Alex Anthopoulos press conference

[TheHurl]

Nah, he said in the conference that he told both Beeston and Shapiro that he didn't want to discuss extension until the season was over. Shapiro is taking over November 1st and AA's contract is up October 31st, I think it will be a couple of days before the decision is made of keeping him vs. not.

 

But Shapiro is already doing unofficial hires on behalf of the Jays

[gruber92]

"By design, last off-season we really targeted a certain type of player and we walked away from a lot of players that were talented and productive that didn’t fit what we were trying to do,” said Anthopoulos. “And I don’t know as a GM I would have done that a couple of years earlier. I was so caught up on value, contractual status and things like that. You learn from your mistakes and you adjust.”

 

Doesn't sound like Alex will be liked much around these parts anymore more.

 

Clubhouse chemistry is a myth, eh boys?

[KingKat]

 

Doesn't sound like Alex will be liked much around these parts anymore more.

 

Clubhouse chemistry is a myth, eh boys?

 

Did anyone ever tell you that you have a really douchey way of approaching discussions? You could have approached this topic in any number of sensible ways but already you make it sould like you're looking for a fight.

[fatcowxlive]

But Shapiro is already doing unofficial hires on behalf of the Jays

 

Is he??? I had no idea we hired anyone yet to be honest

[Captain Adama]

Did anyone ever tell you that you have a really douchey way of approaching discussions? You could have approached this topic in any number of sensible ways but already you make it sould like you're looking for a fight.

 

I guess when you're wrong 90% of the time you need to brag on the few points you get right to feel better.

[Laika]

Does anyone think him not having a contract is weird? How does it work if he doesn't know he's coming back? Is he clearing at his desk right now and "backing up" scouting reports to take with him?

 

No, this type of situation happens all of the time, in most employment contexts. It's really not a big deal.

 

Everybody involved will want him to stay, it's just matter of agreeing on the dollar figure and term. I actually am finding all of the discussion and articles about his status to be pretty hilarious.

[Laika]

"By design, last off-season we really targeted a certain type of player and we walked away from a lot of players that were talented and productive that didn’t fit what we were trying to do,” said Anthopoulos. “And I don’t know as a GM I would have done that a couple of years earlier. I was so caught up on value, contractual status and things like that. You learn from your mistakes and you adjust.”

 

Doesn't sound like Alex will be liked much around these parts anymore more.

 

Clubhouse chemistry is a myth, eh boys?

 

Yes, because Russell Martin and Josh Donaldson weren't massive production upgrades. Just good clubhouse guys, for the most part.

[Olerud363]

Yes, because Russell Martin and Josh Donaldson weren't massive production upgrades. Just good clubhouse guys, for the most part.

 

Replacing Lawrie and Rasmus with Donaldson and Pillar was a 10 WAR increase in production.

 

Pillar is a guy that got sent down for taking a fit after getting pinch hit for, Donaldson got traded because Billy Beane didn't like something he said.

 

Playing well quickly solves character issues.

[Laika]

Replacing Lawrie and Rasmus with Donaldson and Pillar was a 10 WAR increase in production.

 

Pillar is a guy that got sent down for taking a fit after getting pinch hit for, Donaldson got traded because Billy Beane didn't like something he said.

 

Playing well quickly solves character issues.

 

Clearly what you're missing here is that Colby Rasmus' sour dog personality is the specific reason that his K% ballooned to 33% in 2014 and his value plummeted off a cliff. If Colby had a better attitude, this never would have happened!

 

Also, think about how much a gloomy gus like that would drag down the production of his teammates.

[Olerud363]

Clearly what you're missing here is that Colby Rasmus' sour dog personality is the specific reason that his K% ballooned to 33% in 2014 and his value plummeted off a cliff. If Colby had a better attitude, this never would have happened!

 

Also, think about how much a gloomy gus like that would drag down the production of his teammates.

 

The ironic is that if we do this a couple more years... make the playoffs but not the World Series, the "character" of this team will start becoming a problem again.

 

As soon as next year if the Jays build a power house, win 100 and lose to a play off series to a luck-plucky team people will start questioning the character of the team.

[glory]

Donaldson being a high character guy is amusing considering everything I've read about him.

[Grant77]

Donaldson being a high character guy is amusing considering everything I've read about him.

 

What exactly have you heard to characterize him as a low-character person off the field?

[glory]

What exactly have you heard to characterize him as a low-character person off the field?

 

There was a Ken Rosenthal article about it a while back. I'm not saying he's a low character guy but the article portrayed him as someone who rubbed people the wrong way.

[burlingtonbandit]

Napoli for Francisco

d'Arnaud, Syndergaard, Becerra, Buck for Dickey and Thole, Nickeas

Aviles and Gomes for Esmil Rogers

Marlins trade

Hill for Johnson

 

vs.

 

Donaldson

Wells

Escobar

Lawrie

Rasmus

Morrow

 

I'd be a bit surprised if someone did the math and found that the good far outweighed the bad.

 

I think you have to include the Bautista and EE extensions with the good. GM isn't just about trades and the value gained on those 2 extensions might be the best deals AA has made besides the Donaldson trade.

[Boxcar]

I guess when you're wrong 90% of the time you need to brag on the few points you get right to feel better.

 

Is he even right, though? What would the chemistry be like on this team after a 90 loss season?

[Boxcar]

There was a Ken Rosenthal article about it a while back. I'm not saying he's a low character guy but the article portrayed him as someone who rubbed people the wrong way.

 

Lots of players (even Bautista) have portrayed the same thing.

[burlingtonbandit]

There was a Ken Rosenthal article about it a while back. I'm not saying he's a low character guy but the article portrayed him as someone who rubbed people the wrong way.

 

When AA talks about character I don't think he gives a s*** about how the players are portrayed by opposing teams and fans but more how good of a teammate they are, desire to win etc....

[art_vandelay275]

Is he??? I had no idea we hired anyone yet to be honest

 

I thought I read somewhere about sports psychologist; don't know if that was an actual hire and more of an area he wants to bolster...

[thatoneguy]

There was a Ken Rosenthal article about it a while back. I'm not saying he's a low character guy but the article portrayed him as someone who rubbed people the wrong way.

 

As long as he's not Yordano Ventura, I don't really give a s***.

[AdamGreenwood]

When AA talks about character I don't think he gives a s*** about how the players are portrayed by opposing teams and fans but more how good of a teammate they are, desire to win etc....

 

Sounds like we'll be picking up AJP for backup catcher, if that's the criteria.

[glory]

Lots of players (even Bautista) have portrayed the same thing.

 

I know. I'm just saying that "clubhouse chemistry" had nothing to do with how successful this season was. Adding Donaldson added wins to the team because of his talent. Same with Martin, Tulo, etc. AA (or anyone else) trying to paint it as a personality shift rather than a talent shift is very misleading and inaccurate.

[AdamGreenwood]

Team chemistry, much like God, is assumed not to exist, by those can not see.

[fatcowxlive]

Is he even right, though? What would the chemistry be like on this team after a 90 loss season?

 

Isn't this like the chicken or the egg problem? Good chemistry and winning usually go hand in hand, but which one actually comes first is the question. I thought we always had relatively good chemistry but that wasn't really talked about before, not even until after the deadline deals really when we went on a tare. People pointed to people like Rasmus as bad clubhouse dudes with no winning mentality, yet he had a great season in Houston and helped them get a postseason spot. No one seems to speak positively about chemistry until teams start winning. How many times have people got at winning teams for bad chemistry? I don't remember any.

[burlingtonbandit]

Sounds like we'll be picking up AJP for backup catcher, if that's the criteria.

 

AJP isn't known as a great teammate lol

[Krylian]

AJP isn't known as a great teammate lol

 

He's a grease fire

[Spanky99]

AA: "We have strong interest in David (Price) being back here." What that means, he adds, is less certain. Thinks "we'll be in the game... 3-1 against

Yankees after trade"

 

Shapiro

 

Hahahaha... Ang, you crack me up.

[Boxcar]

I know. I'm just saying that "clubhouse chemistry" had nothing to do with how successful this season was. Adding Donaldson added wins to the team because of his talent. Same with Martin, Tulo, etc. AA (or anyone else) trying to paint it as a personality shift rather than a talent shift is very misleading and inaccurate.

 

Right. I agree with that completely, just trying to drive home the fact that Donaldson is viewed that way so I can more efficiently not give a s***.

[Spanky99]

WAR:

2013 - 1.7

2014 - 1.7

2015 - 2.1

 

We have to pick up that option for the 200 IP even though we all hate the KB.

 

No doubt.

[Spanky99]

And that undervalues him. His defense and pitch mix maxes him a legit FIP-beater, and there's also the Dickey effect.

 

Bingo... this not picking up Dickey's option is D-U-M-N!!!

[Spanky99]

"A pillaging...for the A's." - Jonn

 

lol... We were Raped!!!