And trust us when we say that we think that's a good thing.AA spoke to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian this week, and noted that he's made about 30 phone calls to players and staff since getting elevated to the GM post. You know, just a little chinwag...sussin' stuff out, seeing how people are doin'.
Call us crazy or naive or blindly hopeful, but the idea that Alex is talking one-on-one to everyone in the organization and quietly, privately addressing what was happening with the team and assessing where the players' heads are at makes us think that maybe this team might be taking some steps in the right direction.
We know that the details have been slow to come out, and after a full season of stasis in the front office, we're all a little stir crazy and anxious for the team to start making significant moves. But at the very least, it sounds like the groundwork is being laid for the long winter ahead.
And as much as people have us pegged as a J.P. apologist, we'd like nothing more than to see AA succeed wildly.
Viner speaks, says little
This is ground that was covered well by the Drunks yesterday, but suffice to say that Rogers Media CEO Tony Viner's interview with the Bobcat was something less than enlightening.
That shouldn't be a surprise. It's not like Viner could come out at this point and make any promises about the direction of the team, or promise vast amounts of cash for payroll.
(Although the longer that Rogers types obfuscate and throw out the notion that it could be $50 million, or $100 million or $150 million, the more that we start to think that it will be the middle number and not much more.)
Mostly, is scares us the Paul Beeston is still (allegedly begrudgingly) involved in the decision-making process. Because we've lost a lot of faith in his magical powers.
22 comments:
JET!!
McCartney was quick on it today.
Paul Beeston has long, long overstayed his welcome as interim President.
I hope folks aren't getting the impression that I'm not pulling for AA to be wildly successful. In many ways, he's probably exactly what the franchise needs: a fresh face, energetic, committed to building a winner, grew up in the organization, etc.
I just fear he'll be doomed to fail if he's not allowed to make his own decisions, like, oh, pick his own manager.
If he isn't given free reign to run the club as he sees fit, then fuck all will change.
I'm also not entirely giving up on Beeston....yet. It just seems funny to me that the job he set out to do a year ago has yet to be completed. We've had nothing but doubletalk and PR spin from day one, and I'm fucking tired of it. Do something, goddamnit.
I've given up on Beeston. And if he's the reason why Cito stays, I might have to head up to the Level of Excellence and graffiticize his name.
I agree with everything said about Beeston, I don't see how he could have done a worse job over his interim tenure. He still hasn't hired his replacement, has given the fans no direction or hope, put the team in a holding pattern, hired a 32 year old GM with no experience, didn't ensure the trade Halladay at the peak of his value, etc.
As for AA, I hope he is everything they say he is, because this team sure need it. However, I seem to recall JP calling every player when he first got the job, are they trying to suggest that this is some sort of trendsetting move for a young GM to do??? I'm still not wowed.
I don't think it is fair to call AA "inexperienced". Maybe as a GM, but he's filled a number of different roles over the years in MTL and T.O..
Not sure that anyone is saying that this is absolutely revolutionary, but I like it because AA is doing this even though he has been in the organization for years. He still feels the need to re-introduce himself, which demonstrates a certain level of...I don't know. Fastidiousness?
It's also important that his calls weren't just of the "Hey, I'm the new GM, look forward to workin' with ya" variety. He said the shortest call he made was half an hour -- this guy is actually doing something, and that's nice to see coming from a front office that's been in limbo for way too friggin' long.
$100M Canadian or American (they're about the same right now) would give us an awful lot of money to spend on free agents.
www.tao-of-JP-apologists.com
From Keith Law chat:
Ken (Scottsdale, AZ)
Any of the Padre's prospects show you anything?
Klaw (1:30 PM)
Not really. They rivaled Toronto for "worst set of AFL prospects."
THANKS JP!!
I'll say one thing: if Brad "the Healer" Arnsberg and Brian "Not So" Butterfield aren't back because they decided to appease Cito instead, then I quit. Fuck everything.
JP apology forthcoming...DUCK!
I think the deal is that they didn't send some of their more relevant pitching prospects, plus Jeroloman and Arencibia were hurt.
Bobby Ray's using it as rehab.
FINE! JAYS IN THE AFL SUCK! IT'S ALL JP's FAULT!
Shite, did you guys see the Doberman that Phillips was throwing it to???
http://blogs.usatoday.com/gameon/2009/10/tmz-has-911-call-from-home-of-steve-phillips.html
Keith Law also pointed out that JP turned down David Wright (he was 19 then though) in a trade for Jose Cruz Jr.
Tao, I do enjoy taking the piss with you now and again but you probably have the best Jays blog going. Keep up the regular posting and I wouldn't be surprised to see you usurp the Drunks.
Still don't understand why The Score hasn't snatched you up...but that's a good thing. Don't sellout.
I agree 100% that this is the best blog there is. Drunk is okay, but the comments are killing the blog.
As for JP, I think his biggest failure as a GM was not dealing players like Cruz Jr, Wells, Delgado, Escobar and now Halladay, prior to them leaving as a free agent, or staying and signing a ridiculous contract.
Thanks, Smegma Boy. It's nice to know that the people who give me shit still have some sort of respect for my blathering.
And by the way, and for those who have asked before: The Score did approach me, and I politely declined.
Nothing against them, or any of the Jays bloggers that they have there. I appreciate their offer.
So hopefully, people can stop giving Joanna a hard time out of some sense of injustice. (Also, because Joanna's a hoot, and one of my favorite bloggers.)
I've assumed for the longest time that The Score came to you with an offer, and that you turned it down. I just figured everyone knew that. But I'm with the COCK CHEESE, and Peter; it's all about The Tao of Stieb. You and Ghostrunner hold this mother fucker down. The shitty seasons of Blue Jays baseball are that much more enjoyable thanks to what I read here and at GoF.
AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD CAN WE PLEASE LET J.P. RICCIARDI REST IN PEACE ALREADY? Fuck.
I think one of the strange things about appreciating the brand new car smell of a new GM is the process of getting underway seems so novel. I'm sure that a new GM would pretty much do most of the things that AA is doing, though to varying degrees of 'keenocity' of course. Not that I'm complaining about AA, it's just that I'll believe in the revolution when I see it.
And to echo the cheese and others, keep on keepin on. Enjoy the blog.
Hovercraft!
To add to the love-in, Tao of Stieb is also the best blog name I've ever seen. I'd like to think it inspired RZA's book called "Tao of Wu".
Why the hell does it take 10 days to play a 7 game series? The only off days should be travel days, period. It makes it too easy for teams to ride their top two pitchers. It's complete bullshit that they have that edge in the playoffs that they don't have in the regular season.
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