Atkins Opens Up About The PTBNL And The Future
5 years ago
So Ross Atkins opened up a bit to Arash Madani on Saturday and he said some interesting things about the PTBNL that the Jays will be getting back in this Donaldson trade. He also discussed when he thinks that this future team will actually compete. He was pretty clear and revealed to the fans what to expect moving forward. 2019 might have some growing pains, which…of course. But, moving forward is going to be fun. And leaving 2015 and ’16 in yesterday is the only way to do that. Here’s some stuff Atkins said…
About the player to be for JD…
This player, ya know, unfortunately because of the process we can’t name today. I think fans are going to realize who it is pretty soon. He’s an exciting upper level talent that will line up and impact our Major League team in the near future with guys like Vladdy and Bo and Biggio and TJ Zeuch and the guys that are here. So, we’re excited about where he is on his timeline and felt like that was much more valuable than the potential of something that we might just be considering.
So, it’s all said and done and it sure wasn’t exciting-upper-level-talent pretty. And it sure didn’t end well for Donaldson. But, I don’t need to get into that narrative right now, or use any purple prose to pay homage to one of the most talented players to ever don a Jays cap just yet.
I hope to hell that if he plays in the Cleveland series at the Rogers Centre next weekend that Jays fans give the man the proper sendoff that he deserves – I’m sure they will.
The whole thing smells like an alleyway in Toronto on a hot AF summer afternoon. And I’m sure Donaldson will be opening up about everything sooner than later. But, life goes on and Atkins says this ‘impact’ PTBNL prospect that the Jays are getting in return seems to fit the Jays’ timeline – so there’s that.
I’ve noticed some Cleveland writers saying that it’s hard to imagine it being a big time prospect because, ya know, the fact that he is a free agent after this season and has had a serious calf injury. But, man what a great 1-million-dollar-contract-pick-up-plus-a-PTBNL gamble by Chris Antonetti.
I also read in the Cleveland Plain Dealer that the player the Jays are getting in return is 6-4, 200 pound flamethrowing righty hurler Julian Merryweather, who, unfortunately fell victim to the villainous Tommy John this year, as he underwent surgery during Spring Training.
In 2016, he had a breakout season with the Lynchburg Hillcats in the Carolina League where he went 8 – 2, had a 1.03 ERA, and 58Ks while walking only 15. Baseball America said that he has one of the best fastballs in Cleveland’s system and can touch 97 with ease. But, at the end of the damn day, who knows if this is the player or not, right?
Whoever this PTBNL is, Atkins and company like this prospect more than the idea of QO-ing JD and more than the potential draft pick they could’ve received if JD rejected the QO, walked, and signed somewhere else.
About when the team will be competitive…
We feel as though we’ve weathered a great deal of the storm with our farm system that we’ve talked about at great lengths. We’ve made really big strides and have near term talent that will impact the Major Leagues, and there’s a lot of evidence in and around that. When you have one of the better farm systems in the game, it usually turns into near term success at the Major League level.
The 2015 storm and all the migraines Anthopoulos’ moves created for them? I mean, I wouldn’t trade 2015 and the bat-flip for a thing. But, I get where Atkins is coming from here. And I am very happy with how the regime has rebuilt the farm system.
And here’s the future 2021 money quote…
So, ya know, I think it would be overly optimistic to say that those guys transition smoothly, and we’re beating up on the Red Sox and Yankees next year, but I think a year after that the expectations will be higher. And, I think, the third year removed from that, we absolutely believe that we should be in that mix.
So it’s 2021, but we already knew that.
And it seems that this is when Atkins believes that they can get in it and win it, too. It will be interesting to see what happens to Sanchez and Stroman, as well. A lot of fans already think that the organization will move on from Stroman and trade him when the time is right. I think so, too. Now, what they do with Sanchez is a whole other thing. I think a lot is going to ride on both of their 2019 performances – that’s for sure.
Now, this 2021 future Vladdy team that will compete in the AL Beast is most definitely a coffee table puzzle right now and who knows who will be on that 25-man roster. When 2021 rolls around, the front office will have some serious cash-rules-everything-around-me CREAM to spend on free agents and add to the young promising core that is about to begin its future Jays journey.
The organization is going to have enough pieces in the system to trade prospects, and they will have enough cash to spend in free agency. Watching what this front office does moving forward and what free-agents-to-be they will trade is going to be interesting. I’m sure there are more howls to come with every future move this front office is going to make.
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