It’s been a while since I have spoken about the Toronto Blue Jays, mainly because the season has been lost for a while and I’d rather just do a finally season wrap-up and have things to talk about. But today many Blue Jays fan were given some news that might not settle well with them; Alex Anthopolous has announced that manager John Gibbons will return for the 2014 season.
Huh?
This is probably the worst decision AA has made since he hired Gibbons last year. So far his record with the Jays this season is a disappointing 59-73, with 18 games behind first place and 15 back from the wildcard spot. His overall record to-date is 364-378, which equates to a .491 win-loss percentage; Gibbons has had only two winning seasons.
I know you can’t blame everything on the manager like injuries and such, but he’s made so many questionable decisions it’s almost sickening. He’s left in pitchers who clearly needed to be changed, and he’s taken pitchers out way too early only for the bullpen to blow a good start. Gibbons, who would sometimes play the percentages rather then using logic, would take out the batters who were having good games over the players having the bad games.
It’s been a whirlwind of a season for the Toronto Blue Jays – a huge, over-hyped and disappointing whirlwind. I know there are many factors as to why the team was doing poorly, but Gibbons has not helped this team whatsoever. I knew the moment AA said that he and Gibbons were good friends that it was a bad move. You don’t hire your friends over people who are better-qualified and best available guys that can just ruin a team. When all the trades had been made it was a representation of “out with the old and in with the new”. Unfortunately Anthopoulous brought in the old from the JP Ricardi era, which still leaves all Jays fans with a sour taste in our mouths. Also, I want to add that I really couldn’t care less if he and the media get along; if they need to hire the John Tortorella of baseball, fine, so long as he delivers post-season ball.
The window of opportunity for this team is three to four years and its already closing fast. In my opinion it would have been better to bring in a well-seasoned coach who could deal with the amount of talent that this team possesses. It’s not time to see if he can turn it around, or fire him half-way through next season. Gibbons had his chance his first time around when Riccardi brought in those free agents and it didn’t work, so why should I believe at all that Gibbons staying next season is the right move?
If, and this is a big if, John Gibbons can turn this around and the Jays can contend for the next couple of seasons, then I will take back what I say 100%, but for now I think this is a bad move on the Jays organization and if they can’t get to contending baseball in the next couple of years then they wasted their farm system, their time and our time, for nothing.
Once next season starts I hope that Gibbons proves me wrong, but for now I really think this was a bad idea by the Jays – that’ll be my last word, for now.
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