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Mark Shapiro scolded insider Ben Nicholson-Smith after yesterday's press conference regarding recent article
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After the Toronto Blue Jays press conference, CEO Mark Shapiro reportedly had a word with insider Ben Nicholson-Smith and apparently scolded him for a recent article about the Blue Jays draft picks.
Prior to the 2024 MLB draft Nicholson-Smith wrote an article regarding the Blue Jays lack of solid draft picks over the years under general manager Ross Atkins leadership pointing out how few picks have made it to the majors.
So, have the Blue Jays drafted well under Atkins? It's an evolving answer, of course, but there's already enough information to draw some conclusions about the drafting record of this current front office. They started well - exceptionally well, in fact - and thanks in large part to one great pick, they rank eighth in MLB with 37.8 in total WAR drafted since 2016. But over the last seven years, the results place the Blue Jays among the bottom third of teams, and there's a direct connection between those shortcomings and the current struggles of the big-league team.
"It'd be difficult to give any sort of grade,» said amateur scouting director Shane Farrell, who's about to conduct his fifth draft with the Blue Jays. «We're always learning and evolving from each draft class. -Nicholson Smith
"It'd be difficult to give any sort of grade,» said amateur scouting director Shane Farrell, who's about to conduct his fifth draft with the Blue Jays. «We're always learning and evolving from each draft class. -Nicholson Smith
Apparently after yesterday's press conference, Shapiro pulled Nicholson-Smith aside a ripped into him for his article stating that the Blue Jays have drafted well and that his article was bad.
Ben Nicholson-Smith was on The Fan Morning Show today and said that Mark Shapiro spoke with him after he saw this piece he had written and essentially scolded him for it .
"We had a conversation and he conveyed that he disagreed with my stance."
"We had a conversation and he conveyed that he disagreed with my stance."
It is hard to see how Shapiro disagree since the proof is in the numbers with only Bo Bichette in 2016 having a solid fWAR, the next in line is Cavan Biggio.
Since drafting Bo Bichette 66th overall in 2016 (scouts pressured them into it they wanted to pick someone else):
The next most successful position player draft pick of theirs via fWAR has been... Cavan Biggio.
The next most successful position player draft pick of theirs via fWAR has been... Cavan Biggio.
Source: Sportsnet
Putting Blue Jays' spotty draft record under the microscope
Putting Blue Jays' spotty draft record under the microscope
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