It might be a prudent budget [for the Blue Jays, at $155 million] but it is without any glittery off-season acquisitions, like the Yankees landing, gulp, Giancarlo Stanton and the Red Sox countering with J.D. Martinez.While both acquisitions are glittery, only Stanton warrants a "gulp".
Which is somewhat odd (assuming DiManno is not saying that simply because Stanton wears pinstripes), since Martinez bested Stanton last season in average (.303 to .281), slugging (.690 to .631), OPS+ (166 to 165), wOBA (.430 to .410), and wRC+ (166 to 156, despite Stanton's MLB-leading 59 dongs), and tied him with a .376 on-base percentage.
Martinez and Stanton have each slugged .580 since the beginning of the 2015 season, but in those three years, the Red Sox's new designated hitter comes out on top in the lists that sportswriters look at: average (.296 to .265), on-base percentage (.363 to .354), OPS (.943 to .934), total bases (863 to 748), doubles (94 to 64), RBI (274 to 273), and runs scored (247 to 226). He has even played in more games (397 to 352).
Stanton has a few more home runs (113 to 105) and a slightly better OPS+ (150 to 148). He has walked more (169 to 155) while striking out less (398 to 434). Stanton is also two years younger (28 to 30), which is significant. ... He also seems to have a much better PR team.
I don't know how any self-respecting Canadian journalist could describe the Rogers Communications-owned Jays budget as "prudent". Since Rogers and Bell pretty much divie up all the telecoms in Canada, "cheap" would be more accurate. But hey, it helps the Sox.
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