So, your first novel had some good points. However, if I really had the time I could counter every example it did not work with a number where it did work. The Blue Jays have one more WS win then the Braves the past 25 years, yet the Braves were in the playoffs a LOT more. The Cubs have the same amount of WS wins in the last 20 years as the Dodgers. I disagree with my friend BTS that the Cubs win without Chapman. Blue Jays do not win in 92 without Cone. Blue Jays do not get to playoffs in 2015 without those moves.
Much like movie sequels, part II of your novel is no where near as good as part one. Your very first premise is dead wrong. AA was offered a contract, a large contract $$ wise. He had NO fear that Shapiro was going to kick him out and replace him. (unless he was prepared to eat a large contract)
You and I and no one on this board knows exactly what happened behind the scenes. You don't need to get legalize with what autonomy means. It is well known in all major league sports that many GMs have more autonomy as far as player decisions then others and more independence then others. Baseball, NFL, Basketball and Hockey.
This is what was predominant in the media the end of the 2015 season. Shapiro and AA had lunch, met, meeting or whatever and Shapiro was critical of AA, "selling the farm".
AA, a Canadian kid on the only Canadian team, who just experienced the greatest high in Canadian sport in 20 plus years, names Executive of the year, offered a multi- million dollar contract, loved by the media and fans at that time, still in his 30's, walks away.. Why??? It is industry consensus that it had to do with the "power" for lack of a better term that AA would have under Shapiro vs Beaston.
I can empathize with how he feels if I in my job kept my current title but someone new came in and said we are basically going to limit by inference or directly my independence and ability to act autonomously. I know I would be pissed. AA was a star at the time on a high, so what was it other than that, why he left??
Not directed at you, but this theory floating around that AA is anti-Sabre is not true if you believe AA's own words. If you watch any interviews with him post Jays, he specifically says he models himself after Theo Epstein who is a fusion of analytics (Sabre) and some traditional ways of assessing players, and that actually, as he gained experience, he move towards that positon from a more analytics based philosophy when he started. Epstein is obviously a very successful Baseball Executive and I have no issue with my GM wanting to emulate his success.
You are the one pedaling falsehoods as facts, and being Hyperbolic when you don’t even realize AA was offered a contract to stay, the rest of your points on this matter become background noise. Lastly, I have prefaced in every post I have made that I do not know anything anybody else on here does, I am just a fan looking at it from 50, 000ft and reading what was put out in the media. I have never tried to imply anything I am posting about GMs decisions is fact. Fine if you don’t like or agree with my opinions, but please stop being dishonest and projecting that I am posting facts.