DUNEDIN, FLA.—The Blue Jays are giving their current spring training hosts every opportunity to raise their game to state-of-the-art standards before exploring other options. But Jays president Mark Shapiro said Thursday morning there will be no hometown discounts. The improvements need to be made and, if not, the club will start seeking alternatives.

“There are realities that may be charming about our current situation, but that charm is not going to bring wins,” Shapiro said in a wide-ranging discussion with media. “So we need to be in a situation where we modernize our facility and have the ability to ingrain a culture that’s player-focused and player-centred. They understand that. They’ve been very receptive and we’re going to have to work hard and work together to get that done, but I’m optimistic that will happen.”

One of the club’s desired upgrades is best reflected in the situation surrounding Marcus Stroman and his speedy rehab, using the facilities of Duke University’s medical centre. The ideal would be for players to believe the spring facility, which is used 365 days in the year, is their best destination to get healthy.

“My desire would be that if you have the right facility that players want to live there all year round, that staff want to live there all year round, that they feel like the people they want to train with are not outside trainers but your own trainers, and they’re the best trainers going,” Shapiro said. “And they know that the level of service and support they’re going to get in your environment can never be better anywhere else. I think the more you have that, the more opportunity you have to ingrain your culture to build your team and maintain an alignment with your athletes.”

Shapiro was unwilling to lay down any timeline for an agreement with the town that labels itself “delightfully different,” but he admitted that he has spoken to his counterpart with the Atlanta Braves, John Schuerholz, about sharing a facility, but in a very preliminary manner.

“Right now we’re not searching,” Shapiro said. “Right now we’re trying to get a deal done with Dunedin. If it gets to a point where we’re searching, that search will be wide. We cast a net everywhere there would be and we’d look at all alternatives, but as of right now I think our best chance to get a deal done here is to focus on getting a deal done, singularly, and not to be out there simultaneously looking for alternatives.”

The Jays have been in Dunedin since the birth of the franchise in 1977, but periodically have talked about moving the home base elsewhere in Florida and even to Arizona. The current agreement expires following the 2017 season.

Read more about: