How do you rate JP so far?

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

With the much anticipated season ahead, after a second place finish in the AL East last season, I thought I would make up this poll to see how people are feeling about what JP has done.

I liked the moves he pulled last year. B.J and Burnett were great signings (Molina, not so much). He also pulled off a few good trades (Hudson and Batista for Glaus & the trade for Overbay).

This offseason, he didn't do as much. But it's hard to blame him, with the way the market was. Thomas is a gamble, and we'll see how he turns out. I like the fact the they re-signed Zaun, and the Wells extension looks good too.

Recently, he seems to have admitted defeat in the quest for a 4th starter. The signing of Thomson shows that. With all the guys left on the market being either injured, too much of a risk, too expensive, or simply bad, it looks like theres a ST competition for the 4th and 5th spots.

JP has improved the team, IMO. How do you rate him over the past few seasons? Out of ten.

[Chris from NY]

I think we did a poll like this last year and it was pretty much a consensus that he was around a B+ or so. Bottom line on the success of a GM is winning. J.P. has put this team in a position to win. There have been some bumps along the way, but now that the team has some monetary backing for him to work with, they are in a very good position to make alot of noise in the post-season. J.P. has helped bring winning back to this team. All that's left is for this team to win a WS.

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

Well, they need to make the playoffs first . But that definitley seems like where they are headed. I'd say that his good moves far outnumber the bad ones. When it comes to this season, there's not much more that he could have done, with the market the way it was. I say 8/10.

[Chris from NY]

The best move J.P. made this offseason, apart from re-signing Wells, is not sinking too much money into inflated salaries for mediocre free agents. Thomas got more money than I expected him to get, but other than that, he didn't overspend on average guys just because there was no one else available.

[EvanAparra]

Its funny that we have all given him an 8. Good job across the board, JP.

[Chris from NY]

Its funny that we have all given him an 8. Good job across the board, JP.

I think that's exactly how it worked out the last time we did a poll like this. JP has built a team that's probaly the best we've seen since 1992/1993. Yhe only thing left is to actually make the playoffs and win.

[Big_Mac]

i'll say an 8 as well. hes done as good as a job as anyone for a team that hasnt made the playoffs. hes put this team in a position to win year after year. hope he is here for a while.

[rudy]

I gave him a 3.

I'm no longer a fan of JP. In fact, I don't think he is a good GM at all.

We brought him in here to make us competitors on a small budget, and were it not for Ted Rogers opening up his chequebook, he'd have gotten us nowhere by now.

What good has he done with our farm system? Aaron hill? Chacin? Please.....

Anybody given the money JP was given last year could have "overpaid" to bring people in....yes, BJ turned out to be huge, but Im not so sure thats a testament to JP.

Honestly....ask yourself.....what has JP done for our farm system, and what has he done that none of us could have done if we had the money to spend?

Maybe its just the media screwing around with my head as well, but from what I have read, he just hasnt handled players becoming FAs very well

Thats why I give him a 3.

Don't get me wrong...he has done a lot of good.....vernon's initial extension, doc's extension, the overbay trade.....but overall, i'm just not happy with him these days

I don't think he is fit for running a team that has opened up the wallet, and I just dont see the progress with what he was supposed to bring our team

[Chris from NY]

The Jays still have quite a bit of pitching depth in the system. The reason the Jays pritching prospects have looked somewhat mediocre is because the Jays were forced to bring up guys quicker than they expected. I'd never even heard of Casey Jannssen before he made his Jays debut. The only one, it seems, not to be moved along quickly is Dustin McGowan. Alot of good pitchers have come in through minors since JP has been in charge, and I think this is the year a couple of them may really pay off. I expect good things from Marcum, League, Rosario, and possibly jannssen this year.

[Big_Mac]

I don't think he is fit for running a team that has opened up the wallet, and I just dont see the progress with what he was supposed to bring our team

very good point. jp was brought here as a beane-type guy who can handle small budgets.

jp's a 20 compared to gord ash imo.

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

While I agree that Riccardi isn't the same as when he came here, I don't deduct points from him.

To compete with the big boys in the AL East, he could have spent 5 years being absolutley horrible, re-building with young talent and such. But then once the talent developped, where would they be? Right where the A's are. They are always in the hunt, but never contenders.

So when Uncle Teddy offered him more money, he took it and spent it wisely (very wisely, IMO). Other than Molina (I ask once again, WHY?!?) all of his signings have been good so far. This season we will see how AJ Burnett will pitch. I have a feeling he will do well.

[Chris from NY]

he took it and spent it wisely (very wisely, IMO).

I think that's the key. I don't think it's a case of him overspending on useless players just for the sake of making signings. He's been smart with the increased budget. I just don't think it's plausible for a team to compete in the AL East with a small budget. Had they continued with that attempt, JP would have been run out of town already by impatient fans and ownership types.

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

Exactly. The A's are doing alright in their division, but then again look who else is in it! (Lower budget teams).

The key is that JP didn't go out and get some over-the-hill guys. He got guys just entering, or already in their prime. And he didn't overpay this offseason just for the sake of getting a #3 guy. I like the restraint.

[rudy]

JP has been here long enough for those rookies that he brought into our system to develop. Never ind the fact that none have really come through the minors and played well at the major league level yet, but were it not for being a Jays fan, there is no way I would have ever even heard of anyone in our farm system.....no prospect is even generating ANY buzz, at least not from what I've read, which, admittedly, is a lot less than I used to.

Don't get me wrong -- because AJ is my favorite blue jay -- but I wouldnt say our money was spent wisely -- maybe in retrospect after looking at people like Meche and Lilly and what they got this offseason -- but AJ was a HUGE risk....if he panned out, he would have looked like a steal, and JP would have looked like a genius, but if he sucked, all it would have done was hurt us and possibly cost JP his job -- a chance I would obviously be willing to take were I JP.

I also dont think signing the Big Hurt to a 2-year 19 million contract is exactly money spent well...I hope I eat these words, but I just dont see him having the impact on the Jays we are all hoping/expecting.

I think the Jays are significantly worse this year than we were last year.....its going to be a long season....we don't even have a #3 pitcher!!! (and yes, I know how the market was and how ridiculous it would be to pay the price for mediocre pitchers).

I hope I revisit this post at another time and call JP a genius....but the fact of the matter is that right now, I don't think he has done a good job at all....he has failed miserably (in my view) in doing what he was supposed to do, and the only reason there has been an improvement in the Jays is because the wallet opened up.

[Chris from NY]

I think the Jays are significantly worse this year than we were last year.....its going to be a long season....we don't even have a #3 pitcher!!!

Thgey're definately not a whole lot better, but I wouldn't go as far to say that they're significantly worse. This season is where some of the young guys have to prove their worth. I expect Aaron Hill, shaun Marcum, Ty Tabenheim, and Brandon League all to step up this year and prove themselves to be dependable everyday major leaguers. As for a number 3 pitcher, Gustavo Chacin was working smoothly in that role before he was injured. I expect him to be a solid pitcher in that spot. I expect him to be as good as Ted Lilly was, only with more consistency.