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TORONTO — Now over the disappointment of a season gone sideways, there’s a certain excitement surrounding the next chapter for Ross Atkins and the Blue Jays.

An aging roster has been slowly deconstructed and there will be no quick fixes or dreams of near-term contention.

It’s now all about the kids and the future.

How long it takes for the future to develop into a winning baseball team again is up for debate, but there’s no question this rebuild is further along than some think, thanks to a robust pipeline that already has elite talent in the upper minors.

Two days after finishing off a 73-89 season, one that will see them pick 11th in next June’s draft, the general manager sat down to address what went wrong, where things go from here, and everything in between.

“You certainly sign up to win,” Atkins said. “What we think about all the time is jumping up and down on mounds, and watching other teams do that. As happy as I am for the people, it is painful to watch when it’s not us. So we want to expedite that as quickly as possible. Timelines are so difficult. I don’t expect us next year to be jumping up and down on mounds. If that starts to look more realistic in the following year or the year after that, then that’s what we’re shooting for and that’s what we’re optimistic will happen. I can you this: I’ve never felt as confident in working in baseball as I do now about the future of an organization.”

Here are 10 questions facing Atkins and the Blue Jays this off-season:

 

1. What are they looking for in a new manager?

There are a number of narratives surrounding the search for John Gibbons’ successor.

Would they like someone who can speak Spanish? Sure, it has “value” and does have an “impact,” Atkins said, but it’s not necessarily a must.

Having a Canadian filling out the lineup card would also be an attractive quality considering the market, but that doesn’t make Stubby Clapp the odds-on favourite, either.

So what is Atkins looking for?

“Ultimately, someone that we align with from a values perspective,” the GM said. “Simplifying that a little bit, it's something that I've always thought about from the day I was a minor-league baseball player and just what it takes to persevere as a player, as a staff member, and they're very similar traits. And it comes down to being tough, smart and passionate.”

Atkins also noted that managerial experience isn’t as important as “experience leading,” which opens the door for candidates like former Blue Jay John McDonald.

 

2. How long will the process take?

As expected, the search is likely to be both lengthy and cover a lot of ground in terms of various candidates.

Atkins said they’ll talk to a group of “10-plus” candidates via phone over the next week or so, paring that number down to “five-plus” for face-to-face interviews in front of a number of Blue Jays decision-makers.

He estimated the search should be wrapped up in about three weeks – 20 to 25 days was the exact number – but that timeline could change if a candidate blows them away, or be extended if they have a tough decision on their hands.

Asked who would be involved in the interview process, Atkins pointed to vice-president of baseball operations Ben Cherington, assistant general managers Tony LaCava and Joe Sheehan, director of player development Gil Kim, amateur scouting director Steve Sanders, director of high performance Angus Mugford and director of baseball operations Michael Murov, also noting president/CEO Mark Shapiro will eventually have input as the focus is narrowed.

With all of those voices, Atkins was also adamant about one thing.

“It’s definitely my hire,” he said.

 

3. How does Russell Martin fit into the 2019 plan?

Down the stretch, the 35-year-old’s last game came Sept. 3.

For almost a month, Martin sat, as Danny Jansen, Luke Maile, and Reese McGuire were essentially given job auditions for 2019.

With one year remaining on his contract at $20 million, it’s unlikely Martin is moved, leaving one question: What will his role be?

“It will depend on, for Russ, specifically, how he comes into camp, what his mindset is,” Atkins said.

“He makes such a difference for pitchers with his receiving, with his leadership, with his instincts, with his confidence. If he’s near his best, he’s playing. How regular? We’ll see. It will depend on Danny Jansen, Reese McGuire, Luke Maile, Max Pentecost. There’s other pieces to that equation. The receiving and the athleticism that Russ has behind the plate makes a positive difference on our pitching.”

Martin slashed just .194/.338/.325 this season in a career-low 90 games, but he was still able to get on base at a decent clip and he graded out as a decent defender, despite having trouble controlling the running game.

Having too many capable catchers isn’t a bad problem to have.

 

4. Will Aaron Sanchez be ready for spring training?

Shedding some light on Sanchez’s recent finger surgery, Atkins said the 26-year-old right-hander had the UCL ligament in his right index finger repaired, and they still expect him to be ready for spring training.

“Dr. Shin went in and saw some mild changes, felt like he could make that improvement that he would benefit from, and that procedure was done,” Atkins said. “We feel that he’ll be ready for spring training.”

At one point, it looked like the Jays might have one of the better up-and-coming one-two rotation punches in the American League with Sanchez and Marcus Stroman.

Now, they’re both question marks.

“A lot of upside still,” Atkins said of how he views the pair of right-handers. “Probably a little bit different in that Aaron Sanchez hasn’t pitched as much and Marcus Stroman has been relatively reliable as a starter. I’m confident that both of those guys can return to being regular, take the ball every five days. Because Marcus has thrown more innings, it’s probably a little more realistic that he’ll be more durable over the course of 162. At the same time, there’s more upside in Aaron Sanchez maybe having a bit more power. There’s a bit more of a growth opportunity because of the lack of innings and the lack of development.”

 

5. Do they tender Kevin Pillar a contract?

With another raise coming in his second trip through arbitration this winter, there is some question about whether Pillar will even make it that far.

Last year, it was Ryan Goins who wasn’t tendered a contract, drawing the ire of Stroman, and this year it could be Pillar when the non-tender deadline arrives Nov. 20.

After earning $3.25 million in 2018, Pillar could be in line for a salary in the range of $6 million next season.

Despite being a fan favourite with an S on his chest, that may be a tad pricey for a 30-year-old defensive specialist with a career slash line of .261/.298/.426.

If they can’t find a trade partner, it could be another unceremonious exit if they don’t believe he’s worth the money.

 

6. Does the same corner outfield group return?

The reason there was very little playing time for Anthony Alford down the stretch is because the front office wanted to get long looks at Randal Grichuk, Teoscar Hernandez and Billy McKinney.

Grichuk is certain to return, perhaps as the centre fielder depending on what dominoes fall, but Hernandez will have to fight for a job again after hitting just .209 with seven home runs in the second half of the season.

He was the toast of the town early in the year thanks to his big-time power, but his swing-and-miss and defensive issues left him exposed as the season went on.

McKinney, meanwhile, faded after a hot start to his Jays tenure, finishing with a .252/.318/.462 slash line and six home runs in 38 games.

Things could go either way this winter. If opportunities are there, the outfield could be revamped, but there’s also a chance the same cast of characters return.

Atkins didn’t rule out the possibility of a trade or two.

“We have to consider that, and we’ll look at that,” Atkins said. “Guys that have less control, and how those fit for other teams. We’ll have to be proactive and see if those opportunities are there, but it’s not an absolute.”

 

7. What kind of strategy will they employ in free agency?

Don’t expect any big splashes.

There will be holes to fill and veterans signed, but they may be scrapheap bullpen signings and rotation options brought in to compete and take the pressure off some of the young arms that arrived in the majors late in the season.

Look for Atkins to identify players who could come in, perform, and then be flipped at the July trade deadline, a la Joe Smith, Seunghwan Oh and John Axford over the past two seasons.

Pitching is always a commodity, especially on short-term deals.

With a number of middle infield options to sort through internally, and corner infield options either on the roster already (Brandon Drury and Justin Smoak) or ready to arrive shortly (Vladdy Jr.), pitching and potentially outfield are the areas of the roster to watch.

 

8. How much can Troy Tulowitzki contribute?

To be determined.

Right now, the Jays and the soon-to-be 34-year-old shortstop are in a holding pattern, one that will last throughout the winter.

They have no idea what to expect next spring, and at this point, neither does the still-rehabbing Tulowitzki, who’s now seven-plus months removed from double heel surgery.

“Tulo would be health dependent,” Atkins said. “If Tulo’s healthy and performing at a very high rate, then yes [he’ll be playing]. If he’s healthy and his performance isn’t to the calibre that major-league environments demand, then no. It starts with health.”

Guaranteed $38 million over the next two years, Tulowitzki will be around in some capacity.

Asked whether Tulowitzki would be playing shortstop, Atkins said simply, “there aren’t many guarantees in baseball.”

 

9. What’s the plan for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.?

The best prospect in baseball and the man-child the Jays are hanging this rebuild hat on is off to the Arizona Fall League next month to work on his defence and punish more baseballs.

Third base is where his career is going to start, likely next April, but there’s no guarantee that’s going to be the case when the Jays are actually a contender.

There’s obviously a service time element at play, but Atkins scoffs at the notion Guerrero Jr.’s glove doesn’t matter, and he sees this as an important period in time.

“This is huge for him going into the Arizona Fall League,” Atkins said. “That will be a great development for him. Next spring training will be a great development for him. As he transitions to the big leagues, we’re planning on him playing third base.”

Vladdy will start at Triple-A Buffalo, continue to rake, and then arrive in the big leagues when it makes smart business sense.

Just don’t expect to hear that from the organization.

 

10. Is the payroll going to decrease in 2019?

According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, the Jays started the 2018 season with an opening-day payroll in the range of $162 million.

That number only went down as veterans were traded and the rebuild began.

When you combine the fact there will be a number of young players making peanuts with little incentive to go out and buy veteran talent on the free agent market, all signs point to a significant decrease in payroll for 2019, which makes sense.

Shapiro said recently that the resources will increase when the competitive window re-opens.

Spending less money just comes with the rebuild territory.

“The number is not final yet,” Atkins said of the payroll. “Part of it is circumstance, too, where we are, the players that we want to play, the opportunities that we want to give. Ultimately, we will spend less money, but we will have enough to understand all of the opportunities in the market and make sure we’re prepared.”​