Toronto Signs J.A. Happ

J.A. Happ Returns to the Blue Jays for 3 yr, $36 million

Feel free to move this after the initial reactions.

Happ now sets the market for pitching I suppose, and of course it's a huge overpay for a guy who was a back-end pitcher for Toronto before. Maybe they're trying to play money games with other teams, but otherwise I don't get it. Maybe time in Pittsburgh just makes pitchers better.

J.A. Happ Returns to the Blue Jays for 3 yr, $36 million

Feel free to move this after the initial reactions.

Happ now sets the market for pitching I suppose, and of course it's a huge overpay for a guy who was a back-end pitcher for Toronto before. Maybe they're trying to play money games with other teams, but otherwise I don't get it. Maybe time in Pittsburgh just makes pitchers better.

I'm sure there are posters who figure out the cost of wins but dang if free agent prices aren't getting ridiculous.

This would be a great time to have a little better farm system, not that there's a bad time for affordable talent though. Part of me doesn't want the Orioles paying these crappy contracts but they are short on talent right now, and they need to make a decision on which direction they are going in.

I, also, cannot believe what they are paying him, 12 million per! Jimenez seems like a deal these days. I believe it's just not possible to use FA to field a competitive team unless you have an unlimited budget. It's very few of these guys that actually live up to the worth of the contract.

I was thinking Happ would be looking at a 3/30 type of deal, and I thought THAT would be pretty high for a guy who has had one third of a really good season over the last 5 years.

Crazy.

That's an awful contract that I'm glad Toronto is paying for.

J.A. Happ Returns to the Blue Jays for 3 yr, $36 million

Feel free to move this after the initial reactions.

Happ now sets the market for pitching I suppose, and of course it's a huge overpay for a guy who was a back-end pitcher for Toronto before. Maybe they're trying to play money games with other teams, but otherwise I don't get it. Maybe time in Pittsburgh just makes pitchers better.

I don't know enough about the reasoning behind the signing to have a strong opinion, but I wouldn't be surprised if the FA "value" of the deal ends up requiring around 4-4.5 wins of production over three years to be "worth it." So, my gut is less "this is Toronoto being stupid" and more "holy cow inflation is going to end-up bailing out a lot of contracts I thought were questionable when doled out."

I don't know enough about the reasoning behind the signing to have a strong opinion, but I wouldn't be surprised if the FA "value" of the deal ends up requiring around 4-4.5 wins of production over three years to be "worth it." So, my gut is less "this is Toronoto being stupid" and more "holy cow inflation is going to end-up bailing out a lot of contracts I thought were questionable when doled out."

There are a lot of good guys out there. To overpay at the beginning seems like checking off a box. And realizing that the last guys emptied the cupboards.

There are a lot of good guys out there. To overpay at the beginning seems like checking off a box. And realizing that the last guys emptied the cupboards.

Or, if you are planning on making other moves you need to lock in a replacement piece at the outset in case there is a run on the market. But, yeah, I agree I don't see a clear logic. Knowing how Shapiro operates, that's why I'd be very curious to see what analysis pointed them in this direction.

Rich Baxter

If you call throwing away $36M on a pitcher you guys in Toronto were more than happy to give away for practically nothing back in 2012, I'd love to hear what you call a bargain.

Happ is well known in the AL, the hitters probably can't wait.

Or, if you are planning on making other moves you need to lock in a replacement piece at the outset in case there is a run on the market. But, yeah, I agree I don't see a clear logic. Knowing how Shapiro operates, that's why I'd be very curious to see what analysis pointed them in this direction.

Gambling on the Searage effect. That's all.

Or, if you are planning on making other moves you need to lock in a replacement piece at the outset in case there is a run on the market. But, yeah, I agree I don't see a clear logic. Knowing how Shapiro operates, that's why I'd be very curious to see what analysis pointed them in this direction.

And I agree. It was slamming the door shut on starting pitching and saying, "Ok, lets fill in the other small spots and we are ready to go."

Rich Baxter

Gambling on the Searage effect. That's all.

You know my feelings on slamming a deal after year one, let alone before the ink is dry. Guess we'll see what unfolds.

You know my feelings on slamming a deal after year one, let alone before the ink is dry. Guess we'll see what unfolds.

It might be a great deal if he outperforms his history.

It might be a great deal if he outperforms his history.

Resume of standard Duquette target, no?