raptorsfan29
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« on: June 20, 2008, 07:40:31 pm » |
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John Gibbons, Ernie Witt, Marty Pevey, and Gary Dembo. are fired, and Cito Gaston is brought back.
Gibbons out; Gaston returns to Jays
Toronto turns back to two-time World Series-winning skipper
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com
Cito Gaston managed the Blue Jays to two World Series championships in 1992-93. (Mike Carlson/AP)
PITTSBURGH -- The Blue Jays entered this season with lofty aspirations that have quickly become seemingly unattainable as the club has limped through the first three months. The unanticipated struggles have now cost manager John Gibbons his job.
On Friday, the Blue Jays relieved Gibbons of his duties as Toronto's manager and appointed Cito Gaston -- the orchestrator of the club's World Series titles in 1992-93 -- as the first two-time manager in team history. The Jays also made sweeping changes to their coaching staff.
In light of the Jays' poor offensive production this season, hitting coach Gary Denbo, who was in his first tour with Toronto, was dismissed. So were third-base coach Marty Pevey and first-base coach Ernie Whitt.
Toronto named Gene Tenace its new hitting coach, and hired Dwayne Murphy and Nick Leyva to serve as the club's first-base coach and third-base coach, respectively.
Gaston, along with the new coaches, will be on hand on Friday night in Pittsburgh, where the Jays are opening a three-game Interleague series.
Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi, who joined the team in Pittsburgh, was not immediately available for comment. The moves came after the Jays were swept in Milwaukee over the past three games, keeping Toronto -- a team with designs on contending for a playoff spot -- in last place in the American League East.
The Jays currently own a 35-39 record and have lost five games and six series in a row. During Gibbons' tenure as the club's manager, Toronto went 305-305, dating back to 2004. The 46-year-old Gibbons joined Toronto's staff in 2002 as a bullpen catcher before eventually being named an interim manager on Aug. 8, 2004.
Prior to being named the club's new manager, Gaston served as a club ambassador and special assistant to president and CEO Paul Godfrey. Gaston, 64, managed the Jays from 1989-97 and guided the franchise to four postseason appearances, including both of Toronto's World Series championships.
In his previous time as Toronto's manager, Gaston compiled a 681-635 record in a franchise-high 1,316 games. Gaston also served as a hitting coach for the Jays from 1982-89 and again in 2000-01. Gaston, Bobby Cox and Gibbons are the only managers in team history to reach at least 300 career victories.
The 61-year-old Tenace served under Gaston in the '90s, working as the hitting coach and bench coach between 1990-97. The 54-year-old Leyva also is making a return to the Jays, with whom he served as third-base coach from 1993-97. Murphy, 53, previously worked as Toronto's roving Minor League hitting instructor.
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