Off-Day Bantering

The Jays got their seventh win of September last night. After a very good August, I was hopeful about next season. This month makes me think we’ll be lucky not to be worse next year.

But I’m willing to watch what they do this winter.

There isn’t much for Jays’ news this morning; we haven’t even heard about today’s change in the back of the bullpen.

Shi Davidi has an interview with John Schneider. I thought we’d fix some of the answers:

SPORTSNET: Let’s start simple — how have you coped with this season?

Alcohol (whoops that’s my answer). For John: I kept reminding myself that there is no other job that I could do that pays as much as this one and figure that I’d like to have a few dollars in the bank for retirement.

In 2022 when you took over — this is my perception of it, correct me if I’m wrong — you were sort of triaging the situation, let’s fix this before it flies off the rails. In ‘23 you were battling a number of issues over the course of the season, managed to keep it on the rails and get to the post-season. This season, it’s a constant battle and now you’re in a different role where you’ve gone from win-now to prepping to win in the future. The fluctuations in your role and your work over that time have been …

I don’t understand the question. Let’s ramble for a moment, and I hope you accept it as an answer. Let’s see: I take it one day at a time. Yes, being a manager is a constant battle. I have to deal with strange questions from reporters. (more words, watching for Shi to nod like he accepts it as answer).

You mentioned in starting some conversations with veteran players, the peeling back process, essentially, putting a Band-Aid on some things, which is an interesting way to put it. What are things that you papered over that you feel really have to be fixed this time around?

WE NEED SOME BULLPEN PITCHERS (whoops did I yell). HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO WIN GAMES WITH A BUNCH OF GUYS THAT OTHER TEAMS GAVE UP ON (sorry still yelling).

AND HOW ABOUT GETTING A COUPLE OF GUYS WHO CAN HIT THE BALL. I KNOW HOW THEY EXPECT ME TO WIN WHEN WE ARE LUCKY TO GET TWO RUNS IN A GAME.

AND IF I HAVE TO WRITE GEORGE SPRINGER AT THE TOP OF THE ORDER AGAIN I’M GOING HAVE A CONNIPTION (and I don’t know what a conniption is).

The club’s decision-making process was obviously the main focal point at the end of last post-season. How different is what you’re doing now from where you were at the beginning of the season to where you were in post-season last year in terms of communicating the thinking and players understanding how decisions are made?

Let’s face it, the player checked out a couple of months ago, they don’t care about decisions anymore. Heck, half the time they head up to the plate without a bat, and someone has to tell them to pick one up.

Describe what happens when you take info from baseball operations and apply it. How much of it is, this is 100 per cent what I want to do and how much is, the front-office really wants this and I need to consider this?

I have been told that if I want to keep my job I will do as I’m told.

Can you share a recent example where you made a call that goes against all the analytical advice that you would have received?

Do you see that I’m still manager? No I haven’t made a call that goes against the analytical advice. Even when they tell me to do something absolutely stupid like trying a squeeze bunt of Nathan Lukes, I do it. These analytical people are amazing. On their print out, it said “In the eighth inning, you will have Jonathan Clase on third and Tyler Heineman on first with one out. You will bunt here. It is a stupid move and it won’t work, and you will lose, but that’s what you will do.” These guy understand baseball.

When it comes to roster decisions, off-season decisions, how much of a voice do you have and do you need more of a voice, especially now that you’ve been in this job longer and have a better sense of what is needed?

Yes, Ross values my opinions. He has a box outside the door to his offense where I’m to put my written suggestions. Just because the box looks and sounds a lot like a paper shredder doesn’t mean he isn’t taking my suggestions seriously.

Lastly, how do you look at the contractual status of Guerrero and Bichette, what they mean to this team and what role, if any, do you have to play in their futures?

Unless I get fired, I will play the role of their manager again next year. Beyond that, I’m trying to tell Vlad to make it a part of his contract that I’m to be the manager for the length of his contract. So far he laughs, but I’m learning hypnotism.

(That was far more sarcastic than I wanted).

With three games left, I was wondering if there is anything you would like to see from the team.

Personally, my only wish is to see Clase play all three games.

Beyond that, I’d like any losses to be of the non-soul-crushing kind. And I’d like them to announce Vlad’s new ten-year contract.