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Blue Jays Sign Maicer Izturis

By Mike Axisa | November 8, 2012 at 12:49pm CDT

12:49pm: The Blue Jays have announced the signing (on Twitter). It's a three-year, $9MM contract with a $3MM club option for 2016. 

12:05pm: The Blue Jays have agreed to sign Maicer Izturis to a three-year, $10MM contract according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). The deal includes a club option for a fourth year. Izturis is represented by Peter E. Greenberg & Associates.

Uspw_6498750As Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca points out (on Twitter), this is the largest contract GM Alex Anthopoulos has given to a free agent. The one-year deals worth $4.5MM given to Darren Oliver and Francisco Cordero last offseason were the previous record holders. Our Transaction Tracker has the breakdown of Anthopoulos' free agent signings.

Izturis, 32, hit .256/.320/.315 in 319 plate appearances for the Angels this year, his worst full season as a big leaguer. He won't hit for any power, but Izturis makes a lot of contact from both sides of the plate and is a capable defender at all three non-first base infield positions. He's also a threat to steal double digit bases. Izturis has hit .264/.327/.360 in 1,051 plate appearances across the last three years overall.

The Blue Jays figured to target infield depth this winter since Kelly Johnson is a free agent and Yunel Escobar is a trade candidate. They briefly had Mike Aviles after acquiring him from the Red Sox for manager John Farrell, but he's since been flipped to the Indians. Izturis did not rank among Tim Dierkes' Top 50 Free Agents.

Photo courtesy of US Presswire.

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Toronto Blue Jays Transactions Maicer Izturis

Blue Jays Acquire Jeremy Jeffress
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54 Comments

  1. George Vander Buist

    13 years ago

    three years???

    Reply
  2. Mostafa Rashed

    13 years ago

    Good deal. ~3.3Milli per year is very good for a utility guy who can start a few games

    Reply
  3. jacks100

    13 years ago

    Awful.

    Reply
  4. Austin A.

    13 years ago

    I like the deal, except its one year too many.

    Reply
    • Morley C

      13 years ago

      The 3rd year or the option year?

      Reply
      • Austin A.

        13 years ago

        I would of done two years with third year option

        Reply
    • Eric 30

      13 years ago

      Wouldn’t have got done without the third year.

      Reply
  5. rdillon99

    13 years ago

    Not a bad deal. Perhaps it might be one guaranteed year too many, but given the dearth of available middle infielders as free agents this year, it is a players market.

    Reply
    • go_jays_go

      13 years ago

      very true.

      Reply
    • Austin G.

      13 years ago

      Worst thing that happens is the team has a very serviceable bench option in a few years a la JMac.

      Reply
  6. bigkingk 2

    13 years ago

    Didn’t see 3 yr with an option coming. I think this is good for the jays. Money is great. 1 to 2 as a starter than super utility for 2. Good guy to have on your bench. Beats kj or anyone else available.

    Reply
    • Dirty jay

      13 years ago

      Agreed, It’ll be good to have reliable depth a few years down the road. Something we clearly lacked this season.

      Reply
    • go_jays_go

      13 years ago

      I think Scutaro would be the best INF utility option available, but Maicer is a close second.

      Reply
      • bigkingk 2

        13 years ago

        Scutaro is likely looking for twice as much as this. His value is sky high with his post season and lack of depth of FA infielders

        Reply
      • Empire Exoticz

        13 years ago

        Scutaro as an utility after the way he played in SF?

        Reply
        • suhiscrazierthanyou

          13 years ago

          You mean how he played in September and October?

          Reply
      • suhiscrazierthanyou

        13 years ago

        Do a comparison of their career #’s (BFullmerFan summed it up nicely on a DrunkJaysFan comment)… for cost, Izturis mightr be as good, or better

        Reply
  7. Spot Star

    13 years ago

    Dollars wise its fine, length is too long but then again the dollar value doesnt make it a big deal. Like it overall. A solid #9 switch hitter with good D.

    Reply
  8. Randy 15

    13 years ago

    That is good news. I will take a reliable hitter, as Izturis has been for most of his career, over KJ any time. Plus defender as well.

    Reply
  9. Marcos Montenegro

    13 years ago

    What’s with AA’s fascination with the Angels? Or, are these deals payback promises for the Wells trade?

    Reply
    • BeenThereDoneIt

      13 years ago

      Why would he have to pay back the Angels by signing one of their unrestricted free agents? I realize it’s an effort at comedy, but put a little more into it next time…

      Reply
  10. $7562574

    13 years ago

    good luck, mighty maicer!

    Reply
  11. JaysFan1996

    13 years ago

    3.3 mil/year for a guy who plays a low offence postion with high upside. How is this bad? Abritration players probably would get paid more

    Reply
    • jacks100

      13 years ago

      High upside? He’s 32.

      Reply
      • Jason Castillo

        13 years ago

        and fills the void left by omar who was 45, even better upside, eh jacks.

        Reply
        • Devon Henry

          13 years ago

          Just because one player has more upside than another doesnt mean he has “high upside.”

          Reply
  12. Austin A.

    13 years ago

    “Izturis has hit .264/.327/.360 in 1,051 plate appearances acrossr the last three years overall.” Spell check please

    Reply
  13. qbass187

    13 years ago

    Meh. Decent deal.
    Never been a big fan of this player but 3/10 is hard to pass up for a starting SS with major league experience and some success.

    Reply
    • BeenThereDoneIt

      13 years ago

      Except he’ll be playing second base even if Escobar is traded with Hech being the SS of the future.

      Reply
      • qbass187

        13 years ago

        2B or SS doesn’t make any difference. He played all over in LAA. I still think he’s mediocre… Still a decent deal for the $$$.

        Reply
  14. Asif

    13 years ago

    Is yunel escobar a lock to leave Toronto? And is izturis now the starting second baseman on paper?

    Reply
    • BeenThereDoneIt

      13 years ago

      I would say no to Escobar being a lock to leave, and yes to the starting 2nd baseman. I don’t think you sign a guy to a 3+1 contract with the anticipation of him coming off the bench.

      Reply
    • suhiscrazierthanyou

      13 years ago

      no and yes, at this point

      Reply
  15. rdillon99

    13 years ago

    The team is reporting that it is actually a 3 year, $9M deal, plus a club option

    Reply
  16. $5427573

    13 years ago

    MLB just tweeted it’s 3 years for 9MM with a 4th option year at 3MM

    Reply
  17. Howard

    13 years ago

    Eh, I’d say its better than having McCoy at 2nd base next year, and now Hech can either be on the bench or start in AAA. Come on Jays, time to hire a manager and get those starters!!!

    Reply
    • Howard

      13 years ago

      p.s. wish this guys name was Erick Aybar that we just signed, but oh well.

      Reply
  18. Kingmojo101

    13 years ago

    Is it me or do the bluejays like angel players

    Reply
  19. Jays Fan 3

    13 years ago

    I think this signing means hechevarria will get his chance to start at SS or 2B. If it doesnt go well and hes sent down then they will give the starts to izturis. hechevarria’s glove is too good to put at 2B. Think best option is
    hech SS
    escobar 2B
    izturis UT
    Would escobar make the move if hes still in the picture?

    Reply
    • go_jays_go

      13 years ago

      JCIAP is right on this one. After this deal, Hech will likely start in AAA.

      Reply
  20. Jays Fan 3

    13 years ago

    i like it

    Reply
  21. crashcameron

    13 years ago

    former Expo farmhand! gotta like that. my only concern is ‘injury-ness.’ might have to be nursed a little in regards to playing time

    Reply
  22. bigmike04

    13 years ago

    really stupid on Blue Jay half to sign player with no coach… Shouldn’t their priority be getting a manager in place, instead of building their roster as who know is their coach want Maicer Izturis

    Reply
    • BeenThereDoneIt

      13 years ago

      The coach coaches, the GM gives him the team to coach. A good coach (manager) should be able to work with what’s given to him.

      Reply
    • Dan Furino

      13 years ago

      Well considering that everyone is trying to sign free agents, and the Jays are the only team looking for a manager, there’s no reason to rush the search for a coach. They can take as much time as they want because no one else is in the market, unlike the free agent market where they need to be on the ball.

      Reply
  23. safari_punch

    13 years ago

    Could be the number two hitter.

    Doesn’t strike out.

    Can hit and run.

    Run the bases well.

    Plays defense at multiple positions.

    Professional attitude.

    Jays need more players like this.

    Would have preferred two years with an option, but not bad considering the market.

    Reply
    • Chris McCullough

      13 years ago

      Can he hit though? Not a great average last year and he doesn’t have much pop in his bat. Seems closer to a 9 hitter than a 2 for me.

      Reply
      • safari_punch

        13 years ago

        Well that’s one year. If he couldn’t hit – or rather if the Jays thought he couldn’t hit, I don’t think they’d have signed him for more than a year.

        He’s not a player you expect to have pop, but he can do a lot of the little things well – something the majority of the Jays lineup could not do – like make productive outs.

        I don’t know why the Jays would go after a free agent to bat in the 9 hole, but crazier things have happened.

        Reply
        • Joe Turner

          13 years ago

          .330 career OBP. That would make him 3rd on the Jays, so he should be hitting 1 or 2, not 9.

          Reply
  24. jaysfordays14

    13 years ago

    If Escobar’s staying and Heche’s starting at SS, then I don’t mind Izturis off the bench as a utility man. As a starter for a team that should be looking toward the playoffs, I think AA could have done better. Ryan Theriot comes to mind.

    Reply
    • Joe Turner

      13 years ago

      Izturis is better than Theriot.

      Reply
      • jaysfordays14

        13 years ago

        Izturis is too inconsistent with the bat in order to warrant starting duties.

        Reply
  25. DerekJeterDan

    13 years ago

    One guaranteed year too many. Players like Maicer Izturis are a dime a dozen but since the money involved won’t cripple the Jays and he plays multiple positions, I like this

    Reply

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