Toronto Blue Jays

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

Free Agents: Price, Estrata
Likely retirees: Buerhlee
Already on way out: Barney
Unsure on status: Lowe, Reveere
Needs: another couple reliable bullpen arms, 1 more quality starter + resign free agent starters or replace.

Dickey will also be 41 next year.

 

[talloola]

Free Agents: Price, Estrata
Likely retirees: Buerhlee
Already on way out: Barney
Unsure on status: Lowe, Reveere
Needs: another couple reliable bullpen arms, 1 more quality starter + resign free agent starters or replace.

Dickey will also be 41 next year.

I hope they don't fire gibbins, I like him, I think he is good for the team, but I did hear some
very nasty things said about him, he made the odd mistake, they will all do that, we see 20/20
hindsight, its easy to criticize after the fact, but when things work, nothing is said.
I like his calmness, I like his personality, I like the way he said it didn't matter what the
bozos say, when he was asked about a particular decision, he's wasn't born yesterday. I wish
more of the hockey coaches would say it like it is about the media and others who just spout
off, but with gibbins calmness not torterella's insanity and rage.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I hope they don't fire gibbins, I like him, I think he is good for the team, but I did hear some
very nasty things said about him, he made the odd mistake, they will all do that, we see 20/20
hindsight, its easy to criticize after the fact, but when things work, nothing is said.
I like his calmness, I like his personality, I like the way he said it didn't matter what the
bozos say, when he was asked about a particular decision, he's wasn't born yesterday. I wish
more of the hockey coaches would say it like it is about the media and others who just spout
off, but with gibbins calmness not torterella's insanity and rage.

Cito Gaston was a horrible manager. He made all the wrong moves on the field. But players played for him and he won 2 world series. Gibbons is much the same. Specific example in game 6, he pulled Price and put in Sanchez to face Rios. But Rois is now 3-3 off Sanchez. Rios had good numbers against Price but they were his first meetings. But Price was faltering so why not put in Lowe? I also disagreed with his 'back against the wall -- everybody available right now -- don't worry about tomorrow' strategy. But his players play for him. And he deserves a good share of credit for them making the playoffs this year.

Like it or not, I think KC was just a slightly better team. Not that the Jays couldn't have beaten them, its just they didn't and there are countless ways to dissect it. Batista/Goins popup in game 2. One of them catches it -- we are probably going to game 7 or have won it in 6. But they didn't. KC executed just a bit better and exploited the Jays weeknesses better than we exploited theirs.

Go Mets.

 

[Ludlow]

I was hoping they'd win. I suppose I'll root for KC now as I'm not a Mets fan at all.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I was hoping they'd win. I suppose I'll root for KC now as I'm not a Mets fan at all.

I am not a Mets fan either but I always root against the team that eliminates my team.

 

[Ludlow]

I am not a Mets fan either but I always root against the team that eliminates my team.

I guess my team would be the diamondbacks so I'll root for KC since I lived in Missouri for awhile

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I guess my team would be the diamondbacks so I'll root for KC since I lived in Missouri for awhile

I guess the Mets eliminated your team so KC fits for you.

 

[talloola]

Cito Gaston was a horrible manager. He made all the wrong moves on the field. But players played for him and he won 2 world series. Gibbons is much the same. Specific example in game 6, he pulled Price and put in Sanchez to face Rios. But Rois is now 3-3 off Sanchez. Rios had good numbers against Price but they were his first meetings. But Price was faltering so why not put in Lowe? I also disagreed with his 'back against the wall -- everybody available right now -- don't worry about tomorrow' strategy. But his players play for him. And he deserves a good share of credit for them making the playoffs this year.

Like it or not, I think KC was just a slightly better team. Not that the Jays couldn't have beaten them, its just they didn't and there are countless ways to dissect it. Batista/Goins popup in game 2. One of them catches it -- we are probably going to game 7 or have won it in 6. But they didn't. KC executed just a bit better and exploited the Jays weeknesses better than we exploited theirs.

Go Mets.

yes, when one goes thru a series, in hockey as well, small plays can be picked out and 'had' they gone
the other way, the whole series could have changed, but that is sports, that is the unknown of every
game,also, the luck and the non luck, no one can prepare for that as well, it is just the way it goes,
drives us all crazy, but it will always be there, and should be.

i'll watch the world series, don't know who to cheer for, how many Canadians on each team, if any.

 

[JLM]

I guess the Mets eliminated your team so KC fits for you.

I guess it's been a few years now but I can remember when the Mets were the worst team in two leagues. Casey Stengel was the coach, but he's probably dead by now!
.................................................................
Sheesh, I just checked out Casey- he's been dead 40 years already.................time flies!

 

[Nuggler]

I guess it's been a few years now but I can remember when the Mets were the worst team in two leagues. Casey Stengel was the coach, but he's probably dead by now!
.................................................................
Sheesh, I just checked out Casey- he's been dead 40 years already.................time flies!

Sometimes it flys even when YOU'RE NOT havin fun.:lol:

 

[coldstream]

New came out today that Alex Anthopoulus, the Blue Jays GM, and the architect of the team that has been a contender for a championship for the first time in two decades, will leave the team. He's turned down a 6 year multimillion dollar offer but apparently not to accept another position.. at least not immediately.

In a brilliant set of trades and player development, Anthopoulus, constructed a powerhouse hitting team which scored more runs (over 800) and hit more homeruns (232) than any other team in the Major Leagues, and buttressed it with a first class defense and pitching staff.

Reportedly a clash of management styles with new BJ President Mark Shapiro is the reason. But its a real loss.. and will likely throw the team into confusion.

Alex Anthopoulos leaving as Toronto Blue Jays GM - Toronto - CBC News

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

Looks like another 22 years coming up.

 

[gopher]

I guess it's been a few years now but I can remember when the Mets were the worst team in two leagues. Casey Stengel was the coach, but he's probably dead by now!
.................................................................
Sheesh, I just checked out Casey- he's been dead 40 years already.................time flies!

The old professor is giving angels up in the sky a LONG talk about baseball.

 

[spaminator]

Looks like another 22 years coming up.

that could be a conservative estimate.

 

[Mowich]

Why Losing Anthopoulos Is A Major League Loss For The Blue Jays

Although the Toronto Blue Jays didn't go all the way this year, they clearly didn't lack character. This wasn't a fluke. As departing General Manager Alex Anthopoulos recently explained, team management made a concerted effort during the off-season to focus less on "talent and tools and production" and put more emphasis on player "character, make-up, quality of the human being, what kind of teammate they are."

And you don't have to remember the last time that Blue Jays fans were so well served by a competitive team to see just what a difference a change in organizational focus can make.

Character, of course, is a loaded word. Like competencies and commitment, we know it is essential for individual, team and organizational success. But what exactly is character? And what about it leads to success?

Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative research, the Ivey Business School's Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute has identified 11 character dimensions that jointly drive performance. They are accountability, collaboration, courage, drive, humanity, humility, integrity, judgment, justice, temperance and transcendence. And the Jays clearly possess these character dimensions in abundance.

For example, after being pulled from the pitcher's mound in Game 4 against the Texas Rangers, when the Jays were up six runs, R.A. Dickey didn't necessarily agree with the decision to bring in David Price.

After throwing only 78 pitches, allowing just five hits and a run -- and no walks -- Dickey had good reason to want to stay on the mound. But he still showed respect for management after the game, noting "it's amazing what you can do accomplish when you don't care who gets the credit." For Dickey, it's all about the team and collaboration -- as it should be.

And then there is Ryan Goins, who set up a loss in game two of the ALC series, when the Kansas City Royals rallied to win after the Jays second baseman let a ball drop because he thought right-fielder José Bautista had called it. After the game, Goins didn't try to pass the buck. He demonstrated accountability. "The blame should go on me today," he said. "I gave them that play to start that rally."
The next time out, Goins redeemed himself by showing tremendous determination and resiliency - important ingredients of courage - while hitting a homerun and a two-run single that helped win the game.

For demonstrations of drive, look no further than centre-fielder Kevin Pillar and third baseman Josh Donaldson. Pillar clearly earned his Superman nickname making those incredible diving catches that left skid marks on the field while dumbfounding opponents at the same time. Donaldson, meanwhile, could not show more dedication than he demonstrated diving into the stands to catch balls or sliding headfirst into home plate to avoid the catcher's tag.

What about transcendence? Instead of dwelling on the past, first baseman Chris Colabello remained future-oriented and inspired others by being inspired during a challenging career.

Colabello -- who typically is the first to arrive for practice and the last to leave -- never gave up on his dream of playing in the majors despite spending seven years in independent baseball before finally landing a pro position at age 28. As sports writer Jim Mandelaro put it, Colabello's perseverance "is as long as his name."

Pitcher Marcus Stroman also showed he had the right stuff by returning from a devastating knee injury after being pronounced out for the season. He worked relentlessly on his rehab (while also finishing his university degree), motivating himself by tweeting that his return to the game "shall be legendary."

Patience and control -- elements of temperance -- clearly helped the team's big hitters -- Donaldson, Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion -- remain selective when taking pitches. And consider how the Jays interacted with fans this year as an example of humanity and humility. Bautista, for example,took time to meet super fan Oscar Wood after a video of the nine-year-old known as mini-Bautista went viral.

Finally, following the dramatic ending of the deciding game against the Texas, the Jays returned to the field from the locker room, bringing bottles of champagne with them to celebrate their outstanding season with fans, demonstrating consideration, respect and gratefulness.

Following the last game for the Jays this year, Anthopoulos admitted it is always tempting to place more emphasis on talent when evaluating trade possibilities and free-agent signings.

But after noting he had hit his "stride a little bit" after six years as a GM, and now understood some things as a leader "a little bit more," Anthopoulos insisted that talented players who lacked the right stuff on the character front would remain "forbidden fruit." As he told Macleans: "We've taken players that were less talented than others we could have had because they fit the values of what we are trying to do as a team. When you look at the definition of a team -- everybody coming together, pulling together, playing for one another, making each other better -- this is the first time I can say I've been around a true team."

In other words, the focus on character that Anthopoulos put in place last year did much more than make the Blue Jays a class act. It was what turned the team into an outstanding ball club. And that's something that the next GM should note along with managers and directors responsible for hiring and promoting individuals in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. After all, as Ivey research shows, giving character the attention it deserves leads to home runs in performance outside the baseball stadium as well.

Why Losing Anthopoulos Is A Major League Loss For The Blue JaysÂ*|Â*Ivey Business School

 

[Ludlow]

What ever happened to the Expos? I don't follow MLB much.

 

[talloola]

In other words, the focus on character that Anthopoulos put in place last year did much more than make the Blue Jays a class act. It was what turned the team into an outstanding ball club. And that's something that the next GM should note along with managers and directors responsible for hiring and promoting individuals in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. After all, as Ivey research shows, giving character the attention it deserves leads to home runs in performance outside the baseball stadium as well.

Why Losing Anthopoulos Is A Major League Loss For The Blue JaysÂ*|Â*Ivey Business School


[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]

yes, he was a g.m. everyone liked and he did make the second half of the season very exciting, but he
is also leaving of his own accord, he explained that very clearly, so for me that just ends that,
as much as he says he loves the jays and always will, he wants to go, so that's that.
there are rumours of a rift in the organization, but we don't know that, that is all media stuff, just
have to go by what he said, and he said he was treated well, with respect, and also they made him a
five year offer to stay, 'he said no', so to me it is obvious he has other plans for himself, and
wants to move on, so goodbye and good luck, I'm now wondering who the new gm will be, and also
wondering if price will stay, I still think not, as he probably wants them to empty the vault,
and they have already done that with 'what' they gave up to get him, so unless he is reasonable
about what he expects to be paid, he should go too.

 

[Cannuck]

The blue jays gave away their future for a shot at the World Series. Anthopolous is getting out while the getting is good.

 

[talloola]

The blue jays gave away their future for a shot at the World Series. Anthopolous is getting out while the getting is good.

I wasn't exactly thinking of it quite like that, but it is true, that next season will be a bit difficult,
as beurle (sp?) is probably leaving, don't know if they will continue with dickie,i wouldn't, they have three
very good starters, if Estrada stays.
the cupboards are a bit barer, so the gm will have to dig in and be inventive and have good vision,
so by leaving, he has left the position a bit difficult for whomever takes his place.

but it is his life, he gets to choose his direction, he now has a very good reputation around the
league, might not by the end of next season, so his value is high right now, seems a good time for
him to get signed somewhere else, and make a lot of money, so all the more power to him, not a bad
decision that he has made for his future.

 

[spaminator]

wonder what the gms employment situation would have been had they won the world series.