The dust has settled from Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s line-drawn-in-the-sand date.

The Blue Jays were unable to sign their best player to a contract extension by the full squad reporting date of Feb. 18, so negotiations have come to an end. Both sides handled the fallout admirably in the immediate aftermath, although Guerrero did say that the two sides didn’t get close to a deal, while Jays’ GM Ross Atkins responded that any perspective on that depended on how you defined “close.”

Either way, the deal is seemingly dead.

In the aftermath, the other Blue Jays players and manager John Schneider all said they understood the business of baseball and that it was now time to focus on the game. I was in Jays camp this week and I have to say the energy was very good.

Anthony Santander, Max Scherzer, and Andres Gimenez all bring a breath of fresh air and maturity to the clubhouse. They also bring grit and accountability, which is something the team needs. Players and coaches acknowledged the different feeling this spring.

Guerrero admitted to me that the team needed a change in the clubhouse. I hadn’t heard of big internal problems last year. He mentioned that the team needs to play for the name on the front of the uniform and not the one on the back. He said the team all needed to be in the boat, rowing in the same direction.

That is a very mature proclamation for a player who just failed to negotiate an extension and is in the final year of a contract. He is literally playing this season for a mega deal for himself. He........

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