Commence the Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth.

Well, we have it on good authority now! Uncle Dick has cleared it up for us. On Tuesday Richard Griffin wrote an article in which he assured us that the unsigned status of Cito Gaston was de facto evidence that JP Ricciardi's job status for 2009 was still in limbo:

On Aug.6, GM J.P. Ricciardi announced on his loose-cannon radio show that Gaston would return as manager in 2009, effectively removing any "interim" tag from his title. Yet, in the ensuing 41 days, nothing has happened in that regard. What gives?

The simple answer is that it was never Ricciardi's prerogative to make the Gaston announcement as long as his own status for '09 was still in doubt – which it is. Yes, the folks at the Rogers campus have a significant financial commitment to Ricciardi through 2010, but there is still active discussion from on high as to whether J.P. should be allowed to continue into Year 8 of the five-year plan.

Now, pay no mind to the fact that Uncle Dick is still deluding himself that there ever was a five year plan, he's a professional journalist and he's well connected and knows his stuff so if he says JP's status is still up in the air you can take that to the bank!

Eh? Hold on, wait a sec, the intern is telling me something....What's that? The HELL you say!

Okay, shit, late breaking news folks!

Our intrepid reporter has been at work again today. The ink stained scribe delivers to us the hottest news uncovered by his never-ending search for the truth:

The timing of the Gaston news conference, during rather than after the season, confirms what sources have whispered. Ricciardi's job as GM is safe for another year. If the Jays were going to replace Ricciardi, as had been under serious consideration, they would have waited until the new guy was in place. In the majors, the GM in most cases will make the announcement of his field manager.

So, there you have it - JP's status us not still up in the air! Oh . . .wait . . . hmmm. So...if "sources have whispered" JP was coming back then why did Griffin write ONLY YESTERDAY that his status was uncertain?

Couldn't be because his skills are failing him since we know he gets all his facts straight - just look at the five year plan! Ok, well, maybe bad example. Anyway, maybe it's just because the man is fucking obsessed? Honeslty, for all his flaws, I support JP, I think he's done more good than bad and I'm not the sort to hold out for the Practically Perfect GM. But if I thought he was the biggest train-wreck since Bill Bavasi, I would still be very tempted to hope he keeps the job just on the off chance that we'll get to see Uncle Dick's head explode when he's retained.

Thus the headline. From Griffin to Rotoworld all the way down to anonymous posters on BBS, the venom directed at JP on-line borders on that directed at GWB. It's pathological. (No, I don't mean EVERY criticism, many are quite reasonable). I can't say that I'm not a little amused that those who were so certain he would be gone have to suffer through another year. Call me petty.

~WillRain