The Toronto Blue Jays/MLB Thread.

[slaw]

We'll be begging to have Ricciardi back, won't we?

Sigh....

The biggest issue for me is that Shapiro's team in Cleveland adopted the Bryan Colangelo tone which was, "hey, we know what we need and in a perfect world we'd go get it but our market is tough and we live within certain parameters, so it's hard you know, etc., etc.". Even if all that is true, that's not how you communicate because it belies your view of the world (we are a third rate organization) and influences your approach (we can't really, truly compete with the big boys, so why try?). It's why, despite all the shortcomings, I generally feel good about the Raptors under Ujiri. He came into the job eyes wide open and he has never used the "Toronto sucks as a market" excuse, and you can see he believes it by going after Aldridge and setting up 2016 free agency.

If we start hearing stuff about parameters, etc. then we're in trouble....

[Joey]

The biggest issue for me is that Shapiro's team in Cleveland adopted the Bryan Colangelo tone which was, "hey, we know what we need and in a perfect world we'd go get it but our market is tough and we live within certain parameters, so it's hard you know, etc., etc.". Even if all that is true, that's not how you communicate because it belies your view of the world (we are a third rate organization) and influences your approach (we can't really, truly compete with the big boys, so why try?). It's why, despite all the shortcomings, I generally feel good about the Raptors under Ujiri. He came into the job eyes wide open and he has never used the "Toronto sucks as a market" excuse, and you can see he believes it by going after Aldridge and setting up 2016 free agency.

If we start hearing stuff about parameters, etc. then we're in trouble....

I honestly don't think Shapiro will come in a tear it all down. Ed Rogers has indicated that they will be looking to build off the success of last season, and rightfully so. They made a ridiculous amount of money, even while spending more than usual. Rogers now has a taste for what a successful team can bring in, and I believe Shapiro's directive is to maintain a winning team.

The fact they are keeping all the coaching staff speaks to that in my mind.

[slaw]

I honestly don't think Shapiro will come in a tear it all down. Ed Rogers has indicated that they will be looking to build off the success of last season, and rightfully so. They made a ridiculous amount of money, even while spending more than usual. Rogers now has a taste for what a successful team can bring in, and I believe Shapiro's directive is to maintain a winning team.

The fact they are keeping all the coaching staff speaks to that in my mind.

I haven't seen anything about the coaching staff confirmed so that's news to me. We'll see. I have a bad feeling about anything Little Eddie Rogers has his hands in.... There's just bad karma all over this.

[Bendit]

Heard a couple of versions last night of AA's exit interviews on sports radio and was left a bit confused with a couple positions AA took. a) He is absolutely tight lipped about what the impasse really was (he kept saying "bad fit")...while simultaneously acknowledging that he always realized that with new management came the real possibility of a new way of doing things. b) apparently he was offered an out after a year on the new contract if he still felt constrained. So, for him to just walk considering the team was his baby just seems like an extreme position. He is going to find it very difficult to find a pure gm position which gave him the absolute autonomy he had under Beeston.....that just isnt the way clubs are run now.

This whole thing started I believe with Beeston supporting the wrong guy to be mlb commisioner. Apparently he was different from Ed Rogers' choice (the current guy). Wonder what that power play was all about. It wasnt the same for the Beest since then and now AA. Politics. And what does this have to do with baseball?

[Joey]

I haven't seen anything about the coaching staff confirmed so that's news to me. We'll see. I have a bad feeling about anything Little Eddie Rogers has his hands in.... There's just bad karma all over this.

Here's the Statement from Ed Rogers:

“Alex has done a terrific job as GM of the Blue Jays over the past six seasons, and we would have loved it if he stayed with the club. Like the fans, we too are disappointed he has chosen not to accept our five-year contract offer, but we wish him the very best. Alex leaves behind an outstanding front office team and coaching staff that played a key role in shaping the team’s great run this season. They will continue to operate in leadership roles next year as we look to build upon the team’s success. We remain committed to putting a winning team on the field and look forward to many more exciting seasons for the Blue Jays.”

[Mack North]

Anybody know what Shapiro's contract looks like(years?)?

[tonious35]

Shapiro better fucking know that Tulo was the other half besides Price that got our team going. It was his glove, a teeny bit of his bat and his influence that helped out the young players to focus on their game as well. Also helped that Revere was a capable LF for the team.

[Joey]

Shapiro better fucking know that Tulo was the other half besides Price that got our team going. It was his glove, a teeny bit of his bat and his influence that helped out the young players to focus on their game as well. Also helped that Revere was a capable LF for the team.

I could see Revere getting moved with Saunders up and coming.

[Wild-ling#1]

Still think the awful Dickey and Marlin trades nullifies anything AA did emptying the farm and exchanging a really expensive contract for an even longer one for a better player with injury issues

20-20 hindsight. We were favourites to win the World Series after the Marlins/Dickey trades ... and the city was ecstatic. MLB head office actually held up finalizing the trade cuz they weren't sure it was fair to the Florida fan-base to give up that much talent in one trade. It was that unprecedented.

So I credit AA with two major, credible pushes for a pennant in just three years ... after having accumulated the assets to make those bold, major moves. So - honestly - I've been impressed with the guy since long before this July. That's why I put up the poll at the head of this thread. Almost no one wanted to wait until Shapiro was hired to extend AA.

And the guy announcing he's leaving, cause he's been stripped of control over baseball decisions, on the same day he's named Manager of the Year ... just fucking embarrassing.

There's no way around that. It can't be spun. I'm not saying the team is screwed. But that's only because AA set our line-up up so freakishly well for next year. Period.



(Thanks for linking the Griffin piece, Joey. Seems like it's been awhile since I read any actual journalism. Refreshing. Maybe I should ditch the Rogers/TSN icons from my toolbar ... )

[raptors999]

20-20 hindsight. We were favourites to win the World Series after the Marlins/Dickey trades ... and the city was ecstatic. MLB head office actually held up finalizing the trade cuz they weren't sure it was fair to the Florida fan-base to give up that much talent in one trade. It was that unprecedented.

So I credit AA with two major, credible pushes for a pennant in just three years ... after having accumulated the assets to make those bold, major moves. So - honestly - I've been impressed with the guy since long before this July. That's why I put up the poll at the head of this thread. Almost no one wanted to wait until Shapiro was hired to extend AA.

And the guy announcing he's leaving, cause he's been stripped of control over baseball decisions, on the same day he's named Manager of the Year ... just fucking embarrassing.

There's no way around that. It can't be spun. I'm not saying the team is screwed. But that's only because AA set our line-up up so freakishly well for next year. Period.



(Thanks for linking the Griffin piece, Joey. Seems like it's been awhile since I read any actual journalism. Refreshing. Maybe I should ditch the Rogers/TSN icons from my toolbar ... )

He was also part of the executive level that had the longest playoff drought in the MLB prior to this year. The previous 2 decades was more embarrassing than the one good contract year

[Cody73]

Anyone catch what Shapiro said earlier? I missed it, but wanted to know what you guys thought of it.

[Joey]

Anyone catch what Shapiro said earlier? I missed it, but wanted to know what you guys thought of it.

Can see most of it here: http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb...y-than-before/

Basically, sad that AA won't be back, all the coaches will be back, Tony LaCava is interim GM and overall good guy, and we want to keep winning and fielding a winner every year. He said all the right things.

There's something a little too ... perfect about this guy... everything is canned and cut perfectly.

[Wild-ling#1]

Can see most of it here: http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb...y-than-before/

Basically, sad that AA won't be back, all the coaches will be back, Tony LaCava is interim GM and overall good guy, and we want to keep winning and fielding a winner every year. He said all the right things.

There's something a little too ... perfect about this guy... everything is canned and cut perfectly.

"Blithely dishonest", is how I'd put it.

I think we all know that Paul Beeston didn't second-guess baseball decisions, per se. AA would have to justify a move that required going over budget, in terms of its risks and impact, but that was all. Everyone seems to know Shapiro might have vetoed any number of things AA did last year (whether acquiring this guy or sending out that prospect). And he didn't deny this in interviews today.

"Can't say. Pointless to speculate." is what he said.

"I might have vetoed some of the moves. It's my prerogative as President, and the reason Alex left." is the only answer I could respect.

No one endears themselves to me by assuming my stupidity. Strikes me as a tactless, lying-sack-of-shit, amoral, selfish corporate drone.

I think Alex is right. He can do better. I wish we could have.

Much.

[Bendit]

Shapiro is an "A" personality and I suppose its his right. The ownership gave him the total reins of the org. Beeston seems to have deferred to AA on on field matters completely. They understood each other on the parameters.

As Joey said Shapiro came across too perfect and is the type who would do great in the boardroom. AA apparently never spoke to them once...and was good with that.

Times change. I like people like AA better. They just seem more genuine....and not by the book all of the time. Shapiro will always be easy to be read by the other shark GMs in mlb. He goes by the book it seems.

[Joey]

"Blithely dishonest", is how I'd put it.

I think we all know that Paul Beeston didn't second-guess baseball decisions, per se. AA would have to justify a move that required going over budget, in terms of its risks and impact, but that was all. Everyone seems to know Shapiro might have vetoed any number of things AA did last year (whether acquiring this guy or sending out that prospect). And he didn't deny this in interviews today.

"Can't say. Pointless to speculate." is what he said.

"I might have vetoed some of the moves. It's my prerogative as President, and the reason Alex left." is the only answer I could respect.

No one endears themselves to me by assuming my stupidity. Strikes me as a tactless, lying-sack-of-shit, amoral, selfish corporate drone.

I think Alex is right. He can do better. I wish we could have.

Much.

Shapiro addressed that speicifically, and I'm generally in agreement with his position actually..

“There’s no GM in baseball that makes that call in isolation,” Shapiro said during an impressive 40-minute address with media in which he spoke confidently and authoritatively. “A good GM stewards a decision by gathering information, all the variables that exist – makeup, character, personality, medical, objective analysis, subjective analysis – they steward all that process, they arrive at a strong recommendation and ultimately I think if that process is good, my job to approve the decision is easy, it’s an easy decision."

“I don’t know any situation where there’s that much focus on pure autonomy,” said Shapiro, in response to a question about Anthopoulos’s autonomy. “Where I want to work and who I want to work with are people that are focused on arriving at the best decision. Whether that information, whether that input comes from someone in a cubicle, comes from a scout in the Pacific Northwest, comes from a trainer, comes from a strength coach in Dunedin, if it makes us better, if it helps us arrive at the best decision, that’s all that matters. I think Alex would share that.

“It’s not about autonomy, it’s about collective success.”

I'm not mad at the guy. I'll wait to see to judge him on his own accord.