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Critique J.P. Ricciardi!

by John Sickels on in News


Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi and his newest investment

Let's turn our attention to J.P. Ricciardi, one of the "new wave" GMs who combines traditional scouting with a sabermetric bent.

How is he doing in Toronto? Is the organization in better condition or worse condition than it was before he took over? What do you think of their draft and farm system philosophy? And will the acquisitions of this off-season help them or hurt them or make no difference? Can they challenge the Red Sox and Yankees in 2006?

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Bad job
I'm personally not a fan of what he's done.  His job, upon first arrival was to clear up bad contracts.  He did a good job with that, and got an extension and money from management to build a new team.  He turned right around and gave away a number of new bad contracts.  

I was never a fan of BJ Ryan's pitching mechanics and still think he'll go the way of Ted Lilly - decent but constantly broken.  BJ will break down due to the slingshot style of pitching he has.  Burnett was overpaid, but I think he needed to do that to attract the "name" pitcher on the market.  He's had ample opportunity to trade Ted Lilly while his stock is high.  It's my opinion that he won't be any more than a #4 starter forced into a #3 slot.

His major hitting acquisition is Lyle Overbay.  So he now has the following guys to play 1B & 3B - Corey Koskie, Aaron Hill, Shea Hillenbrand, Eric Hinske and Lyle Overbay.  He still hasn't addressed the lack of power from the OF positions.  Outside of Vernon Wells, they managed 27 HR from all other outfielders in '06.

His best moves have been moving Chacin to the ML rotation, and giving Halladay an extension.

by lenred on Dec 21, 2025 11:46 AM EST   0 recs

geez
I didnt realize major league pitching coaches frequented this discussion board. Criticisms based on you thinking that BJ Ryan's arms going to break down because of his mechanics, geez. He was paid too much. So were Washburn, Furcal, Damon and all other name players. Get past it. He has fantastic component ratios, and if he pitches like he did last year in 3/5 years and is good in one other its a good deal.  

And Lilly unforseeably sucked all of 2005, so unless JP traded him in 2004, when he was their best pitcher, there was no 'high' stock.

by Anders on Dec 23, 2025 2:22 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

ok - but a qualified ok
I think trading two solid arms (Jackson/Bush) for a younger version of Sean Casey will come back to bite them in the not so distant future.

Love the draft strategy lately, but don't whittle away your farm system for piece parts. Use them for the major players, but hoarde the young pitching like it's the desert and they are fresh water.

by jmcclain19 on Dec 21, 2025 12:26 PM EST   0 recs

one more thing
The Fort Worth Star Telegram reporter was on XM last week and told the host that JP was trashing Jon Daniels to anyone who would listen for not giving him Kevin Mench for a bag of baseballs. Spreading the "He was not prepared and in over his head" anonymous rumor to all the reporters around the lobby.

Not that I can blame Daniels for holding fast, but if that story was true it doesn't speak well for how JP plays with others. That could come back to haunt him in the future.

by jmcclain19 on Dec 21, 2025 12:56 PM EST to parent up   0 recs