Bautista and the Blue Jays postpone their multi-million-dollar date
The Toronto Blue Jays and Jose Bautista had a romantic Valentine’s Day date perfectly planned. They’d fly to Arizona to escape the February mid-winter blues, sit down for a chat about their future and pass notes to each other across the table. Alas, their desert date never happened, and the two parties decided to discuss their relationship over a less loaded cup of coffee later this week. It seems Bautista is looking for something long-term, but the Jays are somewhat reluctant to commit. And if Bautista can’t get what he wants from Toronto, he may be better off playing the field.
In other words, the Jays and Bautista have pushed their arbitration hearing originally scheduled for Monday to Friday in hopes that they can work out a multi-year contract before the season starts. The problem is that arbitration would only answer the question of whether Bautista would receive the $10.5 million he’s asking for or the $7.6 million the Jays are offering this season—no talk of the future. Bautista’s agent, Bean Stringfellow, who has the best name ever and doesn’t really look like this, told the Jays that if the impasse is forced to arbitration, there would be no further talks till the end of the season.
Either way, Bautista is going to walk away from this date a happy man. He’s getting paid and the Jays are picking up the cheque. But the real question is: how long is the club willing to pay? All’s fair in love, war and, apparently, baseball.
• Trying to figure out Jose Bautista [National Post] • Toronto teammates hope Bautista signs long-term deal [Globe and Mail] • Jays, Bautista get more time [Toronto Sun]
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