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BALTIMORE–He's young, Canadian, obsessed with his work and admits to being not much of an athlete.
But as of Saturday, in replacing the fired J.P. Ricciardi as general manager of the Blue Jays, largely unknown 32-year-old Montreal native Alex Anthopoulos can boast he is one of just 30 people in the world doing his job. And, according to interim president Paul Beeston, there is no interim in the title of the man that will be making Jays' personnel decisions.
"It's a tremendous honour, it's a thrill," Anthopoulos said during batting practice at Camden Yards ballpark Saturday night. "I almost don't want to think about it too much because I don't even want to step outside myself too much, marvel at it or anything like that. I want to remember how hard it was to get to this point. I also want to be respectful of what J.P. did for me."
His predecessor and boss, Ricciardi, was fired after eight seasons as Jays' GM, having failed to reach the post-season and with a record of 642-650. Beeston and Tony Viner, president and CEO of Rogers Media, delivered the news in a meeting at the team hotel Saturday.
"Alex comes with six years working for the Blue Jays and working with J.P.," Beeston said. "He knows the organization. He knows the players. He knows the farm system. He knows the scouts. We're very, very pleased that Alex has accepted the role."
Anthopoulos began his baseball career with the Montreal Expos in 2000. He was hired by Ricciardi as Jays' scouting coordinator in 2003, rising to assistant GM following the '05 season, adding the title of vice-president, baseball operations in January 2006.
There are questions as to whether someone of his young age and inexperience can turn around a major league ship in mid-ocean. In his favour is the fact that there has been a trend this decade toward similar GMs – young baseball men with experience in scouting and player development who did not necessarily play the game.
Of the 14 general managers in the American League, only three played in the major leagues – the Orioles' Mike Flanagan, the White Sox' Kenny Williams and the Athletics' Billy Beane. Anthopoulos becomes the sixth AL GM 40 years of age or younger, joining the Red Sox' Theo Epstein, the Angels' Tony Reagins, the Twins' Bill Smith, the Rays' Andrew Friedman and the Rangers' Jon Daniels.
One of the major tasks inherited by Anthopoulos this winter will be to make sure the Jays get the right situation for their star pitcher Roy Halladay, whether it is trading him for major-league ready talent or convincing him to stay for the final year of his contract. Halladay, who has a large say, has confidence in the new GM's ability.
"I think you look at some of the teams around baseball right now and it's not always based on age," Halladay said. "It's having a general idea on baseball. I think we're all going to get to see what Alex is about, moving forward. Paul is, I'm sure, very thorough in what he does in selecting someone to take over."
Anthopoulos, who has an economics degree from McMaster University, recalls how his passion for baseball began in the early '90s, blossoming after he saw the Expos play at Olympic Stadium. "After my father passed away, I worked for a couple of years at his office. I realized that I needed to do something that I loved."
So, at 23, he says, "I decided to pursue a career in the game." He became a pest, calling major league organizations, looking for a foot in the door. Finally, after getting a direct line to Expo GM Jim Beattie's office in Florida, he got his chance.
"I hung up on him the first time I called," he says. "I was floored I was talking to a real major league GM. I said I would work for free doing something I love.
"I was more interested in the front office than the players, even then. I remember seeing (Tigers GM) Dave Dombrowski when he was working for the Marlins sitting in the stands. I told my friends I was going to go over and talk to him. I was curious to pick his brain. He probably doesn't know this today."
Dombrowski and every other general manager will know soon enough, as Anthopoulos begins working the phones trying to turn the Jays into contenders. He will again be pestering major league GMs, but this time as an equal.
