2021 Blue Jays General Discussion Thread

[OldTimeHockey]

Any chance it opens the door for other big names to be interested in Toronto again?

Between this and the Ryu signing I'm not sure you could fairly say that big name free agents are less interested in Toronto than any other team as a rule and I don't know how many more guys like that you could credibly expect the Jays to sign.

But, you know, if the Jays start winning and they have more money to spend...sure.

Yeah, I've sort of always been of the impression that Toronto was less attractive(until they start going all in)..which I suppose goes against what I'm asking...So, never mind. The joys of being a fan that only sort of pays attention.

[Nik]

Another thing to consider is that while the Jays have payroll flexibility now, and could be generous on some short term deals, they are going to want to be able to re-sign a lot of the guys they have to team-friendly extensions so they probably can't go too crazy right now.

[Nik]

re: Brantley I'm now seeing some people, credible people, saying the Jays weren't even close to signing him. I wonder what happened there.

[Deebo]

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1354205917768806404

He had a huge 2019.

Like 3rd in MVP voting, 7.6 fWAR huge.

Slow start in the shortened season, but finished strong. Could be a massive addition.

Big salary but only 1 year.

[bustaheims]

Solid defensive addition, too. Could be a huge add if he recovers some.

[Nik]

I really like this as a one year no risk move. Semien has played some 2B and 3B as well as primarily SS so he gives the Jays options when constructing lineups.

A downside is the lineup is very right-hand heavy but there are worse problems to have.

[Nik]

Blue Jays make a weird trade, dealing Yennsy Diaz(Who MLB has as their #26 prospect), Josh Winckowski(#27) and Sean Reid-Foley for Steven Matz from the Mets.

Matz was terrible last year but in the two years prior was a serviceable back of the rotation guy.

[L K]

Between Stripling/Ray/Hatch/Thornton/Borucki/Merryweather/Kay/Roark they have a junk load of 4/5 starters.  Still hard to say if Pearson can be reliable as a 2/3 so the Jays really need one if not two reliable starters otherwise even a phenomenal offense will fall flat

[bustaheims]

Blue Jays make a weird trade, dealing Yennsy Diaz(Who MLB has as their #26 prospect), Josh Winckowski(#27) and Sean Reid-Foley for Steven Matz from the Mets.

Matz was terrible last year but in the two years prior was a serviceable back of the rotation guy.

Yeah. Don't love the addition of Matz. He's been mostly an averagish pitcher through his career, with a couple terrible seasons, including 2020. He does provide a LH option out of the pen, if that's where he ultimately ends up, though.

Not super fussed about what the Jays gave up. Don't think any of three pitchers they gave up will turn out to be much more than okay relievers.

[Nik]

I know the hope for some is they add two more starting pitchers with Walker and Paxton being the guys most mentioned as free agents. If they do that, or add one guy and trade for another, then Matz is gravy. That said, it seems weird when you figure they're probably near their spending limit for the off-season to add Matz at 5 million so maybe this means they're only targeting one guy?

[OldTimeHockey]

I know the hope for some is they add two more starting pitchers with Walker and Paxton being the guys most mentioned as free agents. If they do that, or add one guy and trade for another, then Matz is gravy. That said, it seems weird when you figure they're probably near their spending limit for the off-season to add Matz at 5 million so maybe this means they're only targeting one guy?

Do they have any significant money guys rumoured or available to be moved out?

[L K]

I know the hope for some is they add two more starting pitchers with Walker and Paxton being the guys most mentioned as free agents. If they do that, or add one guy and trade for another, then Matz is gravy. That said, it seems weird when you figure they're probably near their spending limit for the off-season to add Matz at 5 million so maybe this means they're only targeting one guy?

Do they have any significant money guys rumoured or available to be moved out?

The only one you could maybe see a scenario where they trade him is Grichuk as the 4th outfielder at 10.3M/year for the next 3 years.  He's not a bad player but I just don't think he's going to have much in the way of trade value though so I doubt he gets moved.

[Nik]

Do they have any significant money guys rumoured or available to be moved out?

Grichuk is the only guy who really fits the bill and his name has been mentioned in some trade scenarios. That said, it's tough to know if he really has value or if they'd have to take money back on it or eat most of it.

[OldTimeHockey]

Do they have any significant money guys rumoured or available to be moved out?

Grichuk is the only guy who really fits the bill and his name has been mentioned in some trade scenarios. That said, it's tough to know if he really has value or if they'd have to take money back on it or eat most of it.

Yeah, I suppose if it's not opening up money for the Pitchers needed, there's no real reason to make the move as Grichuk has proven to be at least somewhat serviceable. Unless you're interested in someone else's 10 million dollar pitcher but I guess that would just be buying another number 4 or 5

[Nik]

Well, the issue with Grichuk right now is playing time. If he's the 4th outfielder and you figure the DH spot is mainly going to see some mix of Vladdy/Rowdy/Kirk then he's not going to get a lot of at-bats. He's an awfully good 4th outfielder to have around if you're going to be paying him anyway but I think some people think that with the line-up so righthanded heavy that there may be value in shipping him out for peanuts and finding a lefty/switch hitter who can be around for pinch hitting duties. That or you make an offer of prospects to a team for a pitcher so attractive that they take Grichuk too.