The Blue Jays are like a lot of teams, already looking hard at 2009 with a month still to play in 2008.
The Jays are like a lot of teams in this way, too: Their manager can speak confidently about what he wants to do next year, while their general manager still isn't completely sure he'll still be in charge next year.
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| The Jays are happy with Cito Gaston, who took over in late June. (US Presswire) |
That would be in Seattle, where whoever takes over as GM (John Hart? Gerry Hunsicker?) will likely hire a replacement for interim manager Jim Riggleman.
As for the other two managers who took over teams at midseason, Toronto's Cito Gaston has already been told he's coming back, and with the turnaround the New York Mets have made under Jerry Manuel, it's expected that he will return, too.
Could there be other changes?
Of course there could. Maybe one of the teams currently in a playoff position collapses the way the Mets did last September (although, of course, the Mets' collapse didn't immediately cost Willie Randolph his job). Maybe Nolan Ryan does totally clean house in Texas and replace Ron Washington (although owner Tom Hicks has told people that as of now, he doesn't expect a change).
Or maybe Bobby Cox gets tired of managing in Atlanta, after what has been an incredibly tiring year.
Several baseball officials said Sunday they wouldn't be shocked to see Cox leave, even though he signed a contract extension through 2009 in May. One official said the relationship between Cox and GM Frank Wren has deteriorated, in part because Wren involves himself more in clubhouse matters than ex-GM John Schuerholz did.
But two baseball men who know the Braves well said the troubles between Cox and Wren have been greatly exaggerated, and both predicted Cox will stay.
As for Gaston, he looks as happy as ever to be back in the dugout, even though the Jays are entering an eighth consecutive September out of contention. Toronto will have an impact on the pennant race, because the Jays' next four series are against the Twins, Rays, White Sox and Red Sox, but the Jays will miss the playoffs themselves for a 14th October in a row.
"It's a challenge for me again, trying to put a winning team together, trying to coach a winning team," Gaston said. "I've probably been without a challenge for a long time, unless you count my golf game."
The Jays are fully prepared to lose A.J. Burnett, who will almost certainly opt out of his contract and sign elsewhere as a free agent. They expect Dustin McGowan and Casey Janssen back from injuries, and they'll probably add at least one hitter to their lineup.
