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OT: The Toronto Blue Jays

As mentioned by others though, there were positional issues. He's a 1B/DH and going into this season we were coming off of narrowly missing a WS title with those positions taken by our two best hitter, both of whom were top 10 in MLB last season in a bag of categories, both of whom had multiple signature moments in the playoffs. How do you make that our #1 target in the off season? The only real pathway to that would have been moving off of Springer, but man, that would be kind of crazy at the time. Clubhouse leader with 1 yr left on his deal, coming off of a 166 wrc+ season.

the good news is that he'll still be a position locked 1B/DH at the end of next season, and he'll be a free agent. Easy for us to bring him in to DH if we want him (and he puts two good seasons together)
 
“Position locked” is a bit of an overstatement. Murakami was primarily a 3B in Japan and he’s 26 (he played a lot more 3B than Okamot, incidentally). Regardless, I’m pretty sure they could have survived a year of part-time suboptimal D at 3B and Springer a bit more OF time in the last year of his contract. George has already missed his customary 30 games as well so there would be plenty of DH AB available

Anyway, I’m not crying over spilled milk, just pointing out it would have been a solid long-term investment, seemed obvious to me at the time, and the short-term cost of occasional suboptimal D at 3B and LF is more than offset by the opportunity to add a generational power bat at that cost.
 
manny said:
“Position locked” is a bit of an overstatement.
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Is it? He's been an average 1B this year at best, and Vargas is a turrible glove at 3B. If the White Sox thought Murakami was an option there, they would use him there and they've actively avoided that. Similarly, they're running Antonacci in LF and he's Pinangoesque out there. If Murakami was an option there, they'd consider him.
 
Fwiw, I'm not worried about years 2 & 3 of a Gausman deal.

There's been no decline at 35. Fastball velo is holding steady, etc. 28th in MLB in FIP, he's still at least a good #2. There's a lot of examples of good #1 pitchers staying good into their late 30's. Sale is still elite at 37, Degrom at 38, Gray top 30 in FIP at 36. I don't see why Gausman wouldn't be worth a 3 yr deal covering 36-38.
 
I assume they aren't stupid enough to cancel the entire season, but I have assumed that erroneously in the past, so all bets are off. It's quite possible games will be missed, but I still believe there will be a season.

And I feel like we have seen some signs of decline with Gausman this year. A few games where he couldn't get out of the first inning without getting slapped around, and margins are slim to begin with for a 2-pitch pitcher. I guess I'd be "okay" with a 3 year deal but would prefer 1-2 if possible, because you just never know.
 
There was definitely a bit of a visible drop off this year from him. But he's still great and I'd gamble on him.

That said, if there isn't a season next year, we're not signing anyone, and then everything looks different and needs to be reassessed two seasons from now. You probably don't bring back Gausman after a full year off and 37. Or maybe you do but for just a one year deal.
 
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