10:07 AM Eastern
How appropriate was it that the Blue Jays end their Season From Hell with a one-run, extra-inning loss?
The Blue Jays finish 2009 as the major-league leaders in one-run losses (27) and extra-inning losses (13) and also, of course, as a team in turmoil.
It was just icing on the cake that the season ended with a sweep at the hands of a 98-loss team and that the last game ended on back-to-back throwing errors by Brandon League on sacrifice bunt attempts.
I owe you some JaysTalks, so get ready to click.
Here’s Friday night’s - I don’t know why I didn’t put it on Saturday’s post:
Here’s Saturday’s pre-pre-game edition of The JaysTalk:
Saturday night’s post-game edition of The JaysTalk:
And yesterday’s final JaysTalk of the season:
The bloggage will continue throughout the playoffs and the post-season, and we’ll still have some mini-post-game shows during our playoff coverage, so make sure to keep those dialing fingers ready.
Also, you can hear me on The Bullpen with Hogan and Toth this morning, I’m scheduled for 10:25 AM Eastern and you can see me on The Grill Room on SUNTV tonight - I think. I might have to bail on them, but I’m not sure just yet.
As well, for the first time ever, I’ll be doing a live blog this afternoon right here on this very website - starting at 1:00 PM Eastern.
Rational, reasonable comments are always welcome!
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Hey Mike,
I remember emailing the fan590 before you had your blog to say “Why doesn’t Wilner have a blog?”
I emailed them because the LA Angels had just inked Gary Matthews to a big deal. All the reports I read, talked about the movie like it made sense. I needed to hear my favourite baseball personality (thats you) tell me I am wasn’t insane.
The point being, please update this blog after some of the big moves this offseason, I love hearing your analysis.
And on to my main point..
I was sad to see JP go.. I thought he did an alright job, and although I want to reserve judgement on AA, there is a chance he is incompetent as a GM… I know little about him, but I wish they would have given this job to LaCava or if they wanted to go young, get someone with more of a baseball background… Based on what I know, I don’t like the decision, but I’m going to give him a chance…
MW: I don’t know how they could have gone young with much more of a baseball background than Alex’s. I think he’ll do a terrific job. What do you know that makes you dislike the decision.
- Stevie H.Hi Mike…just to paraphrase the old line, long-time reader, first-time re-blogger. Firstly, thanks for the entire season of coverage and blogs. I always looked forward to checking out your work, and look forward to doing it all over in 2010, hopefully with different results. Anyway, the question…I was glad to see you had a positive take on our new GM. Did I not read somewhere that he was involved in the negotiations with the draft picks who ended up not signing? Oh, and one other quick question…now that BMO is going for natural grass, do you think there is a chance that Rogers could get some of the real stuff somehow, as the turf does seem to be one extra reason for free agents not to sign with the Jays. Thanks again for the great work, and hope you have a rational, reasonable off-season. No, seriously…
MW: The only free agents I can remember the Blue Jays chasing over the last few years and failing to nail down were Gil Meche and Ted Lilly. There won’t be any natural grass at Rogers Centre, it’s a totally different animal than BMO.
- HamiltonGuyConcerning playoff coverage, do you just work from the Toronto studio, or does the Fan send you on location to cover the AL and World Series?
MW: I don’t travel.
- Aaron KerFrom comments I have read this AM it seems that perhaps the problems in the BJ dugout stem from some disagreements and/or lack of communication with the pre-Cito coaches — I notice that Cito has been sitting alone in the dugout of late. Used to be that Gibbons and Whitt [when he was here] sat right together. And even earlier this year, there seemed to be a lot of communication going on with Cito and the players, at least.
- Gary RI had a look at yesterdays comments. I get passion, but holy smokes people. Whether you agree with Wilner or not, he gives us a forum to write to. Mike, you have your opinions, and as long as I have read this blog, you have stuck to them and not been wishy washy. I don’t agree with you on a lot of them, but I can’t sit here and pummle you for that. I think that we all need to sit back and thank you for allowing us this place. I don’t think for 1 minute that you deserved to be slagged for your opinions.
Thanks Mike. Here’s hoping we have some positive stuff next year. I really believe that 1 of the 2 lightning rods have been removed from the Jays. Now Cito must go as well. We don’t have the players or the era anymore, it will be 2010 next season, not 1989 and taking a refreshing break from Jimy Williams.
- BobMike,
Most people involved in sports say that sports is a business and I have to agree with that premise. In that regard, I want to make 2 points.
a) The Jays did not play a meaningful game in 8 Septembers under J.P. That effectively represented his operating results. Not good enough and worthy of dismissal.
b) Can we please stop this chicken or the egg theory when it comes to attendance. In business the customer is always right and it is not up to the fans to decide to show up to the ball park to get the team to spend money. Ownership has to invest in the team if it expects attendance to rise. Period!!
2 additional points:
One point about J.P. and the 2009 season that I haven’t seen discussed much was the ridiculous left field situation once Snider was sent down. Fielding Adams, Inglett and Delucci for much of the year was ridiculous;
Hopefully new management will put more emphasis on character and not just talent so that the Jays don’t get stuck with million dollar talent and 10 cent heads like Rios and League.
MW: There’s nothing lacking in the character of Rios or League, they’re both really good people. The left field thing is a major thing indeed - it happened last year, too.
- MarvinI find it somewhat ironic that a team that is hemorrhaging fans does not have its final game broadcast on local tv. How ridiculous is that? I mean, Rogers OWNS its own specialty sports channel and it still can’t find a network to air the last game??? An exclamation point on an otherwise dismal season.
- BGSorry I couldn’t get to the live chat, but it surely was interesting to read!
I have a couple of questions for you about the recent ‘mutiny’ and Ricciardi’s subsequent firing.
You reported on the live chat that the word ‘mutiny’ was used by someone ‘no longer with the organization’. That would mean Ricciardi did leak the story to Rosenthal. Do you think he did it with malice aforethought in order to create as much chaos as he could on his way out, or do you think it was just a chance thing that he happened to be chatting with Rosenthal and mentioned the clubhouse problems to him in passing?
You know him, I don’t. Is he capable of knowingly doing something that destructive out of a hunger for vengeance?
Many people have reported rifts between the coaches. There’s a ‘Cito Group’ consisting of Leyva and Tenace, and a ‘Non-Cito Group’ consisting of Arnsberg and Butterfield. The suggestion is that the NCG have not passed essential info along to the manager where they should have. Is this true? Is this why Gaston mentioned that some coaches may not be back next season? These reports also suggest that Paul beeston is supporting Gaston no matter what and is unsympathetic to the players and the renegade coaches. What’s your take on this? It’s one thing to let bygones be bygones but it’s quite another to leave a potential s***-storm fester for another season.
MW: Wow, look at you with the curse words! I don’t think there are “renegade” coaches. I’m led to understand that the NCG’s want very much to be a part of things but aren’t. And you’re jumping to conclusions on that “no longer with the organization” thing. It could easily have come from Scott Rolen or B.J. Ryan - even A.J. Burnett was in town in September.
- reyesMike, With many questions still to be answered it seems to me that the first two must be, will a new president/c.e.o be at the helm shortly and by extension will the new gm still be gm.I feel the situation with Cito Gaston and the players supposed revolt cannot be resolved until then.In my opinion if a same old,same old attitude prevails then it will be the fans who revolt and not the players.
Dave
MW: If Cito is still the manager, there won’t be a fan revolt. Your first point is well-taken, though.
- DaveAfter the huge marathon of a baseball season ends, it’s amazing how small the differences are between a disastrous season and an ok one, and even a disastrous one and a good one.
If the Jays win just half of those 1 run games they end the season with 88 wins - more than respectable. That’s 13 home runs, or a few less blown pitching errors, or a handful of bloopers, to finish well above 500.
Much as I avoid blaming Vernon Wells for everything, it makes me wonder if a hitter in the middle of the lineup who is producing at the right rate could be all that’s really missing from this team.
The number of 1 run games they Jays should have won that they instead lost was about 13. Vernon hit 15 homers all year. As a middle of the order guy he should be looking at 30 a year. An extra 15 (admittedly all required at the right times) was all that was required to get the Jays to 90 games.
It’s a distorted way of illustrating the problem. But the real point is that a tiny amount of extra run production at key moments turns one of the worst Toronto teams ever into a playoff contender.
MW: It’s a very distorted way of illustrating the problem. Why would you think that the Blue Jays “should” have won about 13 of the one-run games that they lost? That would have made them 34-15 in one-run games, which would easily have been the best record in the majors.
- Ben Assyntmichael,
got to thinking…. you tell me what other team in all of mlb (perhaps all of sports i guess) that’s had 2 gm’s rise up thru the ranks in such unlikely fashions as new man anthopoulos or former man in charge ash.
one a former mntnce. crew supervisor (not sure if he wore the uni & carried a rake at that time) & the other a measley 32 yrs. old and answering fan mail for the expos (for free!) at one time. great interview with him yesterday btw.
anyway, funny & certainly very surprising all at the same time don’t you think? pretty amazing stuff.
i’m thinking though that your resume makes you look like a savvy veteran of the game compared to those 2 & their background michael.
you have be the odds on faourite at this point to be the next gm of the toronto blue jays based on how this organization seems to assess resumes for such important job posts.
you’re a shoe in i’m tellin’ you……..
MW: I know you want it, so……..sigh.
- darrell bishopGreinke could not get the job done against the Twins this weekend and stalls at 16 wins and his ERA increased. Do you think the writers will notice and possibly swing the consideration to Verlander and Halladay ?
Meanwhile Doc’s 9 complete games and 4 shutouts jumps off the page and his IP and Wins are not far off the others.
Your attention to fact inspired me to look at the numbers. I think I posted them before so if you saw this already my apologies.
Doc has 8 CG after May 27: Grenike has 1. 6 of Doc’s 9 total CG’s came vs Bos/NYY/LAA: Greinke has 1 ! Doc has 11 starts vs Bos/NYY/LAA; Grienke has 3 (2 LAA, 1 Bos, 0 NYY). The competition faced should count for something in the voting.
In my view Greinke should not finish ahead of Doc for Cy Young, but he probably will.
MW: He probably will. Verlander, Felix Hernandez and likely CC Sabathia will all finish ahead of Halladay in the voting.
- Rezhi mike..love your show..it is clear that you feel that JP may have been unfairly treated by the fans and the media..so it might be interesting if you might share something about him that the fanbase is unaware of that might have us see him in a different light..thanx
MW: He was a good general manager, how’s that?
- john ruthESPN’s Buster Olney says Halladay will definetely be traded this offseason and for 30% less than the Jays could have gotten a few months ago. He also claims the payroll will be between $55-65 million. Thoughts?
MW: Sounds about right, except for the 30% thing.
- RenegadeFirst off, thanks for all your hard work this year. I have to thank you for your blog and for the Baseball Today program on this summer. It was refreshing to FINALLY hear a baseball show instead of the Hockey Central show - i mean I luv hockey, but it was what, July(!?) before they let u on! sheessh!
What a final week-end, eh, Mike?
Ok. so If i read between the lines of all that has been written and said over this bizarre final week, I can definately say this:
Among the people who were really upset with Cito are: Vernon Wells, Roy Halladay, Aaron Hill - and Rod Barajas
-a coaching riff with Brad Arnsberg. Possibly Travis Snider. I’ll stop there for now… no need for me to speculate more.
I know you will not confirm this for obvious reason, but the fact that those players were going to meet with Beeston about Cito says it all.
As well, reading between the lines of what has been written and said on air: It WAS J.P. who talked to Ken Rosenthal about the Cito rift. I base this on, again what is written and said - the facts:
-Rosenthal never came to Toronto to actually speak to any players directly.
-You mentioned that you were baffled/surprised by what J.P. said on air to Mike & Mike on the Bullpen (in which J.P. was defending Cito).
- and then Beeston’s firing of J.P. shortly thereafter….
When I first heard the news, of his firing I was not joyful or gleefully cheering… my initial reaction was, although i agreed with it, it’s always hard for someone to lose their job. May you go on in peace, and let’s all move on. BUT if he WAS indeed the leak to Rosenthal, ( as even Bob McGowan agrees, as spoken on his show today ) and then came on to theFAN and basically ‘faked’ his sincerety about Cito, then I say, this is why he is not the right person for the GM job here, or anywhere. Can someone be so boldy two-faced, and manipulative as this? Really??
Says alot about his character, and we detractors of JP may have been correct all along.
peace.
MW: If it’s true, which it very well may not be.
- ed CheeMike, how are you? Good, me too.
I’m getting fed up with JP’s greatest hits on heavy rotation in the media, “It’s not a lie…” and “You don’t know about Adam Dunn…” Move on people.
However, before those incidents I very clearly recall JP, on the last WWJP of the ‘06 season, saying to a caller “I said we would win, I never said we would win the division!” I thought that quote was comedy gold at the time, but it preceeded the Ryan blunder in ’07, and the subsequent era where the Toronto sportswriters began recording your show to catch JPs mistakes.
Is there any way for you to find it, or is it lost in the Rogers vaults forever?
Can you simply confirm or deny that it happened, without resurrecting the actual soundbite?
MW: I can’t. I don’t remember that, and I don’t think we keep the old stuff around that long. But there’s definitely a difference between being a winning, competitive team and winning a division. No one can guarantee a playoff berth.
- DaveAsked this in the chat, but alas…there was no time.
Watching the Orioles broadcast on Sunday, they really focused on Vernon running down the first base line during his DP ground ball, the last at bat of his season. The announcers couldn’t believe he wasn’t running because with his speed he could have beat it out. Upon replay, it really looked like he couldn’t move, and he walked back to the dugout gingerly.
So any word on a possible Vernon injury? I know he was pretty healthy all year, but he didn’t look right there. One of my worries is that we’re not even going to see a healthy Vernon as he gets older.
MW: It seems he tweaked a hamstring on that play. He’ll be fine come spring training.
- DanMike…I know there’s a plethora of choices, but how about Dewayne Wise’s catch to preserve Mark Buehrle’s perfect game for play of the year? I’d like to hear your favourite….thanks!
MW: Marco Scutaro stealing second on a walk.
- chris m.Hey Mike
Here is a perfect example of how you go to great lengths and even mislead the fans in order to defend JP Ricciardi.
On many occasions recently, knowledgeable fans have commented on how poorly JP has performed at the draft table (which, for anyone who follows the minors, is a fact). You respond by saying that there are currently more players in the majors right now, selected by Toronto, than any other team. But this is misleading and you know it.
I quiz you on it yesterday, asking you if you are referring to the JP selections, and you respond by saying “i’m referring to the present state of affairs in the major leagues”…..which to me, translates as….no, i’m using the successful draft selections of past Toronto GMs to defend JP. Very misleading, and you know the callers won’t have the data on hand to dispute your claim.
I just find this frustrating because i respect you as Baseball evaluator and i find your criticisms of Cito to be bang on. I just don’t understand why you defend JP at all costs, even resorting to misleading information for your audience.
thanks,
MW: I resent the accusation and I’m wondering, if you feel that way, why you bother coming here. I speak only the truth. I don’t have the numbers of players J.P. drafted vs. players Ash drafted, nor do I have the numbers of players currently in the majors by draft organization since 2002. But I’d bet the Blue Jays would be at or near the top of that list.
- rickHey Mike
Just wanted to thank you for your time on the blog this season. Although the JP era has frustrated me for nearly a decade, i have enjoyed our debates regarding the performance of Ricciardi.
Obviously i am thrilled that the club has opted to can JP, but i will say this. Ricciardi was way better at this job than Cito is at his. If Cito isn’t relieved of his duties this off-season, it only shows that his superiors didn’t watch many games or don’t know baseball.
At least next year when i’m writing in weekly, bashing Cito and his ridiculous decisions, it appears we will finally be agreeing on something for a change.
Have a great off season Mike !
MW: Given your above comment, I don’t understand how you can thank me or wish me well.
- rickhey mike;
Just heard that Aaron hill won the comeback player of the year along with former jay chris carpenter, great accolade for a great player, let’s hope for the best next year and a clean slate to build a wildcard contender. Thanks for the blog mike, you are a great and patient moderator, and while some fans may not always agree with you, the blog is a great sounding board for passionate jays fans for sincerely want the team to win again, albiet making the playoffs would be a good capacity to start.
You always have the pulse of the team, thanks for the great blog.
MW: A good capacity? Thanks for the kind words.
- robert.sHi Mike: Quick question. Every time there’s a change at the GM level in any sport, they usually like to bring in “their own guy” in the coach/manager’s seat. From what you know, could Cito be considered AA’s “guy” or will they thrust Cito upon him? May as well have a fresh start at all levels and while I applaud Cito for his great service to the Jays over the years, a new president and a new GM is just 2/3 of the way there. A new manager completes it. It seems the players like Butterfield and Arnsberg who seem like good baseball men…of this generation. Any chance either of them will get the nod (I’d assume Butterfield with Arnie staying as pitching coach)
MW: I would love to see Butterfield get the chance to manage the team. Cito is not Alex’s guy.
- Richard Bridgman“If this Wells seven-year extension is done, it will be in spite of Ricciardi. Make no mistake, even though the Jays’ reported opening salvo of $126 million (plus $5.6 million for ‘07) is, as Wells told the Star’s Allan Ryan, “in the ballpark,” it will not be enough, as currently written, to keep him in the ballpark. Wells needs the Jays to offer more per year, through 2014, than the Cubs are paying Alfonso Soriano. That simple.
That $136 million Soriano jackpot was the guiding light when I suggested, on the final day of the winter meetings, that the Jays should offer Wells a contract for eight years of $138.6 million, including $5.6 million remaining on the final year of his current pact. It wasn’t a number pulled out of a hat.”
http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/149052
It’s funny how you’ve spoken so many times about how Ricciardi basically had to sign Wells or he’d have been run out of town. One of the people now criticizing Ricciardi for the Wells deal to anyone who will listen is Richard Griffin, who wrote the above paragraphs. Funny how he can criticize JP’s judgment in making that deal when he himself wanted the Jays to in fact make an even more ludicrously priced offer. I understand being wrong, but to judge others for making the same mistake is just hypocritical. And unfortunately it’s sports writers like Griff who have ultimately shaped the fan opinions of JP Ricciardi.
I’m not saying Ricciardi’s without fault. Maybe it was time to move on. But if people are trying to define his legacy by this albatross contract given to Vernon Wells, it’s both two-faced and unfair.
MW: Ask them and they’ll say - well, it was just an idea. The GM is supposed to know better than some baseball writer how a contract is going to work out.
- MatthewIt was a tough season, but I loved the blog, Mike. Great work.
It was nice to see Aaron Hill get some recognition as Comeback Player of the Year.
I’m hoping Roy Halladay ends up with a Cy Young. Even though all signs point to Zack Greinke. When will the writers look beyond Wins & ERA???
I mean Greinke had 12 starts of less than seven innings. Halladay only had five. They both had bad streaks. And, here is the craziest thing I just discovered. (These numbers exclude the All-Star break.)
Zack Greinke pitched on six days rest 13 times.
Felix Hernandez had a six-days rest 12 times.
Verlander had a six-day rest 10 times.
Sabathia had a six-day rest 11 times. (Including one seven-day rest.)
Halladay had a six-day rest only 5 times!!!!
The moons have aligned for Zack Greinke, and the baseball writers are in a trance. I wish they would snap out of it!!!
- RomeTwo points to make, with nothing positive in them.
(1) The dismal past 8 years were not the “JP Ricciardi era.” Spread the derision higher. It should be characterized as the Paul Godfrey era. Godfrey hired Ricciardi. Godfrey helped transfer the Skydome from a public asset to private ownership for a sale price that must be described as a swindle. Then the stadium experience became a hideous screeching advertisement for Rogers cell phones and other wayward promotions that had no relevance to the activity on the field. We saw Aaron Hill selling Mel Lastman’s furniture in a TV ad. My Rogers experience left me too woozy to return for more. It all laid the foundation for record-low attendances that would not even fill the Air Canada Centre when September came and the team stunk.
When the franchise experienced the most desperate 48 hours in its history this past weekend, the neo-President arrived and fired the GM. This had the predictable dual effect of protecting Cito Gaston and throwing the detritus back in the faces of the players. Such a turn of events is customary in MLB; it’s called cronyism. On this same weekend the team’s final game was bumped from its own TV network in favour of the circus side show that passes for televised poker. What an insult.
From top to bottom this organization’s decision makers have experienced an astonishing loss of their collective sensibilities. It is nonsense to claim that JP was the face of everything wrong about the Blue Jays. This club has not had a discernible face. From my vantage point its derrieres have been its conspicuous features.
(2) JP’s firing is unanimous. Beeston did fire him, and earlier tonight Bob McCown got Paul Godrey to admit that he likely would have fired JP too if he was still the team president today. What a fascinating revelation. Godfrey couldn’t fire him for real so he did it for pretend on the company’s radio station. Is it any wonder that Ricciardi didn’t get along well with a Toronto media contingent that poked him with sticks like he was a caged animal? Not to me. The team’s own radio station was openly sticking knives in his back for one-third of the season. McCown 1, Ricciardi 0: Prime Time lives on to carry us into our sunsets. JP should have told them 8 years ago to take a long walk off a short pier into the lake. A decade of media indignity would have been more entertaining than the baseball team’s performance. Notwithstanding the 87-75 in ‘06, and Doc’s Cy Young year.
(3) Enough criticism. The good thing is that you can still count on radio as the
medium to deliver the best presentation of baseball around. It’s the only thing that has not contributed to baseball’s demise. Congratulations Mike, and to Gerry and Alan too. Well done.
MW: To say that the last game of the season was “bumped” off Sportsnet for poker insinuates that it was scheduled to be shown, but then wasn’t. That’s not the case, though it’s very curious that they wouldn’t show the game.
- TomMike:
- JackIt has been a pleasure to partake in this blog, if only as an observer in most cases. We, as baseball fans, and Blue Jay fans in particular, have enjoyed being a part of it since it’s inception. The moderator didn’t always agree with us, but usually it was a learning experience for us all. Thanks for your candor, wit,and sharing your vast wealth of knowledge of the greatest game in the world. We will enjoy what’s left of the season, and look forward to next season with a team that will, hopefully, make us proud(er).
In closing…reading the writeup on the final game on MSN Sports, everyone that contributed was mentioned…except Randy!!!
Hey Mike,
Just wanted to say that I’m impressed that you are responding to as many of these posts as you are, given how ridiculous some of them are (including some of mine =) ). I probably would have thrown up my hands and given up by now.
- Kevin A.Thanks for the work with the blog.
Hey Mike,
I can’t see how Alex has any option but strip this team down and start over. This year’s class of free agents is mediocre at best. Also, I’ve read about at least 5 mid-level teams adding significant salary next year, and another 4 - 5 with big salaries coming off the books to free up space. That’s not even mentioning the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets & Angels, who will probably scoop up anyone worth picking up between them anyhow.
With all the turmoil in Toronto this year, they Jays wouldn’t just have to overpay to get top talent to come here, they’d have to practically write them a blank cheque. With media revenues down significantly due to this recession, Rogers isn’t going to up the payroll enough anyways.
The Jays have only one option as I see it - clean house. I hope they do it right and strip this team to the core. Stockpile enough young talent and eventually they’ll end up with 15 - 20 solid players to take the field.
MW: If you consider the core to be Hill/Lind/Snider/Wells/Romero/Cecil/ Rzepczynksi/Marcum/McGowan/Litsch, you’re probably right.
- SteverHey again Mike,
I have a bone to pick with Rogers over their advertising campaign for the Jays. The commercials on tv for this team are terrible. TERRIBLE! These mildly amusing bits (ie: Roy Halladay being handed the megaphone at a hostage negotiation) induce maybe a small chuckle the first time, but then they just get annoying. I can’t remember the last time I saw a Jays commercial that actually made we want to go to a game. This is pathetic - the team is owned by a national media empire, and this is the best they can come up with for advertising?!?!?
I think a completely new campaign would go a long way towards restoring fan respect for this team. Big game coming up against the Yankees? Show me an action packed clip of the Jays taking it to them. Intriguing matchup between Halladay and a hitter he’s owned? Show me clips of him making the guy look like he belongs back in Single A ball. That’s the kind of stuff that makes people want to come out and see it in person.
These commercials they have now show that the owners don’t even understand the game, never mind the very team they own.
- SteverWho wins the gold gloves in the AL this year Michael?
Also, Worlds Greatest Blog! Please never stop.
MW: Thanks! And who cares about Gold Gloves?
- NickHi Mike
It is amazing how some sportwriters suggest the Blue Jays follow the Twin’s “recipe of wininng”. (Both Jeff Blair and Griffin). The last time I checked, 87-90 wins is enough to win central. In the AL east, the same record will get you second place and this season, nothing.The Twins average 89 wins in the last 8 years, better than the Jays.
Griffin has a point though. The twins spent less money than the Jays and to me, they have always played solid fundamental baseball, offensively and defensively. The Jays are OK defensively (though late this year, they lapsed badly), but offensively, they need considerable improvement.
Mike, in closing, thanks for providing some entertainment this year. Your comments has always been thoughtful, never flippant.
Have a good off-season, see you in the spring
Francis
MW: You’re not going to read the blog over the off-season? I’ll say this about the Twins’ approach. If the Jays had been in the A.L. Central, they’d likely have finished better than the Twins far more often than not over the past five seasons.
- FrancisHi Mike,
I just wanted to ask you about Tony La Cava (I hope the spelling is correct), and why he was passed over for the Blue Jays’ General Manager’s job in favour of Alex Anthopolous (again, I hope the spelling is correct).
I remember hearing as early as last year that you thought Tony La Cava would make a good GM. Not that you were ever among the people calling for J. P.’s head; however, I recall around the middle of 2008 a caller on the Jay’s Talk asked you if there were any potential candidates for the GM position within the Blue Jays’ organization. You mentioned La Cava, which sounded like a good suggestion to me–and still does, given his substantial advantage in the experience factor over Anthopolous. So, I’m just wondering if Anthopolous is such a rising star that he rocketed past La Cava on the Jays’ ladder.
I realize that A. A.’s status as GM may in fact -although not publicly- have a tacit ‘interim’ tag preceding it.
Thanks, Mike. I enjoy the show -and the blog- a lot!
C. Harvey
MW: The only reason I can think is, as you put it, Alex is such a rising star. I would have been equally happy had LaCava been given the job.
- Carl HarveyHey Mike,
I blame the Scott Boras transaction between the Texas Rangers and Alex Rodriguez, for the bloated salaries that are now given to players through arbitration or free agency, in order to compare players to A-Rod.
These bloated salaries have allowed for teams like the Yankees and Red Sox to out pay other teams for free agents, or trade for arbitration eligible talent that will cost small market teams too much.
If A-Rod’s contract had never come into existence (Tom Hicks is to blame), the highest paid player at the time was Conseco at around 7 million/year. This precedent that was set by A-Rod’s contract, threw other players salaries out of whack and thus agents were able to make cases comparing the players they represented to A-Rod in order to get larger sums of money, that in essence only the teams with large pockets and revenue streams could afford.
Had A-Rod not gotten such an obscene amount of money, salaries would not be so out of whack, and thus the trickle down effect would have resulted in teams being able to compete for players based on their actual value pre A-Rod’s precedent.
Thanks Tom Hicks and Scott Boras, for screwing up baseball contracts, causing the chain of events that has now resulted in such a large payroll disparity. And finally thank you A-Rod for inadvertently sticking it to the Jays again, as we have yet to compete on payroll since you single-handedly screwed owners and made the MLBPA salivate.
MW: First, no one put a gun to Hicks’ head to sign Rodriguez. Second, he signed his 10-year, $252 million deal on January 26, 2001. Carlos Delgado signed his $17 million per year deal with the Blue Jays three months earlier, Manny Ramirez signed an 8-year, $160 million deal with the Red Sox a month earlier. Your initial premise is completely untrue.
- paoloWhat’s up Mike….
Long time since I’ve been on this thing. Hasn’t really been much to say for the last little while.
Well I’m glad to see J.P. go. I know where you stand. Although he hasn’t done anything yet I want to say that I don’t think Anthopoulos will do any better. As far as baseball experience (playing) he has little to none (maybe little league or high school…that’s not a jab). Beyond that, all of his front office experience has been under J.P. from what I understand.
At 32 years old with no baseball playing experience or credibility I can’t see him having any clout with the agents or other GM’s. I understand he might only be in place for a short period seeing as the team is still trying to find a permanent president and the new prez will probably want to bring in his own guy.
My short term concern is this….Halladay. He said that he’s not interested in an extension. To me that means we either need to try to win in 2010 or we need to trade him. I don’t know if I’m happy about Anthopoulos being the guy faced with this task.
What do you think?
Should be a good game tonight for the central!!!!
MW: You already know what I think. Theo Epstein had a ton of playing experience, too, right?
- RealityCheckMike,
I’m not sure why there’s so much pub on Gaston saying Hill will hit 3rd and Lind 4th next season when we don’t even know if Gaston will still be the manager.
I don’t agree with the idea at all because Hill just doesn’t have a good enough OBP to be a #3 hitter (and I think Lind is the better hitter). If anything, I would say Overbay (if he’s still here) should be #2 with Lind as #3 and Hill #4. I think you just have to get guys on base for Lind and Hill and bunching these 3 guys up (who all can hit 2B and have high OPS) would be most efficient.
MW: I’d like to have Hill hitting 5th - I don’t think he gets on-base enough to hit 4th, either.
- JoachimGodfrey - Classless Bully
This probably should be sent to McCown - but I don’t really care about McCown’s opinion on such topics.
I listened to the McCown interview with Godfrey. It really ticked me off listening to Godfrey kick a guy when he was down and in the process trying to leave the impression that none of the problems were of his making.
He stated that he would have likely fired Riccardi had he still been around in 08 and questioned a bunch of the contracts (Thomas, Burnett). Of course he’s attempting to show that had he been around 09 would have been so much better.
Everywhere this guy goes he leaves a mess (The Sun, The Skydome, the Jays).
I’ve always had the feeling that Godfrey was interfering in the big decisions Riccardi was making. I have no evidence of any kind but it just seemed certain moves made by Riccardi seemed completely out of character (Wells contract). But beyond that what really irks me is that he knows he can take these shots at Riccardi knowing Riccardi has to keep his mouth shut or he’ll be labeled as difficult and disrespectful of his boss.
The best thing to happen to the Jays in the last two years was getting rid of Godfrey.
MW: What I don’t get, and I like Paul Godfrey a lot, is why he would say that he would have fired J.P. last year. He was still in charge last year.
- Jim Maroni thought the icing on the cake was when vernon wells got injuired.
MW: Then, no offense, you’re an idiot.
- TheSunkenZealotHey Mike
Post #19
I’m sorry if you resent the accusation, didn’t mean to offend, i was just looking for clarification. I can’t seem to interpret your response any other way.
Mark from Caledonia stated that JP has been lousy at the draft table, and your immediate response was that “there are more players in the major leagues drafted by Toronto than any other team”. How else can i interpret your response, it seems like an obvious attempt to defend JP, and if your statement doesn’t apply to Ricciardi, isn’t it misleading?
Again Mike, sorry to upset you. The past few years i have enjoyed the blog and your analysis of the team more then watching the game itself, i just don’t understand your response to Marks question….
MW: Truth is, I’m sick of going over the whole “Baseball America says……” argument week after week. I thought I’d go with a different tactic.
- rickMW: And you’re jumping to conclusions on that “no longer with the organization” thing. It could easily have come from Scott Rolen or B.J. Ryan - even A.J. Burnett was in town in September.
That’s true, but were any of those guys in a position to be in contact at the end of the month? I don’t see Rosenthal hanging onto that story. He’d have run with it as soon as he got it. It’s not like he did any in-depth, on-the-record interviews with players first. And I doubt BJ or AJ or Rolen were around either TO or Baltimore then.
Sorry about the cuss words. I’ll try to be clean up my act in future.
MW: It doesn’t matter whether any of those guys were around then, they all have phones and I’ll wager Rosenthal has their numbers.
- reyesit was in the toronto star that they used ‘icing on the cake’ that vernon wells got injured.
MW: I thought about that after my answer to you, and I think I took your statement to say that the fact that Vernon got hurt made you happy because of his awful season. If that’s not what you meant, I’m sorry for my answer.
- TheSunkenZealotimagine all these blue jay fans that hate the fact that wells swings at the first pitch…..
turn them into twins fans…..
theyd go absolutely crazy when the twins had the bases loaded and nobody out in the 11th and swung at the first pitch twice. two quick outs.
- TheSunkenZealot