OverDrive - Gibbons on his memories of 2015, the surging Blue Jays, and his thoughts on Soto

Episode Date: July 16, 2025

Mets bench coach John Gibbons on his memories of 2015, the surging Blue Jays, and his thoughts on Juan Soto.

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The station that champions Canadian music. Loud, proud, and all yours. No passports required. Just press play. Tap into Made inada now on i have radio dot c a or the free i heart radio app outline here's john gibbons give me do you consider yourself an author

no no but i thought you know what you can ask me to do that uh... at the very little issues that is the at just don't do my bit it's a little bit of a friend of many friends or don't. That's right. That's right. It's great catching up with you. Long time. Long time. Great catching up with you. How are you enjoying the All-Star break? Nice. It's almost over. I tell you what, those four days go by so fast. But it'll be time to get back to work, no doubt about it. Yeah, I guess so, right? Like it happens quick.

I mean, what, what, do you have a chance to get back home to get down to San Antonio? What's, what have you been doing? Yeah, that's, that's where I'm at right now. And I fly back up to New York tomorrow. And, but hey, you guys, man, you guys are on fire up there, huh? Well, you know what, we're, we're 2015 is coming up, Gibby. Like it's people are starting to mention fifteen and you know you're right in the middle of that clearly and you know we were just

talking about it that famously fifty and fifty one and then swing for the fences go get price go get to get red hot and uh... you know that's what people are hoping for here in toronto but i'm i'm curious if you can just speak to what it's like you know in the city in toronto at Dome when you're in the hunt in August and September you experienced it multiple times how different is it from other years where

you weren't in a hunt in April or May or June? Yeah it's a huge difference you know I'd I got up there in 2002, started as a coach, and eventually managed first time and then ended up coming back. You know the whole story. Everybody would always talk about, hey, you know what, if you guys are relevant, sometimes August and September,

watch what happens to this place. Watch what happens to Toronto, watch what happens around the country. Of course, we never were for so many years, so I thought, okay, happens around the country. Of course, we never were for so many years. So, you know, I thought, okay, maybe, maybe not. But, and then, you know, 15 rolled around and, you know, things fell in place in Anthopolis, you know, he went wild. And, you know, the team just took off and you could see it was like a light switch, you know, and it was like everything

that everybody had always told me. And it's dang you know then naturally Toronto caught fire and then the rest of the country and you know we were basically unbeatable there till the end so it's real you know and then there was that carryover effect for a number of years and then you know they went through the rebuild and all that so some of that dies off and but you know for me I'm on the outside looking at you guys now, and you guys are playing some great ball. Who knows, maybe we'll have the old Metz Blue Jays World Series, you never know. I love that idea.

That would be good. Gibby, in all your years where, you know, you've had teams and you've made a big trade or an acquisition, do you think players sometimes look at that and say, well now there's pressure on us to win. I know it didn't go that way for you guys in 2015. You guys went on a massive heater and no it didn't feel like you guys felt the pressure. But do you think it could almost go the other way where guys are like, oh my god, there's a lot expected of us right now. You know what, I don't know if it would affect the players much, maybe the coaches, staffs, but I can tell you in 14, it would affect the players much, maybe the coaches, staffs, but I can tell you in 14,

we were almost in an identical spot that we were in 15, right? But Alex had no money left to spend. I don't think we did anything of the trade deadline. We might have made a little small move. And I can remember the day after that Batista and Jansen, our closer, came out and did interviews and they were expressing the disappointment. And so it was like it just sucked the wind out of us, right? And I mean, you know, they, you know, it was limited, you know, Alex had no money. That's just the way he was being treated up there at that time. And so what he did in 15, he kept some money in his back pocket there and ended up making

almost identical position as the year before. But he had enough money, he could go get David Price, you know, his pro-rated salary the rest of the year and then Tula Whitsky and Jose Reyes was pretty much a loss and a couple other small, you know, moves. But if he hadn't saved any money or kept any for that particular reason, nothing would happen. So it's crucial I think you know this is where you know the GMs make their name you know they when uh hey they go your team meet something it may not even be a lot but just a little something sends a big big message to those guys in the in the room because when it doesn't happen you know it affects them uh

just the opposite and I can remember at 14 we didn't do anything we just disappeared quickly after that so but as far as the pressure on him I don't know I think it's more of excitement for the for the players there you know naturally there's always pressure on the manager or you get the most out of these guys we gave you what you wanted but I'm not so sure the players always feel that but the the fans love it too, you know, and it's just, it lifts, you know, your whole fan base up. Pete Slauson

Givby, back in those 15 and 16 years, now there are stadiums in Major League Baseball where players and coaches get in their car and drive home and they don't have to interact with anyone. Downtown Toronto is a little different as you know. You're around the people who in prior years may have been yelling other things at you. What was it like for you in those years when it turned around? Because you're a guy who would walk the stadium, you've got to live your life around the city. What was that turn like for you? What do you remember about that? K, can I tell you, well, they were, they were, when I first go around and when things weren't good, you know, maybe they were rightfully so hollering at things at me, negative things at me.

But I mean, it was like I went from villain to hero. I still can't understand it to this day. But you know, I mean, it was, the fan base was starved there for so long, you know? And especially after you went back to back championships and then there's, you know, that, I don't know, how many how many 20 something years, whatever it was, you know, that's a long time route for a team and not getting to the postseason. And so when it happened, you know, God, this is, this is, it's like, wow, you know, here

we are, we're back boys. And you could feel it. And then, you know, like I said, the country caught fire and, you know, know there were and it lasted like that at least a couple two or three years and then you know some things changed and I would expect you know I you know like it be in a distance you know away now you know I'm not sure how the feeling is up there but I know those all after the last couple years when they struggled there was some skepticism and things like that but I expect the the optimism is returned I would hope anyway yeah

dot people are feeling pretty good i mean they never met the e you notice a player as a manager give me like you got you play the games and generally speaking the fans and me if you win people are happy if you lose people are happy like it's not really an over overly complicated system pretty solid and what should be you mean, people pay a lot of money to go watch a team, you know?

So if you're gonna demand that, take that from them, you know, they expect something in return. And, you know, it looks like every night you guys can run out, it seems like a good starting pitcher, you know? You had that little rut there a while when Scherzer was down. But that's gonna give you a shot every night. And it looks like you just got a bunch of gamers now to go with some, you know,

some of your star players and that's my impression from afar. You know, and it's a group of dirtbag type players that the fans can, especially, you know, in a hockey obsessed country, you know, they love those kind of guys and I think that seems to be the perfect kind of players you have if you let me ask you about my favorite uh... record of yours the career injections blue jays record that you that's kinda like al ripkins consecutive games record up here but i don't think it's not going to touch

veto had twenty seven in the manage more games the run away with it i don't know if you saw john schnider's ejection in sacramento there the other day give you got run out through center field in that minor league park after a along altercation bit of a rugby scrub yeah he was getting pushed man he's pushing back to use fighting for position he was there with the there was some of the most tackles so give you all here your review of that injection of what goes into a good

injection you know what what what are you trying to check off when you're out there and you know So, Gibby, I want to hear your review of that ejection. What goes into a good ejection? What are you trying to check off when you're out there and you know I'm out of this game? What are you trying to get out there? Well, you have to be honest with you. People always ask, well, you do that to fire up your team. That was never my deal. My deal was I was angry and something. We were playing lousy baseball and I got tired of watching it.

But one thing I do know, you got to fight for your guys. If you want to expect them to fight for you, you got to do that. I'm not sure what happened out there. It was just a short foul pole that he thought it was fair. Yeah. Not enough camera angles, I think. Yeah. Yeah. And that's the way it goes. And yeah, I mean, that was pretty heated. I think yeah Yeah, and then that's not my only part. You know that's the way it goes and yeah, I got that I mean that was a pretty heated idea. You know, just a day Johnny man. It's like WWE man They bumping each other a little bit, you know But you know you need to do that as a manager sometimes, you know, and in

You know, as long as you go for all the right reasons, you know, it's not phony But you know John's got some he's got some fire in that belly he's got that big belly like I got you know so there's a lot of fire in that though and you know whatever he's doing whatever he's doing like all that just having to do it up there it's working I tell you that. Absolutely with John Gibbons so you were a catcher when you were a player and I'm curious you know what you're making of the big dumper Cal Raleigh I think that's the best nickname in sports right now the big dumper so phenomenal but he's sitting on 38 home runs he's on pace for

64 which would set an American League record you know how much how much pride do you take in that Gibby as a former catcher yourself and are you in awe of this and do you believe he can get to the finish line considering the position he plays? Gosh I hope so you know it is great to see you know a catcher and it's pretty remarkable that he's got so many home runs but you know that off our break and you know nowadays you watch you know every I'm amazed at how hard all these guys throw nowadays, right? In the, the offense and a lot of, a lot of ways is down in a lot of, a lot of

areas, you know, guys don't hit for much for average. They strike out a lot all the time, you know, and you're constantly the style of managing, you know, you, you change pitchers every, you know, every any, it seems like. Uh, so the, you know, it's really pretty remarkable that he's doing it now, you know, the way these guys throw and the different pitchers he's facing. And, you know, it's not necessarily

an easy ballpark out there in Seattle to hit either size-wise and, you know, the full, you know, the catching position taken on his body, you know, it's pretty amazing. It's going to be like a dream year for him. And, you know, the fact that he won the home running contest the other night, I think it was perfect. You know, so yeah, it's, you know, I grew up, my favorite guy was Johnny Bench.

And, you know, Johnny was always kind of, you know, he, I think 45 maybe was his most that he ever hit in a year. So he's going to blow, He should blow past that if he stays stays healthy, but Yeah, it's remarkable. It's happened to a catcher and you know, most teams they don't ride their catchers either like You know, they do out there in Seattle. Maybe it's because he's playing so well, but I think Raleigh You know, he's always played a lot of games and he's a big strong country boy That's that's for sure and I'm rooting for him

And he's a big strong country boy. That's for sure and I'm rooting for him. Gabby, we always talk about the NHL All-Star Game and how people don't really want to watch it. And, you know, the NBA All-Star Game is pretty much a mess. Last night, I think it's been a resounding success from everyone that, you know, we've spoken to or heard from. What did you think of last night's All-Star game and everything that it entailed, whether it was Kershaw or Skeens or the tribute or the hit-off at the end of the game, did you like it? Did you think that the MLB got it all right? Well, I'll tell you what, it's funny, I saw when Alonzo hit his home run, one of our guys, after that I fell asleep, miss the rest of it yeah I

saw they won on a home run in contests I didn't even know they had that you know and you know it's funny now the you know all the also most of the all-star games like you said are brutal you know they they're just kind of like a love fest and in all the hugging going on and everything now like you know they you know they used to be in all the sports, but I think baseball probably has the best ones. You know, I've seen in hockey, man, much as those guys beat each other,

you can't get too carried away in an exhibition-type game there. But, you know, I've seen enough baseball now in my lifetime where I don't necessarily lock into the all star games anymore. Especially if I can't be there. Yeah. Oh, I hear you there, man, with John Gibbons and you know, one thing that stood out to me was Paul Skeen's, you know, doing what he did last night and what he's been doing in Pittsburgh. And, you know, there was a time when like, it was amazing.

Kershaw was there and obviously, we know he's hit 300 strikeouts and Verlander still kicking around and Scherzer still kicking around But that kind of horse type pitcher man It felt like they were kind of moving out of the game a little bit Gibby and you look at Skeen's He looks like he could he could pitch 250 innings in a season and not lose sleep And he hits 100 like on the gun with ease like I don't know if you've seen him up close and personally but if you have like what's what's that aura like what's what's the kind of vibe of Paul Skeen's like if you if you see him up close and personal? Well I tell you what he you know he is a big strong dude and

and you know early on you know they were it was kind of the way they the philosophy in the game now they were like it was kind of the way they, the philosophy in the game now, they were like, you had to kick gloves on him and he'd throw his five innings and he wouldn't, you know, right after he got drafted in the first couple years there, you know, it's like, what are they doing, you know, and he, he, you could, you could just tell when he'd be taken out of the game, you know, that he'd be a little frosted and all that kind of thing. And yeah, he's, he's, you know, they all get hurt nowadays. You know, let's hope he doesn't, you know, they all get hurt nowadays.

You know, let's hope he doesn't, you know, there's very few that don't, but we have, we have a weapon like that, man, let him go, you know, uh, it, uh, you know, he may, he, he's a generational player and dominated guy. The fact that he's so big and strong, you know, he's a hundred pitches. They shouldn't not be anything to him, you know? And, uh, you know, what the, I guess the sad part is, is that, you know, he's a hundred pitches. It shouldn't not be anything to him. You know, and, uh, you know what this, I guess the sad part is, is that, you know, he's, he's in Pittsburgh there and, uh, you know, they got, they got some really good pitching, but they just don't address the offense. So, you know, they just don't want to spend the money or whatever it is.

Uh, because you look at his record, you know, he loses, he loses one, nothing, things like that and, and, uh, low scoring games. But he, yeah, he's probably, you know, if anybody could pick a pitcher to have any of the 30 teams out there, he'd probably be, I'm sure he'd be the number one to list him and, uh, the kids from Detroit behind him, you know? Yeah. So they're pretty, they're pretty good. Those big guys like that. But you know what they, you see the game, the game, you know, I hope it goes back

to, you know, letting these guys stay out in the game more, you know, more in these more, uh, more number of pitches thrown, all those kinds of things, because it's good for the game. And you know, the commissioner is throwing around some hints that the next couple of years, they may try to, you know, you have a pitcher has to throw a minimum of six innings to, you know, one of those kinds of things. Kigging's a little better idea than that, you know, for me. But yeah... you know one of those kind of thinking right a little better idea that you know for me yeah are you you know what the games about starting pitching that all these people think that i think that

easy definitely the head of the class absolutely uh... which i think that you guys you guys probably have a very well-known well-known now we like it man is a great this is great man we miss this kind of i know it's a you missed to giveby. I know you miss the two daily media sessions and all of the enlightening questions. I know you do. Oh, never kept quiet on my opinions. Well, you know, you mentioned spending money. That's not an issue with your current team down there with the Mets. What have you learned about Juan Soto that maybe you didn't know prior to him showing up in New York or with the Mets? Well you know I tell you what you know he's a

special guy. He's very quiet, keeps to himself. You know I kind of anticipated you know he'd be a little more outgoing. You know a guy that's been thrived in New York, you know a guy that really liked the limelight. I don't necessarily see that. But I tell you, anytime he steps in the batter's box, you know, you feel like something good's going to happen. And he got off to a slow start with us. And then, you know, there was some newspaper articles thrown around that, well, he wanted

to stay with the Yankees, but somebody in his family forced him the other way that kind of stuff you know but it was just the fact that you know the season was he was with a new team in New York City and he finally got got on a roll and you know you know I've had a chance to manage and coach some really good ones in you know my days and he gives you that feeling just like you know a lot of the Batistas and Donaldsons and anytime they step in the box, something good can happen. But he's a special guy. I guess what I didn't know about him, I didn't think he was that quiet and as reserved, but

he works hard. He's probably got the perfect temperament from New York, to be honest with you. Yeah. Well, that's it, man. I mean from New York to be honest with you. Yeah. Well, that's it, man. I mean, they're going to be there. He's there for a long time. He's going to be there for a long time, man.

That's for sure. All right, Givey, we'll let you get to that private jet back up to New York. We appreciate you doing this. Well, they were going to get the jet down. We were just talking about Soto. He took all the money. There's no money left over. No, I wasn't.

He's going to let you use his. Our owner's not afraid to spend it. That's for darn sure. That is. He's no money left. Yeah, he let Jesus our Our owners not afraid to spend it. That's that's the dark sure that is you gotta love that man That's where you know, yeah, you got it. They should all be that way. They shouldn't have a team. That's right We'll preach to that man. We totally agree you're preaching the choir Enjoy the rest of the season give me thank you for doing this All right, boys. It's always a pleasure. Miss you guys.

You too. There he is. John Gibbons joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline. Drive the built-in Canada fuel-efficient, fun to drive Toyota RAV4, gas or hybrid models available. Visit mapletoyota.com. Seasoned gamer or just video game curious? This Week in Gaming is the podcast for you. We break down the latest in the world of video games, from basics to beyond. The hottest gaming news, insight and industry leaders, and more, weekly. Join me, Naomi Kyle, and stay ahead of the game with all the latest updates. Even if you're a total newbie. Stream This Week in Gaming on the free iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.