Modeling Journey

Is John Tory going to the Blue Jays?

Update: Tory addresses this rumour directly on Off the Record



CBC also had an update on Tory's seat search on September 5.

Is John Tory taking Paul Godfrey's job with the Blue Jays? That rumour has been going around for weeks, but yesterday Bill Murdoch who was just tossed from the PC caucus mentioned it in media interviews. From the Blue Jay perspective, there is no doubt that J.P. Ricciardi could be gone at the end of the season. If Paul Godfrey were to leave as President and CEO, would Ted Rogers call on his former CEO and former CFL commissioner to run his baseball franchise and perhaps headup the pitch for an NFL team in Toronto? I really like John Tory and think he should remain leader of the PC Party. Hopefully this rumour isn't true, but it seems to be gaining steam lately. Hopefully the issue relating to John Tory's leadership and potential seat in the legislature clears up before the end of the year.

Quotes from Murdoch:

"John should look at other options," Mr. Murdoch added. "If it's true that the Blue Jays have offered him a job, he should probably seriously think about it." "This puts a nail in his coffin," Mr. Murdoch said Thursday. "John is smart and about the hardest working person I've ever seen, but he's not a politician. To me, his political life's over. He'll have a great life as the president of the Blue Jays if he takes that job. Or whatever other private sector job he takes, he'll do well."

I guess we will see what happens over the next few weeks. On a side note; I think the hiring of Cito Gaston turned out to be huge for the Jays. I look forward to seeing what he does with the team through a full season next year.

-Darryl

Maverick MPP turfed

Ontario Conservatives eject Murdoch from caucus

TORONTO - Ontario Conservatives ejected their most outspoken member from caucus on Thursday, turfing rural MPP Bill Murdoch for voicing his displeasure with the party's seatless leader, John Tory.
Mr. Murdoch last week said Mr. Tory should look for another job, complaining about his lack of progress getting elected to the legislature. The repeated shots were too much to take, Mr. Tory said Thursday, adding not many bosses in other professions would tolerate employees who "publicly dump(ed)" on them repeatedly.
"I am the democratically elected leader of this party," he told reporters. "And I think it's not unreasonable to expect we're going to have the support of this caucus."
But Mr. Murdoch says it was his democratic right to speak freely about the party's problems.
"I never expected it to go this far," he said Thursday. "I expected Tory would say, like Mike Harris would have said, 'well, that's Murdoch and I'll deal with him.' And I actually even told him that. He wouldn't stop long enough to listen to me, as usual. John likes to talk and not listen."
Mr. Tory's support appeared to be waning ahead of a meeting last week to discuss his lagging bid to find a seat in the legislature. Some feel a pledge to win a seat by this fall is now in doubt.
Mr. Murdoch, as has often been the case, was the lone Conservative caucus member to publicly voice his displeasure with his boss. "I've basically given up on (John Tory)," he said, saying what several others would only say in private.

"John should look at other options," Mr. Murdoch added. "If it's true that the Blue Jays have offered him a job, he should probably seriously think about it."

He was suspended from caucus last week and was asked to back off those comments. But Mr. Murdoch refused to submit to caucus discipline.
"This isn't like team sports," he said. "This is a democracy."
Mr. Murdoch, a farmer who once kept a pet donkey, said Mr. Tory wanted to show he was "a tough guy" by kicking him out of caucus. He figures the decision will backfire among caucus, many of whom backed Mr. Murdoch last week.

"This puts a nail in his coffin," Mr. Murdoch said Thursday. "John is smart and about the hardest working person I've ever seen, but he's not a politician. To me, his political life's over. He'll have a great life as the president of the Blue Jays if he takes that job. Or whatever other private sector job he takes, he'll do well."

Mr. Murdoch, the MPP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, has a long history of speaking his mind. He declared his party was "in tatters" after the 2003 election, when Conservatives dropped from a 59-seat majority to just 24 seats. "We're $8 million in debt, we don't have a leader. It's just sort of hit and miss," he said at the time.
He also mulled joining the NDP when the left-wing party dropped to seven seats, one below the threshold for official party status. At one point, he had a pet donkey.
In 2003 he refused to attend caucus meetings because MPP Tim Hudak, a man for whom he had "no respect whatsoever," was elected caucus chair.
The decision to expel Mr. Murdoch was relayed to him Thursday in a letter by veteran MPP Bob Runciman, the party's interim leader in the legislature.
"We've been through a lot of ups and downs together," Mr. Runciman said. "It's really unfortunate that it's come to this. But Billy made his own bed and he has to lie in it."
Mr. Murdoch will sit as an independent when the Queen's Park assembly resumes Monday.
"No doubt, it's a challenging time for us now" Mr. Runciman said, referring to his party's difficulties connecting with voters. "I think to get through this we have to pull together, we have to be rowing in the same direction. And Bill opted to do otherwise."

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=5ac7456c-48f8-484d-8f35-d0ea2cf46a56
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GODFREY JOINS OTR TO TALK ABOUT JAYS' FUTURE
TSN.CA STAFF

With the Toronto Blue Jays sitting once again on the brink of playoff elimination, the rumblings in the front office are starting to overshadow the play on the field.
Blue Jays president Paul Godfrey joined Michael Landsberg on TSN's Off the Record Wednesday to discuss his future with the team and the future of general manager J.P. Ricciardi.
There has been speculation that Godfrey would step away from the team at the end of the year, something he acknowledged, but would not confirm.
"My contract comes up at the end of the year," Godfrey said. "I have to discuss it with my family and we will decide then. I haven't made up my mind whether I'm going to leave."
Godfrey is not the only member of the Blue Jays front office whose future is in question. After seven years at the helm, and no playoff appearances, speculation has been rampant that Ricciardi could also be moving on.
A report Wednesday suggested that Ricciardi will return for another year. While the team has not announced anything official, the Toronto Star suggests that Cito Gaston's return next year, something Ricciardi himself announced back in August, indicates that the GM will remain in place. The newspaper argues that any new GM would want to hire his own manager, and not be saddled with an existing one.
Godfrey, once again, reiterated his support for Ricciardi and commended what he has accomplished.
"I've always been a supporter of J.P. Ricciardi's and I continue to be a supporter of J.P. Ricciardi's," Godfrey said. "The fact is this, I've said all along, you make decisions based on the year as a whole. Are we a playoff contender? Obviously not.
"[But] when J.P. took over, the organization had a number of over-paid, under-achievers on the club. You take a snapshot of what we have now, it is appreciably better. What he's done in the major leagues, what he's done in the minor leagues, how he's built the farm system."
However, Godfrey did acknowledge that the decision on Ricciardi's future may not be up to him. "If I do stay, it will be my call. If I don't stay, I think it's up to somebody else."
Godfrey also vehemently denied that he pushed for Gaston to replace former manager John Gibbons and not Ricciardi.
"It was a mutual discussion. I spoke to J.P. about a possible change. He came back with the name 'Cito Gaston' immediately. I think it's an unfair shot at J.P."
While Godfrey remains loyal to his general manager, the threat of major front office moves loom over the franchise.
The Blue Jays have responded well under Gaston and although they made a late push for a playoff spot, it now seems almost certain they will once again miss their chance at playing baseball in October. To complicate matters they have been hit by the injury bug again. Tuesday's starter Shaun Marcum left the game in the third inning after feeling discomfort in his forearm and numbness in the pinkie finger of his right arm. Catcher Rod Barajas is also hurting due to a sore left hamstring. They are both scheduled to have MRIs on Thursday.
In 2009 the team will once again try to find a way to survive in Major League Baseball's most competitive division.
With the New York Yankees opening a new stadium and already planning to make a splash in the free agent market, plus the improved Tamps Bay Rays and always dangerous Red Sox, a slow start to next season could be disastrous.
Whoever ends up in the GM chair for the Jays will have a significant challenge ahead of them.

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=249801
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Jays president Godfrey uncertain about returning

A former newspaper publisher and municipal politician, Godfrey was named president of the Blue Jays on Sept. 1, 2000, when Rogers Communications became majority owner. His contract expires Dec. 31, but Godfrey expects to make a decision on his future sooner than that.

"Two or three weeks after the season ends we'll be coming to some conclusions," Godfrey said.

Whether he wants to come back is still up in the air.

"I haven't decided that yet," Godfrey said. "My contract expires at the end of '08 and I've not made any comment on that. I have some important matters to discuss with my family and I've said that consistently. At the same time, I've got to discuss that not only with my family, but the ownership at that point in time."

Godfrey said he has authorized Ricciardi to discuss a new deal for Gaston, who replaced John Gibbons as Blue Jays manager on June 20.

"I've spoken to him about negotiating a contract with Cito going forward," Godfrey said. "I've been a big supporter of J.P., I'm the guy who hired J.P."

Ricciardi, who has two years remaining on his contract, said in early August that he intended to bring Gaston back next season. Formal negotiations have not yet begun, but the men expect to meet this week and Ricciardi said a deal will likely be completed "before the end of the season."

"Cito will be here next year," Ricciardi said. "We'll take care of that."

An announcement on the future of Toronto's coaching staff is expected at the same time. It's not clear whether Gaston intends to retain the three coaches he inherited when he took over, pitching coach Brad Arnsberg, bench coach Brian Butterfield and bullpen coach Bruce Walton.

"I'd like to have them back, I've told them that," Gaston said. "It's still up to them. The guys that are here have done a good job, so I can't see any reason why it would be any different. But you never know, maybe some of them choose not to come back."

Toronto has gone 45-32 since Gaston took over.

"I'm proud, but still think we could have done better," Gaston said.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2008-09-17-476490550_x.htm