Alex Anthopoulos not irreplaceable, says Paul Beeston

Outgoing Blue Jays president Paul Beeston says he won't comment on the future of general manager Alex Anthopoulos because "Alex always likes to keep his affairs private and I think I have to respect that."

"At some point in time I may be prepared to talk about it. But I think right now I would say I've got nothing to say about it," Beeston said Wednesday in a radio appearance on Sportsnet 590 The Fan. "I just hope it all works out."

Anthopoulos, whose deal expires this week, deflected questions about his contract status during his season wrapup news conference Monday.

"That will be addressed at the appropriate time," Anthopoulos said then. "The appropriate time is not today."

He will be dealing with new Toronto president Mark Shapiro, who is set to succeed the retiring Beeston.

"There is not anything I'm going to say about Alex other than the fact that his affairs are private," Beeston said.

Beeston did acknowledge that Anthopoulos is "kind of my horse."

Anthopoulos, then assistant GM, took over after Beeston fired J.P. Ricciardi as general manager in 2009. He helped the Jays to the American League Championship Series this season with a string of high-profile moves at the trade deadline.

"I've watched this man grow into the job," Beeston said. "It's very funny that after six years he is kind of like what a player would be — he's kind of a free agent in some respects. He is in his best years right now. He has learned a lot from his mistakes. We all make mistakes — some were public, some that aren't public. He's learned from that, he doesn't make the same mistake twice. And he's got guts, he's got everything else.

"So is he irreplaceable? No. But I mean is he somebody you'd want to keep? Sure. I mean why wouldn't you? It's like wanting to keep any of your star players."