A Post-Price World: The Off Season So Far
The second thing I would like to say is that I also understand that the offseason is young and that plenty could still happen.
But I am going to allow myself to be completely annoyed at the Jays for not even making an offer to Price. I don't know why it's suddenly not okay to be annoyed by that or why the discourse on the topic seems to be either "UGGGGHHHH ROGERS IS TURRRRRRRRRIBLE" and "Um, Price only made ten starts. He wasn't that important." When being somewhere in between is a reasonable place to be.
Not only is the off season progressing rather annoyingly, but the discussion of the off season, as well as the discussion on the discussion of the off season, of what we are and aren't allowed to feel, is equally annoying.
I'm not arguing that the Jays should've offered 217 million dollars to him, but it's important to remember that that number didn't get to that until the final day. Price was a Cardinal until the Red Sox made a Hail Mary offer so large that it basically shut down any other conversation. The Cubs, for instance, offered Price $161 million over seven years. If the Jays offered that early, would Price have taken it? It seems low, but it might've been a good starting point. But who knows, because no offer was ever made.
Price's agent, Bo McKinnis, went on MLB Network Radio and said,
This might all be bullshit, but I really wonder what the motivation behind saying it is if it isn't the truth. I mean, the Red Sox deal is done. He's not doing it to up the years or the number.
So I'm annoyed, which is a completely valid feeling. The reticence (or at least the appearance of reticence) after those last months of winning baseball is frustrating. I would argue that even making an offer to Price, even if it wasn't successful, would've sent a message to the league and to the pending free agents like Bautista and Encarnacion* that the Jays are still in business. Perception isn't always reality, but it certainly plays a part. Those acquisitions at the trade deadline not only sent a message to the league but also to the team itself. It's not just that Price, Tulowitzki et al. made the team better, but it energized and focused the players that were already there.
* which, by the way, the argument made every time I said something about signing Price was "Oh, but what if there is no money to re-sign Bautista or EE." So I guess they are totally clear to do that now. Or something.
So where do we go now? I want them to sign Encarnacion and Bautista. I want another arm in the rotation and a few more in the 'pen. And I want them to shut up and win the World Series.
Anyway, as I said earlier, Tulowitzki is here. Proof? He's selling his massive house in Denver. Here's the listing. My thoughts?
1. It's huge. But having looked at fancy real estate listings in Toronto (sometimes), I think six million goes a lot further in Denver. Also, I'd be worried about losing my toddler in that place. I would also worry that another family could move in one end of it, and I'd never know.
2. It might've been staged, and not entirely any Tulowitzkis fault, but the decoration is all a little much. It's like Arts and Crafts took a wrong turn somewhere in the 80s and stayed there. And spread like a virus. Throw in some Medieval Times (especially in the lighting motif) and that's the feeling I get. I do love the wood detailing in the ceiling, though. It's kind of mean to judge someone's house like this, I guess, but it's just not my taste. Maybe it's what a Denver designer with a huge budget comes up with. Maybe they got Rocky Mountain High.
The log cabin/chalet look can look really great, I just don't think this is an example of it. It's hard to see wasted potential.
The log cabin/chalet look can look really great, I just don't think this is an example of it. It's hard to see wasted potential.
3. When you have a massive house, the furniture gets huge to match it. It's hunks of wood and huge scrolls. It's antique-looking, sort of, but jacked up 40%. It's a lot of brown. There are even giant scrolls on one of the fire places.
4. That bathtub is great and I want the pool. But if I was famous enough to afford this house, I'm not sure I'd want to swim outside. Flyover paparazzi. Give me a pool in the basement, for privacy and so I can swim all year. It gets cold in the mountains in the winter.
5. I love the outdoor fire place. The outdoor space is probably my favourite part of the whole house. Plus, you can't beat that view.
I've seen it raining fire in the sky
You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply
Rocky mountain high
6. If you are very rich, you can dedicate a whole room of your house to your wine collection.
7. My favourite room is actually that loft looking place with the big windows and the basketball net. It is the only place without giant wooden scrolls, massive furniture and questionable fabric. Plus, you can shoot hoops.
And I'm done judging the rich. I still love you, Troy.