ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – There were many questions and few answers, at least definitive ones, from Alex Anthopoulos on Saturday, particularly when it came to his unsettled future as Toronto Blue Jays general manager.
During a 35-minute session with media at Tropicana Field, Anthopoulos dropped hints about the playoff roster – they’re going with a four-man rotation; a seven-man bullpen; and they won’t necessarily take a second lefty to complement Brett Cecil, they’ll let the best splits settle that – and once again reflected on winning the American League East.
But when his contract status came up – his deal expires at the end of the month – he talked a lot without saying very much. He shed no light on where things stand with incoming president and CEO Mark Shapiro, mentioned how he doesn’t think his situation is relevant at the moment, and tried to deflect the whole conversation.
Only one comment offered much insight into his feelings – when asked if he wanted to stay with the Blue Jays, he replied: “Why wouldn’t I? I’ve enjoyed every year I’ve been in Toronto. I love the city, I love everything about it.”
Re-signing Anthopoulos should be a layup for Shapiro, who’s due to take over at month’s end, when Paul Beeston heads into retirement.
The baseball end of the franchise is in the best shape it’s been in for years, if not decades, the first AL East crown since 1993 speaking to that. Anthopoulos and his baseball operations staff deserve credit for that and other teams have noticed – with assistant GM Tony LaCava interviewing for the Los Angeles Angels’ GM vacancy and special assistant Dana Brown interviewing with the Seattle Mariners before they hired Jerry Dipoto.
With the core of this year’s club in place for 2016 and beyond, and the highly accomplished Shapiro arriving to try and push the team over the line, there is at last hope that the Blue Jays as an organization will definitively turn the corner for an extended period.
Given Anthopoulos’ work as a GM this season, signing Russell Martin as a free agent, trading for Josh Donaldson and pushing his team over the edge prior to the trade deadline by acquiring Troy Tulowitzki, David Price, Ben Revere, Mark Lowe and LaTroy Hawkins, he would seem to have some leverage.
But, he insisted, “I don’t look at things that way. It’s not who I am. It’s not the way I’m wired.”
“People say I’m naive and maybe that’s not smart,” he continued. “You’ve just got to be able to look yourself in the mirror. I’ve got kids, too, and I want to do the right thing and handle things the right way. It’s important.”
While players are commodities, Anthopoulos insisted he is not. He doesn’t have an agent, and doesn’t want one.
“We’re employees, we’re not players,” said Anthopoulos. “It’s a marriage, a union, a partnership. There’s a level of trust there. You feel comfortable with both sides and I just don’t view employees the same way. I think players are way different.”
How come?
“There are 30 jobs like this,” he said. “I do this job because I enjoy it. I enjoy the competition, I enjoy trying to build something. It’s a lot more fun when you win. I enjoy who I work with. All those types of things. There are only so many of these jobs to go around, and those of us that are in them are certainly fortunate to be in them, and I’m grateful, as well. I really am.”
Under the circumstances, the Blue Jays should feel grateful to have Anthopoulos, as well.
The playoffs are the priority at the moment, and there is time for the general manager’s situation to get sorted out. It’s incredibly difficult to fathom how the two sides don’t get something done.
