Jocketty let go by Cardinals

[The_Hater]

So now there's a high quality GM available on the market. The timing couldn't be better to jump in and make this guy an offer.

Unfortunately, Godfrey is pretty stubborn (or loyal, I prefer stubborn) and we're stuck with JP's ineptness for at least a couple more seasons.

[arrpy]

If Jocketty was a "High Quality GM", why would the Cardinals let him go...

[straightguji]

maybe because they just had a bad year? and somebody had to be the scapegoat?

who knows, there could be a lot of issues behind closed doors that the public is not aware of. would you say colangelo is a bad gm because the suns let him go?

[Holmes]

Jocketty would be interesting. His philosophy seems to neglect developing starters from within but instead constantly signing and trading for quality starters. Save for Albert Pujols, J.D. Drew, Matt Morris and Polanco, for the past 13 years he seems to lean towards acquiring already established starters. I.E. Gant, McGwire, Edmonds, Renteria, Gaetti, Vina, Rolen, Tino, Carpenter, Mulder, Marquis, Benes, Isringhausen, Kile...the list goes on. In their hay day in their early to mid 2000s they rarely had any homegrown talent on the field.

Never shy either about dealing his top prospects for top line players. He dealt 97 top pick Adam Kennedy to get Edmonds. Dealt Bud Smith (remember the hype on him?) for Rolen. And more recently dealt top prospects Barton and Haren for Mulder.

It certainly would be a change in direction for the Jays if Jocketty were to man the GM position and use the same style.

[The_Hater]

If Jocketty was a "High Quality GM", why would the Cardinals let him go...

You being serious?

Anyways, he's been the Cardinals GM since 1995, over that time they had four 90+ win teams, made the playoffs 7 times and won 1 World series. They've probably been the premier franchise in the National league since he was hired. Before that he ran the Oakland A's farm system for 13 years and they of course they peaked in the late 80's/early 90's as the dominant team in baseball built around homegrown products like M.McGwire, J.Canseco, R.Henderson, T.Steinbach, W.Weiss and others.

He's not perfect, but he's still very good at his job.

Supposedly, he was let go because there was a bit of a power struggle/rift inside the Card's organization. It would be great to get Jocketty and LaRussa as a package and get rid of both of our current bozos in one shot.

[arrpy]

Yeah, I was wrong. Jocketty is a very good GM.

You all made really good points and it changed my mind quickly.

[OldNo7]

I have always liked Jocketty too, aside from the Mark Mulder for Dan Haren trade.

[SmallTownJournalist303]

He's always been a trade-mastermind, but that talent seems to have waned recently (read: Mulder trade) and as was pointed out before his prospect development skills are seriously lacking.
Meh, I'd rather look at other candidates.

[Holmes]

-= original quote snipped =-
Anyways, he's been the Cardinals GM since 1995, over that time they had four 90+ win teams, made the playoffs 7 times and won 1 World series. They've probably been the premier franchise in the National league since he was hired. Before that he ran the Oakland A's farm system for 13 years and they of course they peaked in the late 80's/early 90's as the dominant team in baseball built around homegrown products like M.McGwire, J.Canseco, R.Henderson, T.Steinbach, W.Weiss and others.

Well, Henderson was drafted in 76 and made his debut in 79 which was 2 years before Jockett was appointed farm director of the A's. And Weiss was arguably a bust. Although he did oversee the development of all-stars like McGwire and Canseco he didn't draft any of them including Weiss.

But that was many moons ago. In 13 years of running the Cardinals he's shown what he is very good at. Identifying developed and established players in their primes and getting them primarily through trades. But as 2007 has somewhat shown, if he's not doing that he has very little to fall back on in terms of help from the farm system. Not retaining any one of Marquis, Weaver and Suppan (the latter 2 being huge in their World Series run) and not acquiring any replacements really hurt the Cardinals.

His draft track record has been questionable and for quite the longest time he's had one of the worst farm systems in the league. But he won't shy away from trading the farm to get something good and that's how he's found success for the Cardinals.

Jocketty is a good GM with a much different philosophy than Riccardi.

[Duffman100]

I'd honestly prefer the Twins GM. He's done a lot with a small payroll...

[The_Hater]

I'd honestly prefer the Twins GM. He's done a lot with a small payroll...

Ryan would also be a huge improvement over JP, but I thought I read that he wants to take a couple of years away from the game.