Jays 2021/22 General Off-Season Discussion

[Ehjays]

Vladdy is lookin good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViqQWbrS9ho

[Buster]

Vladdy is lookin good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViqQWbrS9ho

Really impressive what he has done. Very rare for someone to have the discipline to make major life changes

[THANOS]

Really impressive what he has done. Very rare for someone to have the discipline to make major life changes

Yeah, he's been a chubby build since he was kid, it really is a massive lifestyle change.

[Stangstag]

Really impressive what he has done. Very rare for someone to have the discipline to make major life changes

Honestly its seems like it was actually good for him that he came up in 2019 and DIDN’T set the league on fire… he was always the best hitter on the field at every level throughout his life and that completely changed in 2019. And IMO he gets a pass for 2020, it was the pandemic and nobody knew when the season would actually start.

Looks like he definitely wants to put in the work to remain in the top echelon of current MLB hitters

[Deadpool]

Vladdy is lookin good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViqQWbrS9ho

The sound off his bat is just unreal.

[BigCecil]

Vladdy is lookin good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViqQWbrS9ho

Been tuned out with the lock out. Watching that made me happy. The Dominican stars take baseball back to rudimentary raw skill on fields that aren't fancy. Just pure talent. Gives you the impression kids could just ride their bikes over to that field and watch maybe the best hitter on the planet take live BP. Always love these kinds of videos.

Vlad looks like he is staying away from Grandma's cooking, which also makes me happy.

[Abomination]

Vlad looks like he is staying away from Grandma's cooking, which also makes me happy.

Maybe the Jays were smart and starting paying Grandma to cook him ultra healthy meals!

[JG34]

Bowden on The Athletic is reviewing trade offers readers are sending in for players that are potentially on the block. Here’s the Blue Jays related one:

Rockies trade RHP German Márquez and INF Ryan McMahon to Blue Jays for RHP Nate Pearson, SS Jordan Groshans, RHP Adam Kloffenstein and INF/OF Cavan Biggio — Chris W.

Chris, this is a fascinating trade idea and after careful review I’d make it if I’m the Blue Jays. Putting Márquez with Kevin Gausman, José Berríos, Hyun Jin Ryu and Alek Manoah in the rotation would make the Blue Jays my favorites to win the AL East in 2022. McMahon would fill their huge need for a left-handed bat and could be their answer at third base short- and long-term. I also like this deal for the Rockies. Pearson has a chance to dominate at Coors Field by missing bats, and he’s inexpensive compared with Márquez. Groshans and Biggio are everyday players and Kloffenstein profiles as a back-of-the-rotation starter. OK, let me forward this one to the Blue Jays and Rockies to get their opinions

[Brownie19]

Good god - I just went to look up the Rockies stats on Fangraphs and Marquez was the 8th best OFFENSIVE player last year with a 0.7 WAR. What a horrible organization. McMahon is a career 87 wRC+ hitter over 1500+ PA's. I'm not sure he's a solution at all. I'd rather keep Biggio.

[Spanky99]

Good god - I just went to look up the Rockies stats on Fangraphs and Marquez was the 8th best OFFENSIVE player last year with a 0.7 WAR. What a horrible organization. McMahon is a career 87 wRC+ hitter over 1500+ PA's. I'm not sure he's a solution at all. I'd rather keep Biggio.

Jim Bowden is a nincompoop!

[jerb]

[L54]

Give the man 300M

[JG34]

From the Athletic, Toronto and Oakland writers discussion on what a trade between the two teams where the Jays would receive Chapman and Manaea. Lol at Oakland’s counter.

McGrath: Loosely, we’re looking at a four-for-two player deal. I can work with that.

For Chapman and Manaea, how about the Blue Jays offer a package of:

3B Jordan Groshans
C Alejandro Kirk
LHP Ricky Tiedemann
3B/UT Kevin Smith

Groshans is a top-five prospect in Toronto’s system and, as I said above, could project to take Chapman’s place at third base in a year or two. He’s likely slated for Triple A this season. Kirk could be a starting catcher on an MLB team. The only reason the Blue Jays might be willing to move him is that they have, potentially, a better catching prospect in Gabriel Moreno coming down the pipe. The A’s have Sean Murphy, I know, but Kirk has a lot of utility as a DH, too. Tiedemann is a 19-year-old rising pitching prospect who’s seen a recent uptick in velocity, per Baseball America. And, finally, after falling down the prospect ladder a bit in recent years, Smith had a breakout 2021 season in Triple A. His brief showing in the majors was modest, but he’s got a lot of utility as a versatile infielder who can play a little outfield as well.

What do you think?


Lockard: Groshans controls the strike zone well, which would fit the A’s philosophically, although you’d like to see a bit more power from a player more likely to play third base than shortstop long term. But potentially I see a fit. The A’s do need catching depth behind Murphy, but I think they liked how Murphy paired with the veteran Yan Gomes the second half of last season, so I am guessing they’ll look to the free agent market when targeting a backup catcher. Generally, the A’s have looked for pitchers who are further along in their development than Tiedemann is currently, although there have been exceptions. Smith’s versatility and production in Triple A last season certainly make him a candidate for an “extra” piece in this deal. If the A’s trade Manaea, they are pretty thin in upper-level starters, so I could see them targeting some starting pitching that could be ready in 2022.

What about something more like this?

Groshans
Smith
UT Otto Lopez (has the defensive versatility the A’s really like, plus batting titles at two different full-season leagues and excellent speed)
RHP Bowden Francis (coming off a strong season in Triple A; could step into a back-end of the rotation role in the big leagues in 2022)
LHP Zach Logue (left-hander who performed well in the upper levels last season. Excellent command and saw a bump in velocity last season. Could contribute at the big-league level in 2022)

[AdamGreenwood]

Give the man 300M

For a one-year extension.

[Brownie19]

I think the offer from Lockard is further off than the one that McGrath suggested

[Eat My Shatkins]

That's a lot to give up for not much control. I like the players, both would be great adds, but the Jays would have to be fairly confident they could extend Manaea.