News » idol on the field and a celebrity off it in Brazil. He appea

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida - On Tuesday afternoon, prior to the Blue Jays middle game of a three-game set with the Rays, TSN.ca sat down with manager John Gibbons to discuss the season to date. The following is the transcript of the 15-minute discussion: TSN.ca: John, here we are on the eve of the return of Jose Reyes. I take you back to the night that it happened, youre reclined in your seat, were all standing around you and you said, quote, "Its a killer." But depending on tonights result, youre either going to be four games above or two games above in a 66-game stretch without Jose Reyes. Your team has gotten through it and of course they were just on a terrific 11-game winning streak. How do you feel they pulled it off? GIBBONS: Well, Scott, that seems like a long time ago and at the time I said that it was definitely accurate. But I tip my hat to the guys, our players out there in the room for holding tough. It wasnt easy. Theres no doubt these last couple of weeks have definitely put us in a better position. But you know what, that group out there, they never panicked. They continued to play the right way, we werent always good but they approached it the right way. We hung around. Nobody could knock us out. With this last two weeks weve crawled right back in this thing. Theres a long way to go but its a good feeling that Joses coming back. Even at the time, throughout spring training, the way we kind of looked at the way the team was built, our depth at different positions, he was really the one guy we thought we couldnt afford to lose and sure enough. But hell be coming back riding that white horse and well be glad to have him. TSN.ca: Munenori Kawasaki was a big part of this and I think you know hes become a bit of a cult figure in Toronto. Looking at the statistics, this is a replacement player, because thats what he is, playing above replacement level. Some of those sabermetrics youre so big into… GIBBONS: Spell that. TSN.ca: Im not even going to try. But theyll tell you that. I would have to think that youre pleasantly surprised and I know Alex is surprised as well because he openly mused about potentially having to make a deal. Yet Kawasaki came in and he held the fort. GIBBONS: Yeah, Kawasaki did a tremendous job for us, he really did. He came out of nowhere, we didnt know what to expect. Early on, Alex was in the wires trying to acquire somebody but they had us in a vulnerable spot because they knew we were desperate. The asking price for some of the guys we were looking at was way too steep and so we decided Kawasaki was doing such a good job for us, throw him out there and let him do his thing. Hes done a tremendous job, he really has, he just brings, you look at his statistics, theyre not great, overwhelming statistics by any means but the little things he adds, the energy, the execution of the little things in baseball, the way he busts his butt on everything he does out there, things like that. The way he uplifts a team, you really cant calculate just how important that was to us. I tip my hat to the guy but theres no question, getting Reyes back, one of the better players in the game, hes been on rehab for a couple of weeks and everybody seems to think hes ready to go so well definitely welcome him back with open arms thats for sure. TSN.ca: There were fans who were frustrated earlier on in the season and there were fans who were over the moon the other day as you were on this near-historic franchise winning streak. Can you talk a little bit, for fans who are new to the game or maybe have rode this wave and struggled with it night in, night out, about the need over the course of an extremely long season to keep an even keel. Youre not as good as an 11-game win streak but youre not as bad as dropping 21 of your first 31 games. GIBBONS: Yeah, Scott, thats hard to do. This games an emotional rollercoaster not only for us guys involved here in this room but for our fan base out there. Coming into the season with expectations the way they were we wanted to get off to a great start. It didnt happen. Baseball is a long season, theres no doubt about that and when you get off to a slow start, when things are built up, it can become overwhelming. We all understand their frustrations because there were more frustrations in this room than probably out there. But, you know, our fans have been great, theyve stuck by us, theyve shown up to our games at home and theyve been behind us. Thats been a big part of it, especially on this late run. It proves, you know in Toronto there, you win and you put a good team on the field and theyll show up. Its like anywhere else, people want to see a winner. Thats the key. Now that the streak is over weve got to continue to play very good baseball. Weve climbed back in this thing but theres not a whole lot of room for error. We need to continue to play steady baseball. Our division is very good, its up for grabs, everybody beats up on everybody else, so we have to maintain some kind of consistency. TSN.ca: Injuries have played a factor and its still going to be a while before you get to put that left side of the infield that you thought you were going to be able to at the start of the year, out there together. Brett Lawrie is still a while off but it seems like you have, one through 25, down in the bullpen, the rotation is coming together, left-handed lineups, right-handed lineups, seem to have found roles for all of your players. How important has that been and did it take you longer or maybe a shorter period of time than you thought it would? GIBBONS: Well, yeah, weve kind of settled in to how were going to run things now. Players know against the lefties these guys are going to play; against the righties these guys are going to play. That did take a while to develop simply because when Reyes went down he was a mainstay in there and we kind of worked around him. You know, Lindy, at the start of the season he was in a platoon role and now hes a regular. There were times we do the same thing with Colby. There will be certain nights against certain lefties theyve had trouble with those guys probably will sit. It did take a while to develop because when we lost Reyes, you put Kawasaki at short and you give him a chance to hit but as time went on he struggled against left-handers so we put Izturis in and let him play there to get DeRosa more at bats. Its really kind of evolved and those guys are comfortable with those roles and been very productive. Everything has kind of revolved around what happened to Reyes and the fact that he was out and of course when Brett went down that opened up some more spots where we had to do some more mixing and matching, those kind of things. I really like the way theyve been playing and good or bad, one thing you can count on with this team, this group of guys out there, they show up everyday, they lay it on the field and thats really all you can ask. TSN.ca: Brett is so young and intense. I remember asking Mark DeRosa what Brett needs to do when it is that he does get back. He told me Lawrie needs to relax. If you could say one thing to Brett upon his return to help him out, what would that be? GIBBONS: Relax. TSN.ca: I opened that door for you but maybe thats it, right, because he takes his craft seriously and he was struggling there after the injury in spring training. GIBBONS: Yeah but thats the key. You can say that all you want but that takes time, through experience, getting comfortable, being productive at this level, you know what I can do this on a daily basis at this level, knowing you know what, I belong. It takes guys a while. Hes been up here the last couple of years but its not unheard of that it takes a few years for guys to finally settle in. The skys the limit for Brett. Nobody plays the game harder, you know nobody cares more. Hell run through a wall for you and he wants to win. In a lot of ways you wish there were more guys in this profession to be honest with you. Everybody always says and its the truth, youd rather have a guy with that kind of intensity that plays that way because he can back down a little bit. Its tough to get the kind of guy thats dead, and just kind of lackluster, its tough to rub those guys up. Its usually not in them. In due time, with a little more experience, I think Brett will settle in and he will relax more. Thats the key because the sport of baseball is so much different than the other sports. In other sports the harder you try, sometimes the better you get because you can run harder, you can block harder, you can hit some guys harder, thats just the nature of the game. Baseball is a slow moving game and sometimes, different guys personalities, its tough for them to relax but usually over time with a little success that usually takes place. TSN.ca: Got to ask you about your bullpen. Theyve been unbelievable. I think theyve got a sub-1.00 ERA in the last two weeks. Brett Cecils retired 40-plus batters without allowing a hit. Casey Janssen has just the one blown save all season. As you slotted things out in spring training to where we are now, did you foresee each guy falling into the role that he is now in and just a general comment on their performance because theyve been used a lot and theyve been consistently excellent. GIBBONS: Yeah, Scott, its a special bunch down there, a really talented group. Thats kind of evolved too, you know earlier in the season we were struggling in our rotation, those guys were getting used an awful lot. Everythings kind of balanced out lately with the results weve been getting out of our rotation. All those guys are very well rested. A lot of times you see the results because of that. Theres a group out there that you want to go to with leads and were able to do that. Plus our depth is so strong out there now that we feel confident bringing any of them in at any time and thats a luxury. Most teams cant do that. Weve been a little banged up there, you know with Janssen we monitor him but he seems to be turning the corner on that. Darren Oliver went down for an extended period of time there. Sergio Santos. So weve gone through some changes. I think Cecils been off the charts and it couldnt happen to a better guy. Delabar, everybody knew what he was. I think in a lot of ways when we really took off is when Wagner came on board. It was at the time that we were putting Esmil Rogers in the rotation. Wagner came along and was a guy who could get a tough right-hander out in a key spot late in the game and that really has added a lot to our team. Of course Loupy is the swing guy out there. He can pitch multiple innings or he can come in and get a big out for you, things like that. We have a lot of different options down there, a lot of different combinations we can attack you with. The key still lies in the rotation getting you deep enough into the game and giving you a chance to win with a lead or a tie or something like that or at least in a close game youre down a run or two and those guys can hold you right there and give you a chance to win. TSN.ca: The schedule is the schedule and you cant change it. But there are teams that get to beat up on the Houston Astros or the Seattle Mariners a lot more than American League East teams can. You play four other quality teams 18 or 19 times each and they would say the same thing. Do you concern yourself with the fact that, I mean other than winning more than you lose, hey man weve got to go through the grind here in the next three months. Almost every night youre playing a tough team home or road. GIBBONS: Well this divisions always been that way, top to bottom. I remember in my first go around here when the Yankees and the Red Sox were the top two teams in all of baseball with the star power and stuff like that. Its kind of changed a little bit but the balance in how tough the division is is still the same. At the major league level all the teams are good. Some teams are stronger than others, no doubt about that, but on any given night if you get a well pitched outing that team has the chance to win regardless of what their record is. The thing about our division, you look, everybodys over .500 at this point. Its definitely a grind. Its almost like the game is played a little different. This division has become known as a grinding division and I think the Yankees and the Red Sox kind of set that tone years ago where they grind out at bats. They make you use your bullpen. You go to a three, four-game series, youre using everybody damn near everyday, thats just the way the games are played. Theyre long, drawn out games. Something that I dont think thats talked about much is that in our division all the ballparks we play in are home run hitting parks. A leads never safe and youre never really out of a game. You get a couple of guys on and a home run gets you right back in it and vice versa. That, in a lot of ways, is what makes it so grueling. Youve got some parks where a lazy fly ball is a home run. Youre sitting over there and youve got to be conscious of that. In some parks a guy may smoke a ball but it may get to the gap or may one hop the wall. A home run can kill you but a double doesnt. In our division that seems to be the way it is. There are a lot of factors and its not easy. The team that comes out of this division has definitely earned it, thats for sure. New Balance Running Shoes Discount . Jordan Lynch, the all-purpose Heisman Trophy finalist from Northern Illinois, failed to make it into that exclusive club. Cheap New Balance Shoes China . The home side created most of the chances but struggled to break down Braunschweigs resilient defence, resulting in the Bundesligas 1,000th scoreless draw. http://www.newbalancediscount.com/ .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. New Balance Shoes Clearance Sales . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69. Discount New Balance Shoes . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Neymar said Saturday he will be joining Barcelona after the Confederations Cup, the latest addition to a star-filled roster that already includes four-time FIFA Player of the Year Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta. The decision came a day after Neymars Brazilian club, Santos, said it had accepted offers from Barcelona and Spanish rival Real Madrid, and that it was up to him to pick where he wanted to play. The 21-year-old striker made the announcement on Twitter and Instagram. "I wouldnt be able to wait until Monday. My friends and my family already know of my decision," he wrote. "On Monday I will sign a contract with Barcelona." Barcelona confirmed the deal on its own Twitter account. "FC Barcelona have reached an agreement with Santos for Neymar," the club said. "The Brazilian player will join FC Barcelona for the next five seasons." The club offered more praise on its website, calling him "one of the most promising footballers on the planet." Messi was quoted as saying earlier this week that Neymar would be "a wonderful signing" for Barcelona. Neymar didnt give any details on the offer he and Santos accepted from Barcelona. He will play his last match with Santos on Sunday in the teams first match in this years Brazilian league. "I want to thank Santos fans for these nine incredible years. My feelings for the club and the fans will never change," he said. "I made it sure that I play (this last match) so I can have the opportunity to once again enter the field wearing the teams jersey and to hear the fans chant my name." Neymar led Santos to its greatest run since Pele stopped playing for the club in the 1970s, helping the team win the 2010 Brazilian Cup, the 2011 Copa Libertadores and three straight Sao Paulo state championships. He is the clubs leading scorer in the post-Pele era with 138 goals in 229 matches. Hes also considered the national teams key player in the upcoming Confederations Cup and World Cup, which Brazil hosts next year. Neymar will join Barcelona after the Confederations Cup, as the transfer window in Europe opens in July. The signing ends years of speculation about which team wouuld be the first to persuade the Brazilian sensation to make the move to Europe.dddddddddddd Neymar has never hidden his desire to one day play for Barcelona, but this week Real Madrid also became a front-runner to sign him. Santos vice-president Odilio Rodrigues said Friday that both offers were "similar," but hinted that Neymar already had a "gentlemans agreement" with Barcelona. Neymar learned the details of the offers late Friday and said he would look at both carefully before deciding. He said he was "very proud" the Spanish powerhouses were interested in him, calling it "one of the happiest moments" of his life. Brazilian media reported that Real Madrid was willing to pay Santos 35 million euros for Neymar, 7 million euros more than Barcelona. Real Madrid also reportedly offered a bigger salary. Spanish media said the total Barcelona would spend on Neymar could reach about 50 million euros. Santos officially rejected a 35 million-euro offer for Neymar from Chelsea in 2010 and he eventually re-signed with the club until the 2014 World Cup, with a buyout clause of 65 million euros. Santos was trying to sell Neymar as quickly as possible because in six months the player would be allowed to sign a pre-contract with any other club and the Brazilian team would not get anything in return. Neymar is an idol on the field and a celebrity off it in Brazil. He appears in dozens of television commercials and his image is plastered on billboards across the country, making him by far the best paid athlete in Brazil. This week, he topped the list of most marketable athletes in the world in a report published by SportsPro magazine, finishing ahead of Messi and golfer Rory McIlroy. But he is also criticized by some in Europe for his dives and alleged attempts to fake injuries. Pele has repeatedly said that Neymar has the potential to be the best player in the world, even better than Messi, but he is one of the critics who recently said Neymar should try to stop diving so much. Neymar is also criticized for disappointing performances at decisive moments when he plays for Brazil. His recent lacklustre performances with the national team even attracted loud jeers from home fans. ' ' '