 |
 Pauls Beeston found the perfect man for the job in Toronto: Himself. (Alex Urosevic/SUN MEDIA) |
NEW YORK -- The search was lengthy, bordering maybe even on exhaustive.
After a year and 12 days of hunt for a new Blue Jays president and CEO, Paul Beeston, CEO on an interim basis, looked around his office and decided he'd found the perfect man.
Himself.
"Can't talk now I'm continuing the search this afternoon," Beeston said last week when contacted from Anaheim.
Where was he searching? "A golf course in north Toronto," Beeston said with a laugh.
Beeston always has been quick with a laugh, sometimes even a guffaw, but laughs came easier in his first life as president when the Jays drew four million fans.
|
The Jays are coming off a 75-win season, a fourth-place finish, have the fifth-best prospects in the American League East and drew 1,876,129 for an average of 23,162 fans -- their lowest since 2003.
Was it the front or back nine when the light went on last week that the man Beeston was looking for was indeed Beeston?
"Probably three weeks ago, when I realized I had the chance to work closely with Alex Anthopoulos (GM) and Tony LaCava (assistant GM)," Beeston said. "Commissioner Bud Selig had been coaxing me to stay, owners Jerry Reinsdorf (Chicago White Sox) and Larry Lucchino (Boston Red Sox) have told me I should stay.
"The Rogers people have been, I wouldn't say relentless, but they have been persistent."
Rogers Media president and CEO Tony Viner said in a release that a number of "highly qualified people were interviewed, but Paul's unique set of qualities made him our clear first choice."
So pay the bill of the high-priced, head-hunting firm Rogers employed, Beeston is staying.
Beeston had Rick Welts of the Phoenix Suns in Dunedin in February and had hoped to hire him, but the Suns promoted Welts to president and CEO.
"I see an opportunity to build things," Beeston said. "Why offer suggestions when you can be part of the solution?"
Beeston said it was not his decision on the make up of Cito Gaston's coaching staff for 2010 adding "that's the GM's job."
"I'm president of the Jays and the Rogers Centre," Beeston said. "We've already had a couple of wins this week, with U2 and Bon Jovi concerts. Baseball fans may not like that. Music fans do.
"But baseball is first and foremost. We have to improve our path to winning a World Series. Bobby Mattick used to say you try to make small improvements."
One might be hiring Wayne Morgan, the Jays' former international scouting director, a pro scout who was with the Seattle Mariners in 2009. His contract was not renewed.
"It's like Alex says, we want to make this a fun place to work again," Beeston said.
Beeston met Roy Halladay on the weekend, denying it was a follow-up to the players' near-mutiny the final weekend in Baltimore.
"I met with Roy and his wife, I was president in 1995 when we signed him," Beeston said. "It was more of a: 'Thanks for all you've done' and the way he has handled himself in such an exemplary fashion."
BOB.ELLIOTT@SUNMEDIA.CA