Oh For Two

image via milb.com

My thought process going into the MLB off season was that the Jays would sign one of Bo Bichette or Kyle Tucker. As the free agency period started the team made a big splash by signing Dylan Cease and adding other pieces to the pitching staff and lineup. As the weeks went by I was anxiously waiting for a bigger bomb to drop.

When Tucker went to the Dodgers I was confident that the Jays would keep Bichette around so when he signed with the Mets I was a little upset. Nothing mind blowing because I learned a long time ago that sports is a business first and foremost, but I thought Bo and Vlad would be together for their entire playing careers.

With Tucker it was not about the term as it seems the Jays offered the longest term, but a matter of dollars. Millions of dollars. The Jays allegedly offered Tucker 35 million per year for 10 years and Tucker took the bigger pay day. Same deal for Bo most likely. I can not fault either of these athletes for going where the money is but there is a bigger issue that major league baseball needs to address.

They need a salary cap or some form of salary control. Sports are at their peak when every team can compete financially and right now the Dodgers are by far and away the biggest market and spend the most money. It is so bad that even big markets such as Toronto and New York have no chance in competing with the Dodgers when they are willing to flex their financial muscle and blow them out of the water. It is not fair when other teams are forced to be creative and use their resources to make their teams better.

It is a form of bully tactics. Baseball also is not fun to watch when it is a super power winning all the time. The Jays garnered the attention of the baseball world this past season with their chemistry and over all team play and took the Dodgers to the brink. I have watched Game 7 of the World Series a couple of times over the past couple of months and I still can not believe how close we were. A couple of inches here and there and the title was ours. A couple of different decisions. So close yet so far.

There is still time for the Jays to make a splash in free agency. I have always liked Luis Arraez and the way he plays suits the team perfectly. He can play multiple positions on the infield and he puts the ball in play. Actually, he is the best in baseball history in putting the ball in play. Plug him in at second and I think the team is set. I think he can be had at a bargain deal too since for some reason his name has not been mentioned at all during this off season. Get it done Ross!!