As Click joins Blue Jays, what role awaits World Series-winning exec?

Baseball

Published 01.03.2023

As Click joins Blue Jays, what role awaits World Series-winning exec?

SARASOTA, Fla. – On the floor, the addition of James Click to the Toronto Blue Jays’ entrance workplace is somewhat easy.

When the GM of the defending World Series champions turns into out there, there’s little to lose by including him as a staff govt. In some methods, it’s that easy.

In latest years, the Tampa Bay Rays (Jon Daniels), New York Yankees (Brian Sabean), Los Angeles Dodgers (Alex Anthopoulos), Milwaukee Brewers (Matt Klentak) and Texas Rangers (Dayton Moore) have been among the many many groups to rent former baseball ops leaders in senior roles. There’s even precedent for the transfer inside the Toronto entrance workplace, as Ben Cherington labored for the Blue Jays earlier than returning to the GM ranks with Pittsburgh.

At the identical time, not all former GMs provide the identical skillsets or have the identical ambitions – removed from it. Because of these variations, these job descriptions can differ significantly. Where Click matches is an attention-grabbing inner query for the Blue Jays, after all, however different executives round baseball are equally fascinated by the trail forward for the 45-year-old, who was celebrating a World Series win mere months in the past with the Houston Astros.

Listen to Blue Jays baseball on Sportsnet.ca

New this season, baseball followers can reside stream the radio broadcast of each Toronto Blue Jays recreation on Sportnset.ca and the Sportsnet app. And don’t neglect to take heed to Jays Talk Post-Game for full evaluation of all of the motion on the sector.

Sportsnet 590 The Fan

Blue Jays Talk

.acf-block-preview .br-snippet {
show: grid;
grid-template-columns: 200px 1fr;
hole: 20px;
width: 100%;
margin: 0 auto;
padding: 16px;
border: 1px stable #CECECE;
background-color: #FFF;
border-radius: 4px;
}
.acf-block-preview .br-snippet-info a {
text-decoration: none;
}
.acf-block-preview .br-snippet-info .br-snippet-title {
shade: #343434;
font-family: ‘roboto’;
font-size: 20px;
font-weight: 600;
line-height: 22px;
margin-bottom: 10px;
prime: -3px;
}
.acf-block-preview .br-snippet-info .br-snippet-body {
shade: #343434;
font-family: ‘urw-din’;
font-size: 16px;
line-height: 20px;
margin-bottom: 12px;
}
.acf-block-preview .br-snippet-info .br-snippet-link-title {
show: inline-block;
font-family: ‘urw-din’;
font-size: 16px;
list-style-type: none;
width: auto;
}
.acf-block-preview .br-snippet-info .br-snippet-link-title:not(:last-child):after ‘;
shade: #343434;

Click arrived on the Blue Jays’ participant improvement complicated in Dunedin, Fla. on Wednesday for his first official day in his new function. As VP of baseball technique, he’ll work with GM Ross Atkins on “strategic planning, decision making, and evaluation.” The staff added that “he’ll work throughout each skilled and novice ranges to determine greatest practices, develop plans, and implement methods.”

So, what does that seem like day after day? To this level, Click hasn’t been made out there to the media, however his function seems to be a completely new one.

While Cherington impacted varied facets of baseball operations in Toronto, contributing to free-agent technique, as an illustration, his in-season focus was totally on participant improvement. In New York, the 66-year-old Sabean’s described as a senior adviser. Between GM stints in Toronto and Atlanta, Anthopoulos labored intently on day-to-day baseball operations with the Dodgers.

By the sounds of it, Click’s function will likely be completely different. A longtime Rays govt, he broke into the sport with database and coding expertise. But whereas it’s correct to explain him as an analytics particular person, the dialog doesn’t finish there. He employed 11 scouts two off-seasons in the past – a transfer that displays a need for organizational stability.

“At the end of the day, the scout being in the ballpark, being in the house, being able to get a feel for the person and not just the data on the field, is something that we place a lot of value on,” he instructed Baseball America final 12 months. “In my assessment, when I came in, I think the staff had gotten a little too lean.”

It’s unlikely Click’s affect in Toronto will likely be so apparent any time quickly. It’ll take time to evaluate the Blue Jays’ inner fashions, get to know their individuals and perceive the group’s tradition and communication. Over time, he’ll probably meet with division heads to study extra and report again to Atkins. Much of that work’s anticipated to happen remotely, at the very least for his first 12 months.

32 Thoughts: The Podcast

Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman know their hockey. Whether it’s the professionals or juniors, they’re at all times plugged in to the most recent news, rumours and tales that it is best to know from across the recreation.

Link and subscribe at no cost

Marek on Twitter

Friedman on Twitter

If all of that sounds obscure, possibly an instance will assist. Any group including Click – and there have been others, after all – would need his perception on their inner Research and Development work. The R&D techniques that drive a staff’s proprietary stats, draft fashions and biomechanical analysis are extremely necessary. With one other perspective, there will likely be probabilities to sharpen these instruments and enhance every thing from scouting to trades to restoration.

That’s one space the place Click’s experience may assist nudge the Blue Jays ahead, however in distinction to Cherington he’s not anticipated to get too far into the weeds in anybody division at first. Nor is he anticipated to turn out to be an alternate to Atkins in working the big-league staff or just sit again till one other opening emerges.

The affect is probably not simple to see – particularly on day one – however the potential for change is broad and the draw back actually appears restricted.