Atkins, Gibbons confident a new deal will get done
ROB LONGLEY
POSTMEDIA NETWORK
FORT MYERS — Maybe it was to happen on the long bus ride back from JetBlue Park to Dunedin on Tuesday afternoon.
Or perhaps a meeting between Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins and manager John Gibbons would take place on the scheduled off day to follow.
But, some time, likely before the start of the 2017 major league baseball regular season, both men expect to have a contract extension in place to provide in, Atkins words, “continuity” for a team that has made the post season the past two years.
With the one-year extension Gibbons signed last summer due to expire at the end of the upcoming campaign, both parties are intent and confident that a new deal will be reached soon.
“The advantage (of getting a deal done now) is us showing a commitment to one another,” Atkins said following the Jays 5-4 loss here to the Red Sox. “We continue to talk about it and I’m extremely optimistic we will be working together for the foreseeable future.”
Obviously, Gibbons would prefer a lengthier term than the oneyear expiring deal and that request would appear to fit with Atkins’ vision as well. Talking to both men on Tuesday, there doesn’t appear to be even a whiff of animosity in talks to this point.
“I’ve got peace of mind,” Gibbons said in the visiting manager’s office at the stadium otherwise known as Fenway South. “I’ve made a good living to this point. I enjoy my job. Everybody likes security, there’s no doubt. I think we’ll get something soon. Definitely.”
At times it’s easy to take Gibbons laid-back ways for granted. He decided to put off contract talks following last year’s ALCS loss to Cleveland because he recognized management’s need to address free agent concerns.
All in due mindset.
There are some obvious benefits to being signed and sealed before opening day, however, largely a recognition from the players that the skipper isn’t going anywhere because of management’s commitment to him.
“John and I have worked well together over the (last) year and we both feel very fortunate to have established trust and respect,” Atkins said. “When you come into a new situation not having those established lines of communication, then going through a year we feel that not only was a successful one but a very productive one for the two of us (is a positive.)
“So looking forward, we’re talking about the Blue Jays organization and not just the two of us leading it, but the two of us being a part of leading it together.”
Obviously Gibbons was the manager that both Atkins and club president Mark Shapiro inherited from the Alex Anthopoulos regime, so from their perspective, it made sense to see how the working relationship evolved between the three.
To that end, Atkins appears satisfied not only with the personal interaction, but with Gibbons’ handling of the team and its diverse clubhouse.
“He’s a very good in-game decision maker,” Atkins said. “He creates a good environment. Players can be themselves around him. He doesn’t play favourites and he treats people fair and consistently.
“He does more than check the boxes you are looking for in someone to manage a professional baseball team.”
Meanwhile, for Tuesday’s meeting with their AL East rivals, there were more veterans on board for the Jays two and a half hour bus ride south than usual for road games this spring.
“It’s getting to be that time that (veterans) are going to start playing more and more and playing backto-back days,” Gibbons said. “We’ll stretch ‘em out a little more. Now we have to start making that push to get ready for opening day.”
With that in mind, Tuesday’s lineup had several players likely to be on Gibbons opening day roster. Centre field Kevin Pillar, first baseman Justin Smoak, designated hitter Steve Pearce, Darwin Barney and Melvin Upton Jr. were all among the starting nine.
Back up north in Clearwater, there was other Jays business of note as both Josh Donaldson and Devon Travis saw live pitching for the first time this spring.
Appearing as designated hitters and not running the bases, each got their first look at something other than batting practice or machine pitching.
“Just seeing some pitches … it’s nice to see some change in speeds,” Donaldson told reporters in Clearwater after facing Phillies minor-league pitching. “I felt good overall.”
The Jays have an off day on Wednesday, but Gibbons hinted that Donaldson could get some DH duty with the big-league club by the weekend. The Jays play at home in Dunedin to the Yankees on Thursday and Tampa Bay on Saturday.