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TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays fired general manager J.P. Ricciardi on Saturday, ending an eight-year tenure marked by an inability to get past the Yankees and Red Sox and into the playoffs.
"This was a tough decision and a difficult one for me personally as I have enjoyed J.P.'s friendship and his perspective on the game," said Paul Beeston, Toronto's acting president and CEO.
"J.P. has put an incredible amount of effort into improving the team and he has brought along a number of great young players," Beeston said. "However, I feel that it is time for a change and accordingly we have decided to move on."
Alexander Anthopoulos, the team's vice president of baseball operations and assistant GM, has been named Ricciardi's replacement, the Blue Jays said in a release announcing the change.
Ricciardi, who was also senior vice president of baseball operations, joined the Jays in 2001 and had one year left on his contract. The team posted four winning seasons and four losing ones under Ricciardi, never making the playoffs in an AL East dominated by New York and Boston.
Ricciardi was criticized for poor free agent signings and off-field missteps that overshadowed some productive drafts and other good moves.
The Blue Jays (75-85) are finishing out their regular season in Baltimore.
Ricciardi's firing comes on the heels of news of locker-room unrest with manager Cito Gaston.
"This was a tough decision and a difficult one for me personally as I have enjoyed J.P.'s friendship and his perspective on the game," said Paul Beeston, Toronto's acting president and CEO.
"J.P. has put an incredible amount of effort into improving the team and he has brought along a number of great young players," Beeston said. "However, I feel that it is time for a change and accordingly we have decided to move on."
Alexander Anthopoulos, the team's vice president of baseball operations and assistant GM, has been named Ricciardi's replacement, the Blue Jays said in a release announcing the change.
Ricciardi, who was also senior vice president of baseball operations, joined the Jays in 2001 and had one year left on his contract. The team posted four winning seasons and four losing ones under Ricciardi, never making the playoffs in an AL East dominated by New York and Boston.
Ricciardi was criticized for poor free agent signings and off-field missteps that overshadowed some productive drafts and other good moves.
The Blue Jays (75-85) are finishing out their regular season in Baltimore.
Ricciardi's firing comes on the heels of news of locker-room unrest with manager Cito Gaston.
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