Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
It looks like this winter’s extended drama is coming to a head for the Toronto Blue Jays. It seems like all winter the Blue Jays have been linked in one way or another to one of the top free agents available. Well, with free agents SLOWLY dropping off the board, Ervin Santana waited it out. So did the Blue Jays. Perhaps, the wait is over. We’ll keep you updated as information becomes available. Here’s what we have heard thus far:
If the Blue Jays land with Ervin Santana--and they're working on it--they'll have played this very well, in the value/player equation.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) March 8, 2014
Blue Jays To Sign Ervin Santana http://t.co/WqZfbCrXR2 #mlb
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) March 8, 2014
Then this from the Toronto Star’s Brendan Kennedy:
#bluejays have signed Ervin Santana to a one-year, $14-million deal, according to @dSoldevila of ESPN Desportes.
— Brendan Kennedy (@BKennedyStar) March 8, 2014
Then Joel Sherman of the NY Post adds:
Told Ervin Santana deal with #Bluejays not yet final, but Tor definitely talking seriously about 1-yr pact.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) March 8, 2014
MLB beat reporter for the Blue Jays, Gregor Chisholhm:
According to @Enrique_Rojas1 Santana is considering a one-year deal with #BlueJays but is also waiting on final word from the Orioles.
— Gregor Chisholm (@GregorChisholm) March 8, 2014
And this:
Waiting until 5 for better offer. RT @Enrique_Rojas1: Si para las 5 pm ET no hay una mejor oferta, Ervin Santana será miembro de #BlueJays.
— Gregor Chisholm (@GregorChisholm) March 8, 2014
There’s more: Tim Brown of Yahoo!:
John Morosi of FoxSports:
Source close to Ervin Santana talks says Blue Jays do not have an agreement in place with him at this moment. But they are working on it.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) March 8, 2014
From Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi:
Nothing done yet between #BlueJays and Ervin Santana, but sides continue to work on things.
— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) March 8, 2014
Less of a done deal says Chris Cotillo of MLBDailyDish.com:
Ervin Santana doesn't have a deal in place. #BlueJays remain among teams involved. Moving parts, fluid situation.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) March 8, 2014
Sportsnet’s Mike Wilner has us watching the clock:
Latest report, from ESPN's Enrique Rojas, says that if Ervin doesn't get a better offer by 5pm EAST, he'll sign with #Bluejays #Jays
— Mike Wilner (@Wilnerness) March 8, 2014
But, don’t get TOO excited:
Sense I'm getting from people I'm talking to is that nothing is done between #Bluejays and Santana, but they're close. #Jays
— Mike Wilner (@Wilnerness) March 8, 2014
Brendan Kennedy gives us a translation of ESPN Enrique Rojas’ report:
Santana deciding between #bluejays & #orioles, per @Enrique_Rojas1 Ervin Santana cerca de decidir entre #BlueJays y #Orioles
— Brendan Kennedy (@BKennedyStar) March 8, 2014
While we wait, Brendan Kennedy give us this piece.
"“The Blue Jays have reached a tentative agreement to sign free-agent starting pitcher Ervin Santana to a one-year, $14-million contract, according to Dionisio Soldevila, a Spanish-language baseball reporter for The Associated Press. Enrique Rojas, of ESPN Deportes, is reporting that Santana is waiting until 5 p.m. Saturday to see if he can get a better deal from another team. The Blue Jays have not announced anything.”"
MLBTR reminds us that the Blue Jays are not alone in this:
Blue Jays, Orioles In Play For Ervin Santana: http://t.co/fJatEKR8W4
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) March 8, 2014
Chris Cotillo gives us a bit more detail:
Ervin Santana deciding between #Orioles and #BlueJays, according to @Enrique_Rojas1. BAL offered 1/$13 with incentives, TOR 1/$14.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) March 8, 2014
Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports adds:
Source confirms report from @Enrique_Rojas1: #Orioles remain in mix for Ervin Santana. #BlueJays continue to talk to him as well.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 8, 2014
Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports compares the offers Santana is weighing:
Sources: Ervin Santana's team could come down to performance-bonus money. Jays offering none. Orioles could match $14M deal, add incentives.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 8, 2014
Then there is this from Max Wildstein of OutsidePitchMLB.com:
John Morosi might be reaching with this but:
You can't make this stuff up. Ervin Santana's most recent tweet was a quote from legendary Orioles manager Earl Weaver. @ErvinSantana_54
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) March 8, 2014
Here is the tweet Morosi refers to:
Nobody likes to hear it, because it's dull, but the reason you win or lose is darn near always the same - pitching.#EarlWeaver
— Ervin Santana (@ErvinSantana_54) March 4, 2014
Max Wildstein gives us this:
Again, Mike Wilner calls for patience:
Be prepared, folks, for the fact that Ervin Santana may well not make a decision by 5:00pm EAST today. #Bluejays #Jays
— Mike Wilner (@Wilnerness) March 8, 2014
We’ve been waiting all day, and then John Morosi gives us this:
Source: Ervin Santana has not set a deadline to make a decision and is prepared to wait “days” before signing with a club. @FOXSports1
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) March 8, 2014
From Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) of MASNsports.com:
It's past 5 pm and no Ervin Santana news. Who can you trust? O's and Jays have 1-year offers on table for close to $14.1 mil qualifying
— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) March 8, 2014
And this:
And that's it, folks. #orioles weren't aware of any deadline. Maybe cause 1 didn't exist.
— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) March 8, 2014
It could be a LONG night/weeknd…