We haven’t heard much this winter on veteran slugger Jose Bautista, who is one of several prominent players still without plans for the 2018 season. But the 37-year-old made clear today that he still intends to play somewhere in the coming campaign.
Earlier today, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag suggested that Bautista could retire despite having been presented with multiple MLB offers. The problem, per Heyman, was with the salary levels proposed.
But that’s not quite the case, Bautista tells Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. In his interview, Bautista indicated that he has guaranteed MLB offers on table. It seems, then, that he’s either still weighing the options or waiting for a more appealing choice to come along.
Money won’t be the determining factor, Bautista suggests. “Right now I’m just considering my options, and it depends on two criteria,” he says. “That’s winning and making sure that my family’s in a good situation.”
The takeaway here seems to be that the former Blue Jays star is likely to suit up somewhere — and soon, presumably, with the season less than three weeks away. But there’s no real indication of where that might be. He is said to be interested in playing for the Rays, though the team’s interest isn’t clear, while the Marlins are reportedly interested in inking a new home run threat. Otherwise, though, there really hasn’t been any chatter surrounding the six-time All-Star.
The difficulty for Bautista begins, of course, with the fact that he is coming off of a miserable 2017 campaign. He managed to hit 23 home runs in his 686 plate appearances, but slashed just .203/.308/.366 on the year. His combination of a 12.2% walk rate and 24.8% strikeout rate would look solid enough for most players, but represents a marked deterioration for a player who long took as many or more free passes than strikeouts.
It doesn’t help that there are so many other older, defensively limited hitters still floating around. Among the remaining free agents are Matt Holliday, Jayson Werth, Melky Cabrera, Brandon Moss, Andre Ethier, Seth Smith, and Franklin Gutierrez.
Take whatever deal you can get. You have Guaranteed money on the table? Take it! Joey Bats. Neil Walker is a better player than you (this point, your careers) and he can only score a Minor League pact.
A single post with no follow up answer. What’s up with that?
To be honest I dont think he has a major league contract on the table.
I’m surprised the Pirates havnt made a move at a cheap reunion..
Guys with big swings, big leg kicks, and big mouths tend to fall from grace rather dramatically.
But one hell of a bat flip
Retire Joey. You’re done.
Why would you say that? He’s had one bad season
Well, to be fair 2016 wasn’t spectacular for him either. As weird as it sounds I’d take the chance on Mark Reynolds over Joey Bats at this point… and that’s not really a good thing.
He may not be done but he doesn’t appear to be an every day player anymore. Can his pride handle that?
He’s had like two bad seasons and one mediocre one
How? Last year was really bad. But in on 2016 he had a “down season” in which he put up a 117 OPS plus. That’s still well above average.
I’m not sing he’s completely washed but you HAVE to be alarmed by his 170 KS last year to go song with the low batavg and obp. His KO% jumped to a career high 25% which is significantly higher than years before. His bat might be slowing down or maybe he can’t handle certain pitches like he has before?Maybe an eye sight thing?
I’ve got a feeling some team is going to get a great bargain.
Bargain? Washed up waste of money.
I mean behind CarGo he’s the best option imo, but he’d had to stay AL for part time DH and whose really in that market?
Tampa. Small chance Indians use him to platoon with Chisenhall
That’s what Guyer is there for.
A good and considerate article. All the best to him.
It is so hard for an ordinaryJoe to to accept his retirement, and all of its past due date connotations, so I can only imagine what it must feel like for someone who had had such a bright presence in the baseball limelight to accept his own, ” exit stage left, please”.
And such is the case for many more players who seem to be singing Toby Keith’s, I can still be good once as I was once was
Still owns the greatest bat flip in baseball history
Amen. I know JoeyBats is not well liked for his arrogance, but he is one of many players in the game today that play with “flare”. I am a Toronto fan so take this as slightly skewed, but the bat flip, in my opinion, was not an attempt to disrespect anyone or the game, rather it was more of a mutually felt relief of frustration that all Jays fans felt too. More to say “It’s about f’n time” after that goofy inning and 20 years of no post season. The Odor punches were a cheap shot and didn’t even knock Bautista down. The Rangers also were gutless to pick the last game of the year to bean Bautista and start all this crap. That’s disrespect for the game. In my opinion again.
I’m NOT a Toronto fan and I’ve always liked him. I’m hoping that the Rays take a flier on him. He’s the type of player that you hate except when he’s on your team. Nothing wrong with good old fashioned passion in the game.
I don’t know if he means to disrespect anyone, that’s all about personal feelings, but I do take exception to him getting in his feelings when someone throws inside. Tosses to the head, especially those folowing a HR are amateurish but you can’t crowd the plate and get upset when some tries to move you off. I wonder what kind of player he would’ve been like in another age….say the 60’s when you had guys like Gibson and Drysdale?
i know another more recent hall of fame pitcher PEDRO MARTINEZ that would get in your kitchen from time to time.
MLB history maybe, baseball history not a chance. Watch the KBO once, you’ll see better bat flips on a daily basis.
I would sign Jose. I need some help at the shop. $15 an hour and pizza lunches every Friday.
forget him I want to help you at the shop with those pizza lunches on Friday too.
I think Jose has a few good atbats left in him. He was misused in Toronto last year and that is why his slash line is so bad. He can’t run around on a concrete outfield in a stadium anymore, he can’t take 600+ ab’s. That was plain stupidity on Gibbons and the Jays staff to use him like that.
Even though his eyesight is probably weakened and his bat is slowing and that is why he swings early, he is still good for a 220 av, 20 bombs over 400-450 ab’s.
Despite opposing fans opinions, he is still a good influence in the home team dugout and many players that he has quietly helped and mentored speak highly of him.
I am going to miss him in toronto.
And yes, he has the greatest bat flip ever.
He was paid $18 mil last year., he should’ve been expected to take 600 ABs. If he was too tired playing the field then maybe they should’ve moved him to DH but still, that doesn’t plain the sudden uptick in KOs. .
It does explain the uptick in K’s. The amount money is irrelevant to the conversation that is not his fault someone paid him that for what should have been a 1/2 time role.. He was basically totally wore out just after the allstar break. The baseball dogs days of august did him in.
“make sure my family is in a good situation”…dude has made over 100 million in his career, if he really wants to play money shouldn’t be too much of an issue
I’m thinking that means he’ll take less to be in a better area for his family. He lives in the Tampa Bay area so he’s probably waiting for the Rays to offer.
joey bats said that in an interview on march 8, that he’s not looking at the money but at the team and place to live for his family.
Japan beckons!
If the Rays sign him, between him and Carlos Gomez we can at least look forward to the possibility of a bench clearing brawl or dugout fight every game!
Why would they fight in the dugout?
We’re all told at some point in time that we can no longer play the children’s game. We just don’t know when that’s gonna be. Some of us are told at eighteen, some of us are told at forty, but we’re all told.
i remember being told right during a game that i was no longer needed on their team. of course, the caveat people i was 55 years old. yeah, they were right i couldn’t run any more. however, the guy that through me off the team who was more then 20 years younger then me had a lower BA. he played SS and i was at 1st. NO LIE!
Another guy falling victim to the youth movement.
It’s not so much of a youth movement as it is an analytics one. Why would I pay him $10 million to be a part time player and to hit 20 homers when I can pay Mark Reynolds $4 million to do the same thing? Hell, I can probably give Rafael Palneiro a shot at the MLB minimum.
Perceived value is not actual value. Jose was not very good for many years but flipped a switch in Toronto.
he’s been only offered in the 1 to 2 million range not 10 mil.
oh and to not being that good anymore. Dude had a slash of .203/.309/366 and 170 Ks. That’s not good.
Go to a winner? Making sure his family is secure?
Like a winner wants you and I guess the $100+ million that you have made hasn’t exactly secured your family back in the Dominican.
This guy is and will always be a pretentious jerk. I hope that he gets zero offers and simply fades away.
He’ll be in Atlanta’s left field opening day. AA seems to like guys he’s familiar with. 1/6 mil.
If Bautista ends up on a major league roster it will be as a bench bat/part time DH. The fact that he has baggage doesn’t help his case.
If the over $100 million in career earnings has not put his family in a “good situation” already then I am afraid nothing will.. Wasn’t he expecting something like $30 million per year last year after a down year in 2016? Now he is mulling multiple MLB offers after consecutive down years, while trying to decide what to do when better players are only getting minor league offers? The ego on this guy has no bounds..
I seriously doubt he has received anything but minor league offers and is simply trying to save face. With the youth movement that seems to be enveloping MLB (except for Baltimore and the Angels) I doubt there are many teams that would want a declining egomaniac having any sort of chance to teach their young players his bad habits. Especially, when there are players like Matt Holiday still available that are reported to be helpful in teaching the younger players and have a team first approach.
Dude, maybe you’re the one (or half dozen idiots that can’t read properly) thinking that comment is referring to finances. Bautista’s quote says it won’t come down to money. Having his family in a good situation most likely means living in a desirable location for them (i.e, TB & MIA).
Yep…..some don’t get it. He probably wants to be closer to his family as well as the obvious tax advantages of living in Florida.
Its always about the money Dude!
Was living in Toronto for half the year bad for him and his family? Where did he and his family live in the offseason?
Smells like money and tax concerns doesnt it?
He’s holding out for more $$& and once the season starts he will wait until there is a significant injury. Once Ces goes down he will hold The Coupons hostage to cough up a real salary. Too bad as even Mr Met Joel Sherman will abandon him after the first few weeks when he starts slowly.
LOL! i believe that the PETS had a notion on BATS prior to spring training. and, despite me laughing out loud i agree with you mostly that the only way BATS gets to bats this year is as the season progresses and certain contending teams need some pop during their stretch run. the concern here is how patient will BATS be waiting a few months before being signed?
i think you’ve hit the nail on the head son. I’m only hoping that one of those teams would actually do so but you have two rebuilding teams that don’t want to spend any money or do they want to hold back any their young player’s from getting playing time. i mean i want BATS playing. i picked him up on the waiver wire in my fantasy league replacing somebody that got hurt. he cost me nothing and maybe the dude could add a little juice if i need during the season.