Toronto Blue Jays: Jose Bautista Willing to Lower his Demands
By Paul Taylor
According to a new report, Jose Bautista is prepared to come down from his initial demands in an attempt to agree a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before, but there’s been an update in the contract negotiations between Jose Bautista and the Toronto Blue Jays. The latest news comes courtesy of Jon Heyman.
According to the MLB Network insider, Bautista is willing to reconsider his original demand of six years. Now, he’s apparently prepared to accept four years, although the Blue Jays would prefer three.
While this is definitely a step in the right direction, the six-time All-Star is still looking for $30 million per season. From the organization’s standpoint, they want something more in line with Yoenis Cespedes‘ contract.
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The outfielder signed a three-year deal with the New York Mets back in January, worth around $75 million. This includes $27.5 million if he opts out after one year, something which shouldn’t matter, given Mark Shapiro’s recent comments on Sportsnet 590 The Fan.
As with previous speculation, it’s tough to know how much to believe Heyman’s report. So far, the only thing we know for sure is Bautista was originally looking for six years, because he admitted as much to Pete Gammons.
However, if Heyman’s sources are correct, which figure would you feel more comfortable with – three years for $75 million, or four years for $120 million? Even though it is a good sign if the two sides are indeed negotiating, you realize there is still a significant gap to overcome.
Despite Bautista not being your typical 35-year old baseball player, the Blue Jays reservations about the length of any deal is understandable. However – taking into account what money Rogers is prepared to make available – three years and $90 million might be the best compromise at this point.
Unfortunately for the fans, you get the feeling it won’t be quite as straightforward as that. Both sides say they want to get a deal done, but how much remains to be seen.
Next: Mark Shapiro prepared for Bautista & Encarnacion to leave
What do you make of the latest report in respect of negotiations between Bautista and the Blue Jays? Whose side -if any – are you on, and why? Let us know in the comments section below.