Thursday, October 13, 2016

Off Day Discussion Points



Most of these conversations would more aptly be discussed in the off-season but with the break in the schedule I thought we could spitball about some things.
Most notably, the giant brass balls on three Jays who decided to gamble on themselves instead of taking some guaranteed dollars.



The 2016 Blue Jays are a team of "Renegade gamblers". You've heard the Gibbons Quote.
Renegade Gamblers.
He was talking about how the Jays play but it seems it's also how they negotiate.
I think he can include himself among the confident dice rollers that are your 2016 Jays.

Below are 4 individual examples of Blue Jay's who have gambled one way or another on this season.
On this team, on themselves.

Discuss how you think these situations have or will play out.


Though I assume he was forced in someway into giving up his rolling A.A. contract renewal clause, I'm not sure Gibby was all that upset about it.
Gibby gambled on his team and himself.
He gambled that they both would perform well in 2016.

Now he approaches Free Agency coming off a 2 year surge where he has produced:
A 2015 Record setting offense.
A 2015 ALE title.
A 2015 ALDS appearance.
A 2016 Wild Card Win.
A 2016 upset sweep over the team with the best record in the American League.
A 2016 ALDS appearance.
And quite possibly/probably a 2016 World Series winning team.



The man will get paid.

He'll get the stacks to stay here or go somewhere else. I'm hoping the slow drawled southern Good Ole Boy gets the cheddar to stay right here. I'm not entirely convinced the man is sober during most of his post game pressers but I'm not entirely convinced it matters. The players love him, the media love him and the fans love him.




Edwin Encarnacion gave the Jays a hard deadline for negotiating a contract extension in the spring. It's unclear if the Jays management made any formal offers but Eddie shut down negotiations and gambled on himself having a healthy, productive year.

Yeahhhhhh,  he did that.

He was the best hitter on the team.
One of the best hitters in Baseball.


"Where's my Money?"



Jose Bautista requested a specific number of years and salary from the Blue Jays to extend his contract. More speculation, but it appears the numbers were not to managements liking. Jose decided to gamble on himself and play out his year and enter free agency. He's played very well down the stretch and had huge hits in the playoffs. With his 2016 World Series MVP under his arm I fully expect Joey Bats to get paid this winter. I again hope it's with us.



If we lose both these guys..........




Cock Punch.

My least favorite flavor of punch.


Justin Smoak was to be a Free Agent after this season. He was made an offer - 2 years at 4.125 with an option for a third at 6 million.


He accepted.



Gambling on ones self has a long list of winners and losers.
One of our recent graduates of this program rode his own success to writing his own ticket.
I'll always fondly remember our Glorious Greek Innovator.


Alex Anthopolous spurned an inadequate 1 year offer and then much later a 4 year offer. He chose to move his family to L.A.  His choice, and I respect him for it. I'll always have a soft spot for him because he was more than a GM, he was a passionate fan, A Canadian who knew the importance of bringing a winner home. If and when we bring the World Series pennant back to Toronto this year he'll deserve much of the credit for this teams assembly. Shapiro, Atkins and their staff have made some very shrewd acquisitions but the bulk of this teams current roster was compiled by Alexander Anthopolous.

People thought he was a computer geek, he was truly a draft pick stealing innovator.




Jays in 6.

Then the Series.

Then Valhalla.


Be safe out there.