MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com (Free subscription) | 10/03/2009
Saturday afternoon linkage... Tim Sullivan of the San Diego Union-Tribune reflects fondly on Kevin Towers' 14-year tenure with the Padres. "Whatever you might think of his baseball decisions," Sullivan writes, "no one in the game can work a room more charismatically." Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News believes J.P. Ricciardi's biggest blunder -- "and the one that most...
The Sporting Blog (Free subscription) | 10/03/2009
For Kevin Towers , a history of winning was no longer enough. For J.P. Ricciardi , a sterling reputation had lost its luster. For both GMs, currently on their way out of the big chair for the Padres and Blue Jays, respectively, a lack of results has resulted in a lack of a job. But for one of their teams, this firing may turn out to be an error. Being a "good guy" isn't the point of the...
Sliding Into Home (Free subscription) | 10/03/2009
After countless mistakes, topped off but his ridiculous asking price for Roy Halladay which kept from making a trade He probably had to, J.P. Ricciardi has been fired as the GM of the Blue Jays . “This was a tough decision and a difficult one for me personally as I have enjoyed J.P.’s friendship and his perspective on the game,” said Paul Beeston, acting President, and CEO. “J.P....
Toronto Mike's Blog (Free subscription) | 10/03/2009
An inside source sent me this email I received while sitting in Tim Hortons this morning. Subject: Jays just fired JP In Baltimore. Jays just turfed him immediately. Then, an hour later, this update from the same source. Well... There he goes. JP just walked past me, suitcases in hand, with the Jays brass trailing behind him getting into a cab. The Toronto Blue Jays have indeed fired general manager...
SportsFilter (Free subscription) | 10/03/2009
The Toronto Blue Jays fired general manager J.P. Ricciardi on Saturday, ending an eventful eight-year reign marked by frequent controversy and mediocre teams never good enough to reach the postseason. Many fans will wonder what took so long as Ricciardi, along with centre-fielder Vernon Wells, had become the lightning rod for those most frustrated with the team's playoff drought, which dates back...
The FanHouse - Charlotte Bobcats (Free subscription) | 10/03/2009
by Ed Price Filed under: Blue Jays J.P. Ricciardi, fired Saturday morning as general manager of the Blue Jays, will be remembered for spending plenty and not winning enough. Hired in 2001, Ricciardi was charged with trying to compete with the Yankees and Red Sox in the AL East. To do it, he splurged on free-agent signings such as A.J. Burnett and B.J. Ryan and long-term deals for Toronto players Vernon...
A Large Regular (Free subscription) | 09/29/2009
JP Riccardi I'm starting to feel like the last guy on the JP Riccardi bandwagon. Reports are starting to more than trickle out that his job is in jeopardy . I don't think that's fair. Riccardi was put in a damned if you do - damned if you don't situation. When he took the job in Toronto the Canadian dollar was strong and he was expected to spend some money by the fans of the team. Specifically he was...
ESPN (Free subscription) | 09/27/2009
B.J. Ryan's rapid demise this season was no surprise to Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston.
Can't Stop the Bleeding (Free subscription) | 09/25/2009
Perhaps operating under the delusion B.J. Ryan came to Toronto to pitch relief on a pro bono basis, Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi responds to calls for his head by essentially telling the Canadian Press that his resigning or being fired would solve nothing. From the Candian Press : “Let me make this clear: It doesn’t [...]
Bluebird Banter (Free subscription) | 08/31/2009
Hi everyone. So, Richard Durrett of the Dallas Morning News sent me some questions in anticipation of the Jays' 4-game, 3-day series with the Rangers and, given the team's recent play, I gritted my teeth and answered them: DMN: The Rangers last saw the Blue Jays in June. Give us an update on the club since then. Hugo: Do I have to? Things haven't been pretty for the Jays since June. July saw the pitching...
Seamheads (Free subscription) | 08/14/2009
After Alex Rios was waived by the Blue Jays and claimed by the White Sox, CBS Sportsline’s Danny Knobler attributed J.P. Ricciardi’s decision not to seek compensation for Rios to “ new economic realities. “ Then the Brewers dumped J.J. Hardy and Bill Hall as much for money as performance. We may be watching a historic salary restructuring that witnesses the shrinking of both...
Redleg Nation (Free subscription) | 08/11/2009
February 2, 1999: Greg Vaughn is traded by the San Diego Padres with Mark Sweeney to the Cincinnati Reds for Josh Harris (minors), Damian Jackson and Reggie Sanders. July 31, 1999: Juan Guzman is traded by the Baltimore Orioles with cash to the Cincinnati Reds for Jacobo Sequea (minors) and B.J. Ryan. October 28, 1999: [...]
Torontoist (Free subscription) | 08/11/2009
Alex Rios, ostensibly an integral part of the Toronto Blue Jays' future, is a Blue Jay no longer: Rios joined the Chicago White Sox this evening in exchange for...absolutely nothing, since the Blue Jays had put Rios on waivers late last week. Teams do this all the time, but it seldom leads to anything; apparently Chicago figures it's worth gambling on Rios's contract. Let us be the first to applaud...
Sportsviews (Free subscription) | 08/06/2009
That was quick:CINCINNATI - The B.J. Ryan experiment ended for the Cubs today when the two-time All-Star closer asked for his release and was granted it.``He just didn't feel like he was going to be able to help us this year and kind of wanted to go home and regroup,'' said Cubs general manager Jim Hendry, who signed the left-hander to a minor-league contract last month after the Toronto Blue Jays...
Newsvine - Circling the Bases's Column - Articles and... (Free subscription) | 08/06/2009
When the Cubs picked B.J. Ryan up off the scrap heap last month, some folks were hoping that he'd turn into this year's version of the late-2008 Jim Edmonds.
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