2016 MLB spring training thread

Michael Conforto already has the first three checked off, but probably won't get a shot at the Olympics since baseball has been 86ed.

 

Baseball is coming back for Tokyo in 2020, I thought.

 

Reasonably big trade a-brewin':

 

Pear is a shape.

 

And if you know Jose, you know he's not posturing. Good for him.

 

Good for him, he reupped at a very team-friendly price last time. Not the biggest Joey Bats fan in town but he won't be easily replaced if he walks (and the bat flip was the greatest post-Carter moment in Jays history) , probably to the Red Sox to replace Ortiz! Always thought there was a better chance of Encarnacion resigning than Bautista.

 

Deal is off, after medical issues with one of the players, most likely Saunders who lonely played nine games last year after wrenching his knee stepping on a sprinkler head.

Sources: Jay Bruce trade to Blue Jays unravels

 

What's Bautista think he's going to get? Cespedes money? That would be $20m for one year with an opt-out, and $27m for each of two years if he stays in.

Now, Cespedes is seven years younger than Bautista. Would a team be willing to give Bautista $75m over three years? $20m a year for a couple years?

I would imagine Bautista would want more than that and for more years as he has been better for longer than Cespedes. Good luck.

 

People say this every time a potential free agent turns down immediate money, and yet every free agent ends up better off for it. I remember the "WTF is Max Scherzer thinking!!!!" when he said no to $144M from the Tigers.

 

Exactly. I have learned not to say so-and-so won't get paid. Cuz it seems they keep getting paid. And it's skyrocketing lately. Also, we don't know what Bautista wants. A team could very easily offer him $25m a year for a couple years. Is that what he's aiming for? Does he expect a five-year-deal? I'd bet against a $100m deal for him. But two or three years of $30m? Wouldn't be surprised at all.

Would the Blue Jays be the ones to pay it, though? Right now they've got $84.5m tied up for five players next season. All are 30 or older. Add what Bautista wants and you're probably at $110m. Not sure that paying that much for six 30+-year-olds makes a winning team. It definitely isn't the Mark Shapiro way. Perhaps he adjusts since he's with the big market Blue Jays now.

 

Saw on the Twitterverse yesterday that former Jay Colby Rasmus is being paid more in Houston this season than Bautista. Pay the man, Shirley.