Bautista and Encarnacion or not, Jays still aim to compete

TORONTO — The Atkins does not fall far from the tree.

Just as Toronto Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro is well-versed in answering a direct question with a haze of business bafflegab, so too is his general manager, Ross Atkins.

On Monday afternoon, Atkins spoke fluent corporate-ese for about 40 minutes in his year-end session with a group of Toronto writers, which meant a good 36 minutes of speaking in vague generalities and motivational-poster slogans.

With as many as 10 major-league regulars, including most obviously Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion, poised to become free agents, this offseason has the potential to be one of major upheaval for a team coming off two straight playoff runs. And to that, Atkins says, well, stuff: “We’ll work hard to consider how we can improve upon this year’s team and what our opportunities are next year, but a big part of it is alternatives,” he said, sitting at the head of a conference table down the hall from the Blue Jays clubhouse. “And we’ll consider all of those, it’s not just free agents, it’s trade possibilities as well.”

There was a lot of talk of alternatives. And also opportunities, and definitely opportunity costs. All of which makes sense: Atkins and his team would not be wise to blunder into the offseason without considering a backup plan should either of Bautista or Encarnacion — merely the team’s three- and four-hole hitters for the past five seasons or so — choose to walk.

But the degree to which Atkins sought to tap dance past the dual elephants in the room was still quite striking. The GM was asked which of the free agents would be a priority as the offseason begins.

“That’s a great question,” Atkins said. “Really, the fact of the matter is there’s some obvious guys that I’ve already mentioned that we’ll be working on. But a lot of priority has to do with likelihood and reality.” As everyone pondered what that sentence meant, Atkins added: “Edwin and Jose, if they are not here, are going to be the most difficult to replace.” So they would then be priorities? “Yes, they would definitely be priorities for us.”

It seems like it would have been easier to say that up front, but at least we had established that the Blue Jays will at least try to bring both of them back. Or, at least, they will be likely to try, based on the payroll budget that Rogers Communications passes down the line.

“Once we have a payroll set, then we will have a more concrete plan,” Atkins said. Given that teams have a brief window after the World Series ends — five days — of exclusive negotiating rights with their own free agents, it would seem rather urgent that the payroll be determined soon, since the World Series could be over by the weekend. Atkins said he was “confident we will have enough information to work toward something.” OK, then. So long as you’re confident.

It all had the air of a cold blast of reality: If Atkins wasn’t explicitly trying to prepare the fan base for the departure of certain players, it was at least an implication of his comments. There might be a list of things he would like to do this offseason, and then a list of things he can do, and only some overlap between the two of them.

“If we had carte blanche, we could do anything we wanted, and you can’t, because we have to compete against 29 other teams and people have to decide to come here,” Atkins said. “It’s just not that simple. I wish it were. But we are always navigating and balancing opportunity costs and alternatives.”

For Jays fans hoping to read the tea leaves and reach happy conclusions, Atkins did blow off any suggestion that, if the team lost both of its sluggers, that could herald a re-trenching of some sort, and a return to the years where the Blue Jays were realistically competing for third place in the AL East.

“What I can tell you is that we’re trying to win,” Atkins said. “And we’re going to continue to try to win. That’s what drives us, that’s what motivates us.” But then: “We’re really focused on our alternatives, our opportunities, and doing everything we can to make this team a little bit closer to a world championship.”

Man, those alternatives again. Perhaps Rogers will send down a budget number that allows the management team to potentially keep its stars. Asked if he would value Bautista and Encarnacion more highly, given their history with the Blue Jays, than possible replacements from elsewhere in baseball, Atkins didn’t hesitate.

“Absolutely we factor that in,” he said. “It really comes down to knowns versus unknowns. And we have a lot of really good information that is very positive on those two individuals.”

And then he added a post-script: “Their desire to be here, if it remains, is definitely a factor as well.”

That’s just it, isn’t it? Bautista and Encarnacion have earned their free agency. It’s not just the Blue Jays who will be considering their alternatives.