This event is rather like a Pep Rally for season-ticket holders. The gates open at 5:30, and everyone mills around the concourse level for an hour sampling the free food and drink. There were serving persons wandering around with trays laden with glasses of wine - this type of event is clearly wasted on the likes of me. I wandered around myself, looking for a familiar face. Couldn't find one. Settled for a drink of water.
The event began promptly at 6:30. The stage (that's what Buck called it) was the top of the third base dugout, and the four armchairs on top were occupied by (from left to right) John Gibbons, Alex Anthopoulos, Paul Beeston, and the evening's Master of Ceremonies Buck Martinez. M.C. Buck first called our attention to the video screen, where a promo video ran for a few minutes; he then introduced the three gentlemen sharing "the stage" with him, with special props for Beeston, who apparently is moving on after this season. This got a rise out of everyone, and Beeston got a mini-standing ovation. We watched another video, which showed highlights of the Jays winter tour - it prominently featured footage of Jose Bautista and R.A. Dickey, as well as young Jays being dazzled with their first sight of Banff. Which is pretty darn dazzling. Stephen Brooks from Business Operations was summoned to explain how the team is moving into digital ticketing, which has some of the season-ticket holders a bit concerned. M.C. Buck added some more information on this, as well as mentioning that the Fantasy Camp will be returning.
And now it was Question Time. Season-ticket holders had submitted questions by email, and M.C. Buck now directed them to the appropriate party. But the first one came from M.C. Buck himself, who essentially asked Anthopoulos why 25 guys who played for the team last year weren't coming back. Anthopoulos, as you might expect, chose to focus on the players who were coming, especially the new ones. He particularly emphasized the durability of Donaldson and the defensive skills of Saunders.
The first fan question was for Anthopoulos, who was asked him what he thought was the biggest need for him to address immediately. He said "Bullpen depth." He's not all that worried about the ninth inning, specifically mentioning Brett Cecil as someone who could take care of that job. There are still free-agent options, he said, and they're still talking to teams about trades.
And so it went. Beeston reaffirmed that team is determined to get real grass into the Dome, that 2018 is the target year, and that they've signed a contract with the University of Guelph to make it happen. While we know they've been talking for some time, Beeston said last night that the deal is done. Which represents the Actual News portion of the evening. Beeston said that they've worked out some of the technical aspects (Sunlight, water) but not all of them (air currents? It is a complicated thing, though. If you're interested in some of the technical challenges have a look at this.) He mentioned that the Dome is now one of the oldest facilities in the major leagues, and does need a bit of upkeep these days. He stuck up for the very corporate owners who've been trying to push him out the door - "we'll have a top ten payroll" - and he's satisfied that the team has all the resources it needs. Beeston also affirmed that the team would like to continue it's spring training relationship with Dunedin - they've been there since Day One, it's wonderfully convenient, the Phillies and Yankees are just down the road, and we all live there. The Jays want to stay, Dunedin wants them to stay, but the actual spring training facility just doesn't cut it anymore.
Anthopoulos was asked if there were plans to extend Bautista and Encarnacion and make them Jays for life. He was instantly on his guard - "there's media here." At some point, he expects to sit down with them - he says they like being here, that this is the team and city that embraced them, the place where they became stars. He was also asked how the Melky Cabrera negotiation went sour. Anthopoulos didn't like using the word "sour" to describe it; he mentioned that they talked with Cabrera and his agent in June about working out a deal but they wanted to keep it out of the press and decided to let the season play out. And in the winter, stuff - mainly, Russell Martin - just happened. The market for Cabrera was a bit of a moving target at that time, and then the chance to get Michael Saunders - "a guy we've been trying to get for three years" - became a reality. He said some very nice things about Cabrera being a great guy in the clubhouse and his enthusiasm for being here, and said some even nicer things about Saunders. The last question for Anthopoulos was whether Daniel Norris has a chance to be in the rotation this season. He more or less guaranteed it, saying that that the Norris we saw in September is not the real Norris, that he was dealing with bone chips in his elbow. That's been cleaned up, he's throwing off the mound and feels great. Anthopoulos essentially compared him to Matt Harvey.
John Gibbons, with the relaxed and affable manner of someone playing with the house's money, was there providing entertainment value. He hemmed and hawed, rather like all of us, about whether Aaron Sanchez ends up in the rotation or the bullpen - we'll just have to see how things play out this spring. He mentioned Norris and Estrada as other candidates for the fifth starter - "We've got solutions, we just haven't decided on them yet." At second base, he ran through the four obvious names, with special attention to Izturis - who Gibbons says wants the job and is a little frustrated at how things have gone for him here - and Devon Travis. "It's there for the taking if somebody wants it." And then he remembered Kawasaki - "he's like a bad penny that keeps coming up." Gibbons was also asked about the strengths and weaknesses of the rotation and bullpen and what he would like to add to make the pitching staff complete.
To which he said "James Shields." And after the laugh, "Sorry, Alex."
The last question of the night was for Gibbons: while the top of the batting order looks very impressive indeed, the bottom half is - well, it looks like the other thing. The word "weak" was used. Gibbons quickly protested "Well, we got a new hitting coach. What else do you want?" M.C. Buck chipped in as his ally "that's personal, we always hit in the bottom of the batting order." Gibbons essentially said that's it's not weak, "it's just that the top is so strong you're just a little...(long pause) confused."
"It'll be interesting to ask him that in July" said M.C. Buck.
And that was it. Beeston wrapped it up by thanking M.C. Buck for his service as player, manager, and broadcaster, invoked 1992, and offered to buy everyone a beer up top.
