Blue Jays: Interviewing for the manager’s job? Focus on relationships

Candidates, you are about to enter the vastness (and for some, void) of the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club, as you interview for the open manager spot left vacant by the departure of John Gibbons.

Fans and media have criticised the management of this club since 1977.  We started with Roy Hartsfield, moved to the Bobby Cox, Jimmy Williams and Cito Gaston 1.0 eras, through Jim Fregosi and Buck Martinez, past the Carlos Tosca and Gibby 1.0 era, and into John Farrell and Cito Gaston’s second go-around.  Most recently, we passed the second Gibby era, and the intricacies of managing this team continue to be misunderstood, except for those inside the inner circle.

Our recent (now former) Blue Jays Manager John Gibbons was a regular target for criticism on his ability to manage games or manage his players.  Ironically, he’s the second longest tenured manager in the Jays history with 1601 total games managed (regular season and post-season combined). Only Cito Gaston has more (and he too was vastly misunderstood and criticized).

What did we admire about Gibby?  His Texan charm.  His hobbled walk after years of catching during his playing days showed he is a survivor of the game.  His accessibility to both media and fans was a treat to the faithful.  He always had time to have fun with people and knew how to make light of difficult situations.  He was the first to come back and remind us of our criticisms that eventually went his way.  There was no bigger thug and southern gentleman than Gibby.  His press conferences are legendary.

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Gibby was not perfect by any stretch of the imagination (no one is).  Some feel he could have done some things differently (which doesn’t mean he did things wrong necessarily – just different).

So, with the Jays amid a managerial search to replace Gibbons, who are the people you, the candidates, should be most concerned with pleasing? What preconceived notions should you have in mind, when dealing with these ‘interested parties’, before accepting the job and walking in on day one?

Just to set things straight, I personally don’t profess to knowing the inner workings of the club.  However, as an informed and aware observer, and having experience managing similar baseball relationships, I’m going to take a shot at identifying the most important people you need to nurture and help provide you with some insight as to why these relationships will set the tone for your eventual success or failure.

…and, I wouldn’t be who I am, without offering suggestions on how you can quickly earn some respect and move certain interested parties to your side.

Your Players

Generally, it should go without saying that your job is to get the most out of the pieces you are given.  Your success will be closely dependent on the success of the team in the standings and getting to the post-season.  Everything else you do will be measured against this.

You will be tasked with managing much more than just the players and their performance on the diamond.  My advice, quickly get to know all the pieces well and understand their strengths and weaknesses.  Get to know everyone personally and what makes them tick.  Understand that your relationship with your players span beyond just the two of you; it extends to family, friends, agents, and sponsors.

Communicate with them regularly and ensure that there are no limitations or opportunities for misunderstanding, especially due to cultural or language barriers.  Based on the cultural makeup of our league, home-prepared Sancocho, Kansas City or Carolina ribs, or any other comfort food your players grew up on will earn you major props in this (and any other) major league clubhouse.

Here are some other suggestions to consider, by player:

Prospects / Rookies

• Emphasize that their continued development is the most important factor in their, and the team’s future success.
• Build trust by having their back at every opportunity, whether they have success or failure.
• Curb their behaviours surrounding playing time, and focus on them being prepared for anything, all the time.

Veterans

• Show them how much they mean to you and the team by making them a part of the decision-making process.
• Encourage them to pay their experiences and learning forward to the younger players, as their worth across the league will exponentially increase with this ability, as their career winds down.
• Celebrate their contributions as a tool to promote team unity and the value of role playing.

Superstars

• Encourage them to lead by example, especially when it comes to game preparations, work ethic and practice routine.
• These are the character makers, as the pressures of playing in big markets falls heaviest on these team members.  How they react to the challenges of the game and the bubble they play in, will be the biggest influence on the prospects and rookies on your team.

Your Coaches

Let’s be honest here, these guys are after your job.  There are only 30 jobs out there.  Each of them are looking to develop into Managers at some point in their career.  On your team, they are looking to establish experience and credibility as player developers, executors of strategy, and master tacticians.

To keep them on side, build a culture of coaching development and feed the culture with all the fuel you can.  There is no better compliment than seeing your coaches leave for jobs you prepared them for.

Here are a few more notes on your coaches:

Bench Boss

• He’s your number two.  Make sure he stays close to you as much as possible.
• Encourage open communication and letting him 2nd guess your moves (though you have the final say).
• Take a break a few times a year and let him manage the team for a series or two, with your guidance.
• Ensure he is prepared to work without you (because you will lose your cool from time to time, and get tossed from games).

Base Coaches / Positional Coaches

• They are an extension of your abilities to manage each game. Ensure you communicate well with them and are always on the same page as you, both offensively and defensively.
• These guys get lots of camera time, so instil confidence and trust in their abilities to make their own decisions as things develop.  There is nothing worse than a base coach who looks apprehensive to do anything, looks generally awkward, and/or isn’t allowed to take chances or make mistakes.
• Please encourage them to look sharp and wear a well fitted uniform. Baggy pants look even worse on a nationally telecast game of the week.

Pitching/Hitting Coaches

• Pitchers and Hitters dictate the number of runs scored or allowed.  Thus, they directly influence the result on the scoreboard. Those same coaches influence each players ability to be consistent and productive.
• Help these coaches build a plan that promotes both physical and mental development for both pitchers and hitters.  Encourage them to teach players to prepare for each set of opponents by first focusing on their skills to execute, then on strategy.  Encourage they work closely with trainers, therapists and team psychologists.
• And it wont hurt if they have a cool or outrageous look.  There is nothing like a pitching or hitting coach with tattoos and the ‘biker sheikh’ look to scare the heck out of your AAA call up about to face Aaron Judge or Max Scherzer.

Your GM

He hired you, so you guys should already be on the same page.  If you are not on the same page, you shouldn’t have taken the job (no matter how many mortgage payments you need to cover).  His success is based on yours.  If things go south, statistically, he leaves with you (or just thereafter).

Encourage a collaborative approach to making roster moves, trades and acquisitions.  Once the moves are made, it’s up to you to make them work.  There should be no surprises in what happens on the diamond between you and the GM.  Most important, ask for feedback regularly.  That includes finding out what he thinks of you, and what he’s heard from those above him about you (i.e. President or Board of Directors)

Your Media and the Fans.

A necessary part of the game, and the real reason you exist, here are some things to consider:

• Be entertaining without being crazy or aloof when talking with media or the fans.
• Find a balance between telling it as it is and talking around an issue.
• Use a media coordinator to facilitate a media scrum if certain members of the local media are too pushy or greedy for your time.
• Both fans and media will second guess you, so at least be consistent.
• Toronto Fans and Media have a bit of an inferiority complex, so be careful what you say and do, so as not to make them feel they are in a corner and being singled out as inadequate.
• For heaven’s sake, ensure you and your players are always accessible.  You all should have nothing to hide as you all already left it all on the field that afternoon/evening.
• They are looking to love you, so encourage the romance.

Special Note on Player Accessibility:

Blue Jays brass… maybe a bit of a side note, but isn’t it time that your team takes batting practice, at home, when your home fans are in the stadium (not before the doors open).  If the Yankees, Cubs, and Red Sox can do it, why can’t you?  Bring the player accessibility of spring training to the Rogers Centre, every game day.  You will draw more people earlier, which means more game day excitement, more life long fans, more special memories, and more concession sales.

Final Thoughts:

Candidates, if you are going to take any advice from me, do yourself a favour and trust your instincts, go with what you know and be yourself. If you don’t win the role, it was because you weren’t the right person.  Keep trying and keep learning.

If you do manage to win out, don’t worry too much about long term job security with this club, because based on the Blue Jays history, and with a little bit of success, you will likely guarantee yourself a second tour of duty with the Jays somewhere down the road anyway.

T.

Tino Merianos

(aka Coach T)