It was a relaxed and engaging J.P. Ricciardi who sat back in the Blue Jays dugout during batting practice this afternoon and patiently took questions from reporters on all things baseball.
If this guy is about to lose his job it didn't show.
The general manager dropped a couple nuggets, including the news that minor league catching prospect J.P. Arencibia recently had surgery on his kidney.
Brian Jeroloman, another another minor league catcher the Blue Jays have high hopes on, is slated to have surgery on his hip in the near future.
."They were both headed for the Arizona Fall League but now won’t be able to," Ricciardi said.
Ricciardi didn't have the exact details surrounding Arencibia's issue, only that it wasn't serious.
“It was something that was detected in spring training," he said. "It’s not anything life threatening or anything like that.”
Ricciardi said both players should be ready to go by spring training.
Ricciardi also said that he believes that Scott Downs and Jason Frasor could wind up sharing the closer's duties next year and that pitcher Dustin McGowan, who has missed all season after shoulder surgery, is progressing well.
“He’s letting it fly," Ricciardi said of McGowan, who has been throwing on flat ground.
Ricciardi said McGolwan is pain free and will start throwing off a mound next week and appears to be in tremendous physical condition.
The GM also did not rule out the possibility that all-star second baseman Aaron Hill might have a future at shortstop, dependent of course on Hill agreeing to the switch.
