Decision-makers in the Blue Jays’ hierarchy are seriously thinking of going back to the future.
Again.
Sources tell Metro that the Jays’ ownership is privately pondering the idea of bringing Pat Gillick back to Toronto after this season. Gillick would either work directly under or replace his long-time friend, Jays president Paul Godfrey.
And, before you go off snickering about this, I’ll remind you that these same sources told us back on May 13 that Cito Gaston was a possibility to be rehired as the Jays’ manager. That was five weeks before it actually happened.
Gillick, of course, was the Jays’ general manager during their halcyon days, including their World Series years in 1992 and 1993. He is planning to retire as the Philadelphia Phillies’ GM after this season.
As MLB insider Ken Rosenthal reported recently, though, “Gillick is a baseball lifer. Even though he is 71, few envision him walking away.”
Godfrey’s contract expires after the season. J.P. Ricciardi’s pact as the Jays’ GM runs through 2010 but, as Rosenthal reported, he’s “in trouble. He creates problems for himself with his bluntness, and in six seasons has yet to produce a playoff team, even though ownership has increased payroll to nearly $100-million.”
• The aforementioned sources whispered that the Jays also are seriously thinking of ending their long-term affiliation with Syracuse and may move their Triple A franchise to Columbus. . .The careers of Jeff Kent and Frank Thomas, ex-Jays and future Hall of Famers, appear to be over because of surgeries required on their knee and quad, respectively. . .Another Hall of Fame shoo-in, the St. Louis Cardinals’ Albert Pujols entered last night needing to drive in only nine runs to become the third hitter in MLB history to record 100 RBIs in his first eight seasons. He’d join the select company of Ted Williams and Al Simmons and would surpass Joe DiMaggio.
• Ricky Williams is back as the Miami Dolphins’ main running back but he simultaneously is studying osteopathy and plans to become a doctor.
Williams said: “I like to make people feel better,” something he did for the Argonauts only after he left them.
• CFL developments to watch for this week:
The Argos’ Arland Bruce has been fined for the Spider-Man mask he wore (not cool, not funny) after a touchdown in Hamilton on Monday, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will sign former Tiger-Cat quarterback Timmy Chang and speculation will surface that Charlie Taaffe will soon be out as Hamilton coach.
Marty York is Metro’s national sports columnist as well as an
instructor at the College of Sports Media in Toronto. You can also read
his columns at www.freemyteam.com.
He
can be heard each Wednesday night on Vancouver radio station CKNW with
Sportstalk host Dan Russell.
Contact Marty at marty.york@metronews.ca
