The latest on Toronto:
- The Blue Jays continue to monitor and stay in touch with free agent first baseman/designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, according to FanRag’s Jon Heyman. Encarnacion’s preference is to re-sign with the Jays, but he’s talking less with them than he is with other teams, per Heyman. Notably, Toronto general manager Ross Atkins expressed pessimism Wednesday about re-upping Encarnacion. While the 33-year-old’s market has seemingly shrunk in the past week, agent Paul Kinzer isn’t worried that Encarnacion will have difficulty securing a sizable contract – whether with the Jays or another team. “Not only is he the best player in this class, he’s one of the best in baseball,” Kinzer told Heyman. “We’re going to be fine. He and I are patient. He’s good” (Twitter links here).
- Having lost left-handed setup man Brett Cecil to the Cardinals, the Blue Jays are on the hunt for a southpaw reliever, leading to interest in Jerry Blevins, Mike Dunn and Javier Lopez, report Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith and Shi Davidi. However, the contracts given to Cecil (four years, $30.5MM) and fellow lefty Marc Rzepczynski (two years, $11MM) have perhaps driven up the prices for Blevins, Dunn and Lopez, meaning the Jays could scour the trade market for a cheaper option than free agency offers, Nicholson-Smith and Davidi observe.
- Along with Chris Iannetta, fellow free agent catchers Bobby Wilson and Geovany Soto are on Toronto’s radar, write Nicholson-Smith and Davidi. The Blue Jays are looking for someone to back up Russell Martin, whose 2016 reserves – Josh Thole and Dioner Navarro – are also on the open market.
The Jays should be looking at Carlos Gonzalez of the Rockies for one of two corner outfield positions…He’s younger, productive, and a great team chemistry guy for the clubhouse…
.966 OPS at Coors Field last year and .744 on the road. He’s a fine player, but his price would have to be low enough given the uncertainty of his production away from Denver.
He be coming to AL east !
All small homer parks
Indeed !!!!
Fenway, Yanks, Carden yard, Roger Center are just a few of those hitters friendly ball parks !!!
I agree as the rogers Center is a Hitters park as well !!!!
I would package Stroman with Pillar, Upton and prospects and even throw Smoak in it for free as well but only if they trade give us both of Blackmon, Ca-Go !!!
After all Blacky only got 2 yrs of control left and Car-Go is a FA after the season !!
So you’re going to give up 4 years of Stroman and 4 years of Pillar for 2 years of Blackmon and 1 year of CarGo, PLUS give them some other spare parts? Thank god you’re not the Jays GM.
AND prospects, that part didn’t even register, I was dumbfounded enough already. You must be kidding with that deal. You are kidding right?
Each mile of the long highway I use to get to work has two miles of ditch. I find it interesting how the Jays are driving along a similar middle way. It could be said that trying to keep a balance is their offseason strategy, thus far. Signing Lhp Oberholster (sp/rp, minor league deal) is a product of that balance.
Their current discussion with the Rockies seems to have promise, for both teams.. I hope it develops ……….
No way for cargo Jay’s are taking Blackmon back maybe thow a low lol prospect in to finalize
…wut?
Are you kidding me ????
No way you get Stroman plus a prospect for Blacky
Paco to the Blue Jays for Reece McGuire make it happen Coppy
Paco Rodriguez? The non tender candidate?
Trade with the Tigers for LHP Justin Wilson
He wasn’t even the best player on his team, which also had Smoak, Tulo, Martin, Saunders. If he were patient he would not have struck out 138 times. Teams may be reluctant to sign him for a lot of money past his age 35 season, look @ one-dimensional players like Bautista, and Bautista is better. Or was better.
That’s a pathetic troll attempt. Did you really just say smoak is better than Edwin. And Encarnacion and Bautista aren’t one dimensional, they’re both power hitter who get on base a lot
No, the point was that saying Encarnacion is better than Smoak is like saying that the Cubs are beter than the Braves. Not even a close comparison. And yes, one dimensional, sure they hit homers but also can’t field, run, or get on base that often.
Bautista doesn’t get on base much?
Bautista and EE when healthy are top 10 guys for OBP in the AL, and Bautista is known to walk more than strikeout
Are you joking
The seasonal cry of the whoa-is-me Jays. The Jays are not a small market team and their fans deserve better. Jays have two years of playoff revenue, strong attendance, and a rich ownership group (Rogers Communications) – re-sign EE.
They have had a top-10 payroll for the last 4 years, even as the Canadian dollar tanked in the last 2 years; it’s not like they’re not spending anything. They made an offer for Edwin that is apparently the best he has gotten from anyone, but he thought at the time that he could do better, so they moved on and made sure they got some people signed. That’s Edwin’s fault, not the Blue Jays’.
At this point, signing him makes no sense. The Jays have 2 glaring holes in the outfield and a bullpen that needs more arms. Fowler should be a much higher priority than Edwin at this point, and they’re no doubt waiting on his decision before anything else happens.
Trade Smoak for a new washing machine, EE and Pearce share 1B, Morales DH. Get it over with and then find OF, bullpen and back up catcher help.
Trade Smoak for a used washing machine
Martin doesn’t need back up he can play 162 games
The last time a catcher played every game in a season was 1945, when the schedule was 150 games.
I still think EE is in play for the Red Sox, they still need a big bat.
You don’t sign Moreland to immediately sign EE for 18-20MM right after. The Sox don’t need another bat, they have one of the best lineups in the game.
You don’t sign Moreland to immediately sign EE for 18-20MM right after. The Sox don’t need a bat, they’ve got one of the best lineups in the game.
Edwing must come back just so Jay’s can smash all the lefties out of beamtown
What would it take to get blackmon to toronto?? if they want stroman what do we get back?? I would take Hoffman back. anyone else?? Blackmon would fit perfect in toronto
They still have no power in there lineup. They need a big bobber.Moreland is great fielder but what will he do after that.