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On possible extensions to Encarnacion and Bautista

By Tom Dakers
Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Jon Heyman tells us (why is it always Heyman?) that the Blue Jays offered Edwin Encarnacion a two-year contract with 2 years of vesting options. I'll admit, that's the sort of contract I'd be trying to sell him on. If I am Edwin, I wouldn't be all that excited about it, figuring that I'd be sure to get something better as a free agent.

But, if I'm the Jays that's where I'd start and see where I have to go from there.

On the Bautista side, Heyman (him again?) tells us:

Again, I think that's a good place to start. There is no chance that Jose signs that, early in negotiations, but you need a starting point. Jose also, I assume, knows that he isn't getting $30 million for 5 years. But you gotta start somewhere.

I keep hearing the question 'can the Jays win without Jose and Edwin?' and my answer is always the same, it depends on how they replace them. If they decide to go without anyone in right and DH, they will lose without them, of course. But is Anthony Alford becomes a great player, if Rowdy Tellez becomes a good DH....and you have $50 million of cash you aren't spending on two aging players...maybe you can win.

The flip of that question would be 'can the Jays win with a 40 year old Bautista and a 38 year old Encarnacion taking 40% of the team's payroll?' That a good question too.

And we have this:

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