How on earth could the Blue Jays not want to extend a qualifying offer to Josh Donaldson?



That is a question that has left Blue Jays fans scratching their heads over the last several days, in the wake of media speculation that the club might not be willing to do so for the former MVP, out of fear that he accepts it.



The Jays, naturally, have said nothing about this, but it’s actually not difficult to understand at least some of the reasons why the club might think this way. It just so happens that it’s probably quite a bit easier for a lot of fans to see it as exceptionally poor asset management — or worse, as a return to the days of “payroll parameters” and “cheap Rogers.”



Should Donaldson accept the qualifying offer, he would return to the team in 2019 on a one-year deal that would pay him something in the neighbourhood of $18 million dollars. The money ought to fit easily enough into the Blue Jays’ budget. In...