Alex Anthopoulos' coming out party wasn't in prime time.
The new Blue Jays general manager addressed the Jays development people at the Bobby Mattick facility in Dunedin, Fla., last Thursday at 7:30 a.m.
"My life with the Jays flashed before me," said Dennis Holmberg, from Dunedin. Holmberg has been with the Jays since 1978 and managed so long at class-A Auburn that management of the New York-Penn League team surprised him by retiring his number this summer.
"I've heard all our GMs speak, I go back to Peter Bavasi. Alex said he wants to get back to the point where everyone in baseball wanted to work for this organization.
"Alex said how the Angels and the Twins minor-leagues have an identity -- fundamental baseball. He asked what do people say if you mention our system, he didn't think we had an identity," Holmberg said. "There was a time when everyone wanted to be like the Blue Jays."
Roving minor-league coach Mel Queen compared Anthopoulos' speech to the words of late Peter Hardy, the former chairman of the board.
LOTS OF ENERGY
"Alex has as much energy and ideas as anyone I've ever worked with him," said assistant GM Tony LaCava, whose duties include player development. "When you think about it, Alex had a six-year interview with Paul Beeston. Paul watched him work before Alex even had an office. You can't trick a guy for six years. We all have faith in Paul."
Sal Butera, assistant to the GM, and LaCava, were in the room with minor-league staff: Doug Davis, field co-ordinator; pitching coaches Dane Johnson, Rick Langford and Tom Signore; Chad Mottola, hitting co-ordinator; Charlie Wilson, director; Queen and Holmberg.
Ten men totaling 323 years in baseball, 130 years with the Jays. That's an average of 32 years in the game, 13 with the Jays.
You have to get up pretty early in the morning to fool people with this much experience.
They believed.
We'll see what lies ahead and whether Rogers Communications allows the GM to add.
Anthopoulos hired Dana Brown, Washington Nationals scouting director, as his assistant. Returning a favour to the man who hired Anthopoulos with the Montreal Expos?
We asked eight scouts and general managers their scouting report on Brown. He received seven thumbs up and one "I don't really know the guy but I've heard nothing but good things on him going back to the Pittsburgh Pirates and then Montreal."
Could Brown be the first of many hires?
"We've operated on a quick fix plan for the last five years," Holmberg said. "Before that, Gord Ash had his hands tied by Interbrew. Alex told us, and it was true when we were successful, that the life blood of any good organization starts with the scouts and drafting, then development people."
Anthopoulos delivered a similar message to amateur scouts in a conference call Monday and pro scouts today.
"The meeting was the first chance for Alex to explain his vision of the future," Langford said. "He made us all feel better, how we're going to do better. The thing I got out of it was that he was pleased with the pitching,"
The Jays can't compete with the New York Yankees for the highest-priced free agents. Is there a reason they can't compete for the best minor-league coaches and scouts?
In the early 1990s, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Jays had the highest-paid scouts.
"It's clear this is going to be an employee-driven club," LaCava said. "He wants to expand scouting and for this to be a great place to work.
"The details will follow, but he's going to make it easier for people to do their jobs, be treated fairly and consideration for employees personal lives and families."
He was preaching to the choir, but they believe.
BOB.ELLIOTT@SUNMEDIA.CA
