Jays manager Cito Gaston signs consulting contract

Oct 30, 10:53 pm EDT

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TORONTO (AP)—Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston has signed a four-year consulting contract with the team that will begin when his managerial deal expires at the end of the 2010 season.

The Blue Jays announced the deal Friday. Gaston is expected to advise the team in all areas, including spring training, minor league operations and scouting.

The 65-year-old Gaston and his staff drew criticism from Toronto players in the final weekend of the season for the way they were being treated. The Jays finished fourth in the AL East with a 75-87 record.

“With the cards he was dealt and the people on the roster, Cito did the best job he could. The win total is a reflection of the talent level on the roster,” Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos told The Canadian Press.

The 32-year-old Anthopoulos replaced J.P Ricciardi as GM on Oct. 3.

Also, pitching coach Brad Arnsberg is leaving the Blue Jays to take the same job with the Houston Astros. He will be replaced by former bullpen coach Bruce Walton. Hitting coach Gene Tenace is retiring. Former first-base coach Dwayne Murphy will assume Tenance’s role.

Player favorite Brian Butterfield will return to the job of third-base coach after serving as Gaston’s bench coach for 1 1/2 seasons, swapping roles with Nick Leyva. And Rick Langford was promoted from the organization’s roving pitching coach to bullpen coach.

Updated Oct 30, 10:53 pm EDT
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16 Comments

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  1. Lauren
    16. Posted by Lauren Thu Nov 12 3:05pm EST

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    I have been out of toronto for the past 9 years ...........is there any truth to the rumour i heard a few months ago that pat gillick was comming back to toronto?
  2. Kelly Pfeiffer
    15. Posted by Kelly Pfeiffer Sat Nov 7 5:40pm EST

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    hey, Voice of Reason... you are an idiot.
  3. Coner
    14. Posted by Coner Mon Nov 2 4:24pm EST

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    Hey I hear you BobbyKCarr- results do speak for themselves. Cito WAS a winner- since 1994, through 5 seasons, his record is 383 Wins and 445 Losses. He won in 1992 and 1993- but he hasn't won since.
    However if you want to include the whole body of work of his career, he is 809-760- so for his 1st 6 seasons as manager he was a winner, but for the last 5 he has a sub .500 record. He hasn't won in a while...
    Even if I grant you that he has been a winner- how do you explain Millar batting 4th in September? Or a year-long, slump ridden Vernon Wells batting all year in the 3,4 or 5 slots? Don't you think this is a reflection of his managing? Do you feel that that was a good call on his part, that it gave the Jays the best chance to win?
  4. harley dog
    13. Posted by harley dog Sat Oct 31 11:14pm EDT

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    voice of reason not ,there is no way half a team is going anywhere cito is out of his mind these guys did not perform last year and won't next year who are going to get to go up there as a free agent who is not desperate to get a job not to mention every one knows the jays have the worst division in baseball to try and break through yanks, sox,rays no way in hell. jays are gonna play cito ball for one more year then start all over do you think halladay is gonna stay ? no because his offers will be through the roof and the jays will not be able to afford him and if they do they won't have the money to get anyone else. not knocking the ownership knocking the postion they are in that they will not be able to dig out of reality sucks. like my dodgers signing manny when every one knew better now we have jamie mc court the ho breaking up the team and were going down too but our divison is not the AL east. thats the big killer for the jays. not being rude sir just the way i see it . good day gl
  5. voice of reason
    12. Posted by voice of reason Sat Oct 31 3:24pm EDT

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    I agree with bobbykcarr~~

    All Cito has to do is hold up his left hand and ask the players, "Do you ever want to have one of these World Series rings?" Then lay he lays out the strategy for the year ahead. If the pitching staff stays healthy for the most part, they have a chance in every game.

    Welles might be a good player again some day, but that day won't come in Toronto.

    Find some new coaches to replace the ones that left. Better if they are exBlue Jays that know how to win in TO, and get a closer.
  6. <i>bobbykcarr</i>
    11. Posted by bobbykcarr Sat Oct 31 2:15pm EDT

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    I totally disagree with Coner (No. 11) ´cause Cito is a winner (results say so). Actually, Coner, you must get rid of bad apples, not back them up!
  7. Coner
    10. Posted by Coner Sat Oct 31 11:33am EDT

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    Baaaaaaad move Jays. The players revolted on Cito in September, and unless you move a bunch of them they won't exactly be playing for this guy. With the knowledge that he's retiring in a year, this makes 2010 a lost season in T.O. What a waste!
    He did what it took in the 90's to win for sure, but some of the stuff last year was too much- he's just not that good a manager with a developing team. "Reflection of the talent on the club" Anthopolous? It was Cito's decision to bat the more than useless Wells and his horrendous bat in fourth most of the year; it was Cito's decision to play Millar even though the fork was sticking out of him 2 years prior, and he even had him batting 4th in September? Why, at that point in a lost season, not play the kids, try them in different positions on the field and in the line-up, try to give yourself somewhat of a framework for 2010? Instead all you were able to tell is that Wells sucks, and Kevin Millar should have retired 2 years ago.
    Keeping Cito as manager for a year stinks- we get a whole other year of decisions such as these!
  8. voice of reason
    9. Posted by voice of reason Sat Oct 31 11:12am EDT

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    harley_dog --

    And you have how many world series rings?

    I thought so!

    The Jays need a conditioning coach. It would not hurt to have two pitching coaches. One on the bench, and one in the bull-pen like a Duane Ward to work with these guys to keep them from hurting themselves while getting the job done. Somebody needs to work with Richmond on his change-up. He needs to slow it down so that LEFTIES can not sit on his fastball. Cecil needs some better off speed stuff.

    Notice that it is players that have to do the jobs.
  9. harley dog
    8. Posted by harley dog Sat Oct 31 9:28am EDT

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    if he's gonna consult on how to win twenty years ago ok he is the man but in the future no the game has changed and left him behind he was a quality manager but facts are facts yanks and sox will win or buy that divison every year and if they don't well here comes the little devils. Then you have the fact that they will never build a long term team because the lack of fan base and money makes them trade away talent and they can't sign a group of core free agents and get them to stay in a another country nobody cares about baseball in canada so there is not going to be home grown players to count on.toronto will fold or move in ten years or less.
  10. <i>francis.santoianni</i>
    7. Posted by francis.santoianni Sat Oct 31 9:07am EDT

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    why doesnt he consult on how to win the division??
  11. Pat Doran
    6. Posted by Pat Doran Sat Oct 31 2:14am EDT

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    say "Dodgers" and you think of all the men too scared to go to war!
  12. Icedragon
    5. Posted by Icedragon Sat Oct 31 1:27am EDT

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    Ouch, losing both Arnsberg and Tenace can't help anything.
  13. voice of reason
    4. Posted by voice of reason Fri Oct 30 11:39pm EDT

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    Hey Dodger_Guy...

    Next year, Ethier will be a Yankee, Kemp will be a Halo, and if the Blog writers have their way, Manny will be a Cub. The Dodgers won't have to worry about the post season.

    Hey maybe you and Psycho can start dating as California is the hands-down gay capital of America.

    Cito has two rings from managing world series winners. How many do you have?
  14. dodger_guy
    3. Posted by dodger_guy Fri Oct 30 10:56pm EDT

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    Say 'Dodgers' and people know you're talking about baseball. Say 'Braves' and they ask, 'What reservation?' Say 'Reds' and they think of communism. Say 'Padres' and they look around for a priest."
    - Tommy


    DODGERS ARE BASEBALL
  15. ThePsycho
    2. Posted by ThePsycho Fri Oct 30 10:40pm EDT

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    Cito is beyond his prime. WIth baseball's age with top players going to the best teams. The Blue Jays will never be a contender.
  16. voice of reason
    1. Posted by voice of reason Fri Oct 30 9:26pm EDT

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    The Jays are going to miss Gene. I hope that he enjoys spending time with his grandkids and greatgrandkids. He has earned the right to kick back. Dwayne works okay as the new hitting coach. I thought I heard that Dave Stieb wanted back into Toronto baseball.

    It might be a good move to give him a look-see. With the way that Jays pitchers dropped like flies last year, it might be worthwhile to have someone who knows the grind of the position. Jack Morris is available too. Duane Ward knows about pitching too. It is not like any of these guys would be strangers to Cito.

    The coaching will be fine, but I would like to see some of the players from the World Series days back with the big club again. It can not hurt.
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