Interleague a hit with fans, Jays enjoy "Cito effect"
Wednesday, July 2, 2008 | 10:26 PM ET
Interleague play in Major League Baseball was more exciting this year than ever. Why? It’s because the cross-town rivals are playing good baseball.
Just look at the Chicago teams, the Cubs and the White Sox are kicking some butt this year. Growing up in Joliet, Ill., just outside of Chicago, I was a huge fan of both teams.
Now, some people say you can’t be a fan of both teams, but why not? I loved my hometown teams and had heroes on both: from Ernie Banks (Mr. Cub), Billy Williams (Cubs) to Dick Allen of the White Sox. The excitement for both the Cubs and White Sox fans seeing their teams go head to head during the season takes the rivalry to another level. Oh, I would have loved it! Can you imagine the trash talking in the stands? It must be crazy.
How about the Cubs, Reds and Braves coming to the Rogers Centre this season? It’s awesome! The Jays fans came out to get a look at players that they only hear of or see on TV - Ken Griffey Jr., Chipper Jones, and wasn’t it great to have Bobby Cox back in town?
The stadium was full of excited fans that came to see how the Jays matched up to these National League teams. It started off pretty rough, but the Cubs are on a tear, they are just beating up on teams, so the Jays are in good company.
But when the Reds and Braves got to town, all the dust from the change of management had settled down, and the guys were playing good fundamental baseball, taking two out of three from both teams. I’ll take that any day!
And look at the runs they put on the board! That gave the pitching staff some room to just go out there and not worry about if they would get any run support. Where did all of this suddenly come from?
“Cito effect” comes into play
It comes from the top. The quality of leadership that manager Cito Gaston brings is almost father-like - he’s encouraging yet firm when he needs to be. The “Cito effect” in the Jays’ clubhouse is growing more every day. They’re now playing with more confidence and they’re even starting to get their swagger back. You can see in their faces as they take the field that the stress level has gone down tremendously. (And so can the opposing team, they know the Jays now mean business).
Now I see guys smiling in the dugout, coaches talking to the guys, and a new chemistry being developed. I even hear about game plans and how to execute them, and it’s starting to work. Look at the offence - it’s beginning to come around.
It takes time, though. They didn’t get into all this mess overnight and won’t get out overnight, but these are steps to getting back into contention. If the Jays will stay with the game plan, the second part of this season should be a lot of fun to watch.
Rios searches for rhythm
Speaking of game plans, Cito told Alex Rios to get a game plan at the plate and stick with it. That is advice well put. As a hitter, when you just don’t feel right at the plate, you start experimenting with all kinds of stuff, listening to everyone, trying everything that everyone else is doing and before you know it, you are really messed up!
Unfortunately, I can speak from experience about that ... believe me, no one likes going 0-for-4 or 0-for-5. It stinks!
The best thing I could say to Alex is: listen to the man! He knows what he’s talking about, trust me, he told me the same thing when I was your age. Cito mentored me, as well as many others who went on to have very successful careers, and it worked. That’s an added benefit of having a manager who was also a player, a hitting coach and has gone through all of this. Sit down, talk to him, pick his brain. After all, Cito knows about producing, he was Hank Aaron’s roommate!
By the way, a note to all the unbelievers, the Tampa Bay Rays are still in first place. No one saw this coming, except maybe them. Their pitching has been phenomenal and they keep getting clutch hit after clutch hit. And the defence is spectacular. They make web gems almost every night! Add it all together; you get first in your division. I keep telling you, these guys are for real.
And, I think the Jays are now too.
« Previous Post | Main | Next Post »
This discussion is now Open. Submit your Comment.
« Previous Post | Main | Next Post »
Post a Comment
Inside Baseball with Jesse Barfield »
About the Author
Jesse Barfield returns to the booth with the Rogers Blue Jays Baseball
on CBC broadcast team for the 2008 season as an analyst, after making
his debut with the program in 2007.
Barfield, a favourite with Canadian baseball fans, was selected by the
Blue Jays in the ninth round of the 1977 amateur draft, debuted with the
club in 1981 and helped the franchise reach the playoffs for the first
time in 1985.
A two-time Gold Glove winner with a cannon for an arm, Barfield led American
League outfielders in assists for three straight seasons (1985
– 87). Barfield was selected to the American League All-Star Team in
1986, a season in which he blasted 40 home runs to lead the majors while
driving in 108 runs. He was traded to the New York Yankees in 1989,
where he completed his playing career.
In 1,428 career games, Barfield was a .256 hitter with 241 home runs and 716 RBIs.
Recent Posts
- Spoiler tag suiting Jays down the stretch
- Wednesday, September 3, 2008
- My memories of Yankee Stadium run deep
- Friday, August 29, 2008
- Blue Jays will be in a battle to the finish
- Saturday, August 23, 2008
- Blue Jays could be a different team down the stretch
- Friday, August 15, 2008
- A day to remember in The House That Ruth Built
- Saturday, August 9, 2008
- Subscribe to Inside Baseball with Jesse Barfield
Archives
- September 2008 (1)
- August 2008 (4)
- July 2008 (6)
- June 2008 (4)
- May 2008 (4)
- April 2008 (5)
- March 2008 (4)
- February 2008 (2)
Comments
Steve
They've dropped at least three and a half more games back with the "Cito effect". They must of got rid of him for some reason in the first place.
Posted July 8, 2008 06:15 AM
dugger
london
Well, maybe Cito can help Rios with his hitting but who can help him when he gets on base.
Getting picked off second the way Rios was is just plain dumb. AND Vernon Wells baserunning blunder...Jays get on a roll？So what. Too many other teams ahead of them. Let's see how they do in this homestand.
All they have is Roy Halladay. He can't pitch every day.If only he could....
Posted July 8, 2008 01:35 AM
Danny
vancouver
I'm a big Cito fan..Was there in the Skydome when Joe hit the dinger off Mitch Williams.
I agree it will take time for things to change simply because, as you say, it took time to have it all go wrong. Cito's strength is his understanding of the game and leadership without panic or disrespect to your staff. His fatherly, gentleman approach would be a positive influence in the clubhouse and who knows what could happen if they ever got on a roll.
Posted July 6, 2008 04:21 AM
Lorne Graham
Jessie so neat to hear from somebody who knows the game and played the game so well. Keep up the good work. I have never forgotten when were at a game, first base side, directly opposite first base and you caught a ball very near the warning track and fired it home to Ernie Whitt, who held his glove in front of him around belt high as he was in a knees bent position. Amazingly he never even had to move his glove or body in any way, but the ball hit that glove on the fly. What an unbelievably accurate throw. Thanks again for your great playing in every aspect of the game and the joy you brought to me and so many others.
Posted July 5, 2008 10:09 PM
Michael Bayne
A nice article, Mr. Barfield. I've been a fan of the Jays since '85, so it's definitely great to have Cito back in charge. I'm also glad to see Adam Lind being given a real chance this time.
Good luck to the Cubs as well. I'm sure Joe Carter would also like to see them win...
Posted July 4, 2008 04:53 AM