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June 20, 2008 HIRING CITO IS A SCENE PULLED DIRECTLY FROM THE MOVIE MAJOR LEAGUE It’s a scene pulled directly out of the movie Major League. “Hey, Cito, it’s JP Ricciardi. How would you like to manage the Toronto Blue Jays?” “Oh, I don’t know. I’m really busy down here at the tire shop.” “But, Cito, it’s a great opportunity.” “I’ll have to get back to you, JP. I’ve got someone on the other line about some whitewalls.” So, it’s out with the old and in with the even older. When I first heard the news I thought I had walked through a time portal. I checked my hair but there was still grey in it. I checked my skin but it had not grown tighter, and my back still bothers me. I would have thought all that would have gone away since we were being transported back to 1992. I expected 16 years to just wash away, like a bad scene from CSI Miami with a supposedly much younger David Caruso, even though he still had the wrinkles and bad hair. I expect to hear that the Jays are bringing back Roberto Alomar to play second base and Devon White to patrol center field. Where’s Juan Guzman these days? Candy Maldonado, Tony Fernandez, Ed Sprague? We would easily win any competition in the senior tour. After the Jays lost on Thursday and were swept in Milwaukee I said to my wife that they had reached the bottom and something had to be done. The most effective move would have been to trade for an experienced bat to revitalize the line-up. The second, and easiest move, would be to fire the manager. If neither were done I felt that JP would have been toast before the all-star break. For JP this is strictly a way to save his job–a position he no doubt will lose at the end of the current campaign. After his comments on air regarding Adam Dunn he has doubtlessly pissed off most veteran hitters and if there is any choice in the matter nobody will want to come and play for this “clown”. The Jays will not suddenly turn into a powerful and contending club. The hitters will not suddenly turn into Murderers Row. For JP it was an act of desperation. A drowning man will grab even the point of a sword. These Jays are drowning. Unless JP can add some bats they will continue to flounder. President Godfrey says that Cito did it before–turning a struggling club into a division winner. The year was 1989 when it happened. Any attempt to recapture past glories almost always fails. It will fail again this time.
Preview my new fictional novel A Walking Parody at www.michaelghobson.com Listen to my weekly guest appearance Friday nights on Norm Rumack's show at www.fan590.com
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