Feb. 13: Breslow’s spring opt-out date is March 22, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter links). He can also earn up to $700K worth of incentives if he makes the big league roster. The Blue Jays have formally announced the deal.
Feb. 12, 11:59am: Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet reports that Breslow would earn a $1.25MM base salary if he makes the team (Twitter link). He’d also have the opportunity to earn more through incentives and has an opt-out date near the end of Spring Training.
11:33am: The Blue Jays are in agreement with left-handed reliever Craig Breslow on a minor league contract, tweets Robert Murray of FanRag Sports. Breslow, who is represented by the Baratta Partners, will vie for a bullpen job in Major League Spring Training.
Toronto has been stockpiling bullpen options on minor league deals lately, as they’ve now added Breslow, John Axford (link) and Jake Petricka (link) in the past week alone. Toronto also added Al Alburquerque on a minors pact earlier this winter. The 37-year-old Breslow will give the Jays an option to compete alongside Aaron Loup, Matt Dermody, Tim Mayza and fellow non-roster pitcher Chad Girodo for a spot as a lefty in the ’pen.
Breslow opened the 2017 season with the Twins on the heels of a winter in which worked to alter his mechanics and lower his arm slot. He didn’t fare particularly well in Minnesota (5.23 ERA in 31 innings), although that was largely due to the fact that other injuries throughout the bullpen (and some short outings from the rotation) early in the season forced the Twins to use Breslow against right-handed opponents far more than would be preferable. Breslow faced twice as many righties as lefties in 2017, and they clobbered him at a .330/.393/.542 clip. However, lefties were utterly befuddled against Breslow, hitting just .196/.294/.286.
When are the jays going to sign an actual 5th starter
I don’t know why people are upset at the signing. Part of rounding out the roster is filling up the upper minors with veteran pieces.
Even if the Jays had already signed a 5th starter, they’d still need to do moves like this one.
Okay, I supported the Axford and Petricka signings but Craig Breslow??? Seriously? If the team gets in a situation where Breslow is the answer, then I suggest the Jays will be having far more serious problems than just being short one left-handed reliever…
Not sure why people find this simple concept so difficult to understand: minor league signings carry no risk.
Agreed.
just a minor league deal, think of it as insurance. nothing hurt if they don’t use him.
Another coach, or more like player coach type. Can’t hurt to have him around if just to work with younger players and teach them pitching mechanics. he used to work with beckett during his 1st stay with boston and beckett would contact afterward when was having trouble to work them out.
No one “smarter” in the sport. I believe his degree from Yale was in molecular something. The guy’s a pro and believes in himself. Hope he makes it.
So supporting two other minor league signings is fine, but a third one is just too much for you to support!?!?
Maybe you should realize that minor league signings happen across the league. This isn’t new.
If Breslow makes the team, it will be as a lefty specialist.
Wonder what the chances are for the Jays signing either Cobb or Lynn to a 2 year deal with a couple of option years? 2 years 32m with 2 option years at 15m each?
What kind of options? Player? Doubt the jays would do it. Team? Doubt the pitcher would do it.
Not likely. They had in between 10-12M to spend and have signed 4 minor leaguers since. They still need a backup catcher as well. If I had my guess the 5th starter will have to be in the 8M range for this year Hoping for something like Garcia at this point.
You don’t think Maile will start the season as the backup catcher?
If Maile starts the season as the backup catcher . it just emphaisizes to me [and others] that the Jays are going nowhere in 2018. There is a reason Tampa cut him. Maile is a AAA catcher that will not help any team win a championship. Ugh.
Seriously, jimmertee? A team’s fate hinges on the backup catcher, usually the least valuable member of any club?
#scoutsdelusions
If Maile could hit, he wouldn’t be a backup catcher, would he? His value lies in his ability to run the pitching staff and play good defense.
The season of a baseball team obviously does not depend on one backup catcher. What I was trying to communicate is that if they do that, it is a sign of what is really going on – not wanting to really compete for a championship, but making money and budget over winning.
We can take it to the bank that Russell Martin will only be playing 60% of the games and when one of the core players is off the field that much it means that the team lineup is very weak. It needs to be strengthened with a real catcher not just a backup.
Having said that, I like Jansen in the minors and I hope they will give him a shot to make the team. Anything is better than Maile or a defensive catcher fill in guy if the Jays want to win with this weak lineup. [and yes Solarte will be good, Grichuck another Bautista and Diaz defintely not]. It is still a weak lineup in my eyes. #scoutseyes
> The season of a baseball team obviously does not depend on one backup catcher.
Yet…you say immediately after that if they don’t upgrade Maile, your psychic powers divine it means the team is “not wanting to really compete for a championship.”
Come on.
#psychicscoutseyes
This hashtag needs to be seen more often lol
#BULLSHITEYES
According to wikipedia it says:
“Breslow graduated from Yale University in 2002 with a B.A. in molecular biophysics and biochemistry, and gained admission to the NYU School of Medicine, which he deferred”
holy smokes that’s impressive.
I believe he and Ryan Lavarnway are the only 2 ivy leaguers currently playing in the bigs, or have been the last several years. Shame, used to be numerous ivy guys around years ago.
“think” Lavarnway’s major was sports medicine, or something along that line.
I was curious about this so I did some research on it because I figured there had to be more than 2…Kyle Hendricks went to Dartmouth and Matt Bowman, David Hale, and Chris Young (the pitcher) all went to Princeton.
There are probably more but those were some of the bigger examples.
Thank you for doing that research. it couldn’t have been real easy and had been wondering for awhile about the number since hearing few years back those were the only 2.
Additional Ivy Leaguers since 2015:
Columbia: Mike Baxter (last MLB 2015)
Harvard: Brent Suter, Frank Herrmann (last MLB 2016)
Princeton: Danny Barnes
The Stove is Burning Hot Today!!!
Good veteran minor league signing. I like the veteran depth moves that the Jays are doing. Most won’t work out, but low ocst and no risk, might as well have a look at them. Breslow can still get lefties out. The trouble is him and Loup are the same, good on lefties, terrible on righties.
I am still waiting of the Jays signing or acquiring #1 and #3 starters and a 40% catcher.
I don’t use the term backup, because Russell Martin will only be in there 60% of the time. So the Jays need a good catcher. If they don’t sign one from the scrap heap, then let’s hope one of the prospects from the minors grabs the opportunity and shines. I like one or two of the Jays minor league catching prospects. [like Danny Jansen]#scoutseyes
#NEVERASCOUTEYES
@jimmertee
> I am still waiting of the Jays signing or acquiring #1 and #3 starters
Rank Stroman, Happ, Estrada, and Sanchez.
All these guys have the ability to have a good yea The hope is that one will turn out to be a Daren Oliver or Latroy Hawkins.
They have 4 starters that aren’t exactly chopped liver. As it stands, they probably have the second best rotation in the East. They need a #5 or #6 starter, plus some depth.
Do some math with me: one extra hit every 10 games or so will raise a batting average by 50 points. If a backup catcher plays 50 games a year, that would equal around 5 extra hits to make him look really good in your eyes.
Once again – if Maile could hit, he wouldn’t be a backup catcher. His value is in his game calling, defense, and making 12 or 13 guys better.
I have done this before but I’ll repeat since you asked. If the Jays rotation was mostly healthy all season like in 2015/16 the rotation would be one of the best.
But I didn’t see that coming into last year and called it and I don’t see it coming into this year.
I think Stroman is a #2 because he still has emotional blowup innings and can have trouble beating a real ace on the other team.
Sanchez has #1 potential but I hear from a friend in the Blue Jays room that they have no idea how his finger is going to react and this same friend has seen this type of injury before and its fairly quick reoccurrence. He beleives it will reoccur thus Sanchez heads to the pen.
Happ is excellent but his 190+ inning days are over. He is 34. I called his regression last year and I am calling for regression this year. only 140 innings.
Last year I called Estrada’s terrible overall year. This year will be worse. That back has a hierniated disk and on start after start I noticed that he couldn’t get his top half over in his delivery constistently and thus lost his pinpoint control. We are going to be luck y to see 55 innings out of him. I hope I am wrong. Stupid signing.
There are a few young guys in the minors that they can try to fill in. The retreads rarely work and we saw that last year.
I think this rotation and this team will get off to a good start in 2018 but be out of the playoff race by the allstar break due to age, injuries, lack of talent and lack of quality depth in the rotation. #scoutseyes
Your #scoutseyes have great 20/20 hindsight.
#scoutlies
yay! we got our Loogy!
Good digning. Need another southpaw to get lefties out. Even in a bad year, his numbers against lefties was excellent.
He could be a good addition if used properly. Just keep him away from righties.
It’s not that it’s a bad signing but neither is it a particularly good one…my personal feeling is this club can’t carry a “one and done” guy on the roster…need someone who can throw a complete inning…righties and lefties….I think they carry the extra bat this year to start.
Everytime I click on an article for a minor league signing and read the comments:
“Mr. Madison, what you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.”
I think the story about the puppy at least made more sense than some of these comments to be fair on Billy
Who’s the GM in Toronto, Ken Williams?
I’ll take him as a LOOGY. Loup is just plain frustrating.
Good for Breslow. Glad he’s still getting opportunities
I used to watch Craig pitch back at Yale. His personality alone is worth a long term high dollar contract! Funny guy, he’ll keep his team laughing, and laughter my friends is the key to winning. BlueJays to the World Series this year???
The Baratta Partners! Sounds like a great agency!
Great move to sign Breslow. He’s a pro’s pro and earns everything he gets. Hate to be a lefty batter to face him.