Blue Jays: Why is John Gibbons the scapegoat for Ross Atkins?

The faltering Toronto Blue Jays have all but exiled manager John Gibbons out of the country at the conclusion of the 2018 campaign yet General Manager Ross Atkins sits in his cozy luxury suite unscathed and unaccountable for back to back disappointing seasons.

We all understand that managers are hired to be fired and when a team underperforms it is generally the manager that is the first domino to fall in an attempt to right the ship. However, with all the blame focussed currently on John Gibbons, perhaps critics should climb another rung up the corporate ladder and focus their sites on Ross Atkins.

At the end of the day, it was Atkins pulling the trigger on deals to build a winner for the past two seasons, Gibby just tried to work with what the General Manager put on the field. The likes of Jaime Garcia, Kendrys Morales, and any other failed player are all products of Atkins and company.

The former Indians executive has failed the past two seasons to deliver a winner north of the border, while his former employer in Cleveland continues to make postseason visits. Sure the farm system is booming but let’s not forget that the Vladimir Guerrero‘s and Danny Jansen‘s of the world were drafted or signed by the former regime in power.

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So why is all the banter about accountability and change directed at Gibbons and not Atkins? Why does Ross Atkins get a free pass at mediocrity while his manager will be unemployed come October?

Gibby is in the trenches day in and day out answering the tough questions while Atkins sits sequestered away drinking $12 dollar bottles of sparkling mineral water. Atkins has proven nothing since leaving Cleveland, he rode the coattails of Alex Anthopoulos to the postseason in 2016, piggybacking a team put in place by A.A.

But still no fire Atkins talk, so sit back and let Gibbons be the scapegoat for a half-assed roster that never had a chance at competing in the AL East. The manager is not the problem in Toronto as we will all come to realize in the very near future unfortunately by that time he will be employed by the Atlanta Braves.

Accountability starts at the top and it’s finally about time Ross Atkins takes some ownership for the current state of the franchise and the mess he has created.