Jays Ricciardi Out, Does Everyone Hate Cito...???

In the "It's About Time" Department...
JP Ricciardi is out as the GM of the Toronto Blue Jays...

From the Jays their own selves...
"This was a tough decision and a difficult one for me personally as I have enjoyed J.P.'s friendship and his perspective on the game," said Paul Beeston, acting president, and CEO. "J.P. has put an incredible amount of effort into improving the team and he has brought along a number of great young players. However, I feel that it is time for a change and accordingly we have decided to move on."

Yeah, but fans thought he was mediocre at best and the handling of the Roy Halladay-Trade Deadline non-trade was the last they could collectively stand.

In other Jays stuff, the players really don't want Cito Gaston ((pictured, thanks CP)) back as manager.
Thanks to our friends at TSN for the details...

Vernon Wells indicated he and ace Roy Halladay are at the forefront of a group of players that also includes second baseman Aaron Hill and catcher Rod Barajas which intends to raise the clubhouse issues in a meeting with Beeston, and perhaps Gaston in a team-wide chat, this weekend.

While they were all uncomfortable airing their dirty laundry in public -- Halladay offered nothing more than the terse "Any concerns I have will be expressed to the right people" -- they confirmed what multiple sources at all levels of the clubs, including two players, told The Canadian Press earlier about the "friction" between players and Gaston.

At issue are Gaston's "constant negativity," poor communication and old-school approach and the problems stretch back to last June when he replaced the fired John Gibbons. There are also complaints about Gaston's hands-off, in-game decision making -- a criticism that dates back to his first tenure as manager from 1989 to 1997.

One player also noted that Gaston once said "there aren't any good players in here."

The Jays Jerry Howarth caught up with Gaston to address the wire story...
That can be heard here, thanks to our friends at the Fan590 in Toronto...