Blue Jays timing on Shapiro deal is puzzling

TORONTO — I wish I understood the Blue Jays and how they conduct their business.

On the opening morning of the NHL season, they chose to announce that Mark Shapiro had signed a five-year extension to remain as president of the baseball club. That was pretty large, yet expected, news. It means Shapiro will be in charge of the Jays for at least 10 seasons in total, which would mark him as one of longest-serving sports executives in Toronto history.

Normally, there's a news conference for this, even a virtual one. Normally, there's a question-and-answer session. Normally, there's something to talk about — the future, the present, maybe a new stadium, who knows?

Except there was no news conference. There were no interviews, no radio appearances. Shapiro said nothing and turned down interview requests. He said he would speak a month from now, around the start of spring training. Maybe after the Blue Jays had signed someone of significance to add to their growing roster. So why announce the extension in the first place and then bury it on a day when most sporting attention is on a Leafs-Canadiens game? They could have announced it a day earlier or a day later. But with nothing to say and no one to say it, they managed the unusual.

Shapiro has his extension. To date, neither general manager Ross Atkins nor manager Charlie Montoyo have had their deals extended. Unless that has happened behind closed doors and not announced yet. With this team, you just don't know.