|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE |  |
Like old times Gaston back in Toronto's dugout
Posted: Thursday June 22, 2000 12:42 AM
By Nancy Newman, CNNSI.com TORONTO -- Things haven't been the same in Toronto since Carter, whether it be Joe, or Vince. While their basketball brethren Raptors are climbing to new heights under Vince, the Blue Jays, since Joe's fateful World Series home run-winning stroke, in October of 1993, have had four losing seasons in six years. Time to bring back, he who took you to the top. "Before I was manager, I was hitting coach and they just about had to tie me up just to get me to manage," said Cito Gaston who served in the latter position from 1982-1989. "So I was really enjoying the job that I loved doing. It's not too often you can go to work and love a job that you are involved in. So, it's just like the old days." The old days, were glory days as the Blue Jays manager guided an extra-ordinary run, highlighted by back-to-back World Series titles. If Gaston can do for young hitters like Carlos Delgado and Jose Cruz Jr., what he did for the likes of Fred McGriff and John Olerud, the mission may come full circle, with championship history repeating itself. "Delgado and McGriff are somewhat similar," gaston says. "I think they both have good eyes up there hitting. They have an idea of what they want to do when they walk in that box and that makes them a bit alike. As far as Kelly Gruber and Jose, it has taken Jose a little bit longer to get his stroke down." Cruz, who plays centerfield fully understands and appreciates the level of experience Gaston has brought to the team. "Everything was there," he says, "it was just a matter of putting it together and maybe getting a better approach, or a better plan up there. And Cito has definiely been a big, big part of that teaching me and still learning." Team shortstop Alex Gonzalez explans how Gaston helps prepare the Jays at the plate. "He likes to see hitters look for a certain pitch and stick with it throughout the at- bat and actually throughout the game. His big approach is if you have a plan going up to the plate, that you actually have a good chance of hitting." For leftfielder Shannon Stewart, learning under Gaston is, well, like taking the opposition to school..
"He's a very smart man. You know, you go up there sometimes and it's like you know what the guy is going to throw before you even go up there. And that's just like taking the test and knowing the answers." In the circle of his big league life, Gaston is not only in his early role with the Toronto Blue Jays, but he's working for the man he beat as dueling skippers in the '93 World Series, Jim Fregosi. "Well, he comes up and say, 'Well I beat you in the All-Star game," Gaston says with a laugh. "And I'll say, 'Fine, that's right. I'll take the World Series. You can have the All-Star game." It's a little inside joke bewteen the two men that Fregosi knows only too well because it gets a laugh out of him too when he's asked about that story. "Well, you know what?" Fregosi asks with a smile. "I would have rather won the World Series to be very honest with you." But will he ever tell that to his hitting coach? "No," responds the manager. Jim Fregosi, it's our secret. In the meantime, Gaston has garnered interest at the manager level. He interviewed for the Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers vacancies last winter. Prior to that he turned down an offer from the Anaheim Angels. Cito says he has not given up on managing, and in fact, would be up for another go-round if the right offer came along.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
