Peek into Jays’ future awaits
Winter meetings could define club’s priorities
• Fresh off a season in which the Toronto Blue Jays made a second- consecutive trip to the ALCS, the team has some work to do to make it three in a row.
Over the next four days at Major League Baseball’s winter meetings, we’ll start to get an idea of how much owner Rogers is willing to reinvest in 2017 the cash generated by the 3.4 million fans who filled the seats at Rogers Centre.
With the Jays providing booming ratings on Rogers-owned network Sportsnet and attendance at near franchise highs, there’s no excuse not to shop aggressively.
So with holes to fill and decisions to be made on whether aging sluggers Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista are worth pursuing, it could be an eventful week for team president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins.
Regardless of what does or doesn’t happen, it will be an important time for the Jays’ brass as it prepares for a second season at the helm of the team.
Acknowledging the needs — with two outfielders, a backup catcher and some bolstering of the bullpen topping the list — Shapiro says the plan will be to build on recent success rather than to rebuild.
“We think that the core of talent in place is still good enough to field a championship- calibre team,” Shapiro said recently at a meeting of the Toronto chapter of the Baseball Writers of America. “And yes, it’s important to continue to work hard to deliver on the promise that has been fulfilled over the last couple of seasons.
“If you don’t walk away from that both motivated and f eeling responsible to continue to field a contending team, then you are walking in with blinders and earplugs. It’s incredibly special to be in that setting.”
That said, the Jays’ offence is almost certain to have a significantly different look in 2017.
After t he signing l ast month of former Kansas City Royals designated hitter Kendrys Morales, the urgency to retain Encarnacion changed — although it’s best not to write off that possibility just yet. With both Bautista and Canadian-born Michael Saunders free agents, Atkins will need to focus on both corners of the outfield.
Dexter Fowler, a member of the World Series- winning Chicago Cubs last season, is certain to generate some interest from Atkins, but he may have to get in line with a host of other GMs eager to enlist the free agent’s services. Fowler, a switch- hitter, has been linked to the Jays in the past and would be a defensive improvement over Saunders and Bautista. With Kevin Pillar so strong in the middle of the outfield, Fowler, if acquired, would move to one of the corners.
The Jays have also reportedly been making a push for Jay Bruce, whom the New York Mets acquired last season. Bruce, who would also be a fit in a corner outfield spot, is heading into the last season of a seven- year, US$63-million deal.
Without an addition via trade or free agency, the Jays would be left with the dodgy prospect of having Ezequiel Carrera and Melvin Upton Jr. in the field for manager John Gibbons’ opening day lineup.
Considering the starting rotation is in good shape, Atkins is expected to address the bullpen. Given the exit of southpaw reliever Brett Cecil last month, the priority would likely be to add a lefthanded arm.
The issue overall, then, becomes how much money Rogers has empowered Shapiro and Atkins to spend. Shapiro is on record admitting the payroll will be higher than the US$ 140 million spent in 2016, but he hasn’t indicated by how much.
The meetings should provide a hint of how the new Jays management group intends to proceed and how interested they are in staying competitive with the current core. Signing Morales to a three- year, US$ 33million deal was a cheaper alternative to retaining Encarnacion, albeit with some offensive downside.
Was it a prudent move by management to free up options to spend elsewhere? Or was it a sign too much of the baseball- related revenue increases of last season will be retained by Rogers?
“We feel that with Morales here that we’re in a good position to stay aggressive on the players that we feel are closer to ideal fits,” Atkins said.
With the baseball world gathered just south of the U. S. capital, we’re about to find out.