Blue Jays given “no choice” in John Gibbons matter

John Gibbons will not return as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019, but why exactly did this formal announcement come before the end of the season?

When John Gibbons appeared on MLB Network Radio in mid-August, many Blue Jays fans were treated to the usual casual speech of their laid-back skipper. For fans of other clubs though, that interview, candid and honest, represented something never before heard by an incumbent big league manager.

In that interview, Gibbons spoke about his job security, the youngsters on his roster and the state of the franchise going forward. While speaking with hosts, Gibby said that he’s “not so sure [he] want[s] to go through a total rebuild”. Apparently, that remark didn’t sit so well with the front office.

As Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun reported just following the formal announcement, the Blue Jays were given “no choice to part ways with [Gibbons] given his vocal and pointed comments about not wanting to be part of a rebuild”.

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It’s obvious that Gibby’s comments weren’t meant to criticize or villainize the current front office regime. It was just clear that he wasn’t fond of the idea of the total rebuild. In a sense, that is perhaps one of the most professional and selfless things he could’ve said in his situation.

It’s quite clear that the Blue Jays could benefit from what Gibby calls a “new fresh face”. Even the skipper himself knew the situation surrounding his job security.

It was never a matter of him not doing his job – the fans, players and front office loved him – but it was about getting to a place that would better suit the needs of the franchise going forward.

Abundantly hilarious and casually sound, John Gibbons will be sent off in historic fashion by the Blue Jays faithful in his final games at the helm of the team. For all intents and purposes, his tenure with the Blue Jays will likely end in a courteous and peaceful fashion.