LAS VEGAS — Wherever Scott Boras goes, attention follows, and at this week’s annual general managers’ meetings all eyes were on his generational starting pitcher.
asserted
eyes → go → pitcher
He reportedly has scheduled in-person visits with at least six teams next week and the Blue Jays are among them.
uncertain
Jays → schedule → them
The expectation is that Skubal will sign prior to Dec. 2, which is when a lockout is expected to take effect until a new collective bargaining agreement is reached between the owners and players.
asserted
agreement → sign → owners
That leaves fewer than three weeks for Skubal to sign a new deal, and according to his agent that’s not going to be a problem.
uncertain
that → leave → agent
“It’s very clear that there is a dominant, strong, Sku-Bull market,” Boras said in his typically colourful way.
asserted
Boras → ’ → way
“It’s pretty clear that teams are not devoid (of interest) in pursuing their championship fortunes.
asserted
teams → ’ → fortunes
They understand there’s only one Tarik card.
asserted
They → understand → ?
Teams have filled their tanks and they’re all clearly ready for the Skubal dive.”
asserted
they → fill → dive
By now, even the most casual of Jays fans should be aware of how their team operates.
asserted
team → operate → fans
President Mark Shapiro, general manager Ross Atkins and the front-office staff pride themselves on due diligence.
asserted
Shapiro → pride → diligence
They monitor the market for just about every player who could be of potential interest, even if their odds of signing him are slim, which is the case here.
uncertain
which → monitor → him
The New York Mets are the early favourites to sign Skubal and they are one of the teams scheduled to meet with the two-time Cy Young Award winner with a career ERA of 3.02 next week.
asserted
they → sign → 3.02
According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Jays will also make the trip to visit with Skubal.
uncertain
Dodgers → accord → Skubal
The other two teams remained a mystery as of Wednesday night.
asserted
teams → remain → night
The struggling slugger has lost the benefit of the doubt with the way he has responded to
“When you go back and look at the true number ones, they’ve all won world championships,” Boras said while referencing Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson, Kevin Brown, Gerrit Cole, Max Scherzer and others.
asserted
Boras → struggle → Maddux
“That’s what teams are about.
asserted
teams → ’ → what
“Looking at a 30-to-40 year period, there are less than 10 of these aces who are capable of winning multiple Cy Youngs.
asserted
who → look → Youngs
It has the ability to allow the franchise to clearly have an opportunity to win a coveted championship.
asserted
franchise → have → championship
The Jays currently project to have a starting rotation of Dylan Cease, José Soriano, Trey Yesavage and Cody Ponce.
asserted
Jays → project → Cease
They also have Spencer Miles and Jake Bloss as starting depth while José Berríos and Bowden Francis should return from Tommy John surgery at some point midway through next year.
asserted
Berríos → have → year
There’s still a need for at least one more starter and while Skubal is, by far, the best arm available, he’s not the only quality arm who could be a fit.
uncertain
who → ’ → starter
Michael King, Trevor Rogers, Freddy Peralta, Kaima Taira, Sonny Gray, Kevin Gausman and to a lesser extent Shane Bieber are among those who could work too.
uncertain
who → work → those
The Jays are considered an underdog in the Skubal sweepstakes because of roster holes that extend beyond the rotation.
asserted
that → consider → rotation
They have a clear need for more power in the outfield and they could also use an upgrade at second base.
uncertain
they → have → base
Beyond that, the bench needs to be improved and another arm or two would be beneficial for the bullpen.
asserted
arm → need → bullpen
Signing Skubal, with projections on his next deal reaching upward of $425 million (U.S.), would eat up most of the Jays’ available resources for next season.
asserted
projections → sign → season
Even if it didn’t, the possibility of a salary cap system post-lockout limits the club’s long-term flexibility.
asserted
possibility → do → flexibility
There is still every reason to believe the Jays will be spending a lot of money this off-season.
asserted
Jays → be → money
It’s just that the available funds likely will be distributed to multiple players, instead of being concentrated on one guy.
asserted
funds → ’ → guy
If something unexpected happens and the lucrative long-term deals don’t materialize, the Jays could become opportunistic buyers.
uncertain
Jays → happen → ?
Discounts seem unlikely, though, with Mets’ deep-pocketed owner Steve Cohen sniffing around.
asserted
owner → seem → ?
“With any opportunity in baseball to acquire talent, we focus on being prepared to be agile, to acquire the best possible players and make our organization better in any way that we can,” Atkins said when asked in general terms about free agency.
asserted
Atkins → acquire → agency
“We feel that we’ve done that.
asserted
we → feel → that
So, we’re prepared and now the opportunities begin.”
asserted
opportunities → ’re → ?
The Jays’ top priority this off-season is improving their lineup.
asserted
priority → improve → lineup
That means whatever they do on the pitching side needs to leave enough financial wiggle room to allow for a noticeable upgrade or two in the batting order.
asserted
do → mean → order
If the Jays have enough resources to make those improvements and sign Skubal, great.
asserted
Jays → have → Skubal
But a more realistic view is that it would have to be one or the other and while Skubal remains in a class all by himself, the Jays currently need a big bat more than they need a big arm.
asserted
they → have → arm
The Aporia
