“I just re-read all of the documented interactions that we’ve had with agents and players,” Atkins said late in the afternoon in his suite at the Dolphin Resort. “In the last 24 hours there were 30 specific conversations that are demonstrating progress and certainly insight into the market and our opportunities.”
A source suggested that one of the Jays’ discussions on Tuesday was with representatives of free-agent starter CC Sabathia. The one-time Yankees ace is 37 years old, but finished strongly in 2017. He was drafted by the Indians and spent his first eight years in Cleveland under current Jays president Mark Shapiro, then the Indians GM. He was traded away at the 2008 deadline and signed with the Yankees the next season. The Bombers and Angels are also said to be interested in Sabathia. The asking price, as per industry experts, is likely to be around two years and $25 million .CC signed a one year deal worth $10million with Yankees.
It was reported late in the day by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal that one of Atkins’s 30 discussions may have also been with the Cardinals, who were losers in the Giancarlo Stanton sweepstakes and would have been asking about third baseman Josh Donaldson. The report suggested nothing is imminent. On Monday, Atkins had addressed the issue of a Donaldson trade as he enters his final season with the Jays before free-agency.
“If we’re thinking about making this organization better, it’s really hard to imagine making it better without Josh,” the third-year GM said. “He’s one of the best players in the game. We have a lot of good players. There’s 30 of us (GMs) here talking to other teams that have 30 individuals here (working the lobbies), so there aren’t very many players here that don’t get talked about.”
As for the outfield
situation, the Jays have been linked to a pair of free agents, Carlos
Gonzalez, 32, from the Rockies and Jay Bruce, 30, from the Indians. And,
like many other teams, the Jays have inquired about slugging outfielder
Marcell Ozuna from the Marlins, who seem to be disassembling the
major-league roster for a dash towards the No. 1 overall pick in June
2019.
“Those guys fit well,” Atkins acknowledged when asked about the trio of fly-chasers. “I think there are alternatives in that market. There are other guys that we like, so those guys would complement our team well.”
When Atkins was asked his ideal description when looking for an outfielder right now, he suggested a left-handed bat, decent running speed and solid defence. Bruce fits in one of those three categories. He hits left. Gonzalez, who played 11 seasons in Colorado, hits left-handed and used to run well and play a solid outfield, but his agent is Scott Boras, who has been a thorn in the Jays’ side. Boras also represents starter Aaron Sanchez, who is eligible for salary arbitration.
The closest Ross Atkins came to revealing his hand in terms of how close the Blue Jays are to making a deal at the MLB Winter Meetings this week was when he was asked Tuesday about media reports tying the club to free agent outfielders Jay Bruce and Carlos Gonzalez.“Those guys (would) fit well,” said Atkins, Toronto’s general manager. “I think there are alternatives in that market (free agency) as well.There are other guys that we like. (But) those guys would complement our team well.”
Lorenzo Cain has also frequently been mentioned as an outfielder the Jays might covet.
Atkins has identified starting pitching as an off-season priority for the Jays.
Sabathia is 37 but went 14-5 with a 3.69 ERA for the Yankees last season.
Atkins said things are heating up, however, activity has been slow so far. He added that his team has had 30 documented conversations and interactions with players, GMs and agents in the last 24 hours but had nothing to announce.
When asked what is holding them up from making any deals, Atkins replied: “Opportunities and alternatives.” Take from that what you will.
At the end of the day, Atkins is sticking with commentary centring around the idea that if worse comes to worst, the Jays have enough to start the 2018 season in decent shape.
“Fortunately, we’re in a position because of our core where we don’t have to do anything to start the season,” he said. “I think we very likely will make a couple of significant additions, but we’re in a pretty good spot.”
While Jays fans can only sit back and slowly panic at those comments, Atkins insisted the organization is doing every possible to improve from a disappointing 2017 season and compete for a playoff spot in 2018. And that includes thinking outside the box.
Last week, for instance, the Jays sent a large contingent of staff from the baseball, high performance and scouting departments to Nashville for the annual baseball think tank Pitch-A-Palooza.
Toronto probably had the largest MLB contingent there. No less than Atkins, Pete Walker (pitching coach), Dane Johnson (bullpen coach), special assistants Paul Quantrill and Pat Hentgen, Rick Langford (senior pitching advisor), Gil Kim (player development director), Ben Cherington (VP Baseball Operations), Joe Sheehan (assistant GM), Jeremy Trach (minor league strength and conditioning coordinator) and Jeff Ware (pitching coordinator) travelled to Nashville for the gathering.
Atkins said most clubs haven’t embraced amateur think tanks such as Pitch-A-Palooza as much as the Jays have, adding that they want to be on the “ground floor” of all the new technology available in baseball, even if it comes from the amateurs. Stuff like force plate technology.
“The best takeaway (from Pitch-A-Palooza) is that we spend the time together to talk about what we collectively learned from it and how we can improve our philosophy and our approach to help young pitchers develop,” Atkins said. “We’re trying to do everything we can to learn from anyone.”
Atkins said he also keeps in touch with his big-league players in the off-season, keeping them in the loop on what the Jays are trying accomplish trade-wise and free agency-wise, while soliciting opinions on possible deals, naming Josh Donaldson, Aaron Sanchez, Troy Tulowitzki, J.A. Happ and Justin Smoak in particular.
Showing that not only his manager John Gibbons has a sense of humour, Atkins quipped: “I’ve stayed in touch with Marcus Stroman … except on the Ryan Goins interaction.”
Stroman, of course, expressed his frustration with the team after the Jays non-tendered Goins’ 2018 contract. Stroman was also displeased that he learned about the move on Twitter, hence Atkins’ quip.
Reports, by the way, have the Mets interested in Goins.
“Those guys fit well,” Atkins acknowledged when asked about the trio of fly-chasers. “I think there are alternatives in that market. There are other guys that we like, so those guys would complement our team well.”
When Atkins was asked his ideal description when looking for an outfielder right now, he suggested a left-handed bat, decent running speed and solid defence. Bruce fits in one of those three categories. He hits left. Gonzalez, who played 11 seasons in Colorado, hits left-handed and used to run well and play a solid outfield, but his agent is Scott Boras, who has been a thorn in the Jays’ side. Boras also represents starter Aaron Sanchez, who is eligible for salary arbitration.
The closest Ross Atkins came to revealing his hand in terms of how close the Blue Jays are to making a deal at the MLB Winter Meetings this week was when he was asked Tuesday about media reports tying the club to free agent outfielders Jay Bruce and Carlos Gonzalez.“Those guys (would) fit well,” said Atkins, Toronto’s general manager. “I think there are alternatives in that market (free agency) as well.There are other guys that we like. (But) those guys would complement our team well.”
Lorenzo Cain has also frequently been mentioned as an outfielder the Jays might covet.
Atkins has identified starting pitching as an off-season priority for the Jays.
Sabathia is 37 but went 14-5 with a 3.69 ERA for the Yankees last season.
Atkins said things are heating up, however, activity has been slow so far. He added that his team has had 30 documented conversations and interactions with players, GMs and agents in the last 24 hours but had nothing to announce.
When asked what is holding them up from making any deals, Atkins replied: “Opportunities and alternatives.” Take from that what you will.
At the end of the day, Atkins is sticking with commentary centring around the idea that if worse comes to worst, the Jays have enough to start the 2018 season in decent shape.
“Fortunately, we’re in a position because of our core where we don’t have to do anything to start the season,” he said. “I think we very likely will make a couple of significant additions, but we’re in a pretty good spot.”
While Jays fans can only sit back and slowly panic at those comments, Atkins insisted the organization is doing every possible to improve from a disappointing 2017 season and compete for a playoff spot in 2018. And that includes thinking outside the box.
Last week, for instance, the Jays sent a large contingent of staff from the baseball, high performance and scouting departments to Nashville for the annual baseball think tank Pitch-A-Palooza.
Toronto probably had the largest MLB contingent there. No less than Atkins, Pete Walker (pitching coach), Dane Johnson (bullpen coach), special assistants Paul Quantrill and Pat Hentgen, Rick Langford (senior pitching advisor), Gil Kim (player development director), Ben Cherington (VP Baseball Operations), Joe Sheehan (assistant GM), Jeremy Trach (minor league strength and conditioning coordinator) and Jeff Ware (pitching coordinator) travelled to Nashville for the gathering.
Atkins said most clubs haven’t embraced amateur think tanks such as Pitch-A-Palooza as much as the Jays have, adding that they want to be on the “ground floor” of all the new technology available in baseball, even if it comes from the amateurs. Stuff like force plate technology.
“The best takeaway (from Pitch-A-Palooza) is that we spend the time together to talk about what we collectively learned from it and how we can improve our philosophy and our approach to help young pitchers develop,” Atkins said. “We’re trying to do everything we can to learn from anyone.”
Atkins said he also keeps in touch with his big-league players in the off-season, keeping them in the loop on what the Jays are trying accomplish trade-wise and free agency-wise, while soliciting opinions on possible deals, naming Josh Donaldson, Aaron Sanchez, Troy Tulowitzki, J.A. Happ and Justin Smoak in particular.
Showing that not only his manager John Gibbons has a sense of humour, Atkins quipped: “I’ve stayed in touch with Marcus Stroman … except on the Ryan Goins interaction.”
Stroman, of course, expressed his frustration with the team after the Jays non-tendered Goins’ 2018 contract. Stroman was also displeased that he learned about the move on Twitter, hence Atkins’ quip.
Reports, by the way, have the Mets interested in Goins.
To sum up, I have no idea what direction the Jays front office is leaning towards, blow it up , tinker, or major overhaul. It's all smoke and mirrors for all I know, conning the season ticket public into believing they have a direction,
Better put a GPS on their Christmas list this year, just to be safe.
No comments:
Post a Comment