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You've seen him on TV, heard him on the radio, and watched him transform the Toronto Blue Jays into one of the most exciting young ballclubs in the American League. Now, here's your chance to ask him about the team.

That's right -- Blue Jays General Manager J.P. Ricciardi will give an exclusive interview to Batter's Box next week. And we're only going to ask him the questions that you -- our readers and contributors -- suggest. Post your question in this thread, and we'll automatically include it for consideration when we're choosing the final slate of queries for the interview. Make sure you attach your name to your post -- when we publish the interview transcript, we'll be giving credit to every reader who suggests a selected question.


Here are some ground rules. In a limited-time interview, not every question can be asked -- in fact, if the response is overwhelming, it'll be difficult to choose the finalists. To improve your chances of selection:

--> Avoid Baseball Digest questions like: "What's it like to be GM of a major-league baseball team?" or "Who's your favourite player?"
--> Avoid rude questions like: "What were you smoking when you signed Tanyon Sturtze?" or "Don't you feel stupid for letting Esteban Loaiza go?"
--> Think of fresh, original questions to ask, on aspects of the team that other people might not have considered. Smart questions are golden.
--> Don't be afraid to ask challenging questions, like "Has your experience with this year's bullpen changed your mind about how to construct a relief corps?"

There's no limit to the number of questions you can suggest, but let's be realistic: in a short interview, nobody's likely to get more than two questions asked. Narrow down your choices beforehand. Your friendly site administrators aren't likely to wade through 25 questions to find the gems. Remember, quality beats quantity!

Lurkers, this is for you, too -- there are no eligibility requirements for suggesting a question. Make your first appearance at Da Box a memorable one!

We're looking to you, our readers, to help make this rare and exclusive interview a huge success. We're confident that once our readers and posters get involved, we'll be able to show off how Batter's Box is one of the smartest baseball sites on the Web. Questions will be accepted here up until next Monday, August 18.
Ask J.P. | 81 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
_Simon - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 10:51 AM EDT (#94841) #
What steps are being taken to help Politte with closing? Or has his role now changed with the club?

Try to think of some more later on. Great job on snagging the big one guys.
_Matthew Elmslie - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 10:56 AM EDT (#94842) #
I'm having a hard time coming up with questions. For the benefit of other posters, however, I did come up with another guideline or two...

- Ricciardi isn't going to slam anybody. Just because we're on his side doesn't mean he doesn't have to be diplomatic in public. So there's no point in asking him anything that subtly invites him to take a swat at the media or Gord Ash or anybody.

- Also no point in asking him things we could look up or otherwise figure out for ourselves.

I will post again if and when I think of something worthwhile to ask.
_Gwyn - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 11:01 AM EDT (#94843) #
- If Keith Law had said no, who was your backup candidate

- You likened the relationship to Billy Beane trading with another GM to the čBig Bad Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood. What is it like to trade with you

- Since you joined the jays whats the deal you couldnt close that you wish you had
Coach - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 11:02 AM EDT (#94844) #
The other BB authors are encouraged to participate, but I'm disqualifying myself from posting questions here. I reserve the right to ask a spontaneous followup question during the interview.

There will be some questions he can't answer because of MLB rules, like "Should I add Kevin Cash to my fantasy roster?" There may be one or two on the final list that he prefers not to answer, but we'll have others in reserve, and I'll ask as many as time permits.

I'm sure the entire ZLC shares my gratitude to J.P. for this access.
Pistol - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 11:08 AM EDT (#94845) #
Well, I've been trying to think of some questions for a few days, and wrote them down when I thought of something so I have quite a few right now. The 4 man rotation questions is probably what I'd be most curious about.

1. Nearing the end of your 2nd full year as GM, what has surprised you the most in that time about being a GM, in terms of assembling the ML roster?

2. What's your biggest weakness as a GM?

3. How much consideration is being given to going to a 4 man rotation next season? What are the biggest obstacles to implementing it?

4. How much consideration is being given to using a 4 man rotation in the minor leagues?

5. On the major league level, do you attempt to quantify defensive value, and if so, how much weight do you put into that versus visual observation?

6. When evaluating college players, how much consideration is given to a player's competition and/or ballpark? Do you attempt to quantify this?

7. If the 30 ML organizations were split into 6 five team groups, where would you rank the Jays minor league system today compared to other organizations (1st group of 5, 2nd group of 5, etc...)? If it's not in the top 5 now, how long will it take to get there?

8. Who would be a good comparable ML players for the following AAA & AA minor leaguers?
a. Gabe Gross
b. Kevin Cash
c. Jason Arnold
d. Jayson Werth
e. Alexis Rios
f. JF Griffin
g. Guillermo Quiroz
h. Russ Adams
i. Dustin McGowan
j. David Bush
k. Adam Peterson
Gerry - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 11:12 AM EDT (#94846) #
In Oakland, their philosophy is that pitchers should have 100 innings at AAA before being called to the majors. Will this be a Toronto goal also?

Jason Arnold should have 100 AAA innings before next year. Does that leave him in line for a starting job next spring?

Moneyball described a draft approach where college statistics are used to draft players even if scouts do not rate a player highly. Where do the Jays stand on the use of statistics for drafting versus the scouts rating of the player?

And one for one of our new favourite players.....

What did the Jays see in Jamie Vermilyea when they drafted him and have they seen anything different since he started playing pro-ball?
_Geoff - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 11:20 AM EDT (#94847) #
In hindsight, how would you grade your performance in the past offseason? Any regrets both in terms of players signed that dissapointed you and players you considered signing but chose not to?

How would you compare your relationship with Carlos Tosca and the relationship between Billy Beane and Art Howe discussed in Moneyball?
Mike D - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 11:20 AM EDT (#94848) #
This member of the ZLC definitely shares your gratitude, Kent. Great work, and hooray for J.P.!

1) Assuming you'll be active in seeking pitching help through trades, free agency and waivers...Can you describe the statistical "profile" of the type of pitcher you'll be looking to bring into the fold for 2004?

2) Are there any plans afoot to modify the Jays' playing surface? Has the team considered "grassy" turf, like the kind in Tampa Bay and Philadelphia? Or does AstroTurf play to the club's offensive strengths?

3) Imagine a young Rickey Henderson made his big-league debut with the J.P. Ricciardi Blue Jays. Obviously, we'd all love his ability to set the table offensively for the team. But how much less would he run in this organization?

4) How great can Vernon Wells become?
_Spicol - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 11:23 AM EDT (#94849) #
1. Where does your job end and Carlos Tosca's begin with respect to player management? In other words, do you give him your input on who should be played and when?

2. Since taking the GM job here in Toronto, what move, maybe a certain trade or draft pick or hiring, are you most proud of?

3. You're assembling an organization of great players who also happen to be great people. Among others, Jason Arnold, Russ Adams, Mike Bordick and Greg Myers seem to have outstanding attitudes. You've kept players from the previous regime that are enthusiastic and positive. How important is a player's personality in your evaluation of him?
Pepper Moffatt - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 11:27 AM EDT (#94850) #
http://economics.about.com
The question I'd *really* like answered is this:

1. How do the Jays hedge against currency fluctuactions.

Though I doubt he'd answer that in a million years. :)

Or how about:

2. Making the playoffs generates a great deal of additional revenue for a team. How flexible is your budget if the Jays are on the bubble to make a playoff spot?

I'm thrilled to have JP answer our questions. I think it's a major accomplishment for the site. I really like the idea of soliciting questions.. I found when I was interviewing Arnold that I really wasn't sure what to ask (even though I prepared ahead of time). I got to the point I almost wanted to ask "Have you seen the video for Monkey vs. Robot? Do you think a monkey would actually stand a change against a robot? What are your views?"

Mike

"Monkey hates technology.. Robot hates the monkey.. they will fight eternally"
_Geoff - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 11:33 AM EDT (#94851) #
Jason Arnold's statistics (including perpiherals) are strikingly similar to Vinny Chulk's - and Corey Thurman's AAA stats seem to be better on the whole - Is there anything not evident in the stats that sets Arnold apart from these guys in terms of major-league upside?
_Spicol - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 11:37 AM EDT (#94852) #
1. How do the Jays hedge against currency fluctuactions.

I doubt he'd know the details. Try Susan Brioux for that one if you want to ask from an about.com angle. She's VP Finance. I'm pretty sure that all of the employees emails are firstname.lastname@bluejays.ca.
_Bro_dh - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 11:40 AM EDT (#94853) #
You mentioned in an interview that you were bringing up Cash to work him in with the others that were moved up earlier such as Hinske, Wells, et al. You seemed to suggest that you had a timeline and that now was the best time for Cash. Do you have a time line for any other players (pitchers in particular) and if so can you share anything with us?
Pepper Moffatt - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 11:45 AM EDT (#94854) #
http://economics.about.com
I doubt he'd know the details. Try Susan Brioux for that one if you want to ask from an about.com angle. She's VP Finance. I'm pretty sure that all of the employees emails are firstname.lastname@bluejays.ca.

Thanks for the info! I may try this sometime soon. For some reason, anything I write about exchange rates gets a huge response. I'm also just curious to see what they do. I have a feeling they don't want it getting out that they're probably not losing nearly as much to a low dollar as they claim. Just a guess, tho.

Mike
_torontonorth47 - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 11:53 AM EDT (#94855) #
J.P how are you going to improve the Bullpen situation this Off Season ?
_Tim - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 11:57 AM EDT (#94856) #
Ask him where he was when Joe Carter hit THE homerun.
_Jonny German - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 12:13 PM EDT (#94857) #
Toronto is currently one of only a handful of teams that rely heavily on sabermetric principles. Do you expect the majority of teams will adopt a more numerical approach over the next 10 years? In that event, will teams like Toronto and Oakland still be able to compete with limited budgets?

Many of us felt that Roy Halladay was worthy of a contract extension with his performance in 2002 and the second half of 2001. Did you have reservations that made you wait? Has his performance this year raised his market value beyond what the Blue Jays are willing to spend?

I'm under the impression that Carlos Tosca has much more free reign than a manager under Billy Beane would have. Do you agree? Is this a difference in your management philosophy, or just a product of the Blue Jays not being in playoff contention mode yet?

If you were to write a book about a topic other than baseball, what would that topic be?
_Ryan - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 12:20 PM EDT (#94858) #
1) During the makeover of the scouting department, what criteria did you use to decide which scouts remained and which ones were to be let go? In what ways do you feel the scouting department has improved since its reorganization?

2) The financial advantages other organizations have over the Blue Jays are well known, but what advantages do you feel the Blue Jays have over those other organizations?

3) When you took over as GM, you had a general timeframe for when you thought the team would be ready to compete again. Has that time frame changed at all since then? Have you had any major setbacks or disappointments? Approximately when do you expect the team to be a contender?

4) Has Moneyball significantly affected how you are viewed by other GMs? Has the book made any kind of impact inside the game?

5) If the team starts winning and revenues begin to pick up again, has Rogers given any indication that they would be willing to permanently increase the team's budget in order to retain players and go after higher priced ones from outside the organization?

6) Has there been any serious discussion of realignment that would take the Blue Jays out of the A.L. East?
_okbluejays - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 12:30 PM EDT (#94859) #
Long time reader, first time poster. This opportunity is too good to pass up. Kudos on a great site!!!

Q. Are you pleased with the way Carlos Tosca utilizes his bullpen, or do you think this is an area he might improve upon?

Q. Would you consider it a front-office failure if Roy Halladay's name is not on a long-term contract by opening day 2004?

Q. Is there any suggestiong from Halladay or his agents that Roy does not view Toronto as his long-term home?

Q. Would Toronto be able to fit Carlos Delgado into its salary structure if he were to sign a long-term contract at Jim Thome money?

Q. Assuming that Delgado would accept such a contract, would the jays be better off handing 1B off to Phelps and using that money on SP?

Q. Can Toronto afford to commit 25 million dollars to two players (Delgado and Halladay) and expect to compete for the playoffs, or would it also require the simultaneous emergence of multiple (cheap) prospects?

Q. Would Toronto consider adopting a "closer by committee" approach next year, or, would you prefer to have an identifiable closer going into 2004?

Q. While Jason Arnold received all of the preseason hype regarding our young pitching prospects, it seems that McGowan and Bush have both caught up to him in the eyes of many evaluators. Can you discuss the emergence of these two SP?

Q. Some commentators dismiss Billy Beane's successes as mere luck attributable to the emergence of 3 (and now perhaps 4) outstanding young starting pitchers in a short period of time. How is it that Oakland have been able to consistently produce top quality arms over the last few years? Should the credit go to good scouting? Are Beane's philosophies on college pitchers and statistical analysis at work? Does Oakland have superior teachers throughout its minor league system? Is the answer simply all of these with a touch of luck (i.e. no injuries)?
_Jay Delorme - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 12:37 PM EDT (#94860) #
I look forward to the interview...

1) What are your favourite baseball related sites on the internet? Do you ever glean any pertinent information from any of these sites or just reinforce what you already know?

2) Do you, any of the players, or other staff ever lurk or post on a site such as battersbox.ca ... perhaps under a pseudonym?
_BJBirdy - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 12:41 PM EDT (#94861) #
The Jays have always been known to have a good farm system. I think last year they were rank as one of the top 5 teams to have the most drafted players to make it to the major leagues. How was it like to come in as the new GM and tell the scouting staff that they were going abouts drafting players the wrong way when the scouts had done such a superb job? Had you ever consider combining the two methods together instead using just your approach?

As a side note, does anybody know would players like Dave Stieb, Vernon Wells, Shawn Green, Shannon Stewart, Carlos Delgardo, Roy Holliday and Pat Hentgen been drafted using the approach illustrated by Moneyball?
_perlhack - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 12:43 PM EDT (#94862) #
1. What criteria do you use to determine when a player should be promoted through the system?

2. Which BJ minor league players do you consider "untouchable"?

3. When will you begin to assess any potential Rule 5 draftees? Have you already targetted certain players?

I'll try to think of a few more...
_Bro_dh - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 01:46 PM EDT (#94863) #
You've always worked to identify potential diamonds in other team's systems. Do you see any "sleepers" in the Jays system, i.e. players who aren't hyped but could very well have some major impact in the future?
_Bro_dh - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 01:49 PM EDT (#94864) #
Do you ever read any web-sites, chat lines for input?
_Jabonoso - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 01:55 PM EDT (#94865) #
I'm excited for both the announcemnent of the interview and so many good questions already!. Selecting them is going to be up hill work. I would strongly recommend to everybody to review JP past interviews and public appearences and avoid asking matters already answered ( I guess like 1/3 of the stuff above ) and help sorting out...
i do not have any questions all i hope is that i will come out with a better understanding of JP vision and road map for a contending team...
_Perks - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 02:04 PM EDT (#94866) #
1) Did you have any scenerio last year that would have brought rich harden (rather than arnold) to the blue jays ? In retrospect, would
you have done such a deal ?

2) What do you think vince perkins and brandon league need to do in order to be promoted. When you do you expect to promote them ? What roles do you envision them in ?

3) Why wasn't brian bowles promoted instead of getting service and acevedo ?
_Mick - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 02:21 PM EDT (#94867) #
Coach, I wouldn't waste any time asking "who?" questions, specifically ... Ricciardi is clearly too media-savvy to do more than spin them into general answers anyway (as he should). By that, I mean, if you ask him "Who will be in the rotation in 2005?" he will answer "Well, there are five or six guys we really like ..." and if you ask him "What trade did you almost make that fell through?" he will answer "We're really pleased with the acquisitions we've made and are always working hard to ..."

It's a clinic -- Beane's media savvy without the inflationary ego albatross.

That said, do you think you could get him to answer "What makes baseball in Toronto a better bet for long-term success than, oh, say, baseball in Montreal?"
_Donkit R.K. - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 03:13 PM EDT (#94868) #
The questions that have accumulated so far, and the fact that this interview is happening are amazing. It really is great for this site. Any thing I thought about asking has pretty much been covered (and then some) by now. I would like to see somethign about Escobar though. Perhaps;

Do you feel that because of Escobar's past inconsistencies and health problems (the numbness) the Jays will be able to get him for , maybe, less than market value? Or will pitching desperate teams like St. Louis and Texas try to price him out of the Blue Jays' range?
_Shrike - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 03:29 PM EDT (#94869) #
I'd be interested in an honest answer about JP's opinion about Pete Rose. It appears to be topical. ;)
_Chuck Van Den C - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 03:36 PM EDT (#94870) #
I'd be interested in an honest answer about JP's opinion about Pete Rose. It appears to be topical. ;)

Ackkkk. Please God Almighty let Da Box be a Rose-free blog. Plenty of lively debating over at Primer related to BP's controversial article.
Mike Green - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 03:41 PM EDT (#94871) #
My question is:
"You seem to do a fair bit of scouting yourself, and the Jays have drafted a large number of college pitchers during your tenure. What do you look for in a college pitcher?"
_Greg Os Fan - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 04:09 PM EDT (#94872) #
Let's get to the important question: Who is that beautiful woman in the new Honda ad? The ad with the lightbulbs going on over the guys' heads. Yeaaahhhhhhhhhhh .... that one.
_jason - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 04:22 PM EDT (#94873) #
1. How much of a presence are you in the locker room? (ie. As much as Billy Beane?)

2. What were your thoughts on the farm system you inherited from Gord Ash?

3. Is there ever a good time to attempt to steal a base?

4. What's your favourite pasta dish?
_pete_the_donkey - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 04:28 PM EDT (#94874) #
Some 'off-field' questions...

Q. Do you think Toronto fans can be lured back to SkyDome? Does the organization view the 'Dome itself as an albatross?

Q. Do you have any control over the 'game-day' events/promos at games? Do you feel that turning off the loud music, eliminating the annoying promotions, eliminating the breakdancers, etc. may appeal to the core (upscale, slightly older) baseball target and in turn draw them back to the games? That a traditional baseball environment may pay off in the long run more than the sensory-overload, teenage-hormone-induced-arcade flavour we currently have to endure?

Q. Does the team have any input in broadcast decisions? Have there been any talks regarding the dearth of quality play-by-play teams on the TV broadcasts?
_DS - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 04:43 PM EDT (#94875) #
You're going to have a tough job Coach. There are lots of well thought out questions here to pick from.

Given the dearth of quality pitchers throughout baseball and the high value placed upon pitching prospects, do you see the Jays continue to follow the draft pattern you have set forth in the past 2 years, and focus on drafting pitchers over position prospects?
_R.A.N. - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 05:09 PM EDT (#94876) #
Thanks for this opportunity. Great site.

-Are you surprised by the resistance from the Toronto sports media to the new approaches you have implemented? Is there a specific reporter/columnist covering the team that you get along with particularly well?

-What can you tell us about Edward Rodriguez, currently pitching in the DSL? Did you scout him yourself?
_jason - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 05:12 PM EDT (#94877) #
O.K. here goes;
- I know it is wrong headed of me but I think the Blue Jays have enough offence. A defensive wiz at shortstop (not a complete flop with the bat, but someone who knew the strikezone and his place in the offence) would a) help Hinske's defence b) help hudson c) increase double plays and d) solidify the defence as a whole. What effect could such a player have on the teams E.R.A.?

-Is such a player (a member of the Ken Phelps allstars?) available for the right price?

-This one's tricky - history is hard enough without having to predict it - but... How do you think Moneyball will effect the way baseball is played and managed in the next 5 to 10 years?

Thanks for the opportunity. Keep up the great work.
_Jack Cooney - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 05:20 PM EDT (#94878) #
1. Jayson Werth, who is currently pounding the ball in Syracuse, seems to be have fallen between the cracks. Where does he fit into the Jays' plans in 2004 and beyond? Is there a chance he may start catching again to improve his versatility?

2. How is the new stadium for the AA team in Manchester, NH coming along? Does the team have a name yet?

3. Since you arrived in Toronto, has there been any effort to develop a pitching program like Oakland's that emphasizes "pre-hab" in order to prevent injuries before they happen?

4. How is Francisco Rosario's recovery from TJ surgery going?

5. Do you and Carlos Tosca see eye to eye when it comes to frequent late-game pitching changes? How frequently do you meet with Tosca to ensure you're on the same page with this and other day to day issues?
_jason - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 05:25 PM EDT (#94879) #
Note: I, the Jason with a capital "J" am the Jason you've come to know and love here at BB. Apparently another Jason with a small "j" has decided to post in this thread.
_torontonorth47 - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 05:43 PM EDT (#94880) #
Have you now or ever been involved in Roto Baseball or a Roto Football League ? If , Yes how did you fair in your Roto League ?
_Scott - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 05:48 PM EDT (#94881) #
As a lurker, let me say: great job and great site, guys. Here are my top ten:

1. With 2004 possibly being Delgado"s last year as a Jay and the TV rights expiring after the 2004 season, is there any pressure on him to accelerate the plan from 2005 to next year?

2. How many times a week/month does he entertain trade offers for Rios and/or Quiroz?

3. How does he like the look of next year"s uniforms and the new emblem?

4. Jeremy Sowers or Wes Whisler?

5. With the C$ up, attendance up, TV ratings up, is there any chance the payroll could go up?

6. What is the status of Chris Leonard? Rosario?

7. Is Vito C for real?

8. What players are headed to the AFL?

9. The surprise rookie of 2004 spring training is . . . ?

10. Gassner & Reimers: legit prospects or AAA fodder?
_torontonorth47 - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 05:50 PM EDT (#94882) #
What advice would you give Roto Baseball League General Managers when they are drafting their Team or making Trading & Waivers decisions ?
_torontonorth47 - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 05:58 PM EDT (#94883) #
1) When will Bob File return to the Jays Bullpen and are you impressed how he has Pitched on his Rehab assignment?

2) Do you see File as a possible closer in the Future for the Jays ?
_jason - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 06:00 PM EDT (#94884) #
I do appologize Jason. If it helps I shall forever more remain lower case j.
_torontonorth47 - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 06:03 PM EDT (#94885) #
Thanks to the Coach and all the Great ZLC Contributers and Posters which has made this site one of the best baseball sites on the web !

I am a long time lurker and a New Poster ( 4 posts today so far and 1 post previously ).
_Jonny German, C - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 06:08 PM EDT (#94886) #
history is hard enough without having to predict it

I predict the Blue Jays won back-to-back World Series in 1992 and 1993.
_Mick - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 06:26 PM EDT (#94887) #
I predict the Blue Jays won back-to-back World Series in 1992 and 1993.

I really like the Expos in '94 ... three straight Canadian champs, eh?
_Simon - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 06:32 PM EDT (#94888) #
Scratch my question. You guys have covered everything I'd want to know and more. Fantastic snag guys.

This is by far the best Jays site on the net. Keep up the good work!
_lurker - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 06:34 PM EDT (#94889) #
1. So WERE you a pimp back in the day?

2. When something like the current Esteban Loaiza situation happens (i.e. unexpected improvement from a player essentially cast off by the team) despite all of your research and analysis, do you attempt to look back for previously unnoticed markers that might have predicted such an event?

(Note: this is a serious question, not intended to be a flame. I really wonder if JP grabs somebody like Keith and says, "Go back and find what we missed that could have helped us predict this.")
_jason - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 07:01 PM EDT (#94890) #
Dear lower case "j" Jason,

could you instead refer to yourself henceforth as Sol Rosenberg. It would be much appreciatted.

Thank you very much.
_Rob Vandenberg - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 07:19 PM EDT (#94891) #
Whats it like being the only GM in baseball to fleece Billy Beane in a trade, the specific trade I am talking about is inconsistent Koch who isn't with them anymore for Hinske (dont need to say anything about him) and Justin Miller a guy who could be a solid back end of the rotation pitcher?
_David Armitage - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 08:18 PM EDT (#94892) #
I'm sure it can be better worded than I'm doing, but I want to know how JP forsees the future of Moneyball type scouting if revenue sharing or a hard cap ever came into play. With more teams probably inclined to focus more on sabremetrics, how do you stay ahead of the competition when money plays less of a factor in roster decisions?
_Andy Martin - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 08:36 PM EDT (#94893) #
Jamie Vermilyea has had a very promising debut despite lasting till the 9th round of the draft.
Do you feel his true level of ability was disguised by pitching at high altitude at the University of New Mexico?
Will you be trying to aquire other pitchers who have been successful in high altitude parks?
For instance someone like Brian Fuentes who is pitching well for Colorado but might do even better at sea-level.

p.s.
Batters Box is terrific. A real pleasure to read.
_S.K. - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 10:16 PM EDT (#94894) #
Very exciting, guys! Here are some off the top of my head:

- with the aborted 4-man rotation experiment here, and the 'committee' shelved in Boston, do you think that baseball is going to see any revolutions in pitcher usage in the next few years? How successful do you think such an experiment would have to be for the tradition-bound MLB world to adopt it?

- what are your thoughts on Bill James' essay on relief pitcher usage? Have any James concepts changed the way you look at the game?

- what would you say is (are) the most valuable asset(s) you inherited from the Gord Ash tenure? Has your view of the organization changed since you first came in for your interview?
_Brent - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 10:18 PM EDT (#94895) #
Jason(s): I have the same problem. Evidently, there is another "Brent" who posts on Primer, and another one (Brent1234) who posts on the MLB site. Hopefully everyone can distinguish me as the nerdiest Brent who is a Jays fan. Only then will there be no confusion.
_Andrew Edwards - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 10:20 PM EDT (#94896) #
Excellent questions so far. My $0.02, mostly non-GM stuff, since that side is well-covered so far:

NON-BASEBALL SOFTBALL QUESTION:

- Since moving to Toronto, what about the city do you like the most? What has surprised you most about it?

BUSINESS OF BASEBALL QUESTION:

- I love the Jays new marketing campaign. How involved are you in that side of the business, and what can you tell us about the challenges of marketing the team to Torontonians and to Canadians in general?

QUIRKY BASEBALL-RELATED SIDELINE:

- Toronto has an independent-league baseball team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ever gone to watch a game, just for kicks?

LONG-TERM BASEBALL QUESTION:

- It's clear that various teams are slowly realising the utility of on-base percentage as a measure of success. As other teams catch on to this, shall we say, stathead approach to offensive evaluation, where are you looking to find the next advantage? Oakland seems to be picking stronger defensive players. Do you see the Jays focussing more on those types as the price of high-on-base guys rises in response to demand?

BLUE JAYS PLAYER PERSONNEL QUESTION:

- We know you love your 'fighting Jays', and so do we. Is there a specific attitude you look for, in addition to quantitative analysis, or is the gung-ho team attitude just a happy by-product of other choices?

BLUE JAYS PROSPECTING QUESTION:

- Who, if anyone, are we missing right now that might make an impact for the team in 2004? Who is your best guess to be next year's Reed Johnson?
Pepper Moffatt - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 10:22 PM EDT (#94897) #
http://economics.about.com
Jason(s): I have the same problem. Evidently, there is another "Brent" who posts on Primer, and another one (Brent1234) who posts on the MLB site. Hopefully everyone can distinguish me as the nerdiest Brent who is a Jays fan. Only then will there be no confusion.

You guys need to work on your shameless self promotion. Fortunately, I am offering lessons.

Too bad the Jays couldn't get more than one run in the 1st. On the pop up Kielty looked like he was swinging a 9 iron.

Mike
_StephenT - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 10:42 PM EDT (#94898) #
I like what J.P. has been doing with the Jays.

To pick up on Mike D's FieldTurf question above, my variants:

1. Would you be in favour of doing something in the SkyDome outfield corners, perhaps a tarp on the 1st row of seats, so that exciting plays aren't interrupted by fans reaching onto the field? (This would also make it unnecessary to eject fans almost every game.)

2. Would you like to see the outfield fence lowered (so that outfielders can make exciting plays reaching over it), or substantially heigtened (to prevent ground-rule doubles), or left as it is (which isn't accomplishing either)? (I'd like to see it lowered.)

Some more stats questions:

1. For statistical scouting, are you ever very specific about the formulas to use (e.g. how much to adjust for age and experience when looking for minor league prospects), or do you just let your staff (presumably Keith Law) decide such things?

2. Is just 1 statistical scout enough for a major league team, or might it be advantageous to have several statistical analysts on staff?

One more for fun:

Q. If you could change any of baseball's playing rules, what would you change? (e.g. Bill James would award a runner the next base if a pickoff-attempt failed, but would also eliminate the balk so that a pitcher could fake home before throwing to a base.)
_ten41 - Tuesday, August 12 2003 @ 11:32 PM EDT (#94899) #
Tell me what you think of this one: [Maximum Strength Flame suit on]

The Toronto Star recently caused a major controversy with their coverage of the changing racial makeup of the blue jays.
The Star pointed to a statistic which showed that 9 out of 10 players coming into the organization are white. This is understandable given the new philosophy of focusing on college talent (where the majority of players are white) but do you think this will hurt the blue jays with the average fan? Is there anything that can be done to have a more balanced team while still operating under the current philosophy? Does the racial makeup of a baseball team matter? Has the controversy affected your decision making in any way when deciding what players to keep or trade away? Will the Blue Jays cut their business ties with the Star? If more and more teams focus on college players will this hurt the chances of minorities making it to the major leagues?
_John Gizzi - Wednesday, August 13 2003 @ 02:09 AM EDT (#94900) #
Mr. Ricciardi,

I just returned from perhaps the only place in the world -- Lake Tahoe, California -- where I'd rather be than next to you in the Blue Jays front office, and I am thrilled to discover you've granted BB an interview. Thank you very much for lending some credibility to us, as Keith did earlier. Your presence here makes up for mine.

Now, to a few questions about how you evaluate college talent.

Do you (or Keith, for that matter) have any formula for translating collegiate stats? What level, roughly, would you say Division I college baseball is? If given the choice between comparable players from, say, USC and City College of New York, do you take into consideration level of competition? Do you talk to the coaches about character issues? If a player was predominantly regarded as the best player in the draft -- a la Mark Prior -- would you not draft him if he had signability issues?

Millions more, but those will have to do. Thanks again, and I look forward to reading the full interview.
_Spicol - Wednesday, August 13 2003 @ 09:47 AM EDT (#94901) #
Ask JP about Colter Bean. ASK HIM! ;)
Craig B - Wednesday, August 13 2003 @ 09:59 AM EDT (#94902) #
Hey Spicol, how 'bout we ask him a general question about soft-tossing righthanded minor-league relievers with control problems? That encompasses Colter Bean pretty well.
_Spicol - Wednesday, August 13 2003 @ 10:17 AM EDT (#94903) #
Craig you forgot to add "who are too old to be considered prospects".

It's about results. Results on the cheap, my friend.
Craig B - Wednesday, August 13 2003 @ 11:46 AM EDT (#94904) #
I also forgot "whose ass has its own Congressman".

Anyway, you're right that Bean has had success, but then so has Juan Acevedo.
Craig B - Wednesday, August 13 2003 @ 11:47 AM EDT (#94905) #
That sounded more negative than it should have... someone ought to give Bean a shot, and it is better than recycling the usual suspects off the waiver wire.
_Cristian - Wednesday, August 13 2003 @ 12:40 PM EDT (#94906) #
This season there have been situations (Hinske & Pollite being the most glaring examples) where players have covered up minor injuries, decided to play hurt, aggravated those injuries, and proceeded to miss a large portion of the season. What proactive measures can be taken to make sure these aggravated injuries don't occur? How can you ingrain into athletes that "playing through the pain" often hurts the team more than it helps?

And one selfish question.

When will the Jays move their Triple A affiliate to Edmonton?
_Chuck Van Den C - Wednesday, August 13 2003 @ 11:29 PM EDT (#94907) #
Q: What in the holy hell is the plan for Josh Phelps? Is he nursing an injury or is there a reason he's sitting so much, including one game where he was bypassed for Dave Berg?
_Munro Stewart - Wednesday, August 13 2003 @ 11:55 PM EDT (#94908) #
A FEW SOMEWHAT LONG-WINDED INTERNET CHAT STYLE QUESTIONS

1) The Jays have 6 or 7 high quality pitching prospects at the AA and A levels, and from reading rumours about possible trades for Joe Blanton and Adam Wainwright, you were almost able to acquire another one. When you and the organization consider promoting a group of prospects such as this young group of good pitchers, do you ever consider trying to schedule their progress for any reason to either space out their major league promotions over a couple years, or to have a few come up at the same time? Or do you pretty much treat each pitcher seperately upon their own progress, and promote them at each level when they are completely ready?

2) As a watcher of minor league talent, I was disappointed to say the least when Blue Jays management let Jay Gibbons get away in the Rule 5 draft before the 2001 season, and he seems like the type of player that you would be quite high on. Would you have liked to see him as a corner outfielder or DH for the Jays at some point back in the 2002 season, and what do you think of Gibbons as a player?

3) Knowing that you were a scout for so many years and also from what I have read about you, it seems that you really enjoy scouting baseball players, analyzing statistics, and talking about the talent levels and potential of players. Since becoming GM of the Jays, and as a result of having some different responsibilities than you used to have, do you partially miss being as involved in the scouting operations?

JOKE QUESTIONS FOR BATTER'S BOX READERS (not to ask in interview probably)

1) Why don't you charge Roy Halladay $5,000 for every day he doesn't shave, and at the end of the year you'd be able to spend that extra money on a good bullpen arm.

2) The amount he talks, wouldn't it have made more sense for Orlando Hudson to be a radio DJ than a baseball player?

3) Will you call Aaron Hill up right away, or wait until September? ;) joking (He actually hasn't been as hot since being promoted to Dunedin though)

4) How the heck does Peter Gammons learn about all the trades before they happen? Does he have a bug on every GM's phoneline?

P.S. Great website Coach and everyone else involved, and congrats on getting this interview.
Pistol - Thursday, August 14 2003 @ 05:41 PM EDT (#94909) #
1. Given the long term uncertainy of pitchers is there a maximum amount of years that you will sign a pitcher to, and if so what is it?

2. How much is insurance utilized on contracts, and does that play into how much or how long you'll sign a player for?
_Homer Jay - Thursday, August 14 2003 @ 08:22 PM EDT (#94910) #
Ask him to answer "the make your own adventure" and post it.
Pistol - Saturday, August 16 2003 @ 01:17 PM EDT (#94911) #
1. What is the team's philosphy on starter's workload? Halladay is on pace to pitch over 250 innings this year, but his pitch counts have been very reasonable (no one start over 120 pitches). Is pitch count the only thing that matters, or is there a point at where too many innings in a season for a pitcher becomes too great a risk?
_Sulsal Haque - Saturday, August 16 2003 @ 02:30 PM EDT (#94912) #
I would ask J.P. of who he thinks is the 5 best pitching prospects in his system? And Vinnie Chulk seems to be doin better than Corey Thurman or Josh Towers so why not call him up rather than them?
_Wildrose - Saturday, August 16 2003 @ 06:05 PM EDT (#94913) #
Great job guys, a real credit to this sight.

I'd like to ask J.P. the following;

1.We hear a lot about the Jays penchant to draft college talent, what is the status of the Jays Latin American scouting efforts? Is the market getting too diluted and expensive? Is it difficult to utilize a tools based approach over a stats based model in this environment?

2.You've described Billy Beane as being like a "second brother". Obviously you share a lot of similar baseball philosophies. I'd like to know were you guys differ on baseball matters?

3.What do you think is going to happen with the new CBA and the talk of an International draft? Will it be stalled in perpetuity? Would the new model help/hinder the Jay's?
_Shane - Saturday, August 16 2003 @ 10:00 PM EDT (#94914) #
Considering no Toronto columnist has as of yet used the opportunity to take stabs at developing the Blue Jays for '04 and beyond in regards to Josh Phelps irregular playing time, perhaps it's up to the folks at BattersBox.ca to get some clarification of what's going on here?

Q: It would appear a young, cheap power-hitter like a Josh Phelps would be a key cog in the Blue Jays teams of the future. However, his lack luster production in '03 aside, isn't it a priority to get Phelps as many AB's under his belt going into '04 as is possible? Because lately, this clearly has not been happening. Thank you.

BATTERSBOX Administration: Feel free to re-word if you so wish. I'd just be interested in knowing why some of his development time is being wasted, especially considering he looks like he has things he needs to work on.
_Mahyar - Sunday, August 17 2003 @ 10:53 AM EDT (#94915) #
I want to know a little about blue jays pitching prospect Jason Arnold. When you acquired him in the offseason Arnold was one of the premier pitching prospects in the game. Lately however I've been hearing that since moving up from double A to triple A he has been struggling to adjust to the new atmosphere. I want to know whether these setbacks are temporary and if we can expect him to return to his old self and become a dominating pitcher once again. Also, I want your opinion on a new Blue Jays prospect named Vito Chiaravolotti. He has been dominating the New York Penn League and is leading the league in home runs, RBI, Batting Average, On base percentage, and slugging percentage. What do you think of his success so far and I want to know if you think we can expect him to carry out similar numbers as he moves up to single A.
_Sulsal - Monday, August 18 2003 @ 06:11 PM EDT (#94916) #
1. I would like to ask J.P. about the status of Franciso Rosario and when is his expected return?
2. I would also ask him which of their prospects they will be calling up from Triple A not old guys like Howie Clark or Ken Huckaby but the young guys like Arnold, Chulk, or Gross?
_Mike H. - Tuesday, August 19 2003 @ 12:02 AM EDT (#94917) #
Some business of baseball questions:

1. Do you see MLB going to an NHL-style system for currency differences between the two dollars? Are you lobbying MLB for that kind of system?

2. (Because I live in the area) Are the Jays going to continue their affiliation with Pulaski in the Rookie Appalacian League? Or do the Jays try to get an affiliate in Canada, especially since they now have TWO in the Virginia and none in their own country?

3. As the team becomes more competitive (hopefully) in the next few years, will the payroll level increase accordingly? What kind of internal cap has Ted Rogers set on payroll, if any?
_jesse, ca - Tuesday, August 19 2003 @ 12:30 AM EDT (#94918) #
how do you feel about teams like new york yankees trying to buy championships rather than earning them, i mean looking at blue jays situation and also my a's, these teams hav less margin of error than the yankees because one mistake can ruin everything and yankees dont even have to build their farm system because htey can jus go buy other people problems much like what you did with raul mondesi.
Gerry - Tuesday, August 19 2003 @ 11:39 AM EDT (#94919) #
Do you intend to convert any minor league relievers to starters next year - Vermilyea, Marcum, Peterson, etc.
_Pod - Tuesday, August 19 2003 @ 06:27 PM EDT (#94920) #
1. During the 1980's Pat Gillick promoted his top young starting pitchers (Key, Wells, Stottlemyre) to the majors and gave them some time in the bullpen. Mike Flanagan recently said that Earl Weaver did the same. My question for J.P. is: Given that your top pitching prospects will (likely) pitch in AAA in 2004 and that you want to contend in 2005, do you lack the luxury of breaking in your studs in the bullpen?

2. What are your 3 favourite albums and films?

3. When Gammons writes "an AL GM said" is it more likely to be you or Beane?

4. You and Keith have done pretty well in Rule 5. Now that the farm system is deeper do you worry that it will hurt you more than help you? [Alternatively, would you rather have Thurman and Lopez or Ford and Gibbons?]

5. Do you believe in "closers"? Is Cliff Politte a closer? Is Lopez?
_Geoff - Tuesday, August 19 2003 @ 08:34 PM EDT (#94921) #
I don't have time to check and see if this has been mentioned elsewhere in the thread but I defintiely would like to see a question asked regarding the team's intentions towards Catalanatto - is he a part of the 2004 club?
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