The Blue Jays have announced that they’ve exercised their option on catcher Josh Thole and declined their options on first baseman Justin Smoak and righties Brandon Morrow and Dustin McGowan. Smoak is still eligible for arbitration and will remain in the organization. Ben Nicholson-Smith of SportsNet.ca was the first to report on Smoak’s status (via Twitter), while Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish was first on McGowan.
Thole will make $1.75MM next season after hitting .248/.320/.278 in 150 plate appearances last season. He’ll continue to serve as the Jays’ catcher when knuckleballer R.A. Dickey is pitching.
The Jays will pay the newly acquired Smoak a $150K buyout rather than picking up his $3.65MM option. They’ll gamble that he’ll make less in arbitration. With Adam Lind headed to Milwaukee, the lefty now has a clearer path to a role with the Jays in 2015.
Morrow will receive a $1MM buyout on his $10MM option after missing much of the season due to a finger injury. He still throws hard, however, and his intriguing track record (including an excellent 9.4 K/9 in a career mostly spent as a starter) will make him a free agent to watch. McGowan, who posted a 4.17 ERA in 82 innings split between the rotation and the bullpen last year, will receive a $500K buyout rather than a $4MM option.
They are just declining the Smoak option to pay him less through arbitration. If they don’t want him by spring training (end) they only have to pay him 1/6 of the contract.
Sounds like were stuck with Smoak anyways at the moment, doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere with Lind out.
Smoaked it! A term to be used in arbitration coined by Mariner fans in chat rooms talking about fly balls just short of the warning track.
Those might be off a wall or gone at Rogers Centre. Homeruns at Yankee stadium and in Boston with Peskie’s pole.
Well, honestly I hope so. He’s a good kid. His glove is solid especially digging throws out of the dirt. Could be a 30 homer bat if someone can fix him.
I agree, docmilo5. Smoak is a good guy with an underrated glove and serious power potential. For him to succeed it’s going to be all about learning to make contact.
Watching him the last 3 years it seems when he keeps his bat quiet he makes good contact. When he starts bouncing it off his shoulder and over his head he starts hitting lazy fly balls.
Thankfully the Jays have a pretty solid hitting coach in Kevin Seitzer. Oh, wait…
I think Adam Lind is heading to Milwaukee not Toronto…
Morrow could well be a FA sleeper/reclamation project.
Be interesting to see who is in on him and at how much.
I don’t know, I read an article comparing him to other guys who’ve had the type of injury luck he has and most of them were out of baseball within the age of 30-31. Guys who are injury prone in their 20’s rarely stay healthy as they age into their 30’s.
Theres no doubt the stats on those sort of guys isnt good, but then theres always the exception that proves the rule.
Possible buy low high reward candidate?
Yeah, his real value is as a reliever. Something he doesn’t want to be unfortunately.
Each post about Smoak has referred to him as a lefty. That is true. But he is also a righty.
There’s a slight error in your post. Adam Lind is not “headed to Toronto,” but “headed to Milwaukee,” or “headed out of Toronto.”
What the heck Anthopolous? Give up on McGowan for an additional 3.5 million. Trade Lind to Milwaukee for a guy to replace McGowan who has worse stats, fastball averages 89, and will make more than 3.5 mil… Gave away Lind to downgrade our relief staff… Ridiculous.