TORONTO – On Monday morning, there was some optimism among agents and executives that baseball’s slow-moving off-season might start picking up this week at the now-virtual Winter Meetings. If only George Springer or DJ LeMahieu would sign, then other moves could soon follow, potentially in quick succession. At long last, the MLB off-season could get moving.
There’s a certain logic to it, but by Monday evening the biggest move of the day was a reliever swap between the Reds and Angels: Raisel Iglesias for Noe Ramirez. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays, widely viewed as a team to watch on the best players available, were quiet, claiming right-handed pitchers Anthony Castro and Walker Lockett from the Tigers and Mariners, respectively, and otherwise staying in the background.
Behind the scenes, the Blue Jays continue to engage with top players, and seem prepared to move quickly if the right opportunity emerges. As Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins said last week, “It doesn’t take much at this point for a deal to happen.”
In the meantime, we’re left with the usual off-season staples: rumours and speculation. As ever, there was plenty to go around on both fronts, both publicly and in conversation with industry decision makers. And as is becoming the norm this winter, the Blue Jays featured prominently.
Early Monday, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that George Springer is ‘extraordinarily unlikely’ to land with the Chicago White Sox, one of the teams that had previously appeared to be a legitimate fit for the free agent centre fielder. For the Blue Jays, the elimination of one big-market suitor appears to be good news, though with the Mets reportedly in on Springer, there’s still real competition for his services.
“I think Springer will go early,” one industry observer guessed. “Maybe to the Jays.”
For now, those guessing games are a fun substitute for the moves themselves, but there’s also a reason the industry fixates on those big names. Once a top free agent like Springer, LeMahieu, J.T. Realmuto or Trevor Bauer signs, that will create clarity for other teams and players, forcing them into action. Until then, something of a holding pattern persists.
So, will that change this week? One person suggested a slow burn with some peaks. Others from agencies and teams said they anticipate some real momentum, especially now that the tender deadline has passed. Everyone seems hopeful that moves will start happening soon, but with due respect to Castro and Lockett, that certainly wasn’t the case on Day 1.
For MLB and the MLBPA, there’s a broader discussion to be had about how to structure the off-season here – some executives I’ve asked are open to the idea of moving the tender deadline to November and imposing an off-season trade deadline, for instance. More action in November and December would be a good thing for a league that likes staying relevant 12 months a year. But at the team level, there’s reason to exercise discipline here.
Yes, the Winter Meetings are technically underway, but for all intents and purposes this is just another week in December. Rushing a deal to appease a fan base or grab some headlines won’t serve the long-term interests of a franchise and executives are rightfully mindful of that risk. Better to wait, as the Blue Jays did before signing Hyun-Jin Ryu last Dec. 27, than overpay just because deals are ‘supposed to’ happen this week.
And while teams always try to stay focused and disciplined, it’s likely easier to do so in 2020. Gone are the job seekers hoping for a moment or two with a GM; gone are the media members loitering near high-volume elevator banks in search of people in the know; gone are the agents observing it all unfold, timing their next move carefully. Without those potential distractions, life as a baseball executive is in some ways simpler right now (one presumes they’re even eating healthier, as the snacks on demand within MLB team suites are typically chosen for convenience rather than nutritional value).
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Of course the thrill of the deal will likely be muted this year, too. There was near-palpable excitement in Dallas when the Angels signed Albert Pujols in 2011, in San Diego when the Cubs signed Jon Lester in 2014 and in National Harbor, Md. when the Red Sox traded for Chris Sale in 2016. Deals like that have industry-wide implications that get hotel lobbies buzzing within a matter of minutes. Eventually, they can lead to World Series championships.
This year, those moments simply cannot happen. But quiet start or not, there’s still hope that the 2020 Winter Meetings could produce a deal or two that’s just as impactful. If they do, the Blue Jays may well be involved, and until then it’s the familiar diet of waiver claims, rumours and speculation.
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