Wednesday Bantering: Jays Sign Brantley

Update:

Apparently, the Brantley deal isn’t done. It may be that it is done but they didn’t want it announced yet.

What a lovely morning.

I’ll admit, 6 years is longer than I would have wanted to sign a 31-year-old, but then that’s what it took. And, hopefully, 6 years from now, we’ll be looking back on some great baseball.

In the Athletic, Keith Law writes that the Jays are “finally acting like a large-market team”. I don’t really feel that’s fair. They acted like a large-market team in the middle of the last decade when they added needed pieces to get to the playoffs. A rebuild was needed at the end of that, and spending a lot of money while rebuilding isn’t baseball’s way right now. But now, when the team needs a few pieces to get to the playoffs again, it is time to spend again.

I do agree with this:

Toronto got plenty of production from center field last year, thanks to the breakout season from Teoscar Hernández, but in 2019, their outfield was a disaster, hitting a composite .227/.287/.449. Center field was still a weak spot for the team when Hernandez played the corners, with Randal Grichuk taking most of the reps there for the Jays in 2020. Grichuk just isn’t a good hitter, with his .312 OBP last year well above his .295 career mark, and most of his damage came against left-handed pitching, but at least he’s also a terrible defender in center.

I think he messed up saying center field in the top line. He meant right field.

If the Jays’ plan is to just stick Springer in center and leave almost everything else alone, they’re probably six wins better in 2021 as long as Springer has a typical performance.

Six wins seems a lot, but center field was a big hole last year.

I don’t know what happens with Grichuk now. I guess they try to trade him, but I don’t see much trade value there. He’s being paid a lot of money for a fourth outfielder. He has more value in the right field than center. I guess Teoscar could DH or do some complicated platoon with Randal playing RF and Teoscar DH against LHP and Teoscar playing RF and Rowdy DH against LHP.

We should have a poll.

There was also this:

A left-handed hitter, who hits line drives all over the place, has hit .300 the last three seasons, has mid-range power, and gets on base? I’m ok with it.

I tend not to believe when it is only one person saying the deal is now, but then I have no reason to think O’Brien is lying. If it is true, then I think Lourdes or Hernandez will be traded for a starting pitcher. I would be sad to lose either of them. I have enjoyed watching them develop.

It looks like it is true:

It has been a heck of a 24-hours.

The signing of Kirby Yates seems like a distant memory.

The Jays still need a starting pitcher (two wouldn’t be a bad thing) and an infielder. I wonder if they are still considering Bauer or if someone like Paxton is a more likely candidate? Or if a trade is more likely?

Among infielders, are we looking for a third baseman? Second basemen?

Two days ago, it was a boring off-season. Personally, it would be better for me if they would spread this stuff out, but I won’t complain too much.