Atkins: Blue Jays want to give Gibbons extension

[TwistedLogic]

http://m.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article/210486676/blue-jays-want-to-give-john-gibbons-extension/

 

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. -- General manager Ross Atkins reiterated his stance on Tuesday afternoon that the Blue Jays intend to sign manager John Gibbons to a contract extension.

 

Gibbons is set to enter the final year of his contract, but Toronto remains committed to extending the deal beyond 2017. Atkins said on Tuesday afternoon that the talks initially were scheduled to take place this week, but Gibbons had to miss Major League Baseball's annual Winter Meetings because of the flu.

 

The 54-year-old Gibbons led the Blue Jays to the American League Championship Series during each of the last two seasons. He owns a 644-614 career record for Toronto in two separate stints as manager of the ballclub.

 

"We were planning on having that dialogue here to just reopen it while we were together," Atkins told a group of reporters. "We'll make sure that happens."

Gibbons was brought back as Toronto's manager prior to 2013 under the guidance of former GM Alex Anthopoulos. At the time, Gibbons' deal contained a unique clause that added another season to his contract if he was still employed on Jan. 1 of each year. The goal was to make sure that Gibbons' contract never became a distraction and that he would never be at risk of becoming a "lame-duck" manager in the final season of a deal.

The clause was removed during Spring Training earlier this year by Atkins and president Mark Shapiro. Gibbons instead received a bump in pay over two years, but it does come with the risk of his deal eventually expiring. That's something both likely would prefer to avoid, which is backed up by Atkins' vocal desire to get something done.

 

For his part, Gibbons doesn't seem overly concerned about the entire situation. He knows there are more pressing issues at the moment for a team that is still looking for at least one outfielder, a backup catcher and a couple of relievers.

 

"We discussed it briefly at the end of the season and I talked to Ross a couple of times," Gibbons said. "I couldn't tell you yet how things are going to play out before the start of next season, but it's not something I've been obsessed with.

 

"We restructured my deal at the last Winter Meetings. We took away the Jan. 1 option, and I was fine with that, I was behind that, it got me a small little bump in salary, and if nothing changes, I can live with going into the season with it being my last year under contract. I've got no problem with that."

[Dr. Dinger]

He got two straight teams to the LCS without Showaltering himself. That's about all I ask for out of a manager. I kinda like Gibby, which is odd because I strongly disliked him the first time around.

[Sammy225]

He got two straight teams to the LCS without Showaltering himself. That's about all I ask for out of a manager. I kinda like Gibby, which is odd because I strongly disliked him the first time around.

 

Really i loved his bullpen management first time around but not this time. I do like is laid back don't really give a f*** attitude.

[Captain Adama]

You could do worse, but you could also do much better.

[Dr. Dinger]

You could do worse, but you could also do much better.

 

Who is available that's better? Other than Maddon and Francona, nobody really sticks out as demonstrably better than Gibby.

[Krylian]

Who is available that's better? Other than Maddon and Francona, nobody really sticks out as demonstrably better than Gibby.

 

Those two are available?

[Captain Adama]

Who is available that's better? Other than Maddon and Francona, nobody really sticks out as demonstrably better than Gibby.

 

Hurdle does pretty good work in Pittsburgh. But the fact is that it should be possible to find a manager that can manage a bullpen better than Gibbons.

[burlingtonbandit]

Who is available that's better? Other than Maddon and Francona, nobody really sticks out as demonstrably better than Gibby.

 

Bud Black did before he got hired. Of manager who I'd say are a clear upgrade:

 

Girardi, Hinch, Hurdle maybe Cash.

[Bobthe4th]

Those two are available?

 

No, but that's his point - who is available that would be an upgrade.

[Jonn]

Dave Martinez would have been nice.

[Daniel Labude]

Please no...please no!!!!!!

[Grant77]

Fans always think that every other manager will be better until they have them. Gibby does a good job and if people trust Shapiro with on the field moves then they should trust the personnel moves.

[fatcowxlive]

Gibbons is a people person and is loved by everyone. I haven't heard of any issues since he's been here except for the Donaldson thing which was handled VERY WELL by both of them. Took us to back to back ALCS (one with a battered BP) and keeps all Egos in check. What's there not to like about him?

 

Oh yeah also he gives 0 shits about everything/everyone. He's great!!

[intentional wok]

Fans always think that every other manager will be better until they have them. Gibby does a good job and if people trust Shapiro with on the field moves then they should trust the personnel moves.

 

I don't think this is the case. I think Shatkins are worthy of trust to make sound decisions but that shouldn't stop us from ripping on personnel decisions we don't like. The ones that immediately come to mind are Chavez-Hendriks and extending Smoak. There's a lot of politics that goes on with a competitive team's manager and the FO, so Gibby getting the blessing isn't necessarily a vote of confidence. Losing Bautista, Edwin and then showing Gibby the writing on the wall after two extremely exciting seasons would not only draw the frustration of fans but likely the clubhouse too. Players will understand their comrades following the cash, but they'll be pretty angry if the suits upstairs can their field general for what's perceived to be no reason at all.

[Dr. Dinger]

Those two are available?

 

I didn't say that. Read better.

[Jimcanuck]

Like Cito, a guy who had success due to a stacked team that stayed relatively injury free. In other words, pretty much any other f***ing manager would have had the same results or better.

[SweetSmellingChacin]

[canadiansportsjunkie]

Gibbons fits the team build. He is laid back and is old school. I swear he is drunk majority of the time.

 

I could care less if he signed again or not

[AdamGreenwood]

Well, he didn't fight with any of the players this year. So, I guess that's good.

I thought his management of Price in last year's post-season was atrocious.

 

This year was better, although I think we really wasted Liriano, who was our hottest pitcher in September.

Bullpen management was pretty bad too, as I recall, although I don't remember the specifics.

 

But mostly, Gibbons has never done a single unconventional thing to make me think: wow, this guy is really smart.

He mainly plays by the book, and most of the credit that we give him is for inactivity.

[Orgfiller]

Well, he didn't fight with any of the players this year. So, I guess that's good.

I thought his management of Price in last year's post-season was atrocious.

 

This year was better, although I think we really wasted Liriano, who was our hottest pitcher in September.

Bullpen management was pretty bad too, as I recall, although I don't remember the specifics.

 

But mostly, Gibbons has never done a single unconventional thing to make me think: wow, this guy is really smart.

He mainly plays by the book, and most of the credit that we give him is for inactivity.

 

Letting Bautista hit first and JD second for the majority of the year is a pretty unconventional thing when you consider that guys like Erick Aybar and Jose Iglesias (not to mention our second favourite manager who hits Alcides Escobar first) got to hit at the top of the lineup this season.

[43211234]

He made some egregious decisions this year and sometimes he falls in love with scrubs but he has an 80 personality. Wouldn't be opposed to seeing him go but I'm fine with him sticking around.

[burlingtonbandit]

Letting Bautista hit first and JD second for the majority of the year is a pretty unconventional thing when you consider that guys like Erick Aybar and Jose Iglesias (not to mention our second favourite manager who hits Alcides Escobar first) got to hit at the top of the lineup this season.

 

He also just said recently if they got Fowler than Travis as the number 2 hitter and JD at 3 is something that made sense so....

[THANOS]

He also just said recently if they got Fowler than Travis as the number 2 hitter and JD at 3 is something that made sense so....

 

I mean, I'd rather he hit around 6th or 7th, but I don't mind Travis in the #2 spot. The guy has a .342 OBP and a 119 wRC+ through his 1st 163 games. It's not like we would be giving those ABs to a scrub, like some teams do.

[TheHurl]

As much as it's hard to believe Shapiro loves "culture" and he is trying hard to create something in Toronto that fits his beliefs. They obviously believe that Gibbons fits in with the culture they are building. You can say one thing about Gibbons he doesn't say negative things very often.

[AdamGreenwood]

Letting Bautista hit first and JD second for the majority of the year is a pretty unconventional thing when you consider that guys like Erick Aybar and Jose Iglesias (not to mention our second favourite manager who hits Alcides Escobar first) got to hit at the top of the lineup this season.

 

True. But we all know if he had someone fast who could steal bases, that is who we would put first.

 

Travis-43

Bautista-40

Carrera-36

Pillar-20

Saunders-18

Barney-5

[JTech780]

Without EE and Bautista this team might not be able to rely on the longball as much as it has in previous years. There is plenty of power still in the lineup, but I would like to see an offense that doesn't solely rely on the home run. I am just not sure Gibbons can manage a team that grinds out runs, by moving runners over and shows more situational hitting. It is something this team needs to be able to do regardless of who is in the lineup, we just saw Cleveland pitch around Toronto's power and they didn't adjust to the way they were being pitched.

 

Now is that on Gibbons or the hitting coach or the hitters? Either way the mentality of the team has to change and I am not sure Gibbons is the answer.

[burlingtonbandit]

I mean, I'd rather he hit around 6th or 7th, but I don't mind Travis in the #2 spot. The guy has a .342 OBP and a 119 wRC+ through his 1st 163 games. It's not like we would be giving those ABs to a scrub, like some teams do.

 

The reason he said because Travis can control the bat and hit the ball to all fields.

[admin]

FO liked the way he listened like a good little boy in the playoffs, so they'll keep him around.

[Terminator]

FO liked the way he listened like a good little boy in the playoffs, so they'll keep him around.

 

FO's like to save that bullet for when they need it as well as it can buy you some time to right the ship if things go wrong. But you fire the manager too often and people will start to wonder if the FO isn't the problem and not the manager.

[THANOS]

The reason he said because Travis can control the bat and hit the ball to all fields.

 

Oh lol.. Well in that case, Gibby gonna Gibby?