Buffalo Boy's Blog

Jays fans have had a realitively easy target to aim their complaints at the last few years. JP Riccardi hasn't exactly paved a smooth road, from run ins with opposing players (Adam Dunn) to shady decision making and at times telling lies to the fans regarding various player related issues.

That said, I don't think the Jays front office has done a horrific job considering the resources they have had. They have done exactly what any team in a division like the AL East needs to do. They have made some tough choices with hopes that they would pan out, including over paying on some players and not locking up others.

Im giving JP a clean slate this season. I want to see how things go with a couple of things:

1. How does Scott Rolen perform given his shoulder has had an entire offseason to heal. Who knew that Troy Glaus was going to round back into 30 HR form in St. Louis and Scott Rolen would be just a shadow of his former self. 

2. How does Travis Snider fare splitting time with Adam Lind in left field and DH.

3. How do the kids do in the rotation and also, how do a couple of these reclaimation projects work out in Matt Clement and Mike Maroth. Most of the these pitchers coming up now are JP draft picks who will show how his drafts have been. If they do well, then JP will get passing grades at year end. David Purcey is the biggest question mark. Can he build on a good 2008.

4. He made a great choice for Manager in CIto Gaston last year and I think a full season with Cito and his staff could pay off huge. The players love Cito and I would like to think that Cito has a lot of say in who they go with in terms of player personel.

5. Paul Beeston is still the CEO in the mean time and something tells me, he wants to see this team turned around before he steps down. He was one of the ones who built this team from the ground up and made it what it was in the early 90's, this front office can only benefit by having him there.

6. I want to see how an expanded scouting department improves their acquisition of players from overseas. They hired scouts who will be focused on Asian players, specifically Japanese players, something they have not explored enough.

Lets give him a chance, he still has two years left, they are not going to buy him out and I think he has made some under the radar type of moves that may pay off if not this year, going ahead into 2010. Lets not forget, JP is still young for a GM, he has some good vision for the team, he has just had the misfortune of trying to compete monetarily against the two richest teams in baseball. I think this past offseason they have changed course a little, they are paring back expenses and trying to do it the Oakland way, where they may have side stepped that in recent years with Frank Thomas, AJ Burnett and BJ Ryan like signings.