A letter from a concerned fan

After a bit of research, a lot arm twisting and even a little grovelling, I managed to get my hands on an e-mail address that I had been eager to get my hands on for a while. I little or no doubt that this email is screened by who knows how many assistants… but I was confident as long as the letter was sincere, to the point and polite then it would at least be read before being tossed away and/or deleted. I wrote the following letter to someone who I think is capable of taking care of an issue that I am very passionate about. I write a lot of letters, many of them political. While this one is not as socially important, I attacked this issue with the same passion and zeal that I did with those letters as well. Here is a copy of that letter that I fired off to that e-mail address this morning.

Peter

Dear Mr. Ted Rogers:

I realize you’re likely a very busy man and I apologize for any inconvenience this letter may cause, but I felt it was necessary and urgent to send in a message concerning the status of your team. As a long time Blue Jay fan, I have found the last month very frustrating as have many other fans watching the Jays stumble out of the gate to start the 2008 season. Right now the Blue Jays are sitting at the bottom of the AL East with a record of 11-17, and if it were not for the Texas Rangers your team would have the worst record in all of major league baseball. I know it’s only one month, but the Red Sox picking up stream and pulling away from the pack like this did this time last year. The season is slowly slipping away from the Blue Jays and fans are concerned that something needs to be done to turn things around before it’s too late, and I’m afraid that deadline to do something is coming up much sooner than later.

Just to let you know, I’m not going to tell you to spend more money. No sir. I think you have a great team right now. One that is more than capable of completing in the AL East and with any team in Major League baseball. Talent is not the issue that is causing the problem with the Toronto Blue Jays right now. The issue is one of management. Think of this baseball team like it was a Nascar race team. We have a good car, good pit crew, and even good sponsors. The problem is with our driver. Everything can be tip top, but if the guy behind the wheel can’t get the job done, this team is never going to make it to victory lane. Right now the Blue Jays are in need of a new driver, or in this case, a new manager. John Gibbons has been given more than enough chances to win with this team, and I think it’s time to bring in a new manager to fire this team up and take a new shot at getting out the basement.

Changing the manager is a good move to make when you don’t want to shuffle what is a good lineup. A good example of how this worked would be the Florida Marlins of 2003. They were in the basement of then NL East when they fired their manager and replaced him with the retired Jack McKeon. Not only did this manager change turn the team around, the Marlins went on to take the Wild Card and win the World Series that Year. Another good example would be the Blue Jays themselves. In 1989, the Jays fired their manager two months into the year and that is the season when Cito Gaston was hired on to take over the team. The team was in last place when Cito took over but came back to take the AL East that year. They didn’t win the series that year, but we all know Gaston lead the team to do just that a few years later in the 92 and 93 seasons.

When timed perfectly, a manager change can turn a season around completely, and I truly believe that this is that time for the Blue Jays to make such a change. The Jays have a good team that is capable of doing great things if in the hands of the right manager, and right now I don’t think they are. We need a new driver for this team, and there are a lot of good managers out there who are more than capable of taking over this team and giving fans something to hope for. Right now the fans are frustrated, and from what I’ve seen the last few games some of the players are beginning to get frustrated themselves. Many fans are concerned that if a management change isn’t made soon, some of these players are going to start asking to be traded and we don’t want to see that happen. A change is needed, and we believe that a management change is the best way to turn this season around.

I apologize if this letter sounds a little preachy and/or belligerent, but I really do fell it’s necessary for ownership to step in. The Jay’s general manager is in complete denial concerning John Gibbons and refuses to accept the fact that the team doesn’t respect him, isn’t playing their all for him and just flat out doesn’t want him there at all. The fans have been very patient with Gibbons, especially in the face of past controversies with Shea Hillenbrand, Ted Lilly and now Frank Thomas. The time has finally come for the Blues Jays to part ways with Gibbons, bring in a new face and a new approach so that the fans can have a little hope for the remainder of the 2008 season.

Like I said above Sir, the season isn’t over. It can still be saved, but something has to be done now to save it. Ownership needs to step in and make the changes needed to save the season for Toronto and the fans. The Tigers made the move to bring in an experienced manager in a few years ago when the hired Jim Leyland to lead their team, and we all see what that did for them. Less than two years later they were in the World Series. That’s what the Jays fans want to see, but we are not going to see anything like that with John Gibbons at the helm. He needs to be given his walking papers and shown the door, and a new face (our own Jim Leyland) needs to take over and give the fans hope to save the season.

I thank you for your time Sir, and wish you all the best.

Sincerely,

Peter