2K24: Toronto Blue Jays

[Gregg]

As noted elsewhere, though, this is not a monumental risk they're taking with Happ but a risk nonetheless.

Although it would appear to take them out of the running for any of the top 7 free agent pitchers that would really benefit their team.

[revo]

Nope, that's just not true...they might sneak into the playoffs again with their hitting, but they're not going anywhere with those 5 as a rotation. And there's really not even 3 for the playoffs. Relying on Estrada to repeat his performance last year is a really bad gamble.

That's a pretty definitive statement considering they won the AL East with a rotation where Buehrle, Dickey, Hutchison & Estrada started 121 games. Price started 11 games and was largely mediocre in the playoffs. Happ replaces Buehrle, and a full-year from Stroman replaces the Price/Sanchez/Doubront/Norris quartet.

It's not a great rotation by any stretch, but the Jays also will now have Tulo & Revere added for a full season to their already stacked lineup, and the AL East hasn't gotten any better as of yet.

[wannabegriffey]

That's a pretty definitive statement considering they won the AL East with a rotation where Buehrle, Dickey, Hutchison & Estrada started 121 games. Price started 11 games and was largely mediocre in the playoffs. Happ replaces Buehrle, and a full-year from Stroman replaces the Price/Sanchez/Doubront/Norris quartet.

It's not a great rotation by any stretch, but the Jays also will now have Tulo & Revere added for a full season to their already stacked lineup, and the AL East hasn't gotten any better as of yet.

These are some really good points

[Hornsby]

That's a pretty definitive statement considering they won the AL East with a rotation where Buehrle, Dickey, Hutchison & Estrada started 121 games. Price started 11 games and was largely mediocre in the playoffs. Happ replaces Buehrle, and a full-year from Stroman replaces the Price/Sanchez/Doubront/Norris quartet.

It's not a great rotation by any stretch, but the Jays also will now have Tulo & Revere added for a full season to their already stacked lineup, and the AL East hasn't gotten any better as of yet.

Well, there's really no such things as a "full season" for Tulo, and if you've ever watched Revere for a full season, it's tough to say that he's an addition.

I just don't see Happ as an upgrade over Buehrle, at best a wash, IMO. Dickey is a year older, I see Estrada coming back to earth, and I think that Hutchinson is the only one with the potential to improve.

I could well be totally wrong, but I just don't see what they've done in any area as an improvement over last year. I think that Boston is going to sign an anchor pitcher and be MUCH better than last year, the Yanks are getting younger and the pitching should be pretty good, and Baltimore always seems to hang around, as does Tampa.

[TranaGreg]

I have been super busy at work so am just digesting the last couple of weeks' moves now ... some random thoughts ...

No way were the Jays going to come close to the numbers Boston threw at Price, and personally I agree, that's way too much risk to take on. I just hoped he wouldn't end up in the AL East - we really like the guy up here & how he helped us get to the playoffs, now we have to hate him ... that's okay, the first time I see him in red stirrups I can get there pretty quick.

With Happ & Chavez in the rotation we have five #3-4 starters. Maybe Stroman can be considered a #2, but without the innings pitched I'd put him at 3 to start the year in an ideal world. Doesn't look good as it stands now.

If this is the approach we're going with, we need SPs with serious upside - IMO that means we need at least Sanchez & maybe Osuna stretched out & in the rotation. All of a sudden tho we'd have a surplus of SPs & nobody in the pen.

At this point I don't get it. Who knows, maybe the plan is to go sign Heyward & move Bautista to DH.

[TranaGreg]

Jays lock up Smoak to a one year deal, $3.9M.

[onejayhawk]

Jays lock up Smoak to a one year deal, $3.9M.

High contact hitter with suspect power and reliable defense. Are you sure it wasn't the Royals?

J

[TranaGreg]

Man, there's some crazy shit swirling around the Jays. Yesterday Jose Bautista states publicly that he doesn't want to negotiate with the Jays re: a contract extension, that he has given the team a number & that if they want him they have to meet it.

Then today this rumour surfaces ...

BARGAINING BOMBSHELL: As per @rwesthead, Bautista seeks 5 years, $150M http://www.tsn.ca/1.442180

Reminder - he is 36 years old. Of course this was refuted later this aft by Jose ...

Jose Bautista on report he asked for $150m over five years: "False." #BlueJays

Who knows what to believe, but this sure ain't gonna help the team chemistry.

[Sour Masher]

I love Joey Bats, but he ain't worth 30 mil a year until he is 40. But maybe with the taxes in Canada, he wants more from them. The tax situation is always an interesting factor in FA decisions. Places like Florida and Texas has such an advantage in that regard. How much higher are taxes for a Toronto player than for, say, a NYC or California player?

[TranaGreg]

I love Joey Bats, but he ain't worth 30 mil a year until he is 40. But maybe with the taxes in Canada, he wants more from them. The tax situation is always an interesting factor in FA decisions. Places like Florida and Texas has such an advantage in that regard. How much higher are taxes for a Toronto player than for, say, a NYC or California player?

an interesting and complicated question; here's an excerpt on the matter ...

Canada’s tax system is based on the concept of residency. A resident of Canada is taxed on his worldwide income, which would include his entire baseball contract. A non-resident (in the case of a major league baseball player) is only taxed on employment income that is physically earned in Canada. Therefore, if you remain a non-resident of Canada, you will not be taxed on any of your salary that relates to services performed outside of Canada. Fortunately for the Blue Jays, spring training and all road games are held outside of Canada. When reviewing the Blue Jays calendar of service, roughly 65% of their salary is earned from duties performed in the United States.

Therefore, it’s important that players do not obtain Canadian residential ties. Remaining a non-resident will effectively allow 65% of a contract to be non-taxable in Canada.

Tax lessons during the Blue Jays’ off-season

[Sour Masher]

That is interesting. So, who taxes the other 65%? Someone must tax it, or else playing in Canada would actually be the best place to play tax wise. Heck, even if the other 65% is only taxed at the U.S. federal level, I'd guess the effective tax rate for Blue jays players is lower than it is for those playing in New York and California, with their high state and city/metro taxes.

[TranaGreg]

I'd assume that the remainder is payable in the player's country of residence.

[YourPalChrisMal]

an interesting and complicated question; here's an excerpt on the matter ...


Tax lessons during the Blue Jays’ off-season

Dumb question that I never thought of before. How does it work for US citizens playing in Toronto? Do they not get taxed by the U.S. for any money earned in Toronto???

And if Canadian citizens playing for Toronto get taxed for the entirety of their salary regardless of how much of it is earned OUTSIDE of Canada...Do those players ALSO get taxed by the U.S. for salary earned in the U.S. If so, that really blows because it would mean they get taxed by 2 different countries on the same money.

[TranaGreg]

Well, I dropped first year accounting so I'm probably not he best person to answer this (I just know how to cut & paste ).

However, I think the general principle is that if the country you earn the money doesn't tax you on it you need to claim it in your home country as income earned out of country ... so either way you only pay taxes on it once.

[Sour Masher]

That is interesting Eld. I didn't realize it was so complicated and allowed for so many loopholes. I do remember when the Jays and Marlins pulled off their big trade, that a big factor for the players involved was the relative tax rates between Florida and Toronto being really different, and how a guy like Reyes was losing millions by being traded--or at least that is what some of the reporting indicated. But, of course, even with a complicated system that allows for loopholes, I guess there will still be a substantial difference between playing primarily in a state with no state income tax and Canada.