Monday Bantering: Rumors

It is the start of the Winter Meetings, virtual winter meetings.

The Lindor trade rumors are still out there. Terry Pluto, in the Cleveland Plain Dealer tells us that that Cleveland would love to make a deal with the Blue Jays on Francisco Lindor. They would like the return to center around Lourdes Gurriel. And

I also was told Lindor would consider signing a long-term deal to stay in Toronto. I doubt the Blue Jays’ front office (former Tribe executives Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins) would make a significant deal for Lindor without a long-term commitment. So this would be a complicated deal.

It seems like Gurriel is the player everyone is asking for in trade talks. I would miss him if he is traded.

I’m thinking it isn’t all that likely to happen.

Shi Davidi has a ‘Blue Jays’ FAQs post up. He mentions:

• D.J. LeMahieu and the Jays “remain a real possibility”. I would be very surprised if he doesn’t sign with the Yankees. And I think he’s a much better fit for the Yankees, he has that swing that works for the short porch. But he’s good defensively at second, third and first, so he would fit well.
• He writes about Lindor, feeling that the Players Association would prefer Lindor to go to free agency than to sign an extension and Francisco has been elected as an alternate association player representative.
• George Springer is a priority, and would allow the Jays to trade an outfielder.
• On Realmuto:

Ross Atkins described when the GM said the Blue Jays wanted someone who “will impact our environment for some time to come” and “influence Cavan Biggio and Bo Bichette and Vladdy (Guerrero Jr.) and Ryan Borucki and Jordan Romano and others.” An elite catcher and offensive force who is also known for his serious-minded presence and relentless focus on winning

• If they don’t get any of the big names, they would start looking to the next tier: Michael Brantley, Jackie Bradley, Justin Turner, Kike Hernandez and Kolten Wong. And they would look at Ha-Seong Kim coming out of Korean, or pitchers right-handers Tomoyuki Sugano and Kohei Arihara from Japan.

A new rumor. Fiers will be 36 in July.

The Jays talk to everyone.

In a free “Cup of Coffee” newsletter, Craig Calcaterra ranks the MLBs managers from most to least handsome.

Charlie comes in 21st.

Ever since his debut at number 30 a couple of years ago he has continued to work his way up the chart. He got a big boost this past season due to context. A guy like Montoyo may only be a four in a cosmopolitan city like Toronto, but the Jays having to move for COVID purposes really helped him out. He’s a solid seven for Buffalo.

At he top he has Rocco Baldelli from the Twins and at the bottom Tony La Russa from the White Sox. Part of his reasoning for La Russa:

Because I feel like he, more than any guy on this list, would get all pissy about it if someone asked him how it felt to be ranked at the bottom of this list.