The New Blueprint in Toronto

It began very quickly once the ink was dry on JP's exit papers, as Alex Anthopolous began remaking the front office. Dana Brown was lured ( is that the right word ) from the Washington Senators, an old ex Expo mentor.



Then he added the 2 two Mel's, Queen and Didier as senior advisers, then he moved onto the scouting. He put a new face on scouting, the started trying to reload the cupboard with qualified scouts in areas that had either been ignored, or considered not important.



It was very easy at that point to expect the announcement that Paul Beeston was staying, in fact I think if The Beest is honest with himself, he already knew weeks ago when young Alex was restocking the shelf that the search was over, he was staying on as President, it was just a matter of length of the term. 3 years and sayonara.



You don't let the kid GM make all these moves if you are planning on hiring a new President and giving that person the chance to hire his own GM and staff, now do you ?



So, the blueprint is there, they continue to add experienced heads, seek out more scouts, change the approach and direction. Oh, they will still keep all those computers JP bought to find diamonds in the rough, but they won't rely solely on internet stats, and common knowledge scouting reports, and JP's elite scouting group. The group that had Jp's mark on it. That group sought college kids with fattened on base numbers, more established ready players, while the route could produce talent, the high schoolers were largely dismissed as talent that will take too long. That's not the Billy Beane approach, the one that says take the 240 lb Dh/1b and forget he cannopt throw the ball or catch it, so long as he can hit and take a base, we can make him a player. What Billy failed to teach young JP is that if you have a Hudson, a Mulder, a Haren, a Harden, and you cannot afford them, you can trade them for 2-3, or 4 great Triple AAA well established blue chip prospects, and if one or 2 of them work out, great. That was not in JP's handbook , since he never had that type of pitching talent to barter with.



So, onto Alex Anthopolous and his new regime, a different direction, fan out over the globe and find talent, find it anywhere, where the Yankees and Red Sox aren't, return to those late 1970's, early 80's roots of scouting the islands, South American. Where is Epy Guererro now ??



There 's a good reason why this is needed here in Toronto.



They ( Beeston & Alex ) know that Halladay won't be staying past next year, so the payroll will be trimmed for 2010 where possible. No sense asking for 125 million budget, if the Doc's leaving anyhow. Other than Vernon's heavy annual salary, do not expect much more being spent.

If Scutaro will return for 1 year at cheap money, he will be back, same maybe for Rod Barajas, nobody is getting big money, 2010 is not the year, and 30 something journeyman players that had nice years are not cashing in on Toronto's dime. Simply not on the blueprint.



The blueprint is as follows;



1. Ramp up the scouting staff, and begin the process of finding young talent at every level. This is nothing new for the Blue Jays, this is the old blueprint of Gillick and others.



2. Surround the young GM with sage old baseball men, and let Anthopolous use their wisdom and learn what they know, the committee approach, same that Pat Gillick employed. maybe ask Pat to join as a adhoc advisor if he'd like.



3. Deal Halladay in the winter, as quietly as possible. Since JP is not running off at the mouth to ESPN or NESN, or FOX, or any Boston/NY area media, maybe they can deal with it. Go back tot the Phillies, try and get J. Happ, plus a body or two, or the Dodgers, and get the arm back you believe has promise down the road.



(As a side note, I wonder, if the Phillies lose, will they regret not dealing Drabek for Halladay ?

What effect would Roy Halladay have had as a Game 2, and Game 5 or 6 starter ? )



4. Begin the process of deciding who replaces Cito, and make sure Alex that he is your man, not Cito's hand picked successor. Otherwise you will quickly have Cito as senior advisor for 4 years more with more power and sway. Be prepared to cut ties with all the Cito clan after 2010.



5. Move out JP's deadwood as soon as you can.



6. Ask Rogers to be patient, the plan will work, but now it requires a lot more time to develop.