[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

Would the payroll size ever have been his decision though? Wouldn't he have been given payroll parameters and then made to work within them?

I guess my point is he's someone who has experience trying to put together teams on limited budgets. So the thinking is the Jays want to reduce payroll while trying to stay competitive (which of course never works unless it's Billy Beane), and that Shapiro is the man who can do that. Speaks to why he wanted control over AA, so that if AA tried any moves of prospects for players (i.e. adding payroll), he could override him.