SARASOTA, Florida – On a pristine, cloudless Saturday morning before his Blue Jays took to the field to play the Orioles, manager John Gibbons assumed his familiar perch behind home plate to watch his charges take batting practice. Demarcus Lawrence Jersey . That time around, the cage is as much a part of baseballs daily routine as a beer and a hotdog is to a fan in the stands. Coaches, scouts, broadcasters and other media hover, tossing verbal barbs, telling stories and sharing laughs. Occasionally, especially in spring when the atmosphere is relatively laid back, the list of invited guests expands and on this day, Gibbons welcomed two men strongly influential in his life. To his left stood his high school baseball coach, Syl Perez and on his right, Frank Arnold, Gibbons high school football coach. The two are spending these early days of camp with the man they mentored. Its a chance for the men to catch up, reminisce about old times, and for Gibbons to share his pro experience with two people whove helped him along the way. "Your high school years are very big years in forming who youre going to be," Gibbons told TSN.ca. "When youre in athletics, if you get the right guys, it can steer you the right direction, teach you discipline, the work ethic and all the right stuff that benefit you in life." Arnold, 72, is a legend in Texas high school football, a state where "football is king," as Gibbons likes to remind the uninitiated. Gibbons played but didnt start at MacArthur High School in San Antonio. He was a running back, although in hindsight, Arnold thinks Gibbons was better suited to play linebacker because he was athletically inclined and had good instincts. Arnold also took notice, almost immediately, of Gibbons upbringing, especially his supportive parents, William and Sally. "Great kid, great family, never had, you know you have some parents who are a little overbearing, his parents were right there to support him," said Arnold. He had a knack for baseball, although Gibbons admits he was a late bloomer, especially offensively. A senior catcher graduated after Gibbons sophomore season, a year in which Gibbons played the outfield, and Perez had someone else pegged as the teams next catcher. Gibbons was still an unknown commodity. The coaching staff tried him at third base. It wasnt the right fit. "I dont care where I put John Gibbons, he was a catcher," said Perez. "I mean, it was in his DNA. He carries himself like a catcher." Perez had Gibbons and the would-be catching successor get behind the plate and simulate throwing out base stealers. "I timed him," said Perez. "From the time the sound hit the mitt to the time it hit the shortstop or second baseman at the bag. The other young man was very accurate but John was kind of like a Nolan Ryan. He was not very accurate, or not as accurate, but he would only average two seconds and sometimes slightly less than that. The other kid was 2.3, 2.4." Funny thing, Gibbons ended up catching that year. The other kid played third base. Both were all district at the end of the season, Gibbons in spite of a batting average below .200. He was that good defensively. His game rounded into form in his senior year, thanks to a scout named Buzzy Keller, who in advance of the baseball season, instructed Perez on a new hitting philosophy featuring a more compact swing. Perez coached up Gibbons and the results were immediate. "John batted .500 in 19 games and he hit 10 home runs," said Perez. "Its not that he hit 10 home runs, its how far he hit those 10 home runs that really got him to be a lot more noticed. A lot of our practices were very, very well attended and of course, he went 24th overall in the first round (1980) to the Mets." A series of injuries derailed Gibbons big league playing career, the nail in the coffin being the Mets acquisition of Gary Carter before the 1985 season. He stayed around the game, coached at various levels over a number of years, and by 2004, was into his first run as manager of the Blue Jays. "Hes old school and the old school way of thinking is, good catchers become good managers," said Perez. "Theyre the only ones looking the other way at the entire defence. Lets face it, he may have been not a starter in his major league life but when hes in the bullpen catching and working with folks like the Dwight Goodens and such, Im sure hes going to learn some things." Gibbons credits Arnold and Perez with teaching him some of the tactics he employs to this day. "You get to this level, its a little different," said Gibbons. "Guys are very successful when they get to this level so theyve got a good idea of what they do. Theres not as much coaching, teaching and things like that and you give these guys a little more leeway because theyre adults. But theres a lot of the same principles that work. I dont care if youre in high school or big league baseball, you have to have discipline. You still have to play the right way." Gibbons fair, jovial but stern-when-he-needs-to-be personality endears him to those who know him best and have known him the longest. "Personally, I think he has the demeanour, the ability to work with people," said Arnold. "I hope he gets lucky this year because last year they had some bad luck, in my opinion, with injuries and other things. I follow him, I watch him all the time and Im very proud to say that I was around him." Arnold continued, "John is going to be the same on the docks with some dock workers as he is at some high class place with the boss. I just think hes a quality person. Hes not flashy, he is what he is but hes always good to people." Coming off a disappointing 74-88 season, a startling and uncomfortable thud after the offseason hype of a year ago, Gibbons knows there is pressure to rebound. His mentors know it, too. "Nobody wants you unless you win," said Arnold. "I dont care what level, what league so I wish him well and hope he has some great luck this year. I hope some of the guys have some great years because I think he deserves it." Gibbons is aware the fan base is angst-ridden, unsure of whether the Blue Jays can compete in the ultra-tough American League East. He knows about the Twitter faction thats popularized the "FireGibby" hashtag, understands and accepts its a fans right to be upset, but wants to be clear about something he says wont change, win or lose. "I want people to know that I care about Toronto, I care about Canada, and nobody wants to win for the fan base more than I do because I know they deserve it." Chuck Howley Jersey .Y. -- The New York Knicks hope to have Amare Stoudemire back before the end of the season after a second doctor said he wont need surgery on the bulging disk in his back. Charles Haley Womens Jersey . Hoefl-Rieschs exit — from the downhill course into safety nets, then airlifted from the slope by helicopter — left Anna Fenninger of Austria favourite to win her first giant crystal trophy one month after becoming an Olympic champion. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon thought Chris Archer would be fine after getting a new contract -- and he was right. Archer threw six solid innings, Evan Longoria hit a three-run homer and the Rays split a four-game series with Toronto by beating the Blue Jays 7-2 on Thursday night. Archer (1-0) allowed two runs, four hits, two walks and had seven strikeouts. Archer and the Rays agreed to a $25.5 million, six-year deal Wednesday. "The conversations he and I have been having, I thought it was going to be OK," Maddon said. "Hes been really kind of matter-of-fact in a good way about all this stuff." Archers contract includes club options for 2020 and 2021 that could raise the value to $43.75 million. "Having it or not having a contract or money, it didnt affect me because its never been a thought in my mind when I was in between the lines," Archer said. Longoria tied Carlos Pena for first on the Rays career home run list with 163 on his seventh-inning shot off Esmil Rogers that put Tampa Bay ahead 7-2. "Its a proud moment for me because this has been my home for so long," Longoria said. Brandon Morrow (0-1) gave up four runs and seven hits over five innings in his first start since May 28. The right-hander missed the final four months last season due to an entrapped radial nerve in his right forearm. "That was a tough one where you feel like you pitched better than the line," Morrow said. "But to their credit, they didnt give away any at bats, worked counts, and found those holes when guys were on and got their runs." The Blue Jays extended their winless road series streak at Tampa Bay to 21. Since taking a series in April 2007, Toronto has lost 19 and split two road series against the Rays. "Against those four starters they threw at us, to get two wins, youve got to feel good, especially after getting knocked around a little bit that first game," Toronnto manager John Gibbons said. Randy White Womens Jersey. "So well go home feeling good." Ryan Hanigan had an RBI single in the second, and Desmond Jennings hit a run-scoring double during a three-run third as the Rays took a 4-0 lead. Toronto got to 4-2 in the fourth on Dioner Navarros sacrifice fly and an RBI infield single from Brett Lawrie. Tampa Bay right fielder and 2013 AL Rookie of the Year Wil Myers was scratched from the lineup due to flulike symptoms. Infielder-outfielder Sean Rodriguez was placed on the paternity leave list for the birth of his son and infielder Vince Belnome was recalled from Triple-A Durham. With Rodriguez expected back Friday, Belnome was optioned back to Durham after the game. Rays outfielder David DeJesus returned after missing the previous two games with a bruised right foot and went 2 for 5. First listed to start in left field, DeJesus was moved to designated hitter. Gibbons wanted to challenge an out call on Lawries one-out grounder in the ninth, but was denied the opportunity because he was too late in telling the umpires of his decision. "Once the pitcher steps on the rubber and the hitter steps in the box, they nullify it," Gibbons said. "It turned out he was out, but at the time it was questionable." NOTES: Toronto closer Casey Janssen, on the 15-day disabled list due to a strain in his left abdominal area and lower back, continues throwing on level ground. The right-hander doesnt know when he will have a bullpen session. "Were just trying to work our way to the mound," Janssen said. "Want to get comfortable on flat ground." ... Tampa Bay RHP Jake Odorizzi and Texas LHP Joe Saunders will start the opener of a three-game series Friday night. ... The Blue Jays will start RHP Dustin McGowan in Friday nights home opener against the New York Yankees. Japanese star Masahiro Tanaka will make his major league debut for the Yankees. cheap jerseys ' ' '
