Blue Jays Morning Brew: Dunedin negotiations and more

Blue Jays spring training negotiations
Megan Reeves of the Tampa Bay Times has the most recent update on the negotiations between the Blue Jays and the city of Dunedin. Toronto’s contract is set to expire at the end of 2017, and the two have been partners since 1977.

It’s about to get interesting because we’re nearing the point where dollars and cents enter the conversation in a more public way. Reeves reports that the deadline to apply for county funding is tentatively set for a date in August or September, so on a very basic level, much of this negotiation will come down to how much the Blue Jays contribute versus how much Dunedin contributes.

“Taxpayers should not pay to prop up a private business, whether it’s a pizza joint or a pro sports team,” said Andres Malave, the communications director for Americans For Prosperity, an organization that is against taxpayer-funded stadiums.

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This is a debate typically seen at the top levels, with taxpayers splitting the bill with billionaires to build their new toy. While Dunedin is a much smaller scale, it’s a very important decision for the area as the Blue Jays are a significant part of the local economy.

Who’s number 76?
The night after taking in a Toronto Raptors game with the suspended Jose Bautista, Montreal Canadiens defenceman P.K. Subban took some swings with the Blue Jays prior to Saturday’s game. Subban’s take on his exclusion from Canada’s World Cup of Hockey roster was especially refreshing, as he told Arden Zwelling:

“I mean, everybody wants to make the team, right? And there’s a bunch of guys that I’m sure wanted to be on the team. But that’s the way it goes. Listen, at the end of the day, we could take four or five teams to this thing. When I was speaking to [Team Canada GM] Doug Armstrong, my number one thing was I just want to see Canada win gold. So, I’ll be there cheering just like everybody else.”

Podcast Pluggin’
Not yet a subscriber to The Jays Nest Podcast? What better day than today to change that, with a new episode releasing Tuesday morning.

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Bullpen chatter
General manager Ross Atkins tells Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com that the team remains confident in their bullpen despite recent struggles. Even Drew Storen, whose struggles have been the most pronounced, looked very strong in Saturday’s win.

The Osuna-Rivera comparison
Paralleling Roberto Osuna with the great Mariano Rivera is something you’ll be hearing a lot of if the young blue Jays stays in his current role. The staff at Sportsnet discussed that over the weekend. While it’s obviously a stretch, and borders on the urge to call every successful shortstop Jeter-esque, you can argue that no other closer has a higher long-term ceiling than Osuna.

Farm Philosophy
Over at Jays From the Couch, Ryan Mueller looks at the Blue Jays’ philosophy in managing their farm system in early 2016. After the Alex Anthopoulos regime grew increasingly aggressive with their promotions in recent seasons, it appears that Shapiro and Atkins are taking a slower approach.