New manager for a new roster
‘I’m not a big buddy-buddy type. That’s never ben my personality, even if I wanted to be. If I’ve got something to say, I’ll say it. You’ve still got to keep that line’
For the past two seasons, Blue Jays fans became accustomed to a managerial style that former skipper John Farrell has now taken with him to Boston.
That style sometimes included out-of-control baserunning and confrontational behaviour with umpires. Under Farrell, the Jays were very aggressive offensively, not afraid to make outs in exchange for forcing the issue.
What will the norm be under new manager John Gibbons? He is more experienced. Since Gibbons was in the Jays dugout the first time around, from 2004 to 2008, he has served as a bench coach in Kansas City under Trey Hillman and managed at double-A in his hometown of San Antonio. He’s the same man, but a different manager with a coaching staff that he had a say in choosing. Gibbons was asked about his philosophy of managing and what fans might expect.
GENE MAUCH OR EARL WEAVER?
“I like the Earl Weaver style in the American League,” Gibbons said of the two-bloops-and-a-blast philosophy. “I think we’ve got that type of offence. Late in the game, the situation, the score will dictate that. If we’re going to bunt, you make sure you’re bunting to get to that guy that’s a run producer, not just anyone. You have to be careful who you’re bunting to get to. Sometimes you’re better off hitting-and-running or just playing it straight, but there’s a time and place for all that.”
For the first time in years, the Jays would seem to have a legitimate leadoff hitter in shortstop Jose Reyes. In addition, there are other Jays who can steal bases, but how much will Gibbons rely on that weapon? Will they be given the green light to steal whenever they want?
“Yeah, you’ve got your speed in your Reyes, your (Emilio) Bonifacio, Rajai (Davis),” Gibbons said. “That doesn’t mean they won’t ever get the hold. Let’s say for example, you’ve got (Jose) Bautista and (Edwin) Encarnacion. Bautista’s on fire and Encarnacion is cold. If you steal a bag that might open a bag up and they’re smart enough they’ll walk (Jose) because the other guy’s cold. So you want to kind of play according to what’s going on too.”
TROUBLE WITH UMPIRES
Last season in particular, the Jays seemed to have temper issues. It was exemplified by third baseman Brett Lawrie and, early in the season, by an angry Bautista.
“Whining gets old,” Gibbons said. “Frank Thomas, you listen to Frank whine constantly. Then you go look at the video and, hell, it’s a strike. Frank used to come to the dugout. . . . He didn’t do much (whining) on the field necessarily. He’d come into the dugout b----ing. I’d tell him over and over, ‘Frank, b---- when you’re on the field.’ He wouldn’t do it out there. ‘You’re going to the Hall of Fame, they might listen to you. But don’t do it when you get here.’ “When your top guy’s whining . . . there’s a time and a place for it. They’ve got to stick up for themselves, but they can’t be all the time. (The umpires) aren’t wrong all the time. A manager can’t be a whiner about everything too. Just like the players that b---- all the time, that loses its effect. But you have to defend those guys, man. If they sense that you don’t defend them or stick up for them, then you’ve got troubles.”
HIS OWN PITCHING COACH
The first time around as manager, Gibbons inherited pitching coach Gil Patterson, then the Jays hired Brad Arnsberg after that partial season. Arnsberg was paternal, possessive and protective of his pitchers as he stood next to Gibbons in the Jays dugout. This time, Gibbons was involved in the process of promoting Pete Walker to pitching coach, replacing Bruce Walton. Will there be differences? “Of course, we’ve got a good relationship,” Gibbons said of Walker. “He played for me in the Mets’ minor leagues and a little bit here in the big leagues. Pete gets it. He knows what he’s doing. He’s not overbearing. He throws his two cents in. He’s very good the way he handles his pitchers.” Gibbons always wants to be deeply involved in the in-game decisions on his pitchers, but will allow J.P. Arencibia to call his own game. “I’ve never called pitches,” Gibbons said. “There might be a time in-between innings where I might say, ‘Hey, start using this a little bit more,’ or something like that, but I can’t remember us ever calling from the side.” As for controlling an opponent’s running game, the 50-year-old will either rely on bench coach DeMarlo Hale, or may even allow his catcher to call pitchouts and pickoffs on his own. “You know what we may do, when (Gregg Zaun) was here and some of those guys, we used to let them control the running game on their own a little bit. They got a great feel out there. “Bengie Molina, he didn’t want any part of it. (Mike) Scioscia was doing that with the Angels. But I thought Zaunie had a pretty good feel. They’re in the box. They’ve got as good a feel as we do out there. But you see some guys, they’re so used to having somebody calling it, so if you see in the game they’re not paying attention, then, you know. We’ll see how that develops with Arencibia.”
CLUBHOUSE LEADERSHIP
Gibbons enters a situation in which Bautista is the acknowledged clubhouse leader, but offseason trades have brought in others with the potential to influence. How hands-on will Gibbons be in terms of his interaction within the clubhouse? “I usually have pretty good relationships with all,” Gibbons said. “I’m not a big bulls----er. I don’t do that. I’m not a big buddy-buddy type. That’s never been my personality, even if I wanted to be. If I’ve got something to say, I’ll say it. You’ve still got to keep that line.”
As for seeking designated “leaders,” Gibbons does not demand it, but if it happens, that’s good.
“(Mark) Buehrle, we didn’t bring him over here to mentor Ricky (Romero). If it works, it works, but he’s got his own job to do. I believe if he needs to say something, he’ll help him out, but I’m not going to say, ‘Hey do this.’ He’s got his own career. He’s trying to win games. If that’s what he wants to do great.
“(Mark) DeRosa, we know he’s going to help Lawrie. He’ll handle it the best way he can. But those guys are going to have their own problems. They’re going to go through their own ups and downs to have to worry about someone else all the time. But I still think they’ll have a good effect on them. How they choose to do that is their own business.”
All things considered, the fact it’s his second kick at the managerial can, the fact the GM is no longer perceived from the outside as Gibbons’ mentor, his protector, it has seemed to ease the pressure.
“I’m more relaxed because I’ve been through it,” Gibbons admitted. “You see the dynamic of how it all works at this level. Those guys are the show. That’s their clubhouse. It’s a little different in the minor leagues. But still there has to be some order to it all. That’s their baby.”