TORONTO - The issues before new Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos would be daunting for a veteran big-league executive, let alone a 32-year-old with less than a decade in the game.
Clubhouse unrest towards the manager. A coaching staff fractured, perhaps irreparably. Disgruntled fans. Dwindling attendance. A roster stuck in baseball's dead zone, neither contending nor rebuilding. No defined philosophy for the future. An iconic player possibly on the way out.
And that's just for starters.
"If there's a person that I would think has shown us he's ready to handle all that, it would be him," interim CEO Paul Beeston said in an interview Monday. "Alex is smart enough to know the smarter the people around him, the better off he's going to be. "
"So you're not going to see this as a one-man show. What you're going to see is a man who is accountable and takes responsibility."
Those words should offer Blue Jays fans some reassurance following a dismal 75-87 season that led to Saturday's firing of GM J.P. Ricciardi, ending a tumultuous eight-year run.
During the Ricciardi era it was always clear whose view reigned supreme, and while those around him who he respected could challenge him, very rarely could they sway him. The belief he always knew best was both a strength and a weakeness for Ricciardi.
Anthopoulos on the other hand is expected to boost the baseball IQ up and down the organization, starting perhaps with a senior adviser (Pat Gillick's name is floating around, as it always does), and turn decision-making into a consensus-building process. Not that he's any kind of pushover - Ricciardi once referred to him as the Barracuda for his predator-like tenacity in negotiations - but Anthopoulos will make calls after seeking counsel and examining every angle at play.
"The more experience and knowledge that I can get around me is going to help me," the Montreal-born Anthopoulos said during his introductory news conference Saturday. "We could potentially change the way we do some of the things from a front-office standpoint. ... An organization-wide examination would probably be the way to put it, to really look at the way we've done things and look at the ways we can improve."
His first statements to the public as GM were understandably vague, as he aims to avoid creating any expectations until a path forward for the club is charted.
While much of the public focus is on how much payroll the Blue Jays will have, the direction they take is the more important issue since team owner Rogers Communications Inc., will approve an increase on the US$80 million or so that was spent this year if there's a sensible business plan to back it up.
A risky build-up is on the table, as is a roster rebuild.
"We have to let Alex get in there, along with Paul, to put together a plan for the club that makes sense," said Tony Viner, who heads Rogers Media, the division that oversees the Blue Jays. "And I have no idea what that plan would be."
It's in that vein that the fate of ace Roy Halladay, along with that of free agents Marco Scutaro and Rod Barajas will be decided.
Halladay, who was shopped in July by Ricciardi, wants to play for a winner and won't want to stick around if the Blue Jays strip down. It would also make little sense to keep him under those circumstances, since he'll be a free agent after the 2010 season and is guaranteed to walk.
Moving would jump-start a rebuild.
"There's a lot the organization has to decide moving forward in the direction they want to go," said Halladay. "That's all going to play a large part in what I hope to do the rest of my career."
The decisions with Scutaro and Barajas fall in step from there, as both can be pieces of a contender. But their departures could provide the Blue Jays with draft picks high enough where a potential impact player can be found, and that may be tempting enough to let them go.
Scouting and player development are where Anthopoulos believes the Blue Jays "can get an edge."
"It's really going to tie in with what the philosophy is," Anthopoulos said of bringing back the trio in question. "Will they fit into the direction of what we're trying to do going forward? I can't answer that right now."
But they're only part of the puzzle.
A permanent replacement for Beeston must be named and that's expected to happen sometime this month. Given how much work Anthopoulos has already put in, it's likely that he's been pre-approved by the incoming executive.
Beeston, meanwhile, is expected to remain in some capacity, likely as a senior adviser or consultant.
He'll be counted on to help repair the dysfunction in the clubhouse, that includes player concerns over Gaston's approach plus a total breakdown in the coaching staff.
Beeston read his players the riot act for allowing word to spill out publicly, but also listened to their concerns and promised to help address them.
That's important because while the players may have been criticized in many quarters for airing their grievances and branded as malcontents, there are legitimate problems that will prevent the team from moving forward.
"There were issues brought forth in what I'd consider a courteous, professional and mature manner," Beeston said of his meeting Saturday with a small group of players. "The onus is upon management and myself to deal with them, and they will be dealt with."
The coaching staff situation contributes greatly to a toxic mix.
Gaston is close with third base coach Nick Leyva and hitting coach Gene Tenace, who have little contact with players. The players are tight with pitching coach Brad Arnsberg and bench coach Brian Butterfield, who have little contact with Gaston.
Within those broken lines, small problems fester and no one can step in to really fix them.
"Every team has problems, the teams that end up winning are the teams that were able to have a happy floor in the clubhouse," said Barajas. "If there are small issues, you need to make sure you address them. Like I said, small issues can turn into big issues and they can ruin the season. I think Paul's definitely going to do whatever he needs to do to make this clubhouse run smoothly."
For his part, Gaston said the fate of his coaching staff, all under contract through 2010, will be "looked at."
"Maybe some of them don't want to come back," he said ominously.
Also still to be determined is how many Ricciardi loyalists will remain in the front office. An interesting test case will be assistant GM Tony LaCava, who has received plenty of praise from Anthopoulos and Beeston in what looks like an attempt to reach out to him.
Another bright and well-respected baseball mind, LaCava has interviewed for other GM jobs and it's unclear if being passed over in Toronto will be an issue for him.
Ultimately, Beeston felt Anthopoulos was the right choice to become the fifth general manager in Blue Jays history, and just the fifth Canadian GM ever in the game. He's convinced that faith will be rewarded.
"My great fear was someday we were going to lose Alex," said Beeston. "He's a secret to the public, but I don't think he's a secret within baseball or to agents or to some of the teams he's dealt with. He's a superb negotiator, he's got a very analytical mind and he combines intelligence with smarts. Not everybody has that."
