For the past 8 seasons, the city of Toronto has been building baseball teams filled with exciting talent. Players with the potential to lead the league in many different catergories with amazing amounts of talent. All of the moves over the years were in direct result of this man, Jon Paul (J.P.) Ricciardi.
J.P. Ricciardi’s demise wasn’t surprising, however. Sports commentators all over the MLB and espically those of the Toronto Sun have been perdicting this for months now. Throughout the last two season the Jays fans have seen talented players such as AJ Burnett, BJ Ryan, Alex Rios, Troy Glaus and several others leave to play for other contenders, most within the American League, and the best of them going directly to the rivals in the East. Managers like John Gibbons could not keep their control of the club house, and Gaston today continues to do so. Declines of players with large, long term contracts such as Vernon Wells have not produced, and up and coming stars such as Dustin McGowan have been plagued with injury. This season alone tells the story of this franchise, with the hot start as the best team in the league with the highest expectations and buzzes throughout the AL, to a 9 game skid to completely drop them down and build a hole that was impossible to climb out of. Only 2 years ago this same club finished with the 2nd best record in the AL East, just missing the playoffs by the skin of their teeth. But bad luck has been the story of Ricciardi's leagacy in Toronto. In all 8 seasons in front office, he failed to land the Blue Jays in a single Playoff berth. The future is uncertain for this ball club, as they have lost many players in the past, and their hall of fame ace Roy Halladay is getting knocks from just about every other ball club in the league.
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