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TORONTO – Alex Anthopoulos is leaving the Toronto Blue Jays less than a week after the American League East champions were eliminated from the post-season, rejecting an extension to remain as general manager, according to multiple sources.
The stunning and franchise-altering departure comes with the looming arrival of Mark Shapiro, who was hired Aug. 31 and is scheduled to take the reins as president and CEO from Paul Beeston on Monday. While details are unclear at the moment, the issues leading to the split aren’t thought to be financial.
The two sides had plenty of time to work out an extension and what should have been straightforward became complicated. During his season-wrap news conference Monday, Anthopoulos said it was his decision not to negotiate during the playoffs, and added, “All I can say is I love being here, I love Toronto, I’ve always maintained that, and that’s probably as far as I’d go with that.”
Whatever the circumstances, the parting comes just as the franchise appeared set to turn the corner after ending a post-season drought dating back to 1993, and with the business of the off-season set to kick off once the World Series ends.
What comes next for the Blue Jays, who lost the AL Championship Series in six games to the Kansas City Royals, is a big question.
Shapiro is an accomplished executive who served as GM of the Cleveland Indians from 2002-10, winning the AL Central in 2007, before taking over as the team president. One possibility is that he takes over control of baseball operations with the Blue Jays, or perhaps hire a GM to execute his vision.
The departure of Anthopoulos also raises questions about the fate of his top front office lieutenants, including longtime assistant GM Tony LaCava, as well as manager John Gibbons, who is under contract through 2016 and will have 2017 guaranteed and a club option for 2018 added if he makes it to Jan. 1.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/alex-anthopoulos-leaving-blue-jays-after-rejecting-extension/
This is surprising. I thought it was pretty much guaranteed he was coming back... and I'm definitely wondering why he rejected an extension.