http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/tor/news/tor_news.jsp?ymd=20041004&c ontent_id=882538&vkey=news_tor&fext=.jsp Gibbons named full-time manager By Spencer Fordin / MLB.com The Blue Jays announced Monday that John Gibbons will be the team's manager nex t year. (M. David Leeds/Getty Images) TORONTO -- He was the man of the hourglass. John Gibbons even got to name his o wn time on Monday, when he was named Toronto's full-time manager in a press con ference at 10 a.m. That time-frame was necessary because Gibbons had an afternoon flight back to T exas, headed home to spend some much-needed time with the family. In the baseba ll business, it never lasts long -- pitchers and catchers report in 134 days, i f you're counting. "It's a big responsibility and it's something I take very seriously," Gibbons s aid at SkyDome's Founders Club. "I think we can get something done here. This p ast year was a tough year for the organization. We had taken such a big step th e previous year and never really got anything going. "There's hope on the horizon, and good things take time. I really believe that, and I think the town of Toronto can have a team they can get excited about." Soon, Gibbons hopes, they may feel the same way about the coaching staff. Ernie Whitt, one of the longest-serving players in franchise history, was named as t he new bench coach. Brad Arnsberg, a veteran of two other Major League staffs, will replace popular pitching coach Gil Patterson. Both coaches have their own built-in advantage aiding the transition. Arnsberg' s is obvious: Most of Toronto's pitching staff passed through Triple-A Syracuse this season, where he was calling the shots. Whitt's is a little more nuanced: Like Gibbons, he's a former catcher. He's also a former manager, with the rece nt Olympics on his resume. "We've always been very much involved in the game. With situations that evolve during the course of a game, we're going to be pretty much on the same page," W hitt said. "I think the biggest thing is bringing energy to this team and keepi ng guys focused." "He's got everything to offer," said Gibbons. "In my opinion, he'll be a good M ajor League manager someday in the near future. He's going to be a huge additio n." Toronto's top brass was saying the same thing about Gibbons, the 42-year-old so n of a scientist. They said he took a bad situation and made it better, even if the record doesn't show it. And it doesn't: Gibbons led the Jays to a 20-30 re cord (.400) down the stretch, compared to a 47-64 mark (.423) under Carlos Tosc a. J.P. Ricciardi, the team's general manager, said Gibbons got through to the pla yers. He said the clubhouse was a better place after Gibbons took over, and he would know. Ricciardi and Gibbons were roommates and minor league teammates mor e than two decades ago. Still, the decision-maker didn't know he was getting a full-time manager when he made the switch. "I've known John for a long time and I knew what he stood for, but quite honest ly, we were just trying to right the ship," he said. "I don't think, right then and there, that we were going to name our manager based on that first week. As we went forward, we saw what Johnny was doing and how much the clubhouse got c almed down. "Guys started to understand their roles and guys played for him. As the season went on, we realized we had something right underneath us." The players knew all along. They had a genuine former phenom in their midst, a first-round pick who played in the Majors. Gibbons only played 18 games in the big leagues, falling a victim to time and circumstance. He was set to break cam p with the Mets as the Opening Day catcher in 1984, but he broke his cheek in a collision at the plate. He came back and played but didn't hit much, straining his elbow shortly after. Just like that, his shot was gone. He went to the minors when he recovered, bu t his career prospects never did. New York traded for Gary Carter that winter a nd the rest is recent history: The Mets won the World Series, and Gibbons playe d eight games en route to a ring. He played four more years, but never got any meaningful Major League playing ti me. The backstop retired at the early age of 28, branching off into coaching. U pward mobility changed starkly after he became a minor league manager: Two titl es and three Manager of the Year awards later, he joined Toronto as a bullpen c oach. That was a brief designation. He went to first-base coach when Buck Martinez wa s dismissed and moved into the top spot when Tosca met the same fate. Now, on a one-year deal, he's staring at a 67-94 finish. Luckily, his supervisors unders tand his position. "Although we did take a step back on the field, we do believe we're on the righ t course," said Paul Godfrey, Toronto's president and CEO. "Nothing in life goe s forward in a straight line. We believe we took two steps forward the year bef ore." -- My Fantasy Toronto Blue Jays P Roger Clemens Roy Halladay Pat Hentgen 1 Ricky Henderson(LF) 2 Robeto Alomar(2B) 3 Paul Molitor(3B) 4 Joe Carter(DH) 5 Shawn Green(RF) 6 John Olerud(1B) 7 Vernon Wells(CF) 8 Carlos Delgado(C) 9 Tony Fernandez(SS) --

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