BOCA RATON, Fla. – Things you hear hanging out in the lobby at the Boca Raton Resort and Club on the first day of baseball’s annual GM meeting:
• The search for the next Toronto Blue Jays general manager is underway and no matter what happens, Tony LaCava, who is holding the interim title right now, will be a key member of the club’s leadership team moving forward. That being said, he’ll also be a strong candidate for the full-time job, and his work at the GM meetings might in some ways serve as an expanded interview. LaCava was the club’s No. 2 man under former GM Alex Anthopoulos.
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported Tuesday evening that the Blue Jays had in fact signed LaCava to a long-term deal to stay with the organization, regardless of his role.
• A free-agent relief market highlighted by right-handers Joakim Soria, Darren O’Day, Ryan Madson and Tyler Clippard and left-handers Tony Sipp and Antonio Bastardo is expected to be highly competitive, especially given what the Kansas City Royals have done in recent years. The World Series champions have ridden lock-down bullpens to the post-season the past two years, demonstrating how mediocre starting staffs can be rescued by having four or five strong relievers. It’s a copycat game that may help free agents get paid in a big way.
• In the wake of John Farrell’s initial request to be let out of his contract with the Blue Jays to pursue the Boston Red Sox’s managerial opening, former president Paul Beeston enacted a policy preventing contracted employees from leaving to accept a lateral position. Under new president Mark Shapiro, that policy has eased, demonstrated by the departure of international scouting director Ismael Cruz for a similar job with the Dodgers. While permission for employees to seek out other opportunities might still be denied because of timing or other organizational needs, the Blue Jays seem to be reverting back to their pre-Farrell ways.
• Among the more intriguing bounce-back starting candidates is Mat Latos, who finished 4-10 with a 4.95 ERA in 22 games, 21 starts. The hard-throwing right-hander struggled through knee issues during the season, but because he only turns 28 next month and posted front-of-the-rotation numbers from 2010-14, there’s enough upside there to entice many teams.
