The Blue Jays have signed 37-year-old designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero to a minor league contract, the team announced. The Proformance client would earn a pro-rated portion of $1.3MM in the Major Leagues, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, who first reported the deal (Twitter links).
If Guerrero's bat looks good at extended Spring Training (his next stop) the Blue Jays could make some changes to their lineup. Assuming the Blue Jays don't consider Guerrero an option in the outfield, he'll pinch hit and DH. They could have Guerrero DH against left-handed pitching and shift Adam Lind to the bench against southpaws, with Edwin Encarnacion playing first base. Encarnacion, the team's best hitter so far in 2012, will continue to play every day, but it seems Lind could eventually lose playing time as a result of the signing.
Guerrero has 2,590 hits, 449 homers and a .318/.379/.553 line in 16 big league seasons. In 590 plate appearances with the Orioles last year, the nine-time All-Star posted a .290/.317/.416 line with 13 homers. He drew interest from the Diamondbacks, Indians and Marlins earlier this year.
Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos, a former Montreal Expos employee, has expressed admiration for Guerrero in the past. Anthopoulos has said throughout the spring that he'd be open to adding players on low-risk minor league deals.
Photo courtesy of US Presswire.
Just thinking ahead maybe this means AA is planning to trade Lind (donno if I’d rather have prospects for him or package him with prospects to get pitching) away and go with EE at first. Assuming of course that vlad plays well.
Lind doesn’t have much trade value to get any worthy prospects, but if he was traded, it would be in a package. We need bats more than pitching right now. The starting rotation has been our strength this year.
Lind won’t play vs Left handers likely Vlad will DH vs Lefties and EE will play 1st vs Lefties. that is what I’m assuming.
I like how the story was changed to reflect my comment haha
No harm in this deal at all…I can dig it.
He will light Rogers center up
Wonder if he ever closed his previous Canadian bank account…
You are aware that Jays players get paid in USD right?
Sounds reasonable, sure, but the thought actually never crossed my mind, thanks…
Actually players get paid in whatever currency they negotiate. Just happens the vast majority go with the US buck.
Nah, I’m pretty sure salaries have to be paid in US dollars. Otherwise the luxury tax (and other targets) would be a moving target since exchange rates change.
if I am not mistaken, they have the option to be paid in either currency
Pretty sure Canadian banks accept deposits in USD, regardless…
Haha what is this?
This is the almighty genius using Jedi-mind tricks, silly.
can he close?
I’d hate to see what he considers a strike…
If the bat can reach it…
LOL Well played… Well played…
Who will Guerrero replace on the roster?
Ben Francisco, hopefully.
I wouldn’t mind seeing Davis gone, Francisco has at least hit semi ok in his very small sample. Davis is not good at defense and not hit well at all, he is basically a pinch runner.
what??? no way, davis is the last guy off the bench they would ditch
he’s the only other player who can play center, and in a bench role, if used properly he can be a game changer
why hopefully? Francisco has hit well and plays a position. plus he’s in his peak and is a career 762 OPS. you know what you’re getting.
Lind, Thames, Vlad on the other hand…
Francisco is completely redundant.
@Dev0:disqus : Davis at least can run the bases and play all outfield positions averagely.
he is basically a pinch runner.
Which a team could always use.
I agree that Rajai has way more value than Francisco. but what about Lind? Bautista is going to be moving to 1B soon, so what’s the point of keeping Lind around when he sucks so royally?
There is no point in Lind, except he’s making too much to sit on the bench at this point, and has no value to be traded.
and at one point was good.
Soon is way to generic. It will probably be 2 years before he gets close to being a first baseman on a semi-regular basis…
I wonder if this was a situation where the jays approached Vladdy in the offseason and he still searched for a starting job and then gave in
or AA wasn’t interested but after Lind’s start put it in the works
changing agents might have factored in too
I can never understand why they dont use Francisco as the right handed pinch hitter late in games and save Davis for pinch running when needed. When Davis pinch hits and does not get on, his talents have been wasted.
More importantly, will jays shop be selling any retro expos Vladdy jerseys???
He’s obviously not close to the player he was in Montreal, but I’ll be rooting for him to approximate his 2010 production for Toronto. Maybe this can be like the Dave Winfield signing back in ’92.
I figure the plan is to have Guerrero DH and play a little OF is possible on the road, and either put EE at 1B or platoon a lot at 1B. Maybe they’ll play Guerrero at 1B in the minors to see if he can. Also, I don’t doubt that if he does play well, and the Blue Jays don’t add him by June, AA will look for a trade to an underachiever like Detroit or Cleveland or even LAA by then.
I really doubt he makes the big league club. AA said himself that this is only news because he’s a future HOFer.
Adam Lind or Ben Francisco can be a trade liability to a team like Seattle Mariners that can desperately can use some help on offense. Chone Figgins, infielder/outfielder and minor-league pitcher James Paxton may be a great package for the Blue Jays to acquire after Vlad Guerrero signed w/ the Jays. Hopefully, both GMs can talk about a trade to help the two teams this season and beyond.
“Liability” indeed.