So let's just lay it all out there: The over/under on Toronto Blue Jays wins in Las Vegas is something like 70½, and in Florida this spring all you heard was 95 to - yikes! - 100 losses.
Manager Cito Gaston will be replaced at the end of the year. Three everyday players - Lyle Overbay, Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista - are eligible for free agency as are closer Jason Frasor and pseudo-closer Scott Downs. Is this team - which, whether or not it mutinied openly against Gaston last year, clearly had some internal issues - prepared for how gruesome things could get?
"If it happens, we're going to have to deal with it," Overbay said yesterday. "There will be times this year where we'll be overmatched. We know that. So the biggest thing is we make sure there's nobody in here who accepts it."
Now, we can all debate whether Gaston can manage this team. If it was fair to question his tactical nous when he was winning back-to-back World Series, it's certainly fair doing it now. So when Gaston says things like he might have to "open the game up more, because what else can you do but increase your running game and hit and run," it's best to demur and remember that the real question - since he's only maintaining this team to turn it over to somebody else in 2011 - is whether he can manage the people in the clubhouse and create a healthy environment out of the vacuum created by Roy Halladay's departure.
The firing of Gene Tenace and pitching coach Brad Arnsberg was viewed as a necessary second and third act to the firing of J.P. Ricciardi as general manager. But it was only a start toward the word that was heard around the Blue Jays executive offices this spring more than any other: "transparency." General manager Alex Anthopoulos made sure that he and Gaston told players they were being released in tandem and Anthopoulos was painstakingly detailed in explaining demotions and roles. Reinforcing it all was the presence of Rogers chief executive officer Nadir Mohamed at a team dinner here on Wednesday night - along with Rogers vice-chairman Phil Lind and Tony Viner, the president and CEO of Rogers Media.
"The situation in here right now is very comfortable - very open," second baseman Aaron Hill said. "It was unfortunate the way that everything came out last year but, everyone learned a lesson. I mean, I can't say anything other than that this was a relaxed clubhouse this spring. I just liked what everyone did here."
Transparency was clearly the watchword as the Blue Jays made their final roster moves yesterday. Brett Cecil and Josh Roenicke were optioned and told they will be the first called up in the event of injury - earlier than later if Brandon Morrow's shoulder craps out in Saturday's exhibition game in Houston. Brian Tallet was moved into the No. 2 spot in the rotation and Merkin Valdez, the San Francisco Giants set-up man last season who has, in Anthopoulos' words, "a big arm," made the club because he was out of options. He, Jeremy Accardo - who survived a mediocre spring despite having options - and Casey Janssen are down the bullpen ladder. But there are waivers to be claimed and trades to be made and they'd all be advised to respond the way Janssen did when he was told he really didn't have a defined role.
"That's okay," he told Gaston and Anthopoulos. "I'll pitch myself into a role."
Tallet, who gave up eight hits and three runs (two earned) in five innings in a 5-2 loss to the New York Yankees, was moved up because with opening day starter Shaun Marcum coming off Tommy John surgery and Ricky Romero in his sophomore season, the Blue Jays like Tallet's ability to escape from messy situations. "Even if Brian's hit hard, he will find a way out of it and give you the innings," said Anthopoulos, noting that both Tallet and No. 5 starter Dana Eveland could be in the bullpen eventually.
So there you have it: The Blue Jays have set their rotation with an eye toward damage control. Yes, this is going to be a Darwinian 2010, so more than ever folks are going to have to get along and the initial signs are that there will be less drama and subterfuge this year than last. Bad for us; good for the players.
"I don't think the guys felt comfortable going to see him [Gaston]last year - I know I didn't," Overbay said. "But know what? His door really is open. I realize that now. The man's giving me a chance to play and whatever happened here last year, it got fixed."
We'll see soon enough.