National Post (National Edition)
GIL KIM THE FARM DIRECTOR
As the front office's liaison with Jays prospects up and down the farm system, Gil Kim's responsibility was a valued one within the Jays' organizational flow chart.
So, his voice was prominent prior to the 2018 season, when Jays general manager Ross Atkins and the baseball operations staff constructed minor-league rosters.
“Every year around this time, you're thinking about the season ahead. And every year you talk about maybe one, if you're lucky two, affiliates that have the opportunity to be something special,” Kim said. “As we were constructing that 2018 group, (the Fisher Cats) was the team we were excited about.”
Kim recalls a great deal about his visits to Manchester to check on the prized prospects-turned-Fisher Cats.
There was the “Be A Good Teammate” sign in the clubhouse. On the way to the field, two more: “Practice with a Purpose” and “Get Better Today.”
And there was the work put in by players and coaching staff, a regimen of progressive drills, many of which are used by the big team today.
“Coaches pushed the envelope to do a lot of game-speed training with hitting,” Kim said. “They incorporated a good amount of the machine work that you see today. I can remember so much focus on Cavan Biggio's range at second base, Vladdy's range at third and Bo focusing on back-hand play.”
The days were long and the drills regimented, but with an eye to the big leagues, the group bought in.
“What was special about that environment that year is it was a good balance,” Kim said. “That group was able to mix development and winning very well.”
The “boy band” element that Schneider referenced was also something that was snatched and made into another teachable tool.
“If you look at everything through a development lens, then you take advantage of any opportunity to provide teaching and learning moments,” Kim said. “If there are fans constantly following you, that's only going to increase when you get to the big leagues. You're only going to have to learn how to manage that a little bit better.
“If there's pressure after an 0-for-4 night in Hartford, well, that's only going to be more pressure when you are doing it in Boston. We used it as examples of things you're going to face.”
Like each of the principals we spoke with, Kim has fond and vivid appreciation of what unfolded.
“We were excited about the staff we had in place. We were excited about the talent of the players. And those things were obvious. But what ended up happening was it was the perfect storm of selflessness, talent and a drive to get better every day,” he said.
“And that resulted in an absolutely phenomenal season, one that was extremely exciting to follow — one that, quite frankly, we hoped would help build a winning mentality and attitude among some of those core players who are core players today in the big leagues.”