I'm a bit reluctant to say the Tulo move is fantastic for the jays. He's been somewhat injury prone, will now be playing on artificial turf, and the jays are on the hook for 5 years and 96 mill. Reyes had 4 for 48 remaining, for a mid market team that's a big difference going forward. With the Tulo contract, Bautista and Encarnacion to be resigned in the next year or two, the Jays may just price themselves out of signing an ace long term.
Reyes is injury prone too (has chronic hamstring issues) ...
Reyes was my wife's second favourite Blue Jay (she adores his
personality) and I dug his energy and enthusiasm too, but if you were a Jays fan watching Reyes play everyday shortstop for this team the last couple of years, you'd be doing cartwheels after hearing that Alex Anthopolous was able to deal Reyes even if nothing much was coming back.
Hopefully Bautista can retire as a Blue Jay and continue to be part of a core of Donaldson/Martin/Tulo & Travis (serious ROY candidate if not injured) plus good young arms in the rotation next year (Stroman, Osuna, Sanchez)
Encarnacion isn't necessarily a part of the long term furniture here. He loves Toronto and would probably give the Jays a hometown discount, but he's basically a DH whose bat is probably regressing, and so I wouldn't be surprised if he is dealt before free agency (tho Edwin is a 10-5 guy who can veto a trade.)
... oh also Toronto easily can be a big market team (they've got an entire country) if ownership chooses to be (they've got the resources, but it's been club policy not to give FAs more than 5 year contracts, but that might change with a new president coming in this winter)
EDIT: where do you get that Reyes has "4 for 48 remaining" on his contract? Reyes has 2 years left at 22M per and then in 2018 its a club option for 22M or 4M buyout ... so it's really 2 for 48 remaining! that's why it's a miracle another team would take him.
