The Toronto Blue Jays picked up Adam Loewen and Brian Bullington awhile back.

Be still my beating heart.

On the surface, there is little harm in these moves–there is always a chance of catching lightning in a bottle; after all, both were first round draft picks.

Still, this is J.P. Ricciardi and that makes me a little nervous.

I don’t know the man J.P. Ricciardi and I may just be blowing smoke here but after watching him for several years, an impression about him is starting to emerge.

Back in 2005, there was a movie I never saw and isn’t on my “to watch” list–the title was “Get Rich or Die Trying” (I’m guessing it was the Hip Hop version of the culturally seismic “Spice World”) starring the immortal bard Fifty Cent. I think a variation on that designation suits J.P.’s stewardship of the Jays to a‘t’ … “Be Brilliant or Get Fired Trying.”

The impression about Ricciardi is that it’s not enough to put a winning team on the field but that he has to do it a certain way–with a cunning and insight that will dazzle onlookers. The obvious solution is never the right solution for him because the obvious solution doesn’t give him a chance to show off his genius.

Think about it–the Jays have needed offense since the beginning of 2007 yet whenever an obvious solution presents itself Ricciardi is quick to tell us why it’s a bad idea and a non starter. Last season it was Adam Dunn and Barry Bonds, now it’s Manny Ramirez–sure they’re big scary bats but any idiot with money or young players to spare can pick up one of those. It takes a real brilliant mind to construct an offensive juggernaut with the likes of Jason Smith, Russ Adams, Jason Phillips Shannon Stewart, Kevin Mench, Brad Wilkerson and Jose Bautista.

Granted, some of these were acquired as bench players but don’t forget that Ricciardi said of them in 2007: “A left-fielder, a catcher, a set-up guy, a closer, a f—— third baseman—who’s got those replacements? … The Red Sox got those f—— replacements?”

Have you ever thought about the expression “caught lightning in a bottle”? Obviously, one does not “catch” lightning in a bottle–it’s something that happens. Were somebody to go out with the intent of catching lightning in a bottle he would be doomed to failure in that even if such a thing were possible, lightning is too random, too unpredictable to ever be caught. It is a convergence of circumstances that causes it to happen and is not something that can be constructed.

However, Ricciardi seems to go about his business like it is indeed possible to deliberately catch lightning in a bottle if one possesses the necessary cunning and guile. After 2006, the Jays were in desperate need of pitching and Tomo Okha, John Thomson and Victor Zambrano were brought onboard–like Loewen and Bullington they cost little and who knows?

The obvious solution is to hire quality players; quality players being defined as those with a proven track record of success but Ricciardi tries to accumulate sheer quantity of players that have enjoyed a small degree of success in hopes that there’s enough there to somehow produce a competitive club through sheer random chance and that it all clicks somehow.

When it doesn’t, it’s because of injuries, off years by key players or other factors (something that post season teams generally struggle with as well) but it’s never because of a lack of wizardry from the general manager’s office. After yet another 80-odd win season it’s time to break out his creative genius once again and hope that once his unlikely masterpiece is complete that the players will do their jobs; the stars will play like stars, the scrubs will have that one atypical season and nobody of consequence becomes injured for any significant period of time.

It almost seems he fancies himself the MacGyver of GM’s. A knife wielding assailant breaks into his office, a gun is available to protect himself but he chooses to rummage around his desk in an attempt to construct a force field generator out of paper clips, a stapler, some thumb tacks, an empty printer cartridge, a half eaten Tim Hortons apple fritter and some rubber bands and when he is later recovering in the hospital blames the rubber bands breaking as the reason his stroke of genius failed.

Yes, he could have used the gun but his plan was every bit as good and had the parts not failed it would have; well the Jays’ post season hopes are challenged by playing in the AL East and while there are some big guns available in both the pitching and hitting departments they are shunted aside in favour of Ricciardi’s genius.

When the Jays playoff hopes are in critical care, it didn’t land there because of a lack of big guns, it was there because the pieces in J.P.’s brilliant construct failed. Since it was the parts and not the plan that failed, the plan is attempted again with the hopes that the parts will come finally through and Ricciardi will be acknowledged as the second coming of Branch Rickey.

Instead, he ends up looking more like the second advent of Wile E. Coyote–looking at the AL East standings and flashing a sign that says YIKES!

Ultimately, these moves of themselves are harmless Loewen is highly regarded as a hitter and in a couple of years–who knows? Bullington is certainly worth a look–he should be fully recovered from labrum surgery and having another arm to challenge for an end of rotation spot never hurts.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, he has pretty good success with roster filler; the Blue Jays received an excellent return from Joe Inglett and Jesse Carlson (picked up again in 2007) but then again, this is the guy who also brought us the heroic exploits of Outman and the Doyyy Blunder in Brad Wilkerson and Kevin Mench to bolster the offense.

The thing is, with the Jays needing to replace A.J. Burnett and Shaun Marcum in the rotation along with beefing up the lineup with a scary bat, Toronto needs to seriously invest in the roster. However, I cannot shake the feeling that Ricciardi is trying to be cute again. J.P. fancies himself after his old boss Billy Beane. He boldly predicted that he could put a competitive team on the field for $50 million but is coming into year nine of his five year plan.

This season, with everybody knowing the Jays needed a major injection of offense, Ricciardi was determined to stick with his choices confident that they would be proven to be–not just adequate–but brilliant. To make a big mid season splash would be to acknowledge a fatal flaw in his plan.

Regardless, what he does between now and opening day and of course in midseason when needs become apparent, we’ll see whether Ricciardi will do what is necessary to win or continue do what has failed to date–be brilliant or get fired trying.

Best Regards

John

…Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz has filed for free agency along with Jorge Julio. The Braves have made it no secret that they would like to have Smoltz back in the fold for the 2009 season according to General Manager Frank Wren. Other Braves that have filed for Free Agency include utility man Greg Norton and pitchers Will Ohman and Julian Tavares. [Braves]

…Larry Stone of the Seattle Times is reporting that Ken Griffey Junior who’s expected to file for Free Agency next week after not having his 2009 option picked up by the Chicago White Sox is open to returning to where it all started, Seattle. [Seattle Times]

…Jamie Moyer who won his first ever World Series with the Philadelphia Phillies is a free agent, but would like to return to help the Phillies defend their title in 2009. [Philly.com]

“I hope I am back here,” said Moyer, who will turn 46 on Nov. 18. “I sense there is a good feeling that I may come back here. I have not talked to the club at all, but we’ll see what happens.”

…Jennifer Brett of the Atlanta Journal Constitution is reporting that Andruw Jones would like to play in Atlanta again. He’s got one more year out in LA and has asked to be traded, though I’m not sure the Braves would be open to Jones returning at this point. But that said Andruw would like to end his career in a Braves uniform. [AJC]

…New York Mets pitcher Ambriorix Burgos claims that he wasn’t at the wheel when the SUV he was in crashed into another car killing two people. [ESPN]

“I was not driving the Hummer when the accident occurred,” he told Canal 37, a local TV station. “People here are jealous and they want to get me in trouble.”

…The countdown has begun for Toronto Blue Jays pitcher AJ Burnett. It’s expected he will opt out of his contract as soon as Monday, making him a highly sought after free agent. He has two years and $24 million dollars left on his contract. [ESPN]

…According to MASN online’s Roch Kubatko the Baltimore Orioles are considering Orlando Cabrera, Rafael Furcal or Edgar Renteria. The O’s are looking for a shortstop to contribute offensively and all three of those options have done so in the past. Though it’s worth noting that Renteria has completely lost his range and isn’t getting any younger and a premium defensive position. [MASN]