If Only I Had Listened to My Instincts...

[DJBeasties]

So I stumbled on an old thread I started last year: Do you like discussing backups?

3/30/10 - from the Asst General Mgr forum at old RJ:

Then how do you feel about Jose Bautista as a backup 3B over Casey McGehee?


Bautista is going to lead off for the Blue Jays and has won the RF job. He was tearing it up in September and is continuing this Spring.

McGehee saved the Brewers last year and will play 3rd for them as Gamel is out.

Who do you like better?

I really wanted to go with Bautista but talked myself into McGehee. I had a good year regardless but that would have been fun to brag about

[wannabegriffey]

I had the same kind of moment between javy vazquez and jer weaver. I called out $21 and nobody else said anything. Sigh, weaver went for just $20...

[Moonlight J]

Well, Bautista is staying put in Toronto for another 5 seasons for $65M

That could be Adrian Beltre 2.0

[DJBeasties]

Well, Bautista is staying put in Toronto for another 5 seasons for $65M

That could be Adrian Beltre 2.0

It's funny because I think he can be bought one more year at a discount. I don't think her hits 50 again, but I do think this is a legit power hitter. Late bloomer and all those Blue Jays hitters take this approach, but Bats has a good contact rate and surged at the end of the year.

I know ElD is not sold and I understand his point, but I think this guy goes against the grain and needs to be looked at as a potential repeat candidate.

[Erik]

I meant to buy him as a bench player last year but ran out of money.

(Active, reserve and minors players are all bought in the auction in this league.)

I finished second and probably would have had back-to-back titles if I had gotten him.

[Teenwolf]

I landed Bautista for $8 in my AL only, and of course took home my first title in that league. If the bidding went higher, I'm not sure I would have gone up to $10.

I really don't see a huge downside here. The power is absolutely real, and the BA could possibly sink a little, given his FB rate, but he doesn't K enough to compare with all-or-nothing guys like Reynolds, Branyan, or Pena.

After a good first half, hitting 24 HR with a .903 OPS, this is what he put up in the 2nd half:

.287/.397/.702 with 30 HR and 6 SB, 0 CS.

Plus, he's still got 3B/OF positional flexibility.

I'll say it again, for 2011, I'd take Bautista over A-Rod every single time.

As for the Jays, if Bautista puts up $20MM player numbers like he did this year, he'll be doing so at a discount, allowing the Jays to go out and get Fielder or whoever next offseason.