -- I don't have much faith in that part though.

I think its a fair gamble. The Jays need to hit some "home runs" this offseason since they decided to re-tool with at best a modest team, and there is more upside in peak Gimenez than Horwitz. If it doesn't pay off though the cost is high in 2026 and beyond in terms of $ -- of course at that point we could be rebuilding anyway.

 

[maurice93]

I don't like Shatkins, and I think post 2021 they have done extremely poorly. They have put the team in a rotten position.

But I also don't think it makes any sense to blanket auto-shit on any move they make. There are certain risks they are taking here, but also upside opportunities.
Also with having somewhere between 60-80% more payroll than the Indians there are certain risks they can take that the Indians can't. Of course they are forced to take these risks because of the shitty job they have done the last 3 years.

 

[tml]

What happened to shack?

 

[Toronto Passions]

What happened to shack?

Good question. I think he started this thread and then he went on vacation.

Philip

 

[Toronto Passions]

…. I just read a report today that TEOSCAR and VLADY are currently hanging out together in Florida working out together. And this administration cannot put together a deal to give Vladimir some protection in the order and give Hernandez four years at 100 mil. I’m sorry, but the incompetency of Ross Akins is beyond ridiculous. The very first order of business this off-season should’ve been to lock up Vladimir. Buck Martinez has been saying all year this is the first and foremost situation that will allow other free agents to take Toronto seriously. This team is suffering so much because of these guys running the show. It’s crazy. I can’t believe what’s happening with this…

Philip

 

[onomatopoeia]

What happened to shack?

I think shack's been banned temporarily.

The evidence:

Look at his stats in post #1 of this thread; his posts total is 51, 719. That would put him in 4th place for most messages among active handles, between Aardvark154 and WoodPeckr on the 'notable members' list, but he doesn't appear. His custom handle, 'Nitpicker Extraordinaire', still appears; this would be changed to 'banned' if he was gone permanently.

Permanently banned handles don't appear in the stats, otherwise fuji, (80, 011), would still hold the top spot.

My guess is that he crossed the line in Politics on December 2, and was given two weeks; it would surprise me if he doesn't post somewhere on Monday or early Tuesday morning.

I had one 72 hour enforced hiatus with this handle, and I noticed that bit with the site stats.

 

[tml]

I think shack's been banned temporarily.

The evidence:

Look at his stats in post #1 of this thread; his posts total is 51, 719. That would put him in 4th place for most messages among active handles, between Aardvark154 and WoodPeckr on the 'notable members' list, but he doesn't appear. His custom handle, 'Nitpicker Extraordinaire', still appears; this would be changed to 'banned' if he was gone permanently.

Permanently banned handles don't appear in the stats, otherwise fuji, (80, 011), would still hold the top spot.

My guess is that he crossed the line in Politics on December 2, and was given two weeks; it would surprise me if he doesn't post somewhere on Monday or early Tuesday morning.

I had one 72 hour enforced hiatus with this handle, and I noticed that bit with the site stats.

Interesting. Thanks for the post. It seems Frankfooter hasn't been heard from since Dec.2 also. Of course, Darts hasn''t ben heard from in a long while.

 

[tml]

Steve Simmons(Toronto Sun) made a good point the other day. If the Yankees had signed Cody Bellinger he would have been teammates with Giancarlo Stsnton. Bellinger is married to Stanton's former girlfriend. That would have been interesting.

 

[onomatopoeia]

Steve Simmons(Toronto Sun) made a good point the other day. If the Yankees had signed Cody Bellinger he would have been teammates with Giancarlo Stsnton. Bellinger is married to Stanton's former girlfriend. That would have been interesting.

Um...Bellinger was traded to the Yankees, for a middle reliever.

In the late eighties, the Leafs' Al Iafrate and Gary Leeman were banging the same woman at the same time, but on different nights.

 

[tml]

Um...Bellinger was traded to the Yankees, for a middle reliever.

In the late eighties, the Leafs' Al Iafrate and Gary Leeman were banging the same woman at the same time, but on different nights.

Oops. I'll copy and paste the comment straight from his article of December 29, 2024:
" It’s highly possible that Cody Bellinger will be batting next to Giancarlo Stanton in the Yankees batting order this coming season. Bellinger, by the way, is married to Stanton’s old girlfriend ".

IIRC, Leeman was banging Iafrate's wife. Also, rumour has it Iafrate had Kordic beat up Leeman to get even.

 

[K Douglas]

I was actually hoping that before last season the Jays would sign Bellinger. He's going to kick ass in New York. Former MVP.

 

[shack]

Meanwhile Sleepy and Dopey must be ready to unleash their master plan any day now. All they need are a couple of under the radar infielder signings that they have control over for a few years and some retreads in their mid-30's who will have career years. Versatility, defense and control without overspending.

They're too smart to not succeed.

 

[shack]

I think I may delete the Jays 2024 thread.

The 2024 season is long gone and we're now in the year 2025 and we have this thread for off-season stuff, yet people keep posting in the 2024 thread.

 

[onomatopoeia]

With each passing day, a reunion with Justin Turner seems more and more likely.

 

[onomatopoeia]

 

[tml]

With each passing day, a reunion with Justin Turner seems more and more likely.

More likely Justin Trudeau.

 

[Primetime21]

Toronto Blue Jays sign RP Jeff Hoffman to three-year, $33M contract | TSN

The Toronto Blue Jays have signed right-handed reliever Jeff Hoffman to a three-year, $33 million contract.

www.tsn.ca