The Manager
I never had the exasperated feelings with Cito that so many fans had this season. I sort of agreed with him playing John Buck as much as he has. I see the point people have with Arencibia not playing and how this was supposed to be a rebuilding year. But I also think John Buck has played more than well enough to be Cito's go to guy. If Buck had been struggling and Cito was only playing him because he was a veteran, I might be more outraged. But Buck has been awesome offensively, and has developed good rapport with the young starting staff.
Watching the "Goodbye, Cito" video on the Jumbotron on Wednesday, it became obvious who the star of the video was. Jose Bautista has talked at length about how much of an influence Gaston has been on him. And no one can argue that Bautista lit up this season, creating so much joy for us this season, a season that might have been a much sadder one because it lacked a certain tall barbarosa who now pitches perfect games and plays in the playoffs for teams in red.
Watching the "Goodbye, Cito" video on the Jumbotron on Wednesday, it became obvious who the star of the video was. Jose Bautista has talked at length about how much of an influence Gaston has been on him. And no one can argue that Bautista lit up this season, creating so much joy for us this season, a season that might have been a much sadder one because it lacked a certain tall barbarosa who now pitches perfect games and plays in the playoffs for teams in red.
Also featured in the goodbye video was Dusty Baker. And it was his interview in the Globe and Mail,
some of which was echoed in the video, that highlighted for me what Cito Gaston means to Toronto and to baseball. Dusty Baker said that he was 17 years old and playing in the minor leagues in Arkansas with an 18 year old Gaston. The park was next to the state hospital, and patients were sometimes let out to watch the games. There, playing the outfield, Baker heard some of the most vilely racist things he had ever heard, so bad it brought him to tears. Gaston comforted him, and they have been friends since.
It may be easy to forget because of recent strides forward, but it was not so long ago that people of colour were considered less than and were subjected to things that dehumanized and degraded them. And those people had to live with that and found the resolve to rise above it. Cito Gaston was the first black manager to win the World Series. And he did it in this city and for this organization and that's something we shouldn't ever forget.
some of which was echoed in the video, that highlighted for me what Cito Gaston means to Toronto and to baseball. Dusty Baker said that he was 17 years old and playing in the minor leagues in Arkansas with an 18 year old Gaston. The park was next to the state hospital, and patients were sometimes let out to watch the games. There, playing the outfield, Baker heard some of the most vilely racist things he had ever heard, so bad it brought him to tears. Gaston comforted him, and they have been friends since.
It may be easy to forget because of recent strides forward, but it was not so long ago that people of colour were considered less than and were subjected to things that dehumanized and degraded them. And those people had to live with that and found the resolve to rise above it. Cito Gaston was the first black manager to win the World Series. And he did it in this city and for this organization and that's something we shouldn't ever forget.
"Cito knows how to work with each individual, treating everyone like a human being. He knows exactly what to say, when to say it, what to do and how to go about doing it. When you have a manager like that, it makes you want to play for the guy. We'd go to war for him. What Cito has done for the Blue Jays can't be taken lightly." -Joe Carter.