Welcome back readers of Engineering’s most renowned/only sports column! This term, the Benchwarmer will be covering news from the world of athletic activities, starting with the MLD, Major League Doping (or would that be major league baseball?) Though steroids have been the highlight of the MLD season, as they have usually been of late, there is a more pressing issue at hand. How in the name of A-ROID did a Blue Jays team that looked so spectacularly undefeatable on paper unravel within the blink of an eye?
Back in the winter and early spring, Blue Jays General Manager Alex Anthopolous went on a roster change rampage that made the sports gamblers down in Vegas go wild. To start off, he acquired steroid-plagued outfielder Melky Cabrera as a free agent. In spite of his use of steroids, it seemed as though Melky would still be able to get on base and hit for average, thus making him a good fit at the top of the batting order. Then came the R.A. Dickey trade, which sent super prospects Travis D’Arnaud (catcher) and Noah Syndergaard (pitcher) along with catcher John Buck to the Mets. Coming off a National League Cy Young season, it was reasonable to think Dickey could manage the nitty-gritty of American League East.
However the biggest trade of them all was a the 12 player blockbuster deal that sent a flurry of Jays prospects down to the Miami Marlins in exchange for pitchers Mark Buerhle and Josh Johnson as well as the number one active shortstop in all of baseball, Jose Reyes.
And so it was done. This was by far the most complete Jays roster Toronto fans had seen in years. Yet there was one key item missing… that would ultimately be the cause of the dismal season to come: A manager.
Shortly after the Miami trade, Alex Anthopolous signed John Gibbons to a three-year contract. Following the utterly disgusting departure of former manager John Farrell, Alex thought that Gibbons would not be tempted by a wink of an offer from more fashionable franchises such as the Boston Red Sox (cough, cough). Not that he would ever get one, that is.
Though this logic is sound, Gibbons was fired as Jays skipper several seasons back. Why? For not winning enough games. Of 50 candidates with managerial experience, why on earth would your organization pick the one that you just let go?
The reality is, the sport is a business, and a manager who can’t manage will not win regardless of the team’s collective abilities. Take Yankees GM Joe Girardi for example. The Yankees have managed to scrape together a solid season despite an aging and overall weaker roster than in previous years. Through all this, they are still very much in the hunt for the A.L. wild card spots.
The Jays will be a good bet for next season if and only if they cut Gibbons loose. Other managers with experience will most likely be available and if we’re lucky, perhaps Anthopolous will be able to find someone who has already worked with several of the players. The Jays have gotten to know each other through this topsy-turvy season. Now they need some real guidance to get to know how to win.
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