Thanks to Steve Z. for this find. Kevin Gray of the Manchester Union Leader spoke to J.P. Ricciardi about his new "home" team:
"I’m a New England guy. I think New Englanders love baseball . . . and they understand the game a little bit more than the average fan. I would love to see us have a long-term relationship with the people in Manchester. It’s got a long history of baseball. I grew up right down the street in Worcester, so it’s an easy commute for me. I think our kids get to play in the weather that they’re going to play in at the big-league level in April. I like the Eastern League. There’s a lot of nice things that fit here for us."
It sounds like J.P. will do whatever he can to maintain the new affiliation, although the team's new stadium will be enticing to the Red Sox in a couple of years. Whatever happens, New Hampshire is a huge improvement over New Haven.
Ricciardi calls minor leaguers the organization's lifeblood, and says, "We’ve stopped trying to explain what we’re trying to do," when it comes to his draft philosophy. Expect continued emphasis on college players, especially pitchers.
"I keep telling our staff, we know we’ve made it when we we’re producing 17-to-20-round guys and free agents that get to the big leagues — or we can trade them and get something. We’re not drafting a guy just to use him and release him."
If you want to see the club's AA talent and meet some other Jays fans, join us in Erie, PA on April 24 and 25 when they play the Tigers' farm club, the SeaWolves. Tim Wood, the Director of Media Relations for the Fisher Cats, has issued press passes, so Gerry and I be on the field getting interviews and photos before the games on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon, then joining our friends in the stands. It's an unofficial Box road trip; everyone's invited to post here or e-mail me if you're going. There will also be a couple of Bauxite get-togethers in April at SkyDome -- stay tuned.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20040208021719999