Blue Jays hire John Gibbons as manager, sign Melky Cabrera

TORONTO John Gibbons was hired as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays for the second time Tuesday, returning to a team that just invigorated its roster after a blockbuster trade with the Miami Marlins.

Gibbons managed Toronto 2004-2008 and had a 305-305 record, making him the third winningest manager in franchise history.

Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos had said he wanted someone who was familiar with the organization and city. Anthopolous was an assistant GM when Gibbons managed Toronto. Gibbons joins Cito Gaston as managers serving two stints with the Blue Jays.

"I don't know that there was anybody better in terms of managing a bullpen, connecting with the players, connecting with the front office, holding players accountable," Anthopoulos said.

Gibbons succeeds John Farrell, who spurned Toronto for his dream managing job in Boston. Gibbons, however, takes over a very different team from the one Farrell managed.

The surprise announcement came a day after the Blue Jays completed a mega deal in which they acquired All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes and pitchers Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle from Miami. Toronto agreed to the trade last week and Commissioner Bud Selig approved it Monday. The Blue Jays, extraordinarily busy in this offseason, also announced the signing of free agent outfielder Melky Cabrera.

"Who wouldn't want to be here?" Gibbons said. "The front office has put together a legitimate contending type team."

Gibbons is happy to have Cabrera after the All-Star game MVP finalized a $16 million, two-year contract with Toronto.

Cabrera, who completed a 50-game suspension for a positive test for testosterone, was not wanted back by the World Series champion San Francisco Giants.

He's still a good hitter, on the stuff or not," Gibbons said.

Cabrera gets $8 million in each of the next two seasons, up from a $6 million base salary this year.

The 28-year-old was leading the National League in hitting at .346 when he was suspended Aug. 15. He asked for a rules change that disqualified him from the batting title, feeling it would be a tainted crown. Cabrera had 11 homers, 25 doubles and 60 RBIs in 113 games.

Gibbons was bench coach in Kansas City when Cabrera played for the Royals in 2011. He remembers Cabrera when he played for the New York Yankees and Gibbons managed Toronto in his previous stint.

"He was a very tough out back then. He had a knack for the big hit," Gibbons said.

As Blue Jays manager, Gibbons' best season was in 2006, when Toronto went 87-75 to finish second in the division.

Gibbons most recently managed the San Antonio Missions of the Texas League (AA) in the San Diego Padres' organization last season. He also had three seasons as the Kansas City Royals' bench coach.

Gibbons joined the Blue Jays' coaching staff in 2002 as a bullpen catcher and was promoted midseason to first base coach. He served in that capacity until replacing Carlos Tosca in 2004. Before joining the Blue Jays the first time, Gibbons spent 11 seasons working with the New York Mets.

Blue Jays President Paul Beeston said he was equally surprised when the Marlins trade became a possibility and when Anthopoulos told him he was interested in hiring Gibbons. "They were back to back shockers," Beeston said with a laugh.

"I said `Are you serious'," Beeston said of Gibbons. "Forget about him being an intellectual, he's a baseball guy. And those are the guys you really want in your organization."

Beeston said the Marlins trade makes the Blue Jays contenders in the AL East. They haven't reached the playoffs since winning their second consecutive World Series in 1993. Only Kansas and Pittsburgh have longer playoff droughts.

Beeston said the payroll currently is about $120 million. Anthopoulos said the Blue Jays have gone beyond what they thought the payroll could be, but said he was promised that if the right opportunity came along ownership would spend.

Anthopoulos first targeted Johnson and but quickly learned Reyes and Buehrle were also available. He told Beeston he knew it was a lot of money, but said Beeston encouraged him and checked with the owners, Rogers Communications.

"I always felt when the opportunity was right that Rogers would invest in the ballclub," Beeston said. "We've spent the money now let's go out and win."