In a pre-game interview with Mike Wilner on the Fan 590, Jeff Blair called it: John Gibbons will be fired by May 14."They're going to have to get off to a really hot start (for Gibbons to keep his job). One or two games under .500 isn't going to cut it," Blair said. (Paraphrasing, but that's pretty close.)
Cito vs Gibby
Watching Game 6 of the 1992 World Series last night, it struck us that the great and knighted Cito Gaston had a propensity to make some bone-headed decisions. Cito inserted Jimmy Key into the game in the 10th, but didn't bother with a double switch which would have moved Key further down the lineup and moving the more defensively sure John Olerud into the field. Instead, Key was inserted directly into the lineup, which meant that he had to lead off the next inning.
If Gibby pulled anything close to that in a meaningless game in April, the entire press box and Jays blogosphere would be in absolute paroxysms of rage for months afterwards.
Not to mention the fact that Winfield was still in right and right handed non-first baseman Joe Carter was still on first.
ReplyDeleteYeah, but with the laid-back, placid, 38-beats-a-minute Oly on first, the last out celebration would not have been anywhere near as memorable.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Bobby Cox used John Smoltz as a pinch runner.
ReplyDeleteAs long as the patron saint of these parts still came dashing onto the field in white cross trainers, I'm happy.
ReplyDeleteI still remember Jimmy Key in the clubhouse celebrations on TV being upset with himself for popping out during his at-bat.
ReplyDeleteA little remembered factoid from that series: Key was 2-0. Had to be the quietest 2-0 in the history of the Series.
It's a truism that the guys who contribute the least to a series win are usually the guys who are on the top of the pile in celebrations.
ReplyDeleteTabler, Derek Bell, and god bless him, Stieb running onto the field and launching themselves into the pile was a riot.
Also, Jimmy Key was ridiculously awesome. Dude belongs on the level of excellence.