There isn’t much for Jays’ news (sign Vlad, please).
Gosuke Katoh announced on Instagram that he has retired as a player and has joined the Jays front office. No job title has been announce. Katoh was a Blue Jay for part of the 2022 season, playing in 8 games with 11 PA. Since then he’s been playing in Japan for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.
Also, Kevin Kiermaier plans to come to Dunedin this spring to help with instructing.
The Jays have won the AL Team Gold Glove Award for the second straight season, and we all know that defense wins games. I used to hear that all the time, back in the days, we could hit and score.
But I do like seeing guys make good plays. I like seeing them win more, but there is something about beggars and choosers.
Bob Nightengale figures the Jays will sign Juan Soto. I’d like him to be right, and there is also a line about a stopped clock, so Nightengale is bound to be right one day.
∙Bob Nightengale: Toronto Blue Jays – The Blue Jays still have $700 million burning a hole in their wallet, and after Yankees refuse to budge from their original offer, the Blue Jays swoop in and get their man for $630 million over 14 years.
Roki Sasaki from the Chiba Lotte Marines will be posted. He throws in the high 90s. He had a 2.35 ERA in Japan with 129 strikeouts in 111 innings this year.
He’ll only be getting a small bonus, in the $2 million range and then will be making the major league minimum.
It seems like most of the Japanese players like to play on the west coast.