2012 Toronto Blue Jays Thread

[GhostofPotvin29]

John Gibbons brings back memories of Alex Rios, Russ Adams, Shea Hillenbrand, Ted Lilly, Gustavo Chacin, Josh Towers, and Miguel Batista. Those are names I do not want to remember. This team was 305-305 under Gibbons - the pinnacle of mediocrity.

He also led the Jays to their only better-than-3rd place finish since 1993.

And yet at the time of his firing the Jays were last in the AL East.

Probably the majority of available managerial candidates with experience have been in a similar position, and probably not in the toughest division in baseball.

 

[maplesyrup]

Meh. Welcome back though.

Edit: At least he's got personality. 

 

[Peter D.]

Gibbons? That seems like a joke.  :-\

 

[OldTimeHockey]

John Gibbons brings back memories of Alex Rios, Russ Adams, Shea Hillenbrand, Ted Lilly, Gustavo Chacin, Josh Towers, and Miguel Batista. Those are names I do not want to remember. This team was 305-305 under Gibbons - the pinnacle of mediocrity.

You name 7 players and say you never want to remember them but go on to blame the mediocrity on Gibbons? I'm confused.

 

[Kin]

Well, he may not be able to control a fractured clubhouse but at least we know he'll go down swinging.

 

[Andy007]

I was thinking AA would bring in a manager that may be able to temper an out of control clubhouse, not instigate one. Interesting choice.

 

[Justin]

John Gibbons brings back memories of Alex Rios, Russ Adams, Shea Hillenbrand, Ted Lilly, Gustavo Chacin, Josh Towers, and Miguel Batista. Those are names I do not want to remember. This team was 305-305 under Gibbons - the pinnacle of mediocrity.

You name 7 players and say you never want to remember them but go on to blame the mediocrity on Gibbons? I'm confused.

I'm not blaming anything on anyone, I'm just saying Gibbons is synonymous with the players of that era.

This move is indicative of the Raptors bringing back Kevin O'Neill to coach!

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I was thinking AA would bring in a manager that may be able to temper an out of control clubhouse, not instigate one. Interesting choice.

Just because Shea Hillenbrand and Ted Lilly are tools doesn't mean he instigates clubhouse problems.  He'll certainly get in a player's face about it. I mean Hillenbrand wrote "This ship is sinking" on a board in the room.  Tool.  He was known for clashing with team officials before the Jays too.

 

[Andy007]

I was thinking AA would bring in a manager that may be able to temper an out of control clubhouse, not instigate one. Interesting choice.

Just because Shea Hillenbrand and Ted Lilly are tools doesn't mean he instigates clubhouse problems.  He'll certainly get in a player's face about it. I mean Hillenbrand wrote "This ship is sinking" on a board in the room.  Tool.  He was known for clashing with team officials before the Jays too.

Oh hey I get it; both of those guys definitely had a few screws loose. But obviously there is a bit of a problem with a manager whose first inclination is to challenge one to a fight and physically shove another. "Getting in one's face" about something is different than punching, or threatening to punch, someone's face about something.

 

[Corn Flake]

I was thinking AA would bring in a manager that may be able to temper an out of control clubhouse, not instigate one. Interesting choice.

Just because Shea Hillenbrand and Ted Lilly are tools doesn't mean he instigates clubhouse problems.  He'll certainly get in a player's face about it. I mean Hillenbrand wrote "This ship is sinking" on a board in the room.  Tool.  He was known for clashing with team officials before the Jays too.

Oh hey I get it; both of those guys definitely had a few screws loose. But obviously there is a bit of a problem with a manager whose first inclination is to challenge one to a fight and physically shove another. "Getting in one's face" about something is different than punching, or threatening to punch, someone's face about something.

Gibbons definitely better bring a bit more polish to his confrontations and to putting out fires fast vs. letting them fester.  Guys like Lawrie clearly could become a problem since Gibby will surely be in his kitchen about his antics if they flare up again. 

Will be interesting (sort of) to hear what Zaun has to say about this since he was in that room and I believe was on the far end of the spectrum when it came to some of those idiots.  Right or wrong, Zaun doesn't hold back much information, or opinion. 

edit: and for what it's worth, both Cito II and Farrell had clubhouse discontent that got out into the open just about as much as Gibbons did. 

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I was thinking AA would bring in a manager that may be able to temper an out of control clubhouse, not instigate one. Interesting choice.

Just because Shea Hillenbrand and Ted Lilly are tools doesn't mean he instigates clubhouse problems.  He'll certainly get in a player's face about it. I mean Hillenbrand wrote "This ship is sinking" on a board in the room.  Tool.  He was known for clashing with team officials before the Jays too.

Oh hey I get it; both of those guys definitely had a few screws loose. But obviously there is a bit of a problem with a manager whose first inclination is to challenge one to a fight and physically shove another. "Getting in one's face" about something is different than punching, or threatening to punch, someone's face about something.

The people who cover the Jays have continually said how well-liked he is by the players, so I'm at the point where I am chalking that up to those particular players.  If he challenged him to a fight I'm non-plussed about it.  Players would have no reason to defend him if he was crazy.

 

[Fanatic]

I didn't know this - Hired by the Blue Jays General Manager J. P. Ricciardi in 2002 as a bullpen catcher, Gibbons worked his way up to first base coach in June 2002. Ricciardi was his former roommate in the minor leagues.


So Gibbons is known by AA because of Riccardi and Gibbons is known to Ricciardi back to the minors. What does any of that mean? Probably nothing, but just something I thought was interesting.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Barry Davis ‏@SNBarryDavis

Great interview with John MacDonald on the @FAN590. He's a big supporter of Gibbons. If you don't like the move, have a listen. #bluejays

 

[Corn Flake]

My favorite thing about Gibby is that he talks and sounds just like Rosco from the Dukes of Hazzard.  Hey... Lawrie can be Bo and Rasmus can be Luke!

 

[seahawk]

I think the more telling stat is that Gibbons has not had another stint as a manager since leaving the Jays. Been there don't see a reason to try it again. There had to be better choices out there, even if they haven't managed in the majors before.

 

[maplesyrup]

There's a wide feeling that Gibbons got a bum deal the last time around. I don't necessarily agree or disagree... I'm just sayin'.

 

[Corn Flake]

There's a wide feeling that Gibbons got a bum deal the last time around. I don't necessarily agree or disagree... I'm just sayin'.

When he left did we not have a team that was completely inept at hitting, and got a lot better very quick when he left? Gaston and Tenace came in and talked about how they had to undo a lot of bad habits that had been coached into the hitters. 

So who gets the blame there? Gibbons? The hitting coach? Whoever hired and supported the hitting coach.. JP/Gibbons?

Meh.

To be honest, I hope they get a new pitching coach more than anything.

 

[Fanatic]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/blue-jays-marlins-trade-live/

That is a link to watch the press conference live if you are at work and sneaking a peek like myself.

 

[Kin]

I suppose it just strikes me as odd that with all of the excitement about the team taking a step forward they would dig back into their unimpressive past, and fairly recent unimpressive past, for the manager.

 

[maplesyrup]

When he left did we not have a team that was completely inept at hitting, and got a lot better very quick when he left? Gaston and Tenace came in and talked about how they had to undo a lot of bad habits that had been coached into the hitters. 

So who gets the blame there? Gibbons? The hitting coach? Whoever hired and supported the hitting coach.. JP/Gibbons?

Meh.

To be honest, I hope they get a new pitching coach more than anything.

Well, it's impossible to know for sure. I mean, isn't it natural as a new hire (anywhere) to walk in and overstate the mess he's picking up? Kind of takes some initial heat off, doesn't it?