Jose Bautista isn't going to give Blue Jays a hometown discount

The Toronto Blue Jays had a lot to celebrate in 2015. The club ended its playoff drought, managed to reach the ALCS and saw outfielder Jose Bautista provide them with one of the greatest home runs in franchise history.

While that excitement should carry over to 2016, there's one significant story line that has the potential to derail some of that enthusiasm: Bautista is set to be a free-agent at the end of the season.

Given Bautista's ridiculous production, and his status as an icon within the organization, there is likely mutual interest in both sides coming to an agreement. While all of that is true, Bautista is also 35, and entering a point in his career where most players see a steep decline. With that in mind, the Blue Jays might be hesitant to give him such a huge deal.

If the club was hoping Bautista might settle for less, well ... that's not going to happen. Bautista was asked about his current situation, and did not mince words.

	Faizal Khamisa @SNFaizalKhamisa
Full Jose Bautista quote on "hometown discount". #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/zvJQjEAepb 12:20 PM - 22 Feb 2016 Twitter

That was pretty blunt. It was also somewhat refreshing.

Players rarely give definitive answers like this when it comes to contract negotiations. Some guys deny that money matters, but then wind up signing the largest deal they can get. Everyone knows money was likely the biggest role in that player signing, but it's never explicitly mentioned.

Money clearly plays a huge role in where players sign, and Bautista deserves some credit for being upfront about that. He's not going to take less to remain in Toronto just because he has a history there. He knows what he's worth, and expects a club to compensate him fairly.

He's also not wrong when he says he's given the club a discount over the past five seasons. Bautista signed a five-year, $65 million extension with the team in 2011. Over that period, he's been one of the best players in the game.

Since 2011, Bautista has hit .270/.393/.540, with 173 home runs. He's made the All-Star team in all five seasons, won two Silver Slugger awards and finished in the top-10 of the MVP voting three times.

He's been able to do all that while making an average of $13 million per season. When you look at some of the contracts being handed out to other elite players this offseason, such as Zack Greinke or Chris Davis, it's no surprise Bautista believes he's been a bargain in Toronto.

None of this will sit well with the fans, but that's unlikely to matter once the season starts. Bautista will perform well again, the fans will forget about hating him for these comments, and may even agree that the front office should give him all the money in the world.

If not, well, Bautista will take his excellent production elsewhere next season. Some may disagree with his attitude or approach to this situation, but he's not wrong. Bautista is among the best in the game, and some team will compensate him as such.