J.P. Ricciardi falls on his sword:
Toronto Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi refuses to make any excuses about his club’s dismal performance this season and willingly takes the blame.
“I take full responsibility for what’s going on,” Ricciardi said last night as the Jays wrapped up a four-game series against the Rangers.
“The team’s not playing well. Obviously we’re not happy with that, but someone has to be held accountable and I accept that responsibility.”
There’s long been a sense out there that Ricciardi has been hamstrung and controlled by his bosses in ways that a lot of other GMs aren’t. He is rumored to have been forced to sign Vernon Wells and Alex Rios to those gigantic contracts against his better judgment and, as this article makes clear, his projected payroll was radically and abruptly scaled-back after the death of Ted Rogers last winter.
In light of that — and in light of Ricciardi’s historic lack of humility — one wonders what, exactly, he’s taking the blame for. Maybe he’s just sick of it all and is begging to be put out of his misery. The cynic in me, however, wonders if he has been given assurances that his job will be secure in exchange for taking a P.R. shot for upper management.
