DUNEDIN, Florida – Blue Jays manager John Gibbons knows theres a lot at stake this season.
Gordon Hayward
Jazz Jersey . Coming off a disastrous 2013 year, relative to expectations
perhaps the most disappointing in franchise history, the club could be dealing
with significant upheaval if theres continued, sustained underperformance.
Gibbons sat down with TSN.ca before Thursdays Grapefruit League game against
Houston to talk about his team, in which he espouses confidence. To listen to
the interview, click here. TSN.ca: John, as we sit here, two weeks from tonight
you guys will be flying to Montreal for the final two exhibition games of the
spring. GIBBONS: Cant wait. TSN.ca: Old stomping grounds for you, right? An
ex-Met, did you have some fun in Montreal in your day? GIBBONS: Yeah, you know I
wasnt up with the Mets long but I made a few road trips to Montreal. I loved it.
I really did. Its a neat city. Its a little different than what were used to or
what Im used to but we always had a good time there. Good people. I enjoyed
hopping on that subway, riding it to the stadium there so I have some good
memories of that place. TSN.ca: Parlez-vous Francais? GIBBONS: Poquito. Oh thats
not French, okay. You learn a lot of Spanish around here. Ill put it that way.
TSN.ca: Yeah, theres no question about that in your clubhouse. So were three,
three and a half weeks in since all the regulars got here. The tone of camp, at
least from my point of view, John, is different from last years and there were a
lot of mitigating factors with the WBC and whatnot last season. How do you feel
camp has gone so far and where do you see your team at today? GIBBONS: I agree
with you. I think theres a lot more focus and thats not just coming from the
coaching end of it. I think the players are a lot more focused. Last year there
was a lot of distraction. A lot of new faces were brought in and the high
expectations, much more media coverage so the players were getting dragged in a
lot of different directions. We had some celebrities on here. We brought in
Dickey coming off a Cy Young. Of course Reyes and those guys coming in and
everybody was tugging at all different angles so there were some distractions
that way. Good distractions but nevertheless distractions and then of course
some guys went off to the WBC and things like that. Its been a much nicer,
simpler camp, a lot more low key and weve been able to get some great work in.
TSN.ca: As you head into the regular season I think there are some questions
about certain positions around the club. The starting rotation, especially the
back end, has been a hot topic of conversation. More broadly speaking, the
American League East, I think we both agree is always strong but has gotten
better. Do you feel you have the quality of starting pitching that matches the
quantity of the depth that youll have at Buffalo and in the lower minor leagues.
GIBBONS: I think we do. Not a whole lot of change this year other than Navarro.
You know, Alex was working all winter trying to bring in a pitcher or two,
difference makers. We werent able to do that. It wasnt for a lack of effort. The
money, the years, all sorts of things, their desire to go other places hampered
that a little bit. There were a couple of trade opportunities but they wanted
everybody and their brother top prospects in the minor leagues. After the trades
with Florida and the Mets we gave up a lot of our top prospects so, I mean,
theres no way you can deplete your whole minor league system to get guys who
maybe arent difference makers. We sat tight there. The main reason behind that
is we like what we have here. Theres much more depth, like you just alluded to,
that we didnt have last year. If somebody falters or if theres an injury weve
got some guys, some fallback plans that we think are pretty good that should
make a huge difference. As of right now were still looking for that fifth
starter. Weve got some guys that are pitching very good. Theres been some good
competition down here. Right now, were probably only looking at one spot.
J.A. Happ, now, hes been a little bit banged up with his back so at this point,
on this day, hes a little bit of a question mark. Hopefully hes going to throw
in the next couple of days in a minor league game. If hes fine that should solve
some problems there. You know, theres some guys in here that we think are going
to have some good big league careers. Now its just are they going to get that
opportunity? They may get it as we break camp as we start the season this year.
It may come a month in. It may come in two months. Who knows? Weve got some
players here who we think are capable of winning in the American League East.
Theres some great competitors and well see where it all ends up. TSN.ca: Do you
anticipate Drew Hutchison breaking camp with the team? GIBBONS: Well, Im not
going to say hes on the team right now but Ill tell you what, hes pitched as
well, if not better, than anybody in camp and another thing he has going for
him, you know hes really bounced back from that injury, but hes pitched in
Toronto before and was pitching very well before he had the injury. Hes got a
little experience under his belt. Hes definitely been a standout. Hes always
been thought of highly in the organization. Its just basically a matter of time
when hes ready again and it sure seems like, you look at it now, he should be
ready to go. TSN.ca: Do you believe in the phrase, "Its early?" Especially after
last year maybe you dont but getting out of the gate strong, John, aside from
having more wins than losses, just setting the right tone I think would be
important for you guys this year. GIBBONS: It was early three weeks ago. Its not
so early anymore, a couple of weeks left. Yeah, no question, a quick, fast start
is very important to this ballclub. Easier said than done, of course, you know
we play some pretty good teams early. I think what it would do is give us
confidence and it may quell some of the naysayers out there because until we go
out and prove something on the field that were better than we were last year and
we actually do have the team that we think can win here, thats always going to
be hanging over our heads. These guys, theyve been working hard, theyre very
focused and now the key is to come out of the gates with everything clicking.
Weve got to get good pitching. Hopefully those bats are going at the right time
at the beginning of the season and something thats a constant, one thing you can
always control, is the way you play defense and I think that will be much, much
better this year. TSN.ca: I wanted to touch on that with you because when we
think of winning, youve got to score more runs than you allow and we typically
always think of offense, just hit the ball out of the park or piece together
runs. We dont always think of run prevention. Well cross our fingers for you
guys that you have pretty good health here, and you have so far through camp and
that that will carry through. But with Lawrie at third, Reyes and short and it
looks like Ryan Goins at second base, as long as theyre all out there on the
field at the same time, weve seen some pretty sweet double plays and some pretty
nice plays made here, John. Youre going to be able to prevent more runs than you
did, especially in the first half of last year. GIBBONS: We think so and we have
to. You left out Melky Cabrera, who wasnt moving well at all last year and so
that created a big hole out there in leftfield. With the guys you just
mentioned, we think we have one of the better defenses in baseball, in our
minds. As much as our starting pitching struggled last year, we didnt bail them
out, we didnt help them out one bit, especially early in the season. A lot of
those games, a play thats made here or there, might have got us out of an
inning, a big inning and kept us in the game and we may have come back and won
some of those. You look at it, you can go through any sport, if you dont play
defense youre not going to win. Boston was a good defensive team last year and
they won the World Series. Football, another sport I know well, the Seahawks
last year, great defense, the best defense in the NFL. Theres no secret there.
We think we have a good one but the key is weve got to keep the right guys on
the field the majority of the season. TSN.ca: The Red Sox, maybe they didnt have
the best team on paper in the majors last year but they won the World Series and
there was that grind it out aspect. When youve walked around the clubhouse,
talked to your players or youve had them in here one on one, do you sense that
there is an unquestioned willingness to grind it out this year? Kind of a win at
all costs mentality? GIBBONS: Yes, I do. Weve got a lot of proud veterans out in
that room. Some guys whove had some great careers, some guys on the upswing that
are going to end up having real good major league careers but everybody was a
little embarrassed, the way things went last year. One thing Ill say about this
group last year, through all the different changes, all the guys coming and
going, there never was a lack of effort. Thats rare when some seasons go south
but our guys showed up to play everyday and I tip my hat to them and thats
admirable and thats the way it should be but thats not always the way it ends
up. They all know they have something to prove, that were a better team than the
way we played last year and I sense that. They talk about that. To get to this
level as an athlete, to get to the top at anything, youve got to have some
pride. We have a lot of that in that room and I think, I dont want to say
necessarily that were going to surprise some people because we think we have a
good team on the field, we think we had a good team on the field last year it
just didnt pan out, but if we play up to our capabilities we think weve got a
chance to win this thing. TSN.ca: Its an everyday game so youre always at the
field and youre always thinking about, okay, what do I have to do to win today?
But when you get away from the ballpark, do you think give any thought to your
future and the fact that if it doesnt go well again this year, John, fairly or
unfairly, itll be a hard sell to the fan base to continue with you as manager
and the coaching staff? There could be changes here if it doesnt work out.
GIBBONS: Oh yeah. Thats to be expected in the professional sports world. I can
guarantee you one thing, I wont be here forever. Thats a fact. When that day
comes, sooner or later, who knows? I dont give that much thought because I
approach my job everyday to do the best job I can. I have a great responsibility
to the organization whos given me an opportunity here and theres a lot that goes
into that. Thats the reality of baseball. I have some fans out there but I also
have a lot of detractors. When the dark clouds show up you start hearing more of
those voices. If you get caught up in that kind of stuff itll paralyze you, you
cant do your job so I take it all in stride everyday because I know I can do
this job, I know I can run a baseball team, Ive got zero doubt in my mind about
that. Things dont always work out but I think this year it will. TSN.ca: We
appreciate the time, John, and all the best this season. GIBBONS: Thank you,
Scott.
Pete
Maravich Jazz Jersey . Ronaldo netted his 14th goal of the season in
Europes top competition to give Madrid a clear advantage ahead of next weeks
quarterfinal return leg in Germany. But it came at a price as the Portugal
forward, who came into the first-leg nursing a sore left knee, came off in the
80th minute.
Rudy
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free agency, even though some of his own veterans may prove too pricey to keep
around.
http://www.authenticjazzproshop.com/Trey-Lyles-Jersey/ . Right-hander Todd Redmond took the loss. Jose Bautista hit his second home run
of the spring. Here are a handful of tidbits from around camp: Hutchison
impressive The Blue Jays are being cautious when talking about their young arms
but internally, excitement is building over the way Drew Hutchison is looking
and performing this spring. IMOLA, Italy -- The crowd resembled the kind of
gathering normally reserved for a Formula One podium celebration. Only this
time, the thousands in attendance fell silent at exactly 2:17 p.m. Fans, family
members plus fellow and current drivers attended a solemn but also festive
memorial Thursday to mark the exact 20th anniversary of Ayrton Sennas death at
the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. The ceremony was held on the Imola circuits
TTamburello curve where Senna crashed into a concrete wall at about 300 kph (185
mph).
Karl Malone
Jazz Jersey. Austrian rookie Roland Ratzenberger, who died in qualifying a
day before, was also remembered. Among those in attendance were Gerhard Berger,
Sennas teammate with McLaren, and current Ferrari drivers Fernando Alonso and
Kimi Raikkonen. Berger says "I think we all agree that he was the best driver of
all time."
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