The search to find the next manager of the Toronto Blue Jays is ongoing and according to Alex Anthopoulos, there is no rush to the process.
Speaking to Mike Richards on TSN Radio 1050 Toronto on Tuesday morning, the Blue Jays senior vice-president of baseball operations and general manager said he doesn't have a set time frame on his managerial search.
"I'd love to have it done, but the only reason there would be a sense of urgency would be if I felt it started to cut into other things we were doing in the off-season," explained Anthopoulos. "I'd like to get the manager component done sooner than later, I don't have a timeline, but I think we're at a pretty good pace right now."
With the departure of former manager John Farrell to the Boston Red Sox, the Blue Jays find themselves without a skipper with just over a month to go before baseball's Winter Meetings.
Anthopoulos explained that the team is taking a new approach as they try to find a manager for the second time in three years.
"The way we're going about it this time (is different) than last time," he said. "Last time we cast a wide net, it was the first time I had ever been involved in any type of managerial search. The previous managers I had been around (before Farrell), they had just been promoted from within, there was never a search done, never a thorough interview process done.
"Now, the team has obviously evolved. We know a lot more about the team, we know more about where we're headed. It's going to be a much smaller list of guys that we're going to talk to and interview, and it's going to be kept quiet too."
Anthopoulos also addressed the recent reports that the team has contacted Arizona Diamondbacks third-base coach Matt Williams.
"I haven't come out and confirmed any candidates, but when names are being leaked out there it's pretty clear that we've made phone calls," he said.
The Blue Jays GM also summed up his search criteria for deciding on his club's next bench boss.
"Really it's going to come down to two simple things - connecting with the players, and connecting with the front office and the ownership group," he explained.
