Jose Bautista: No hometown discounts

What's the quickest way to get the ants in the Jays fan ant hill to go right around the bend? Well this sort of kick will work great:

Jose Bautista: 'I don't believe in hometown discounts. I've given this organization a 5-year hometown discount already. #BlueJays

— Alex Seixeiro (@alexfan590) February 22, 2016

Of course, we could argue, and I would, that Jose didn't really give us a 'hometown discount' but that the team took a chance on a player that really didn't have much of a track record of success and Bautista decided to take the sure thing, instead of betting on himself and signing a one-year deal, then being able to bargain from a much stronger position the next year.

I don't think any of us thought he was about to give us a discount.

And there is more:

Two weeks ago Jose Bautista told the Blue Jays front office the dollar amount and term is would take to re-sign him. Hasn't heard back since

— Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) February 22, 2016

And more:

Jose Bautista says he doesn't think there's a need for negotiations beyond that. #BlueJays

— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) February 22, 2016

Seems slightly needlessly combative. Of course, there is need for negotiations, I mean he might not want to move from his numbers, but, you do have to talk to the other side.

And more:

The Blue Jays attempted to negotiate with Bautista's terms but he told them not to waste their time

— Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) February 22, 2016

And, you guessed it, more:

Bautista said all this while wearing a "Home is Toronto" t-shirt, by the way

— Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) February 22, 2016

So we have the first shots fired in what could be a long negotiation between long time team star Jose Bautista and the new team management.

I get the feeling that this is going to long drawn out thing.

In case you wanted more:

Jose Bautista on the Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins regime #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/mqRR1h8r5n

— Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) February 22, 2016

So, there is some good will there. I think this is just the early going in negotiations. I'm sure we'll have more news coming.

Guess what, there is still more:

Bautista on the 15-minute sit-down with Shapiro/Atkins when he told Blue Jays his terms: "It was a great meeting. But business is business."

— Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) February 22, 2016

Update, still more:

Bautista on Blue Jays payroll, budget, ownership... pic.twitter.com/3dG3Jx3vu9

— Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) February 22, 2016