Post by dougiejays on Nov 25, 2019 12:01:00 GMT -5
Toronto continued to add pieces this offseason, inking first basemen Tom Brunansky to a 3-year contract for just under $26M. Brunansky, 28, is a well-regarded defensive first basemen who hit .250/.319/.451 last year for San Diego with 21 homers. He did whack 44 dingers and post an .853 OPS in 1987, and it is surely that season’s production that the Jays are hoping for with this lucrative contract.
It had long been speculated that Toronto might sit out free agency due to financial concerns, but in the end the prospect of landing Brunansky was too good to pass up. There are several reasons to like the new addition.
First – most obviously – there’s the power. Even if Brunansky can’t match his 40-homer production from two seasons ago, adding a 20-30 homer bopper could really be an asset to Toronto’s batting order. Jack Clark led the team last season with just 22 homers, and it seemed that the team went long stretches where they had to rely on scratching across runs because of the lack of power. Brunansky is also a proficient doubles hitter, averaging 30 per season over the last three years.
Second, there’s the defense. Since-departed Joe Redfield really struggled with his range at first base last season, and when the team tried Matt Winters in the field he was no better. Brunansky may not be a gold glover, but he is highly lauded around the league for his glovework at first base and is also a very competent outfielder. There are even some rumblings around camp that he may eventually end up in centre field if Eric Davis makes the switch to the infield.
Third, there’s his age. It’s not often that high-end free agents become available in their 20s and at just 28, Brunansky should just be coming into the prime of his career. If all goes well, he can certainly expect another contract in his future after this three-year term is up, and the Blue Jays seem to view this deal internally as an opportunity to bring a long-term piece into the organization without giving up any trade assets to do so. Obviously any talk of an extension is premature at this point, but just the fact that there’s chatter is a good indication of how much the team hopes to invest in Brunansky.
Brunansky was their big splash, but the Jays also signed six other players to small major league guarantees. Most notable is starter Dennis Lamp, who went 10-8 with a 4.44 ERA in 160 innings a season ago. The others are 2B Rafael Ramirez (.542 OPS); SS Paul Dade (.572 OPS); 1B Rick Down (.556 OPS); LF Angel Salazar (.456 OPS); and LF LaVel Freeman (minor league free agent). All six are expected to report to minor league camp.
