In Toronto, Richard Griffin notes Blue Jays President & CEO Mark Shapiro "strongly suggested he did not view the installation of a natural surface at the Rogers Centre as a priority, and that free agents don’t even mention the unique (in a bad way) artificial surface as a deterrent from signing." Shapiro: "It’s just a question of the alternatives and what are we going to have to choose between. I like the game better, I think everyone likes the game better on natural grass. Do we need it? No" (TORONTO STAR, 12/18). However, Shapiro said that dirt basepaths are a "distinct possibility for Rogers Centre, with installation a possibility" for the '16 season (GLOBE & MAIL, 12/18).
WORK WITH WHAT YOU'VE GOT: In Chicago, Barry Rozner wrote fans can "probably stop" asking when the White Sox will "tear it up and rebuild from scratch," after the team traded for Reds 3B Todd Frazier. It is not what the White Sox have done under team Chair Jerry Reinsdorf, and Senior VP & GM Rick Hahn "can only work with the instructions he's given." Hahn is a "serious guy and serious about his job." The path they take is "not his call, so he does the best he can under the circumstances." Hahn does not "make deals to procure headlines and he doesn't try to compete with the Cubs, who endured a brutal rebuild to become the national darlings." Rozner: "The Sox are the Sox and they have been operating this way for the last 15 years. It is precisely how they built a World Series champion and that is easily forgotten when they have seasons like the last one" (Chicago DAILY HERALD, 12/17).
MR. JONES & ME: The Braves hired former MLBer Chipper Jones as Special Assistant to Baseball Operations. Jones will report to President of Baseball Operations John Hart and GM John Coppolella. Jones in his new capacity will "attend spring training as an instructor, and during the regular season he will primarily focus on assisting Braves hitters." He also will "help with amateur scouting leading up to the June draft, as well as some minor-league player evaluation and instruction" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 12/18).
