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Since Jerry isn’t around, I am sitting at Table 1 to punch Tony in the face.

Yep. As Sox fans, we've spent the last 20-30 years remarking at how certain free agent contracts have been terrible for that other team and that they're going to regret it. Meanwhile, the Sox have held the line at the $75M contract mark and have been one of the worst teams over the last 20 years in terms of making the playoffs and actually winning playoff games. I don't know about you guys, but I'm not going to pity these other franchises for their supposed stupidity, I'm going to ENVY them because we're stuck with the Sox organization's stupidity at how they do things.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Saw this meme floating around Facebook/Twitter and thought it was pretty funny. Which table are you sitting at and why? Table 4 for me. Would love to pound some beers with Buerhle and then get some time in with drunk Ozzie.

None of them. Sitting at the kiddie table with Getz this offseason, as usual…

100%. I think “value” has become a coping mechanism for fans of loser franchises. And I say that as a fan of several loser franchises.

Yeah, I don’t really understand some of the reactions. We don’t like it when teams refuse to spend or try. But then we dismiss a contract like this as a mistake. Good luck finding that nearly impossible ideal middle ground.

I think we really need to start accepting that most deals for good players are not going to age well on the back half. It just is what it is. Getting past that reality, I love this for the Jays. They lock in a #2 starter while being squarely in their window to contend. And let’s not forget the division they have to deal with. Free agent splashes/overpays are more or less necessary.

Yep. Even if this turns into a bad contract, White Sox fans have been shamed into thinking every contract is gigantic because we have been silenced into submission by a tyrannical miser of an owner over the years.

That is awful there has to be a team option of something? He's not that good.

Got PAID! Good for Cease.

Agree 100%. Is Cease worth a $30M AAV in a vacuum? And for 7 years? Probably not. But was he one of the best available arms this winter for a team clearly in their window in one of the toughest divisions? Absolutely. If the Jays win the East and play in the World Series over half of this deal, they won’t regret it at all. It’s the price of competing at the highest level.

It's a lot of dough but the guy has never missed a start. Consider how much money 'elite' pitchers like DeGrom or Sale were paid to barely pitch any innings. With deferrals, Cease is being paid $26mil AAV. Boston gave Sale a 5-year contract, $29mil AAV, and he only pitched 151 innings for them in 4 years to a 3.93 ERA after signing the extension. Rangers extended DeGrom for 5 years, $37mil AAV, so far he's pitched 213 IP in 3 years. Burnes just signed for 6 years, $210mil ($35mil AAV) and now he's 31 and recovering from TJ. This contract reminds me of what the Yankees gave Rodón which is to say I think it's an overpay but he's still a valuable pitcher who will almost certainly perform across the life of the contract. I figured he would sign for 1 year and get a bigger deal depending on his performance. I'm sure a lot of other teams were offering him that. Anyway, congrats to him. It'll buy a lot of frisbee golf.

This is the type of deal Jerry would lose his mind over...and he is right. This is BAD spending. Ishbia will want to make some splashes once he takes over...but if #3s are getting 7/210...the league is totally F'd

Feel like that’s going to be a bad one quick.

That’s a hall of fame baseball person brother.

table 6 has the best vibes. there. I like how Tony is the only one drinking a beer at his table

My comment isn’t that deep. He’s a guy who struggles to go 5 often. Worth 1.1 WAR last year. Not a guy I would be that excited to spend $30M/year for 7 years on. Maybe if it was high AAV short term deal.

Well, they probably see themselves within a window and see two years of Cease as worth the contract.

Sale went a good stretch without going on IL as well. Cease, being 29 now signing a 7-year deal, is going to see the IL as well.

Trading a 22 year old top prospect with 6 years of control left for a 28 year old with 3 years left of control would be about as stupid as Getz can getz.

There's a lot of money in baseball and it has to go somewhere. Props to Blue Jays ownership for being willing to spend and actually trying to win.

Good for everyone around Don’t get me wrong, there’s a chance the Jays absolutely regret this…but at least they are going for it. Must be nice

I kinda think it would have been worse had we had a Japanese scout the last 15 years.

I’m making a (bad) joke about how the guy’s surname refers to an economic class that was seemingly not so popular under Lenin’s dictatorship. I can’t imagine Lenyn having conflict with anyone, he seems like a sweetheart. Million dollar smile, $850,000 baseball ability.

Katz winds up in HOU

Imagine the cost to get rid of Benintendi now lol...

Sox will claim they were sitting at a table just to appear to be in the room. That's their way of doing business.