Bautista's road to new deal with the Jays

Veteran slugger Jose Bautista has reportedly agreed to return to the Toronto Blue Jays on a one year deal plus options.  The road to Bautista re-signing with the Jays began early in Spring Training and lasted through a very interesting season for one of the best players in franchise history.

“I am not willing to negotiate”

Bautista made it very clear before the season even got underway that he had set the price he was willing to return to the Jays at and would not be budging off that number.

"I don't think there should be any negotiations. I think I've proved myself, and the question has been asked — what will it take — and I've given them an answer," Bautista told the media on the first day of Spring Training. "I'm not going to sit here and try to bargain for a couple dollars."

Bautista, who signed a five-year, $65 million contract back in 2011, went on to say he does not believe in the term "hometown discount."

According to TSN Senior Correspondent Rick Westhead, Bautista was asking for at least $150 million over five years.

Fight Night Arlington

Coming off the dramatic “bat flip” home run in Game 5 of the Blue Jays’ 2015 ALDS win over the Texas Rangers, the anticipation of fireworks between the two teams was high as they prepared to play seven games in a two week stretch of May.

While nothing happened during the first four games in Toronto, late in the final game in Texas, Rangers rookie Matt Bush hit Bautista with a pitch.  On the subsequent play, the Blue Jays slugger slid hard and late into Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor sparking a brawl.

"I was pretty surprised," Bautista said after the game. "I mean, obviously, that's the only reason that he got me and he got me pretty good, so I have to give him that. It takes a little bit bigger man to knock me down."  

Odor was suspended eight games for his actions while Bautista got one.
 

A Bad Break

In the seventh inning of a 13-2 thrashing of the Philadelphia Phillies, Bautista broke his toe after crashing into the right field wall. He was placed on the 15-day DL the following day.

He would remain out of the lineup for 30 games, returning to action on July 25th.

An Even Worse Break

As Bautista was starting to round back into form, bad luck struck in the form of a freak injury.  On August 9th, he suffered a sprained knee throwing a ball back into the infield.

"My cleat got caught in the turf, knee got a little jerked there and I landed on it too," Bautista explained to reporters. "I can't really tell if (it happened) when my cleat got caught or when I landed on it, but it's a sprained knee nonetheless and I'm on the DL."

“It's extremely frustrating, especially after an off-season that a lot of hard work went into, just getting my body ready and hopefully avoiding these type of situations and then having it happen on two freak accidents, it's pretty disappointing.”

Final Accounting

In the end, 2016 was a down year for Bautista as he finished with 22 homers, 69 RBIs and a .234 batting average in 116 games played.

For the two-time home run king, 22 represents the least he has hit since 2009 when he appeared in 113 games and hit 13 round trippers. His 69 RBIs were his lowest total since driving in 65 in 2012, a year he played in only 92 games.

Playoff Power

Bautista got the Blue Jays rolling in the playoffs with a home run in the 11 inning, Wild Card game victory over the Baltimore Orioles. The exclamation point was a three-run bomb in the Jays’ 10-1 win over the Texas Rangers in Game 1 of the ALDS.

“Circumstances”

During the Blue Jays five game elimination at the hand of the Cleveland Indians, Bautista insinuated that the Indians’ pitchers were not being forced to throw pitches over the plate because the calls were going in their favour.

“All you have to do is go look at video and try to count the number of pitches they have thrown over the heart of the plate. It hasn’t been many. But they’ve been able to do that because of…the circumstances.”

The Indians predictably took hold of that comment and even changed their Twitter bio to include a line about the situation.

“Official Twitter of the 2016 AL Central champions. We control all of the circumstances. #RallyTogether”

Qualifying Offer

Blue Jays extended a qualifying offer to Bautista at the conclusion of the season that would have paid the slugger $17.2 million on a one-year deal.  

With the offer, which Bautista declined, the Jays put themselves in a position to receive a draft pick in compensation if he were to sign with another team prior to the June draft.

Heating Up

Blue Jays extended a qualifying offer to Bautista at the conclusion of the season that would have paid the slugger $17.2 million on a one-year deal.  

With the offer, which Bautista declined, the Jays put themselves in a position to receive a draft pick in compensation if he were to sign with another team prior to the June draft.