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MLB WINTER MEETINGSDecember 5, 2007John GibbonsNASHVILLE, TENNESSEE Q. What's -- I think this is your fourth Winter Meeting as manager of the Jays; is that correct? JOHN GIBBONS: Yeah, Anaheim, Dallas. Q. So we're all chasing the rumors, reading about the rumors. What's your take in the process that happens here? We're hearing Rios to San Francisco and various scenarios. What's your role in this, I guess? JOHN GIBBONS: I sit in there, and we discuss different guys and teams will call in different players at different times. There may never be a match, but they may get a wild hair one day and we'll take a chance of getting this guy. To be honest, when I went to my first meeting, it's really a simple process, it really is. You go to the room and guys get on chalk boards and discuss certain guys. I always thought it would be a little more complicated than it really is. Get together in suites like that, discuss possible trades. It's a complicated but simple process, but with J.P., I give him my two cents what I think about the team, and if he brings up a certain type player, that kind of thing, but then -- he does his thing. That's his job to put the team together. He gets a lot of input. Q. We're hearing Cain and Lincecum a lot. What do you know about those two guys? JOHN GIBBONS: San Francisco has contacted J.P., talking about Rios. Number of teams. Two time All Star at a young age. He's going to drum up some interest. But, as far as I know, it hasn't gone much further than that. That happened on the first day I was here, which would have been Monday. Sometimes things are slow to develop. Sometimes there's nothing even there at all. Sometimes maybe things aren't even worth it. Who knows. Q. Do you enjoy this kind -- that kind of talk, the process of seeing about wheeling and dealing, that kind of stuff? JOHN GIBBONS: It's kind of fun. When you set the price tag next to the guy you're talking about, it gets a little more complicated. Lot of ways it is like fantasy baseball, but you know, you always trying to improve your team. We have some limitations what we're able to do, so we'll see. I don't know what's going to happen from here on out. I'm leaving tonight, and we'll see. Q. John, how disappointed would you be if the Jays don't pull off a major trade here? JOHN GIBBONS: I got -- you know, I wouldn't say I was disappointed. You know, if we pull off something that's going to make us better, I would be excited. I wouldn't leave saying, you know, you really don't know who we need to get at this point or even who we're able to get. Q. Do you have a wish list, does J.P. ask you for a wish list? You're in the dugout every day. You know the team. JOHN GIBBONS: Oh, yeah, we discuss it throughout the summer, last season, and, you know, I think we need a little bit more speed on the team. I'm not only talking about base stealing-type speed but team speed, but I don't know how much we can even improve on that. Basically got our offense right now. I've said many times we're definitely right-handed dominant. We need some production out of our lefties next year. There's some things, too, I wouldn't tell you guys right now, but those are public. Q. Mr. Godfrey mentioned two nights ago if he brought in Canadian players, it would not help at the gate obviously from marketing in the Toronto area. The two players aren't there Jason Bay and Erik Bedard. By the way, they're outstanding. JOHN GIBBONS: Two of the better players in the game. I would thing it would help drum up interest. If you get ahold of those two guys, it would be big. It's going to cost you an awful lot, whether they would even want -- want any guys we want to offer would be a different thing. They're two of the -- two All Star players. One guy is arguably in the top five pitchers in the game, Bedard. Bay, you know, not many better hitters out there. He's proven that the last few years. Those guys don't come cheap. Q. You're the only guy in that room who is in the dugout 162 games every year. Do you hear stuff being said that you feel the need to stand up and say, "Hey, hang on about certain players" that you -- JOHN GIBBONS: I always -- it's a healthy thing to argue your point in what you see. I give different perspective than a lot of the other people in the front office do. That's everywhere. But, you know, J.P., it's his job to put the team together, and there's limitations to what you can do. We were maxed out pretty good last year with our payroll. There's limitations. We like our team. Whether we can adjust it, make it a little better, you know, we haven't been able to do anything with that yet, but, you know, we got to have some guys have some bounce back years next year. Q. All your injuries, are you expecting everybody back? JOHN GIBBONS: Everybody should be fine in Spring Training. We need those guys -- we need -- we need those guys for a full year. Q. Nobody is behind schedule? JOHN GIBBONS: No. With Ryan he's going to be ready to go, but still you got to have cautious, you know. You want his timing to be just right. When he comes back, there's no setbacks. But he'll be healthy, ready to go. Q. Ryan will be ready for the start of Spring Training? JOHN GIBBONS: That's the indication I've gotten, yeah. Q. When was the surgery? April? May? JOHN GIBBONS: Modern medicine. Q. What do you make of what's happening in the American League so far this off-season? Could guys coming into your two division rivals talking about things, clearly looking to -- the same as always? JOHN GIBBONS: The two teams you're talking about, Boston -- that's what they do. They're always looking to upgrade. You know, they have definitely have the resources to do it, and they don't sit tight. Everybody is competing against everybody, but those two teams have a little -- there's a little extra involved there, I think one can't sit and watch the other one improve too much when they don't do anything. You've been watching with Santana. It's kind of obvious what's going on there. But those teams, I mean they're going to do whatever they have to do. Q. What about when you add on what the Angels have done, what the Tigers have done? JOHN GIBBONS: The Tigers, that's huge. You look at it. There's not a better team out there. They had the number of injuries last year that cost them primarily in the rotation, and they're right there at the end anyway. Then they added two key guys, they're going to be that much better. Q. Does that put you guys in the position of needing to bulk up in some way in order to compete with what's being done? JOHN GIBBONS: I don't know. We like what we have. We're going to have to have some big years to compete, no question. Q. J.P. has said, and you kind of just said yourself, that when healthy he likes this team. Big year, healthy, this could be a playoff team in your mind if you stay healthy and perform? JOHN GIBBONS: You always shoot for post-season. Especially the last couple years, when J.P. first arrived, it was basically clean the house up, whatever, get everything in order. Then we kind of took the turn, and the talk has been we want to be a competitive club. We're past rebuilding. We approach it every year like that now anyway. Whether it happens -- it hasn't happened yet. When it will, who knows? We're hoping it's this year. You've got to be optimistic. Things got to go your way. Everything has got to work out right. Q. What does that all mean for you? JOHN GIBBONS: Personally? I don't know. I'm here right now. We'll see. It's the nature of the business, you know. I'll see you in Vegas or I won't. Q. When you go into a three-game series head to head against the Yankees or Red Sox, it seems a lot of times you guys match up well and can compete for two out of three. Over 162 games, has that been a more daunting task, matching up with them over the course of a full season? JOHN GIBBONS: I think -- with the big payrolls, I think where it gives you that big advantage is like depth. You can weather are the storm, this guy -- lose this guy for a month or whatever it is. Just like I said over 162 games, then they're built for that kind of race, really. But you go and do a three-day set, whatever, we feel good going in. It's going to be tough to shut those teams down. You feel good. But their depth is what I think a lot of times carries them in 162 game season. That's why, you know, things have got to go right for you, I'm talking in our case. But you play to win. We like our team, and we'll see. Q. Is it almost like you have to have a perfect season? JOHN GIBBONS: I think most teams that win it, most team gets to the post-season, things generally fall their way, you know. Q. With the new setup of your coaching staff, is Spring Training -- are you going to have to get more familiar with Butterfield as the bench coach? JOHN GIBBONS: No. I know them all personally. Everybody chips in their advice, and everybody has their own department anyway. We've been operating that way. Probably get tired of listening to Butterfield like this (indicating). He may call football plays during the game. Run the trap. No. Q. Butterfield did such a good job at 3rd base in terms of being aggressive, not necessarily stealing bases but taking that extra base. When you put a former catcher at 3rd base, it becomes a case of like "None of you guys ever could run anyway." JOHN GIBBONS: Marty played everywhere, didn't he? Not strictly catcher. Q. I mean, a lot of things that Butter did you took for granted. Is that going to be what Spring Training is for Marty? JOHN GIBBONS: You know, he's got experience coaching 3rd. He doesn't have it at the Big League level. What's going to help in the last couple years, he's sitting out there watching guys from other teams anyway. So that's not going to be new to him. He's going to make mistakes like anybody else, but, you know, you live with that. Nobody is ever going to be perfect. I've already told him, hey, be aggressive. No, I've got no worries about that. Do your thing. That's what your hired to do, you know. Q. How are you going to help Zaun with the running game this year. JOHN GIBBONS: We're going to have to do a better job in Spring Training. How much better we can get, I don't know. Truthfully, I don't know. Q. Do you live with it, because it seemed like Doc and A.J. and McGowan had the hardest time holding runners, if they're going to -- JOHN GIBBONS: You're right. They all to make a little progress, help a little bit but turn them into Marcum, those guys, keep them off base, personally. Johnny, too, his arm has got to feel betterment. We hope it feels better. Q. Would it help him to have a lefty in the rotation looking at the runner and B.J. at the end of the game a lefty again? JOHN GIBBONS: B.J., they've been running on him his whole career. Generally teams don't run in the 9th inning anyway unless it's a dead set. You win some games going back. If you look back at baseball, most teams don't do it, you know? You end up winning World Series when you do it. But no, generally that's not part of his strength. Q. Lefty in the rotation would be optimum for you? JOHN GIBBONS: Generally lefties help. They don't all have good moves. It can make a big difference. Q. Are you looking at changing anything in the way with the change over in the coaching staff and, you know, sort of the demands that this team lives up to what it's promised doing to contend? Are you looking at changing anything in the way you're managing or the way you approach the season, or is it -- JOHN GIBBONS: No. You know, I approach things one way. I learned from mistakes, but I am who I am. I'm going to go out there and run it the way I think it needs to be run, and we'll either get the results or we won't. I don't think as you know -- it does no good to reinvent yourself. That's not who you are. Hey, go out there and play better baseball hopefully than the other teams you're facing over the long haul. No, I've got no magic pills or I'm not going to become a drill sergeant or cheerleader, that type. No, that's phony. You are what you are, and the team performs. Generally, if you got enough talent, you'll be there in the end. If you don't, you won't. I believe that. Q. Did you play against Marty? JOHN GIBBONS: Yeah, I think I did. I had to cross paths with Marty somewhere. He was the Cardinals. We were always in their instructional league, Spring Training. Q. Have you thought about -- JOHN GIBBONS: You think Gene Lamont is going to run? Q. Have you thought about how you're going to put the lineup together this year, who is going to be up top? JOHN GIBBONS: No. I've kind of bounced things off. We'll wait and see until it's set. Hey, some questions, how you want to do it. Q. You didn't lose once with Stairs leading off? JOHN GIBBONS: How many times did he do it? Q. Eight. JOHN GIBBONS: There it is. Print it. No, right now I don't have any idea. If it's Reed and Lamont out there, he can do it. Q. Would you put Vernon back there or Rios if he's still around? JOHN GIBBONS: I don't know. Q. You talked about the left hand/right hand balance. Would you consider -- if the team is what it is today, would you consider maybe taking guys out of what -- where they traditionally hit to get more lefties or to intersperse with the righties? JOHN GIBBONS: I've been complaining about that a little bit, you know, but look at Detroit. They're basically all right-handed, right? Very good right-handed. Here, Jim. You don't hear Jim Leyland complaining right now. Maybe I ought to drop that. I don't know. Who did they have? Q. Guillen is a switch-hitter. You talk about the bench in comparison with the teams that have more financial ability. Is Scooter a big part of your new bench? JOHN GIBBONS: I think he'll help. He's fit that role and he can play anywhere. Put a good bat on him, you know. The key we've got to have somebody that can fill in for Glaus if he comes up lame. We don't know what's going to happen. You think he's healthy, but who knows. Wear and tear may -- now the last year primarily early on especially, we were going Smith and McDonald over there. That's not really what you want to do. Scooter gives us a little more versatility. He can play short. He's always been a tough out. Q. Is there enough at bats for Adam Lind if the team came in the way it is right now? JOHN GIBBONS: If he came in right now, he would have to be a pinch-hitter off the bench, probably. Rios, Vernon and Reed and those guys. He's too young to be sitting on the bench. Q. Is that where Buck Coats comes in? JOHN GIBBONS: There you go, shortstop. How many errors did you say he had? Q. 103. JOHN GIBBONS: How about that? One year. Q. How many of those games he started? JOHN GIBBONS: How many errors did Marty have in his career. Q. You want to know how many stolen bases you had? JOHN GIBBONS: Yes. Q. Twenty-four. JOHN GIBBONS: That's not bad. Too many doubles. Q. John, how are you? J.P. told us yesterday that or the day before that he really wants Janssen in the rotation long-term. Do you feel the same way about him? JOHN GIBBONS: He's pitched so well in the role he's in right now. If it takes away from us down there, it doesn't make any sense. We've got to be strong. Got some guys that can fill it. I know what Jesse did. If we're strong down there -- putting him in there, he's the best guy. Q. B.J. comes back and Accardo slips down, that seems to -- JOHN GIBBONS: That might be the time to be involved with it. But then, too, that's going the take a little time, it takes time to build it up. Q. B.J. should be at full strength? JOHN GIBBONS: Shouldn't be any limitations other than the reservations in Spring Training. You want to make sure when he's ready to go that he's ready to go. Q. When is he ready to go, will he close right away? JOHN GIBBONS: Yes. Q. How are you going to determine whether he's ready to go because he might say he is? JOHN GIBBONS: By just looking at him. We should be able to tell. There's going to come a time during the season, too, he may be able to go a couple days and, and you need to give him a day or two off. That's when Accardo will step in. Who knows? Q. Have you talked to Gary Denbo at all? JOHN GIBBONS: I met Gary when he was a Yankees coach. What year was that? '01 I knew him briefly. Butter has always been a good friend. I've never known anything but good things, guys that really know him. Hopefully he'll get us on track. Q. What's the biggest challenge of putting a bullpen together? What's the biggest challenge in getting a stable bullpen together? JOHN GIBBONS: Well, you know, the key is your starter -- you got to really have the starters to get you to a certain point in the game, you know, a great amount of the time, otherwise, you get exposed. If those guys get knocked out, really you're looking at middle relief. Then you got to have some guys that can get strike-outs and guys that are durable. They got to be able to throw a strike. You have to have some decent arms, I think. Q. Bullpen seems like it's always something. JOHN GIBBONS: You use a guy a lot one year. You don't know how they're going to respond the next year. We did that with a few guys this year. Q. What's the number one thing you ask, or what's the ideal bullpen situation for -- some managers say "I need my pitchers to be totally honest, let me know when they can and cannot throw." JOHN GIBBONS: You want them to do that. You always kind of want the guy, too, that he may be a little banged up but going to tell you "I can still do it", but then we take the ball out of his hands. You want that guy with that mindset. "If you need me, I'm there." But you always got to be smart. You can't push a guy to the point where -- which is easy to do. Q. It's what? JOHN GIBBONS: Easy to do. You may have doubts in the back of your mind, "Should I be pitching him tonight?" You know, it's a big game out there. You got to think long-term on these guys, too. You get so caught up in yourself, you know. I got to win this game for this, whatever it may be. You end up abusing those guys. Q. What is your opinion on setting up the bullpen to the point where you have a 7th inning, 8th inning, 9th inning guy or rather have them all? JOHN GIBBONS: It makes things easier when you're at a certain point in the game, you automatically turn it over to this guy. You got to make sure you have guys take both righthanders and lefthanders out. It's nice when you have a left-hander who is not limited to lefties. But it definitely -- you know, if you can, at least you definitely got to have your 8th inning guy and 9th inning guy and you can work last from that. Q. Are you content and resigned to managing this season on the last year of a contract? Is that okay with you? JOHN GIBBONS: Yeah, it's fine with me. You know, I've had -- it's been my fourth year here. It's just the way it is, you know. We expect a lot out of this team, fans, management, owners, want to see the results. I'm the guy that's going to be responsible for that. I've got no problem. Q. I was wondering about Rios. Do you think it's odd he was like your healthiest guy, one of your better players. Did he do anything, you know, disappointing last season, or is it the fact that his name is out there because he's the most marketable player you have? JOHN GIBBONS: He's definitely the most marketable we've got, offense everyday player, two-time All Star, you know. He's a young kid, and the sky is the limit on what he might be able to accomplish. Yeah, he stayed healthy all last year. Q. Stayed out of the showers. JOHN GIBBONS: Didn't get that fungus. End of FastScripts |
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