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Gibby: Tales of a Baseball Lifer
A captivating and candid memoir from one of the most beloved and colorful figures in Toronto Blue Jays history
Over 11 years and two separate managerial stints with the Toronto Blue Jays, John Gibbons endeared himself to fans with his folksy manner and his frequent battles with umpires: “Here comes Gibby!” Winning helped too. Under Gibbons’s management, the Jays made the American League Championship Series in 2015, ending a 22-year playoff drought; then they did it again in 2016. Along the way the team defied odds, won over a nation, and with one flip of a bat produced one of the most iconic moments in MLB history. Now, in his memoir, Gibby shares the story: an on-field career that didn’t pan out, but a managing career that did … eventually.
Raised in a military family, he played his first competitive baseball in Newfoundland and Labrador, and, with the family now in San Antonio, Texas, Gibby, a catcher, developed into a first-round draft pick of the New York Mets. While Gibbons only played 18 major league games, he did earn a World Series ring as the 1986 Mets bullpen catcher and knew all the characters from that team, including Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Lenny Dykstra, and Gary Carter. In 1990, Gibby began his journey as a coach and manager. An old teammate, J.P. Ricciardi, hired him to work with the Jays, and he moved his way up the ranks and into the hearts of baseball fans.
Over 11 years and two separate managerial stints with the Toronto Blue Jays, John Gibbons endeared himself to fans with his folksy manner and his frequent battles with umpires: “Here comes Gibby!” Winning helped too. Under Gibbons’s management, the Jays made the American League Championship Series in 2015, ending a 22-year playoff drought; then they did it again in 2016. Along the way the team defied odds, won over a nation, and with one flip of a bat produced one of the most iconic moments in MLB history. Now, in his memoir, Gibby shares the story: an on-field career that didn’t pan out, but a managing career that did … eventually.
Raised in a military family, he played his first competitive baseball in Newfoundland and Labrador, and, with the family now in San Antonio, Texas, Gibby, a catcher, developed into a first-round draft pick of the New York Mets. While Gibbons only played 18 major league games, he did earn a World Series ring as the 1986 Mets bullpen catcher and knew all the characters from that team, including Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Lenny Dykstra, and Gary Carter. In 1990, Gibby began his journey as a coach and manager. An old teammate, J.P. Ricciardi, hired him to work with the Jays, and he moved his way up the ranks and into the hearts of baseball fans.
247 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 4, 2023
15 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
John Gibbons
90 books4 followersVarious author profiles.
For John Gibbons, the registered sports osteopath, see John Gibbons.
For John Gibbons, professor of linguistics etc., see John Gibbons.
For John Gibbons, the registered sports osteopath, see John Gibbons.
For John Gibbons, professor of linguistics etc., see John Gibbons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
March 31, 2023
John Gibbons is exactly who he says he is in the subtitle of this memoir – a baseball lifer. His book, co-written with Greg Oliver, is the perfect illustration of how a memoir of a baseball lifer, whose position was catcher, would read. It fits all the stereotypes that one thinks of when they pick up a memoir by a baseball lifer.
Let’s list a few of those stereotypes that a reader may believe about this book before reading a page. One – catchers usually make the better managers, especially marginal catchers. This checks off nicely as Gibbons talks fondly of his playing career, which really did not have much success in the major league level, but he did show enough knowledge of the game that when he realized his time as a player was through, he was able to find scouting jobs, which led to coaching, which led to managing jobs. Those were both in the minor leagues (Mets system) and in the majors, where he led the Toronto Blue Jays in two separate stints.
Two – baseball men of a certain age dislike the changes in the game today. For the most part, Gibbons shows how he is not a fan of some of the current strategies such as the early removal of starting pitchers. He will often wax nostalgic about how the game used to be. This is something not uncommon in many baseball memoirs, but at times this felt to be a little too much.
Three – there will be certain players that the baseball lifer will go on and on with stories about that player. There is plenty of that in this book, both for teammates while a player and also as a manager. They can range in talent from a fellow back up catcher to a Hall of Fame pitcher such as Roy Halladay. That is not necessarily a bad thing as many of these stories make great reading. It does show, however, that even though Gibbons had the reputation as a “player’s manager” as he refers to himself, he certainly had his favorites.
Four – self-deprecation as humor is almost always present in these types of books and that is certainly present here. Like the stories about players, that helps the reader enjoy the book even if it seemed a bit predictable.
While this may come across as a critical review, it really isn’t – it is meant to convey that everything one may expect from a baseball memoir is present here, including fond memories for Blue Jays fans of their run in the 2015 postseason. That is the section with the most detailed baseball talk for on-field action, but for baseball talk in general, this is a book that many fans, especially Blue Jays fans, will enjoy.
I wish to thank ECW Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are strictly mine.
Let’s list a few of those stereotypes that a reader may believe about this book before reading a page. One – catchers usually make the better managers, especially marginal catchers. This checks off nicely as Gibbons talks fondly of his playing career, which really did not have much success in the major league level, but he did show enough knowledge of the game that when he realized his time as a player was through, he was able to find scouting jobs, which led to coaching, which led to managing jobs. Those were both in the minor leagues (Mets system) and in the majors, where he led the Toronto Blue Jays in two separate stints.
Two – baseball men of a certain age dislike the changes in the game today. For the most part, Gibbons shows how he is not a fan of some of the current strategies such as the early removal of starting pitchers. He will often wax nostalgic about how the game used to be. This is something not uncommon in many baseball memoirs, but at times this felt to be a little too much.
Three – there will be certain players that the baseball lifer will go on and on with stories about that player. There is plenty of that in this book, both for teammates while a player and also as a manager. They can range in talent from a fellow back up catcher to a Hall of Fame pitcher such as Roy Halladay. That is not necessarily a bad thing as many of these stories make great reading. It does show, however, that even though Gibbons had the reputation as a “player’s manager” as he refers to himself, he certainly had his favorites.
Four – self-deprecation as humor is almost always present in these types of books and that is certainly present here. Like the stories about players, that helps the reader enjoy the book even if it seemed a bit predictable.
While this may come across as a critical review, it really isn’t – it is meant to convey that everything one may expect from a baseball memoir is present here, including fond memories for Blue Jays fans of their run in the 2015 postseason. That is the section with the most detailed baseball talk for on-field action, but for baseball talk in general, this is a book that many fans, especially Blue Jays fans, will enjoy.
I wish to thank ECW Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are strictly mine.
July 1, 2025
loved it! Reads just like Gibbon's addressed the media when the led the team. If you liked Gibby as a manager you will like this book.
July 23, 2023
If you followed the Blue Jays and baseball in general through the 80s, 90s and 2000s + you will like this book. Typical Gibby, just telling it like it is. I read this out loud to Cam as we drove back and forth to Kobe and Casey’s games - we both loved it 👍🏻
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March 30, 2023Really enjoyable book. It's very clear that John has enjoyed his time around MLB. The chapters about the Blue Jays brought back some really fun but also some disappointing memories around the '15 and '16 Jays. This book is an honest look at John's career as a player and a manager. I'd highly recommend to anyone who likes baseball.
November 22, 2023
Full disclosure: I actually started (just barely) reading this in May, thinking it would be best to take it in during baseball season, but I got bogged down and had to return it to the library before I could get very far. As it turns out, reading it while still nursing the bruises of another bitter disappointment of said baseball season might have been a better idea after all.
(My first attempt in the spring, while catching some baseball in the back yard.)
John Gibbons was the manager of my favourite team, the Toronto Blue Jays, for several seasons. I fully admit to not being a fan of his managerial style while he was here; his bullpen decisions in particular filled me with a white hot rage more often than I can say. I did always admire his willingness to get ejected when defending his players, though, so my distaste, if you can call it that, was never especially personal. His postgame interviews were often amusing, too -- he always had this laid-back Texan way of approaching reporters' questions, even the ones he clearly thought were stupid.
This book, while off to what I felt was a slow start (by necessity, I suppose; the man has to tell where he came from in order to explain where he ended up), gets into pretty much everything: the reporters he liked most, the reasons he made some of those bullpen decisions, the players he loved (and a few he decidedly did not), the highs and lows of his tenure(s) here, and so on. We get some insight into conversations we've always wondered about (a notable one being an angry public exchange he had with Jays MVP Josh Donaldson, who incidentally wrote the foreword to this memoir), and we're told of some eye-opening things that went down behind closed doors with the front office of the team.
It's worth mentioning that on my second go-round of reading this, I opted for the audiobook. Whew. That was...a choice. At first I was stoked to find out that Gibby narrates it himself. Within a couple of chapters I was starting to go a bit crazy listening to him, because as much as I realized I missed that drawl, he is not a good narrator. But once I found the right listening speed and got used to his cadence, I settled back into being glad he was telling his own story. I'd totally understand if not everyone had that same feeling.
As for how I feel about him on the other side? I think I generally came out liking him more than I did going in, which is always the sign of a good memoir. Having said that, just when I would be impressed by how progressive and tolerant he sounded about certain things (which, given his Deep South tendencies and the image he crafted for himself over the years, was a surprise to me), he would go off on some tangent that was so Don Cherry-esque (if you're Canadian you know exactly what I mean) that I would cringe. Apparently you can teach an old dog some new tricks, but that dog may still refer to players as "sissies" and tell them they ought to wear dresses on the field if they're going to be that way, then triple down on it when asked to apologize. Ay yi yi.
But overall I'd say he comes off well, and I wasn't expecting to laugh as many times as I did at his anecdotes and observations. It was a pretty entertaining read, and if you're a baseball fan you'll find things to like about Gibby's stories.
(My first attempt in the spring, while catching some baseball in the back yard.)
John Gibbons was the manager of my favourite team, the Toronto Blue Jays, for several seasons. I fully admit to not being a fan of his managerial style while he was here; his bullpen decisions in particular filled me with a white hot rage more often than I can say. I did always admire his willingness to get ejected when defending his players, though, so my distaste, if you can call it that, was never especially personal. His postgame interviews were often amusing, too -- he always had this laid-back Texan way of approaching reporters' questions, even the ones he clearly thought were stupid.
This book, while off to what I felt was a slow start (by necessity, I suppose; the man has to tell where he came from in order to explain where he ended up), gets into pretty much everything: the reporters he liked most, the reasons he made some of those bullpen decisions, the players he loved (and a few he decidedly did not), the highs and lows of his tenure(s) here, and so on. We get some insight into conversations we've always wondered about (a notable one being an angry public exchange he had with Jays MVP Josh Donaldson, who incidentally wrote the foreword to this memoir), and we're told of some eye-opening things that went down behind closed doors with the front office of the team.
It's worth mentioning that on my second go-round of reading this, I opted for the audiobook. Whew. That was...a choice. At first I was stoked to find out that Gibby narrates it himself. Within a couple of chapters I was starting to go a bit crazy listening to him, because as much as I realized I missed that drawl, he is not a good narrator. But once I found the right listening speed and got used to his cadence, I settled back into being glad he was telling his own story. I'd totally understand if not everyone had that same feeling.
As for how I feel about him on the other side? I think I generally came out liking him more than I did going in, which is always the sign of a good memoir. Having said that, just when I would be impressed by how progressive and tolerant he sounded about certain things (which, given his Deep South tendencies and the image he crafted for himself over the years, was a surprise to me), he would go off on some tangent that was so Don Cherry-esque (if you're Canadian you know exactly what I mean) that I would cringe. Apparently you can teach an old dog some new tricks, but that dog may still refer to players as "sissies" and tell them they ought to wear dresses on the field if they're going to be that way, then triple down on it when asked to apologize. Ay yi yi.
But overall I'd say he comes off well, and I wasn't expecting to laugh as many times as I did at his anecdotes and observations. It was a pretty entertaining read, and if you're a baseball fan you'll find things to like about Gibby's stories.
January 18, 2025
I think the 2015 Toronto Blue Jays were probably the first truly “special” team I was able to cheer for in my life. John Gibbons was at the centre of that, and I think a ton of other managers would have had more difficulty reigning in all of the big personalities he had to deal with on that team. One of my defining memories from that season (other than the Bat Flip obviously) is Game 5 of the ALCS, watching him walk out to get Marco Estrada and simply saying “wow” and letting Marco listen to the crowd. Knowing how it all ended, it was bittersweet reading about that team here but it was also fun reliving a ton of those memories through his eyes. Overall, a really fun read that spans almost 40 years of baseball!
July 14, 2023
Bring a fan of Gibby I enjoyed this book and it is exactly as expected. John Gibbons is true to himself so there are no surprises here. He sheds light on how hard the baseball lifestyle is on players and their families. Players must dedicate their entire beings to baseball so even when they have crazy high salaries baseball comes first, families second. Imagine how difficult it is for minor league players.
I like the way he thinks and how he treats his players. Baseball could use more honest people who care about the players.
I like the way he thinks and how he treats his players. Baseball could use more honest people who care about the players.
April 7, 2023
A tad boring off start, but when Gibbons finally got to Blue Jays my interest grew :)
March 24, 2025
A fun romp through history of the Blue Jays Manager!
Excited for opening day on thursday/
Excited for opening day on thursday/
September 9, 2023
Extremely biased review because I love Gibby.
January 9, 2023
I am a casual baseball fan who jumps on the Blue Jays bandwagon when things get exciting. I also tend to enjoy a good sports memoir. I was hoping that John Gibbons’ book “Gibby” would provide me with some insight that would connect me more to the sport and fuel an interest in following it more seriously. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but this book didn’t live up to what I was hoping for.
Let’s start with what I liked about the book. John Gibbons clearly has a sense of humour, and is frequently self-deprecating. I often found myself chuckling at things like, “Bobby Cox once told me to talk a lot and say nothing. That’s perfect. I’ve actually done that naturally my whole life.” The tone of the book is relaxed and conversational, and feels exactly like you’d expect from a 60 year old baseball lifer rambling through the highlights of his career. If you have followed the Jays closely enough to have heard him speak to the media for a while, I’m sure you’ll be able to hear his voice while you read this. One of the more interesting parts of the story for me is how Gibbons draws connections from his early experiences in baseball to his philosophy of managing a ball club, particularly when it comes to how he related to the players.
What I struggled with as I read this book was that it assumes some familiarity with the world of baseball that I just don’t have. There are a lot of names thrown at the reader and, especially in the first half of the book, they are usually brief recollections that are lost on a casual ball fan like me. Similarly, the storytelling often moved so quickly from one event to another that it felt like one narrative wouldn’t resolve before moving on to the next. The story starts to build, but in most cases nothing truly interesting happens, and you move on hoping that the next story is a little more compelling. A reader with some knowledge or experience of the people and places involved would probably be drawn in more than I was. The chapters covering Gibbons’ second stint managing the Blue Jays recounted scenes that were familiar to me, so my interest did pick up as the book went on.
A recurring theme throughout the book is how baseball isn’t the same as it used to be. Often Gibbons is just making an observation without much added commentary, but other times he waxes nostalgic and complains about how things like rule changes are not to his liking. Similarly, he often points out how politically uncorrect he is, including grousing about how he doesn’t understand why people were upset with a sexist comment he made in 2016. Again, this is probably what you should expect from the memoirs of a 60 year old baseball lifer.
Ultimately, I just don’t think I land in the target audience for this book. If you already know who the Norfolk Tides are, it will probably connect better for you, and you’ll find some good yarns in Gibbons’ casual storytelling. If you’re a Blue Jays fan, it’ll be worth your while just to re-live the 2015 and 2016 playoffs.
This review is based on a pre-release copy of the book provided without charge by the publisher and NetGalley.
Let’s start with what I liked about the book. John Gibbons clearly has a sense of humour, and is frequently self-deprecating. I often found myself chuckling at things like, “Bobby Cox once told me to talk a lot and say nothing. That’s perfect. I’ve actually done that naturally my whole life.” The tone of the book is relaxed and conversational, and feels exactly like you’d expect from a 60 year old baseball lifer rambling through the highlights of his career. If you have followed the Jays closely enough to have heard him speak to the media for a while, I’m sure you’ll be able to hear his voice while you read this. One of the more interesting parts of the story for me is how Gibbons draws connections from his early experiences in baseball to his philosophy of managing a ball club, particularly when it comes to how he related to the players.
What I struggled with as I read this book was that it assumes some familiarity with the world of baseball that I just don’t have. There are a lot of names thrown at the reader and, especially in the first half of the book, they are usually brief recollections that are lost on a casual ball fan like me. Similarly, the storytelling often moved so quickly from one event to another that it felt like one narrative wouldn’t resolve before moving on to the next. The story starts to build, but in most cases nothing truly interesting happens, and you move on hoping that the next story is a little more compelling. A reader with some knowledge or experience of the people and places involved would probably be drawn in more than I was. The chapters covering Gibbons’ second stint managing the Blue Jays recounted scenes that were familiar to me, so my interest did pick up as the book went on.
A recurring theme throughout the book is how baseball isn’t the same as it used to be. Often Gibbons is just making an observation without much added commentary, but other times he waxes nostalgic and complains about how things like rule changes are not to his liking. Similarly, he often points out how politically uncorrect he is, including grousing about how he doesn’t understand why people were upset with a sexist comment he made in 2016. Again, this is probably what you should expect from the memoirs of a 60 year old baseball lifer.
Ultimately, I just don’t think I land in the target audience for this book. If you already know who the Norfolk Tides are, it will probably connect better for you, and you’ll find some good yarns in Gibbons’ casual storytelling. If you’re a Blue Jays fan, it’ll be worth your while just to re-live the 2015 and 2016 playoffs.
This review is based on a pre-release copy of the book provided without charge by the publisher and NetGalley.
August 28, 2023
Gibby – as a Jays fan, I feel like I’m allowed to call him Gibby – crafted his biography in a way that he knew his audience for the book. He knew full well that this is going to be marketed to and absorbed by fans of the Toronto Blue Jays. An important part of anyone’s life story is their background, but Gibby did not dwell on it. He’s a guy that was drafted high, was a top prospect in the Mets organization and won himself a World Series with that team. And yet, he didn’t get high on himself over what he did.
Instead, Gibby’s focus in this book is things he learned as a manager in the minor-leagues and how that ultimately got him to a small-time coaching job with the Blue Jays and ultimately – how he got a full-time job as a manager in Major League Baseball. And once the book went through its natural progression to this point, the book rightfully dwelled on stories from his time with the Jays. “Dwell” has a negative connotation but that’s not the intent. He delivered great stories in the Gibby fashion and brought up a lot of great memories. And also, managed to provide some good insight about a number of players and instances. And to Gibby’s credit, his time away from the Jays was minimized and instead focused on his return. And again – the stories!
My real detraction from this is that he at one point said he’s all for change. And then he follows it up with some commentary that shows he is very old school and even a few comments come along that are rather cringe-worthy.
Gibby will never be one of my favourite Blue Jays managers. However, in my time as a Jays fan I don’t know how many great Jays managers there have been. I always felt the Jays won despite John Gibbons, and not because of him. I don’t feel like this book swayed my opinion one bit. But that’s not what I’m judging this book on. The actual content was what I wanted it to be and I felt great afterwards, reminiscing over certain teams and players. The author did not portray himself to be anything other than what he was and I don’t hold this book accountable for his managerial tenure.
Instead, Gibby’s focus in this book is things he learned as a manager in the minor-leagues and how that ultimately got him to a small-time coaching job with the Blue Jays and ultimately – how he got a full-time job as a manager in Major League Baseball. And once the book went through its natural progression to this point, the book rightfully dwelled on stories from his time with the Jays. “Dwell” has a negative connotation but that’s not the intent. He delivered great stories in the Gibby fashion and brought up a lot of great memories. And also, managed to provide some good insight about a number of players and instances. And to Gibby’s credit, his time away from the Jays was minimized and instead focused on his return. And again – the stories!
My real detraction from this is that he at one point said he’s all for change. And then he follows it up with some commentary that shows he is very old school and even a few comments come along that are rather cringe-worthy.
Gibby will never be one of my favourite Blue Jays managers. However, in my time as a Jays fan I don’t know how many great Jays managers there have been. I always felt the Jays won despite John Gibbons, and not because of him. I don’t feel like this book swayed my opinion one bit. But that’s not what I’m judging this book on. The actual content was what I wanted it to be and I felt great afterwards, reminiscing over certain teams and players. The author did not portray himself to be anything other than what he was and I don’t hold this book accountable for his managerial tenure.
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April 11, 2024This was a fantastic read. Great to learn a lot about Gibby & the Jays from well before I started watching games. I'd recommend this to any baseball fan.
A lot of memorable excerpts below:
March 28, 2024 – page 19
7.2% "The first ball he threw before the hitter stepped in nearly missed the cage. I was diving everywhere while he was getting loose, and I thought to myself, This is pro ball? Come to find out that Alfie had that mental block that everyone called “The Thing.” He didn’t last long."
April 2, 2024 – page 80
30.3% "(I see now why guys stay in baseball so long. Baseball is addicting: you fall in love with the competition and the camaraderie, and you never have to grow up. Maybe that’s part of my problem — I’ve been told to grow up a few times, mainly by my wife.)"
April 2, 2024 – page 88
33.33% "In 1996, I got to be a coach on the team stationed in Hilo, and DeMarlo Hale was the manager. We lived together in a condo overlooking the Pacific Ocean and became such good friends that we made a pact that if one of us got to the big leagues, we’d bring the other one along. Sure enough, I made him the bench coach when I became the Blue Jays manager my second go-round"
April 3, 2024 – page 92
34.85% "In this one meeting, Frank Cashen was there, helping out, as he had retired as GM. [...] Someone mentioned that a player reminded him of Axl Rose, the lead singer of Guns N’ Roses. I guess Frank had been half asleep, but he heard the name and started flipping through his organizational book. He finally says, “I can’t find Axl Rose in our book.” That gave everyone in the room a good laugh."
April 7, 2024 – page 107
40.53% "That’s the beauty of managing: the decisions you make affect the game. But also in baseball everybody does things differently. You take 10 guys and every one of them will have a different opinion on things."
April 7, 2024 – page 108
40.91% "One player stood heads above the rest in 2009 — Zack Greinke. What a beauty. He started the season with 38 scoreless innings and went on to win the Cy Young Award as the AL’s best pitcher. And this was on a bad team that finished 65-97. Zack was credited with 16 of those wins."
April 7, 2024 – page 109
41.29% "The big red flag [...] no other team had touched Greinke all year, basically a mismatch. So now he gets pounded around. It happens in baseball, but this seemed different. Probably a coincidence or just our paranoia, but it was odd. Nothing ever came of it. We couldn’t prove anything. When they asked me what I knew, I cracked, “If I’d had someone relaying signs while I was managing in Toronto, I might still be there.”"
April 7, 2024 – page 111
42.05% "Dayton was a little surprised that I declined interviewing further for the Pirates job, but I was back in KC for a third year. Plus, if I had somehow gotten that job, there wouldn’t have been a second go-round in Toronto, which I’ll cherish forever. Things usually work out."
April 7, 2024 – page 113
42.8% "In Game 5 of the 1997 NLCS, it was Greg Maddux of the Braves against Liván Hernández of the Marlins, and the umpire was calling pitches six inches off the plate strikes (check it out). Hitters had no chance. After that, I think they started cracking down. People still talk about that game. Heck, if you don’t want to be out there and do your job right, call in sick or quit."
April 7, 2024 – page 114
43.18% "The best thing the umpire can say to me is, “I may have missed it.” Now what can I say to that? We’re all human.
But if you say you’re right all the time, we know that’s not the truth, because nobody is. So if you have that attitude, now it just tells me you have no flexibility and it’s probably going to get ugly."
April 7, 2024 – page 115
43.56% "I’m currently sitting at 53 lifetime ejections. That’s not bad, but a long way from the top: Bobby Cox is at 161, but percentage-wise for number of games managed, it’s close."
April 8, 2024 – page 165
62.5% "It usually comes down to pitching, and they out-pitched us. Baseball has changed quite a bit since then, and 2015’s not that long ago. In today’s game, everyone strikes out or hits a home run.
But in the end, it’s good old-fashioned fundamental baseball that still wins. Game 6 is a perfect example. You strike out, you’ve got no shot at scoring. We had two of the best opportunities to take our shot, but it didn’t happen. I would bet on my guys in that spot every time.
April 8, 2024 – page 166
62.88% "But it was two very good teams that were built for their own specific ballparks and divisions, and they both worked. I’ll take our guys any day."
April 10, 2024 – page 186
70.45% "While the ’16 Jays weren’t the ’86 Mets, we were disliked. We had some guys that were cocky, who wore their emotions on their sleeve, who weren’t afraid to complain and bitch at umpires or to fight. As a team, we weren’t afraid to stick our chest out, because we were coming off a good year and we were good."
April 10, 2024 – page 192
72.73% "[...] I explained to the media my side of having to get up close to him, but Josh delivered a beauty: “I was just coming back to the dugout and hit my bat against the [wall], and Gibby asked me what kind of cologne I was wearing,” Donaldson told reporters. “I said, ‘It’s this new cologne called Tom Ford, I just got it.’”
We moved on [...]. I love the kid to death, one of my all-time favorites, but he was a handful."
April 10, 2024 – page 195
"Crazy things happen. You think you’ve got it right there and all of a sudden it evaporates. That’s the beauty of baseball: you never know."
April 10, 2024 – page 200
75.76% "(Gibby on a threat of being fired after buying his young son Kyle a Derek Jeter jersey)
Nothing ever came of it, but it just shows you that if they want your head bad enough, some people will try anything. Just go ahead and do it. I guess I could understand if it had been me wearing it — I loved Jeter too."
April 11, 2024 – page 205
77.65% "If I’d done my schooling like my dad had wanted, I could probably pull out some deep quote from my memory about paths not taken, walking in the woods or other nonsense.
The only paths I ever saw were basepaths. I’m a baseball lifer. I love the game, and I want to be a part of it."
April 11, 2024 – page 207
"Never overvalue yourself — that’s in baseball and in life."
April 11, 2024 – page 209
"The thing about baseball is there’s nothing to complain about or fret over, and remember, there’s no crying in baseball."
A lot of memorable excerpts below:
March 28, 2024 – page 19
7.2% "The first ball he threw before the hitter stepped in nearly missed the cage. I was diving everywhere while he was getting loose, and I thought to myself, This is pro ball? Come to find out that Alfie had that mental block that everyone called “The Thing.” He didn’t last long."
April 2, 2024 – page 80
30.3% "(I see now why guys stay in baseball so long. Baseball is addicting: you fall in love with the competition and the camaraderie, and you never have to grow up. Maybe that’s part of my problem — I’ve been told to grow up a few times, mainly by my wife.)"
April 2, 2024 – page 88
33.33% "In 1996, I got to be a coach on the team stationed in Hilo, and DeMarlo Hale was the manager. We lived together in a condo overlooking the Pacific Ocean and became such good friends that we made a pact that if one of us got to the big leagues, we’d bring the other one along. Sure enough, I made him the bench coach when I became the Blue Jays manager my second go-round"
April 3, 2024 – page 92
34.85% "In this one meeting, Frank Cashen was there, helping out, as he had retired as GM. [...] Someone mentioned that a player reminded him of Axl Rose, the lead singer of Guns N’ Roses. I guess Frank had been half asleep, but he heard the name and started flipping through his organizational book. He finally says, “I can’t find Axl Rose in our book.” That gave everyone in the room a good laugh."
April 7, 2024 – page 107
40.53% "That’s the beauty of managing: the decisions you make affect the game. But also in baseball everybody does things differently. You take 10 guys and every one of them will have a different opinion on things."
April 7, 2024 – page 108
40.91% "One player stood heads above the rest in 2009 — Zack Greinke. What a beauty. He started the season with 38 scoreless innings and went on to win the Cy Young Award as the AL’s best pitcher. And this was on a bad team that finished 65-97. Zack was credited with 16 of those wins."
April 7, 2024 – page 109
41.29% "The big red flag [...] no other team had touched Greinke all year, basically a mismatch. So now he gets pounded around. It happens in baseball, but this seemed different. Probably a coincidence or just our paranoia, but it was odd. Nothing ever came of it. We couldn’t prove anything. When they asked me what I knew, I cracked, “If I’d had someone relaying signs while I was managing in Toronto, I might still be there.”"
April 7, 2024 – page 111
42.05% "Dayton was a little surprised that I declined interviewing further for the Pirates job, but I was back in KC for a third year. Plus, if I had somehow gotten that job, there wouldn’t have been a second go-round in Toronto, which I’ll cherish forever. Things usually work out."
April 7, 2024 – page 113
42.8% "In Game 5 of the 1997 NLCS, it was Greg Maddux of the Braves against Liván Hernández of the Marlins, and the umpire was calling pitches six inches off the plate strikes (check it out). Hitters had no chance. After that, I think they started cracking down. People still talk about that game. Heck, if you don’t want to be out there and do your job right, call in sick or quit."
April 7, 2024 – page 114
43.18% "The best thing the umpire can say to me is, “I may have missed it.” Now what can I say to that? We’re all human.
But if you say you’re right all the time, we know that’s not the truth, because nobody is. So if you have that attitude, now it just tells me you have no flexibility and it’s probably going to get ugly."
April 7, 2024 – page 115
43.56% "I’m currently sitting at 53 lifetime ejections. That’s not bad, but a long way from the top: Bobby Cox is at 161, but percentage-wise for number of games managed, it’s close."
April 8, 2024 – page 165
62.5% "It usually comes down to pitching, and they out-pitched us. Baseball has changed quite a bit since then, and 2015’s not that long ago. In today’s game, everyone strikes out or hits a home run.
But in the end, it’s good old-fashioned fundamental baseball that still wins. Game 6 is a perfect example. You strike out, you’ve got no shot at scoring. We had two of the best opportunities to take our shot, but it didn’t happen. I would bet on my guys in that spot every time.
April 8, 2024 – page 166
62.88% "But it was two very good teams that were built for their own specific ballparks and divisions, and they both worked. I’ll take our guys any day."
April 10, 2024 – page 186
70.45% "While the ’16 Jays weren’t the ’86 Mets, we were disliked. We had some guys that were cocky, who wore their emotions on their sleeve, who weren’t afraid to complain and bitch at umpires or to fight. As a team, we weren’t afraid to stick our chest out, because we were coming off a good year and we were good."
April 10, 2024 – page 192
72.73% "[...] I explained to the media my side of having to get up close to him, but Josh delivered a beauty: “I was just coming back to the dugout and hit my bat against the [wall], and Gibby asked me what kind of cologne I was wearing,” Donaldson told reporters. “I said, ‘It’s this new cologne called Tom Ford, I just got it.’”
We moved on [...]. I love the kid to death, one of my all-time favorites, but he was a handful."
April 10, 2024 – page 195
"Crazy things happen. You think you’ve got it right there and all of a sudden it evaporates. That’s the beauty of baseball: you never know."
April 10, 2024 – page 200
75.76% "(Gibby on a threat of being fired after buying his young son Kyle a Derek Jeter jersey)
Nothing ever came of it, but it just shows you that if they want your head bad enough, some people will try anything. Just go ahead and do it. I guess I could understand if it had been me wearing it — I loved Jeter too."
April 11, 2024 – page 205
77.65% "If I’d done my schooling like my dad had wanted, I could probably pull out some deep quote from my memory about paths not taken, walking in the woods or other nonsense.
The only paths I ever saw were basepaths. I’m a baseball lifer. I love the game, and I want to be a part of it."
April 11, 2024 – page 207
"Never overvalue yourself — that’s in baseball and in life."
April 11, 2024 – page 209
"The thing about baseball is there’s nothing to complain about or fret over, and remember, there’s no crying in baseball."
January 3, 2023
This memoir reads like Gibby is kicked back in his chair bullshitting about the past and telling stories. And according to the postscript, that's exactly how it was written.
I really enjoyed it. I've read Buck Martinez and Jerry Howarth's memoirs in the last few years and this one is easily the best of those three. Ghost written sports memoirs are so hit and miss but this one perfectly nails the tone. I enjoyed the stories of Gibby's playing career most, as I didn't know anything about that time of his life. He knows how to keep a story interesting, knowing that we're more interested in the stories than the actual games themselves.
In fact, if any part of this book dragged a little, it would be the chapters on 2015 and 2016. He goes into more detail about those exciting years than I needed to hear. But that may just be because I remember them so clearly still. That's a small gripe though, and the chapters still offered enough of his opinion that they were fine.
So basically, if you're the type of person who would even consider reading a book about Gibby, then go for it. It delivers.
I really enjoyed it. I've read Buck Martinez and Jerry Howarth's memoirs in the last few years and this one is easily the best of those three. Ghost written sports memoirs are so hit and miss but this one perfectly nails the tone. I enjoyed the stories of Gibby's playing career most, as I didn't know anything about that time of his life. He knows how to keep a story interesting, knowing that we're more interested in the stories than the actual games themselves.
In fact, if any part of this book dragged a little, it would be the chapters on 2015 and 2016. He goes into more detail about those exciting years than I needed to hear. But that may just be because I remember them so clearly still. That's a small gripe though, and the chapters still offered enough of his opinion that they were fine.
So basically, if you're the type of person who would even consider reading a book about Gibby, then go for it. It delivers.
Read
April 26, 2023There is no question that John Gibbons lives and breathes baseball. If he got a cut on his finger, then he would likely bleed baseball as well. That is what makes the book GIBBY TALES OF A BASEBALL LIFER, so entertaining and recommended for lovers of baseball and fans of great writing in general.
Co-written with Greg Oliver, who is no stranger to sports books including several on pro wrestling, the tandem of Gibbons and Oliver have created a book that will engross all readers. The book of course focuses quite a bit on his life as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays on two separate occasions. But he also has had quite the life in baseball before this, a noted catcher who was part of the New York Mets when they won the World Series in 1986.
Gibbons talks about life in the minor leagues, and the fact he has always had a love of the game even from an early age. When he was drafted by the New York Mets in 1980, he worked his way through the farm system and minor leagues into the big league.
It was during his tenure with the Blue Jays that the real challenges arose. He was hired by the organization in 2002 as a bullpen catcher, then first base coach. He was given managerial duties in 2004 after Carlos Tosca was given the boot. There were up and down seasons with the Jays, until he was fired partway through the season in 2008.
Gibbons talks of those years, and the players who were part of the team. He looks back fondly at many of them, and although they never won a championship or came close to winning, it was the experience that meant the most. He was given a second life thanks to the Jays in 2013, when he was rehired, and it was during this time frame that the Jays actually lived up to their potential and beyond.
Of course there were a different crop of players such as Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson, and many others, and there were Playoff runs and Championship seasons, but no World Series like in the 90’s. He departed in 2018 as manager of the Jays. He was controversial at times when having confrontations with his players on and off the field. There were many run-ins, including one in the clubhouse with Josh Donaldson. Donaldson ironically wrote the foreword to this book, obviously with great respect for the man.
Gibbons covers many aspects of the sport, including the new rules that have gone into effect over the most recent years, and how umpires sometimes just can’t seem to get their calls right regarding balls and strikes. Gibbons honesty and amusing anecdotes make for a great book, and fans of the Jays and baseball in general will find much of interest within its pages.
Co-written with Greg Oliver, who is no stranger to sports books including several on pro wrestling, the tandem of Gibbons and Oliver have created a book that will engross all readers. The book of course focuses quite a bit on his life as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays on two separate occasions. But he also has had quite the life in baseball before this, a noted catcher who was part of the New York Mets when they won the World Series in 1986.
Gibbons talks about life in the minor leagues, and the fact he has always had a love of the game even from an early age. When he was drafted by the New York Mets in 1980, he worked his way through the farm system and minor leagues into the big league.
It was during his tenure with the Blue Jays that the real challenges arose. He was hired by the organization in 2002 as a bullpen catcher, then first base coach. He was given managerial duties in 2004 after Carlos Tosca was given the boot. There were up and down seasons with the Jays, until he was fired partway through the season in 2008.
Gibbons talks of those years, and the players who were part of the team. He looks back fondly at many of them, and although they never won a championship or came close to winning, it was the experience that meant the most. He was given a second life thanks to the Jays in 2013, when he was rehired, and it was during this time frame that the Jays actually lived up to their potential and beyond.
Of course there were a different crop of players such as Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson, and many others, and there were Playoff runs and Championship seasons, but no World Series like in the 90’s. He departed in 2018 as manager of the Jays. He was controversial at times when having confrontations with his players on and off the field. There were many run-ins, including one in the clubhouse with Josh Donaldson. Donaldson ironically wrote the foreword to this book, obviously with great respect for the man.
Gibbons covers many aspects of the sport, including the new rules that have gone into effect over the most recent years, and how umpires sometimes just can’t seem to get their calls right regarding balls and strikes. Gibbons honesty and amusing anecdotes make for a great book, and fans of the Jays and baseball in general will find much of interest within its pages.
April 12, 2023
“Baseball is addicting: you fall in love with the competition and the camaraderie, and you never have to grow up.”
John Gibson, former manager of Toronto's baseball team the Blue Jays, highlights significant life memories in and out of baseball. Co-written by sports author, Greg Oliver, the book includes multiple influencers (“Gibby’s Greats") and significant events while growing up, playing and coaching in the minors and majors, and managing the Jays, and of course, his critical analysis of the sport.
Gibbons certainly does not sugar coat his opinion on the bureaucracy of the MLB and I was here for it. There are things that stink about it—big time stink-o-rama—and it takes great patience and maturity to survive it. You either get knocked down and get up or you get caught in the messiness of it—broken and scathed.
He certainly had his challenges: living away from his family; being benched; getting fired from coaching and managing, and dealing with the media, even when he, too, would second-guess his decisions. When commenting on his unsuccessful career as a catcher, Gibby says that in the end he lost his confidence and he “wasn’t having any success. And baseball’s a bad business when you ain’t having any success.”
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about his time as manager during the pivotal years of 2015 and 2016. His detailed account of significant moves, trades, and plays, especially during that famous 54-minute seventh inning, which will forever be memorialized as one of the best innings EVER. (IYKYK) Gibbons says, “In reality, the game was over with the bat flip—I don’t see how anybody comes back from that.”
It's hard to succinctly summarize Gibby’s memoir but I highly recommend it. In sum, the man has heart. I came out of this book reaffirmed that he has always shown immense loyalty and passion for the sport—and deep down he is a well-adopted Canadian who drinks his Timmies like the rest of us.
Thanks to ECW Press and Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
John Gibson, former manager of Toronto's baseball team the Blue Jays, highlights significant life memories in and out of baseball. Co-written by sports author, Greg Oliver, the book includes multiple influencers (“Gibby’s Greats") and significant events while growing up, playing and coaching in the minors and majors, and managing the Jays, and of course, his critical analysis of the sport.
Gibbons certainly does not sugar coat his opinion on the bureaucracy of the MLB and I was here for it. There are things that stink about it—big time stink-o-rama—and it takes great patience and maturity to survive it. You either get knocked down and get up or you get caught in the messiness of it—broken and scathed.
He certainly had his challenges: living away from his family; being benched; getting fired from coaching and managing, and dealing with the media, even when he, too, would second-guess his decisions. When commenting on his unsuccessful career as a catcher, Gibby says that in the end he lost his confidence and he “wasn’t having any success. And baseball’s a bad business when you ain’t having any success.”
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about his time as manager during the pivotal years of 2015 and 2016. His detailed account of significant moves, trades, and plays, especially during that famous 54-minute seventh inning, which will forever be memorialized as one of the best innings EVER. (IYKYK) Gibbons says, “In reality, the game was over with the bat flip—I don’t see how anybody comes back from that.”
It's hard to succinctly summarize Gibby’s memoir but I highly recommend it. In sum, the man has heart. I came out of this book reaffirmed that he has always shown immense loyalty and passion for the sport—and deep down he is a well-adopted Canadian who drinks his Timmies like the rest of us.
Thanks to ECW Press and Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
April 5, 2023
John “Gibby” Gibbons started his baseball career as a catcher. He only played 18 games. This did not stop him from being a great coach and manager. His relationship with his players and his intelligence lead to an impressive career.
John Gibbons has been an icon in professional baseball for years. So, I jumped at the chance to read this.
I enjoyed so much about this book! I have been a huge baseball fan my whole life. So, I just love reading about the quirks of the game. This book is full of famous names and the politics of the game. I laughed out loud in places and was surprised in others. Now, it is a bit choppy in the writing. But that could be because it is an arc and the kinks have not been worked out yet.
Need some good baseball stories…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!
I received this book from the publisher for a honest review.
John Gibbons has been an icon in professional baseball for years. So, I jumped at the chance to read this.
I enjoyed so much about this book! I have been a huge baseball fan my whole life. So, I just love reading about the quirks of the game. This book is full of famous names and the politics of the game. I laughed out loud in places and was surprised in others. Now, it is a bit choppy in the writing. But that could be because it is an arc and the kinks have not been worked out yet.
Need some good baseball stories…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!
I received this book from the publisher for a honest review.
April 11, 2023
I knew that John Gibbons was a manager for the Toronto Blue Jays, went to high school in San Antonio, and lives in San Antonio. I didn’t know he had written a book about his baseball life, until one of my Facebook friends who also happens to be a local sports television anchor in San Antonio, shared a video of him interviewing John Gibbons where he mentioned his book.
I really enjoyed this book and had no clue he was a member of the 1986 World Series champions, the New York Mets and that he was a former manager of the San Antonio Missions, the double AA affiliate of the San Diego Padres.
It was easy for me to follow along on his journey from player to manager, and the majority of the players he mentions I was familiar with. As a former catcher, he is very knowledgeable about the game.
I really enjoyed this book and had no clue he was a member of the 1986 World Series champions, the New York Mets and that he was a former manager of the San Antonio Missions, the double AA affiliate of the San Diego Padres.
It was easy for me to follow along on his journey from player to manager, and the majority of the players he mentions I was familiar with. As a former catcher, he is very knowledgeable about the game.
November 28, 2022
Even if you aren’t a huge baseball fan, you’ll enjoy walking memory lane with coach John Gibbons describing the Toronto’s Blue Jays amazing world series runs in 2015 and 2016. Gibbons provides a unique perspective of events in the same no-nonsense voice used in his press conferences. His observations are blunt but there are also moments of compassion. In fact, it’s in those moments that one realizes how precarious a career in baseball is. The constant exposure to injuries, the life altering decisions made by powerful managers based on gut and feel, and the inevitable consequences of simply getting older makes baseball an incredibly risky adventure. Those who choose to play despite all the odds must truly love the game.
July 11, 2023
Excellent book by fan fave manager John Gibbons. Conversational with a ton of spot-on stories from his years as a catcher over several teams--1986 Mets!--, Gibby's Greats at the end of each chapter, and a myriad 'cast' of characters--players, roomies, managers, GM's, allsorts--this is a must for Blue Jays fans who loved Gibby as a manager of our home team, twice! Outspoken but fair, loyal, old school, and definitely a player's manager, Gibby reflects on his rise up the baseball ladder, anything but easy! Really enjoyable, a perfect summer read.
October 8, 2023
I enjoyed the stories. Gibby is a “baseball lifer” and he shared so many amazing memories of his time in the major leagues. He truly loved being a part of the Blue Jays, and that makes me very proud as a lifelong fan. He also really valued his time in Canada, which is very unique for a U.S, born baseball player and manager. Gibby’s comments about the game and it’s toll on families was really insightful. He also shared a lot of incredible insights into the 2015 and 2016 teams, two of my all-time favorites.
May 21, 2024
It's been a while since I've written a review, but I've decided I would for this one.
Gibby gives an account of his time in baseball, not just his time with the Jays. While it was cool in the later half of the book to see how things went down with the 2015 and 2016 Jays it was also interesting to hear about his time with the Mets and his time in MLB as a catcher.
It's a great book that simply reads like a guy reminiscing about his dream job. It doesn't seem stuck up, and he is willing to talk both about his successes and his failures.
I highly recommend it
Gibby gives an account of his time in baseball, not just his time with the Jays. While it was cool in the later half of the book to see how things went down with the 2015 and 2016 Jays it was also interesting to hear about his time with the Mets and his time in MLB as a catcher.
It's a great book that simply reads like a guy reminiscing about his dream job. It doesn't seem stuck up, and he is willing to talk both about his successes and his failures.
I highly recommend it
August 24, 2023
John Gibbons, somewhat surprisingly became a bit of a cult celebrity in Toronto after his second stint managing the Blue Jays. In his autobiography “Gibby” he goes through his career, playing, coaching and managing in his laid back, easy going, Southern way. A fun and quick read, “Gibby” is a bit of a throwback to an old school, grizzled, baseball lifer who looks at the game very simply and is candid and honest. Worth it.
May 9, 2023
a good baseball book - lots of good stories of Gibby's career in baseball. I consider him to be the best manager after Cito Gaston - I was surprised to find that he had won 2 World Series Championship rings. The first with New York Mets in 1986 as a player and as a scout in Texas with the 2021 Atlanta Braves
July 5, 2023
I think John Gibbons is just a nice guy. It was because of this that the players performed for him and I am sure he knows the game at a very high level. I was hoping for a bit of "dirt" on some players or situations but that is not Gibby. Books like "Ball Four" set a whole new standard for mudslinging many years ago so that soft books are great for chronology but don't tickle the funny bone.
August 3, 2023
“Gibby - Tales of a Baseball Lifer” by John Gibbons and Greg Oliver.
My husband and I read this book together. We both loved it. It was interesting to hear about Gibby’s life. We were already fan of his since he managed the Blue Jays the second time. It was nice to reminisce about the Blue Jays history as well. Great book! Great career! Well done!
My husband and I read this book together. We both loved it. It was interesting to hear about Gibby’s life. We were already fan of his since he managed the Blue Jays the second time. It was nice to reminisce about the Blue Jays history as well. Great book! Great career! Well done!
April 29, 2024
This is a collection of stories from former Jays manager John Gibbons. It's a straightforward account of the major events in his life and career. He tells entertaining stories and shares his opinions about a lot of things but having followed the team, there really wasn't anything new in here for me. It was fine.
May 30, 2025
Good look back at the best times of blue jays baseball in the near past. Gibby was the right guy for the job the 2nd time around. I was shocked when he was hired back the 2nd time. The story answered the questions about what happened on 2 infamous run in with players. The book emphasizes the message that life isn't fair and no one is bigger than the game.
May 6, 2023
I loved Gibby as the manager of The Jays and I thoroughly enjoyed reading his very honest account of growing up in baseball. He does not flinch from the truth or an opinion, which makes for riveting reading.
October 15, 2023
Quick read, 4 stars upgraded bc Gibby is politely critical of the destruction of the team wrought by Atkins & Shapiro, & calls out the awful person Greg Zaun who was responsible for the whiteboard. Anybody negative towards those jackasses is alright in my books
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