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TORONTO - Blue Jays manager John Gibbons sat down with TSN.ca before Saturdays game against the Kansas City Royals to discuss his status, the degree to which leadership matters in baseball, and whether hell make significant adjustments to next Februarys spring training schedule. Listen to the interview here or read the transcript below. TSN.ca: Some heat around here, John, the hot seat is a little warm. Look, its been a tough year. Im giving you an opportunity to say your piece. Youre on the hot seat. Is it fair? Is it unfair? Does fairness matter? GIBBONS: Scott, fairness doesnt matter. Thats the business were in. Its the entertainment business but its serious sports. I dont get caught up in all of that to be honest with you. Yeah, it hurts, nobody likes to be ripped and things like that but on the flip side of that, Im responsible for what happens with this team on the field and it hasnt been a good year. You just grind it out. Ive said before, I show up every day and its a new day. You go out there, I love competing. You go out there and try to win that game and do the best job you can. At the end of the day, you know, all the decisions you make, do they all work? Of course not. Some of the best decisions you make backfire on you. Some of the worst ones you make, you come out smelling like a rose. Thats just the way the game is but you deal with it, you learn to deal with it, you expect it and if you cant handle it, youre in trouble. TSN.ca: You look at this team heading into the offseason, and Alex has said youre going to be back next year so you have that security, the support of your general manager, which we knew that you had. Can this team, as currently constituted, come back in spring training and head into next April and be a winning group? GIBBONS: Scott, we like the core group of this team. Theres no question, we liked it going into this year with all the big moves made and we still like it. But we have to make some additions to upgrade some areas, thats no secret. In saying that, thats not always easy. Alex, weve talked about it, I think everybody understands its pretty obvious what we need to do and hell attempt to do that. Its not easy because you go around to most teams in the game, theyre basically in a lot of ways. One thing about Alex, hes tireless, hes not afraid to make some things happen and hell put his best foot forward. Its still a good group out there but theres no question to be a better team we need to make a few changes. TSN.ca: When you assess this season, John, that 11-game win streak stands out obviously as the high point and there have been some down points both before that and after that. So lets talk about that 11-game win streak. Does that tell you that theres something in there that we just havent seen enough of or was that an outlier? Because a lot of teams dont win 11 in a row, not even the best. GIBBONS: No question about that. What really happened there is it all came together for that period of time. We pitched well during that stretch, you know we played good, solid defence and the bats, we were swinging the bats. It was one of those stretches when everything was clicking. You dont always get that over the season. Some stretches you pitch well and youre not hitting and the defence, the defence needs to be the constant. Youre going to have some bad games but thats one thing you can control a little bit of. That needs to be there every day. Pitching and offence can be hit or miss but for that stretch, it all came together for a length of time there. Everybody goes through those ups and downs but you know what those good teams do, they may not have the 11-game streak but theres more consistency throughout the year. The best teams in baseball go through their down stretches where theyll lose five, six, sometimes seven games in a row, something like that. Thats because maybe theyre not pitching good, their bats went silent or whatever it is. Over 162 games, thats the norm but the better teams, they do it better and they generally, their pitching day in and day out gives you a shot. When we talk about good pitching, it doesnt mean you have to go out and throw shutouts every night but its really, they keep you in the game and give you a shot and let your offence maybe take over. In fairness to our pitching also this year, we havent played good enough defence at times and theyve suffered for that. Im not just talking about errors and things like that. I mean, there are some balls we havent gotten to that you really need to at this level. Some double plays you need to turn at the big league level to bail you out of a tough inning that we havent always done. Lets face it, at the big league level, you have to take away hits, too. You need the routine play made but you know what, you still need to take away hits because thats what the better teams do. TSN.ca: In hockey, theres a player on each team that wears a C and that denotes leadership. What value do you place on leadership in such an individual sport like baseball? GIBBONS: Thats a good question that will always be debated. First off, youre not going to win anything without talent, in any sport, thats just a given. But still there needs to be a couple of guys, they have to be guys with credentials, those are the guys they look to, and youve got to be able to snap somebody back in place, snap a team back in and say, Listen, were not doing this well, lets go guys, lets pick it up and things like that. If its always got to be the manager or the coach, I mean its not going to work. Sooner or later, if you talk too much, they tune you out. Its just like your own children or your teacher at school, whatever it might be, talk is cheap and if you have to do it too often, apparently somebodys not listening. It always helps to have a couple of guys on a team, they take that role whether they like it or not and its not always talking, its how they carry themselves and their actions. That can be very valuable. That point will probably always be debated because Ive been on some teams where you have a bunch of renegades, you know talented teams but it can be a mess but yet they play as a team, they show up to win and that usually overrides the day. TSN.ca: The kids that have come up have injected, I guess, some refreshing air into the environment here. What have you seen, I guess you take your pick on who you want to talk about but what have you seen from Goins, Gose, Pillar and Sierra? GIBBONS: Ive been really, pleasantly surprised. Theyve all helped one way or the other and theyre doing a nice job. Like Ive said before, some guys never get opportunities in this game so when you get it, you know you may only get one so take advantage of it. Theyre all showing us something right now. Goins has been in the spotlight lately with some great defensive plays and some big hits. Hes really doing everything right now. You know, Gosey, (Friday) night had the big triple to set up an inning in a tight ball game to plate a big run for us and hes playing great defence and throwing his hits in along the way. Pillar, its been kind of hit or miss for him, he hasnt really settled in offensively but you look, hes been a good base runner, hes been good in the outfielder and things like that. Sierra, hes starting to heat up a little bit. When he keeps his swing under control, theres a lot in that bat. Hes a good, solid outfielder with a great arm. He can be a difference maker with that arm. Theyve all, one way or another, done some things to benefit us and you get excited about that and youre happy for them because, like I said, there are only so many opportunities you get in this business so it always helps to make that good impression and theyre all doing that. TSN.ca: Next year cant be this year with the record. The expectations were high coming in and you havent lived up to them this season. Do you change your approach at all heading into spring training next year? Do you make some adjustments next season based on what youve seen out of the group this year to give yourself a better chance to have a better record? GIBBONS: What you always do, game-to-game, you reflect on the game and from a managers standpoint, what might have I done different that might have affected the outcome, this and that. Youre constantly doing that and of course, at the end of the year and were getting there, you always reflect and think you know what, maybe we need to do this, more of this, less of that, what have you. Going into spring training, there will be some adjustments that will be made. Well look at the personnel and well deal with that. We were ready coming out of spring training, no doubt in my mind, we just didnt play well. We just didnt handle expectations well, whether we were a little bit tight, what have you, thats just the way it went. But you need to make some adjustments and do some things to change some things because theres no question that, you know, you need a better year next year. A lot was put into this team and we were really hyped up, as we should have been, everybody liked all the moves and there were a number of them. We like the group that we have, of course there needs to be some additions, but you know were always optimistic. Like Ive said before, the fans have turned out this year. Theyve done their part of it and this place will explode with a winning team out there and we dont think were that far off and this city and this country deserve that. Nick Van Exel Jersey . The CFL unveiled its 2014 schedule Wednesday and the Redblacks will play their first-ever regular-season game in Winnipeg against the Blue Bombers on July 3. James Worthy Lakers Jersey . In Europe, top teams seem to be largely happy with their squads after spending nearly $1 billion in the off-season. And although English league clubs are unlikely to splash cash in January, Arsenal and Chelsea could be tempted to strengthen their squads with new strikers. http://www.lakersbasketballshop.com/Jerry-West-Jersey/. He will be practicing with the Norfolk Admirals (AHL) on a conditioning assignment. - @AnaheimDucks Corey Perry has a knee sprain and will miss the next three to four weeks. Cheap LeBron James Lakers Jersey . Nick Young scored 17 points for Los Angeles, which lost five of its last seven before trouncing the Pelicans, who beat them handily last week in New Orleans. Jodie Meeks and Xavier Henry scored 15 points apiece for the Lakers, who led by 20 points in the first half before coasting to their 12th win in their last 13 regular-season meetings with New Orleans. Kobe Bryant Jersey . Reimer told TSNs Mark Masters on Tuesday that he doesnt know if he will be moved leading up to the March 5 trade deadline but added he wasnt interested in discussing it. "Who knows whats going to happen on the horizon here and right now I dont know if I want to talk about it too much. LOS ANGELES -- Staring down the prospect of an 0-3 series deficit, the Anaheim Ducks finally figured out a way to beat the Los Angeles Kings. Even if that way involved a third-period goalie change, two unlikely power-play goals and another wild finish. "Its been like this all year," Teemu Selanne said. "We sell tickets. You never know whats going to happen in our games, but weve got to try to make it a little easier." Selanne scored the tiebreaking power-play goal late in the second period, Corey Perry got his first goal of the series, and the Ducks beat the Kings 3-2 on Thursday night to trim Los Angeles series lead to 2-1. Anaheim snapped the Kings six-game post-season winning streak. Ben Lovejoys goal with 2:55 to play turned out to be the winner after two earlier goals from the Ducks long-struggling power play. Mike Richards then scored for the Kings with 30 seconds left, but the top-seeded Ducks hung on for just their third win in their last seven playoff games. "It feels good to put a seed of doubt in their mind, hopefully," Lovejoy said. "The Ducks are coming." Game 4 is Saturday night at Staples Center. Jonas Hiller made seven saves in the final 9:58 after rookie goalie Frederik Andersen left with a right leg injury for the Ducks, who bounced back from two narrow losses in Anaheim to open the series. Andersen was solid in Game 3 until getting hurt during a wild scramble midway through the third period. Hiller had to make two tough saves immediately after entering the game, but the Swiss goalie finished strong despite Richards late goal on a midair rebound of Tanner Pearsons shot while Jonathan Quick was pulled for an extra attacker. "Its a challenge for a goalie to come in like that, but it seems like this season is a lot of back-and-forth play," Hiller said. "We were just glad we finally scored three goals in a game." Anaheim scored just three goals total in two games at Honda Center to open the local rivals first playoff meeting. The Ducks regained their edge Thursday, while the Kings struggled to respond in front of their home fans. Jeff Carter had a goal and an assist, and Quick stopped 19 shots for the Kings, who hadnt lost since Game 3 of their stunnning first-round series against San Jose.dddddddddddd "Anytime you are down in a series, you are going to come in desperate, and we had to match that desperation," Kings centre Jarret Stoll said. "I dont think we did that. We didnt have it tonight. We werent good enough in a lot of areas." Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau curiously changed starting goalies for Game 3, replacing Hiller with Andersen, the Danish rookie who played poorly in all three road games in the first round against Dallas. Boudreau repeatedly said Hiller had played well against the Kings in the first two games, giving up just five goals, but Andersen beat Los Angeles three times in the regular season, while Hiller is winless in his career at Staples Center. The Ducks didnt have the same vociferous road support enjoyed by the Kings at Honda Center earlier in the series, but Anaheim still silenced Staples Center just 4:06 into Game 3. Ryan Getzlaf got the puck down low to Patrick Maroon, who found Perry in the slot for his third goal of the post-season. Perry, second in the NHL with 43 goals in the regular season, hadnt scored in the series. The Kings evened it when Marian Gaborik set up a one-timer for Carter, who hadnt scored a goal in the Kings last four playoff games. Anaheim couldnt score during a 4-on-3 advantage for 59 seconds late in the period, but Nick Bonino found Selanne with a saucer pass for the Finnish Flashs 44th career goal in 126 post-season games. Matt Beleskey went to the dressing room early in the third period after a hard hit on the boards by Kings captain Dustin Brown. The Ducks said Beleskey had a lower-body injury. Lovejoy scored his second goal of the post-season on a 2-on-1 rush with Andrew Cogliano, sending Kings fans to the exits. NOTES: Maroon extended his scoring streak to six games, the longest post-season streak by a rookie since Los Angeles Warren Rychel in 1993. ... Anze Kopitar, who had an assist, has a point in all 10 of the Kings playoff games. The last Kings player with a 10-game point streak in a single post-season was Wayne Gretzky in 1993. ... The Ducks are staying in a hotel across the street until Saturday, but theyll take a bus 30 miles back home to Anaheim for practice Friday. 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