Blue Jays’ Shapiro sends message with optimistic comments on Guerrero deal
Mark Shapiro doesn’t raise the expectations of Toronto Blue Jays fans lightly, which made his optimistic comments about Vladimir Guerrero Jr. so notable.
DUNEDIN, Fla. — No conspiracy theories here, but Mark Shapiro is always thoughtful and deliberate about what he says publicly and the message that his words deliver.
As such, he doesn’t raise the expectations of Toronto Blue Jays fans lightly, which is what made the “optimism” he expressed about extending Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and the bold proclamation that “I think we’re going to sign him, I think we’re going to extend him,” so notable during an hour-long discussion with media Thursday.
The club president and CEO doesn’t freestyle when the recorders are on and he’s far too capable to suddenly veer off script, meaning his intent was for the various stakeholders to believe the pending free agent isn’t going anywhere.
Why is the question, especially since before the Feb. 18 negotiating deadline, Guerrero gave the Blue Jays a number — $500 million in present value — that gets a deal done.
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If Shapiro really wants a deal, one is sitting right there waiting for a yes, even if he insists it’s “an oversimplification based upon only part of the information” to say that the sides are only roughly $50 million apart on a contract running 14 years.
That they haven’t bridged the gap yet, even when “we have such a clear alignment on the desired outcome,” is an indication each side is dug in. Suggesting that “sometimes free agency provides the clearest answer” on the “sweet spot of sharing risk,” a factor relevant during talks on early-career extensions, not when buying walk-year players out of the open market, isn’t demonstrative of someone with a plan to break the deadlock.
And again, this doesn’t need to be complicated.
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The risk that Guerrero gets to free agency, that other teams get involved and complicate matters for the Blue Jays can all be avoided when the Blue Jays can Nike the situation and just do it.
What’s the hold-up in getting this done?
“I just think it’s between now and free agency — there are a bunch of different junctures in there,” said Shapiro. “But what you’re ultimately trying to do in every one of these circumstances is understand that there’s risk for the club side that we’re giving up, on dips in performance, inconsistency in performance, player health, and the player is giving up some unknown potential upside in the free-agent market. What you’re trying to do is kind of determine for each side where the comfort level (is) and hope that they overlap. You’re using all the information you have. That information evolves over time. The ultimate evolution of that information is when it’s all perfectly clear in free agency.”
