John Gibbons facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Gibbons
Gibbons in 2015
New York Mets – No. 68
Catcher / Manager / Coach
Born: (1962-06-08) June 8, 1962 (age 63) Great Falls, Montana, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
April 11, 1984, for the New York Mets
Last appearance
October 4, 1986, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
Batting average	.220
Home runs	1
Runs batted in	2
Managerial record	793–789
Winning %	.501
Teams
As player New York Mets (1984, 1986) As manager Toronto Blue Jays (2004–2008, 2013–2018) As coach Toronto Blue Jays (2002–2004) Kansas City Royals (2009–2011) Toronto Blue Jays (2013–2018) New York Mets (2024–present)

John Michael Gibbons (born June 8, 1962) is an American professional baseball coach, manager, and former player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher for the New York Mets in 1984 and 1986.

Gibbons later became a coach for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2002. He then became their manager in 2004. After being a coach for the Kansas City Royals and managing in the minor leagues, he returned to manage the Blue Jays from 2013 to 2018. He is currently the bench coach for the New York Mets.

Early Life and Baseball Beginnings

John Gibbons was born in Great Falls, Montana. He grew up in San Antonio, Texas, where he went to Douglas MacArthur High School. His father was a United States Air Force colonel. John had his first Little League Baseball turn at bat in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada, where his family lived for a short time.

Playing Baseball in the MLB

The New York Mets chose Gibbons as their 24th pick in the 1980 amateur draft. He spent three years playing in the Mets' minor league teams. In 1984, he was seen as a top catching player for the Mets. He was supposed to start the season in the major leagues.

However, an injury in March meant he started on the disabled list. He played six games as a catcher in April 1984 but didn't hit well. He went back on the disabled list and was sent to a minor league team.

Gibbons was called up to the major leagues again in the 1986 season. He played in 8 games and hit very well. But the Mets already had a great catcher, Gary Carter, and a good backup. Gibbons worked as the Mets' bullpen catcher during the 1986 postseason. He even received a World Series ring when the Mets won the World Series.

After 1986, Gibbons spent four more seasons playing for different minor league teams. He stopped playing baseball professionally after the 1990 season.

Coaching and Managing Teams

Starting in the Minor Leagues

Gibbons began his coaching career with the Mets in 1990. He taught minor league players how to be catchers. In 1994, he became a hitting coach for the Capital City Bombers.

He started managing minor league teams in 1995 with the Kingsport Mets. He led them to win the Appalachian League championship. The next year, he led the St. Lucie Mets to win the Florida State League title. In 1998, he took the Binghamton Mets to the playoffs. After that, he managed the Norfolk Tides for three seasons, leading them to the playoffs in 2001.

Managing the Toronto Blue Jays (First Time)

Gibbons with the Blue Jays in 2007

In 2002, the Toronto Blue Jays hired Gibbons as a bullpen catcher. He quickly moved up to become the first base coach in June 2002. The Blue Jays' general manager, J. P. Ricciardi, was his former roommate from their minor league days.

When the Blue Jays fired their manager in 2004, Gibbons was chosen to take over. The team won 20 games and lost 30 with him as manager that year.

After the 2004 season, Gibbons signed a contract to manage the Blue Jays for the 2005 season. He later got a two-year contract extension. In his first full season as a manager, the Jays had a record of 80 wins and 82 losses.

In 2006, the Blue Jays added several new talented players. Expectations were high. Toronto finished the season in second place in their division with 87 wins and 75 losses. This was the first time the Jays had finished higher than third place since 1993, when they won the World Series.

On June 20, 2008, the Blue Jays were not playing well, so Gibbons was fired. He was replaced by Cito Gaston, who had managed the Jays before. Gibbons' record in his first time as manager was 305 wins and 305 losses.

Coaching for Other Teams

On October 10, 2008, Gibbons was hired by the Kansas City Royals as their bench coach. He worked there until 2011.

At the end of the 2011 season, Gibbons was hired to manage the San Antonio Missions. This team was a minor league affiliate for the San Diego Padres.

Managing the Toronto Blue Jays (Second Time)

Gibbons in 2014

On November 20, 2012, the Blue Jays hired Gibbons again as their manager. He signed a two-year contract. In 2013, he was part of the coaching staff for the American League All-Star team. The Blue Jays finished the 2013 season with 74 wins and 88 losses, placing them last in their division.

In 2014, the Blue Jays were leading their division in early June. However, their performance slowed down, and they finished the season with 83 wins and 79 losses. They were in third place in their division.

On June 22, 2015, the Blue Jays won their 500th game under Gibbons' management. On September 25, Gibbons and the Blue Jays made it to the playoffs for the first time in 22 years. Five days later, they won their division. On October 14, 2015, the Blue Jays won the American League Division Series against the Texas Rangers. They then played in their first American League Championship Series since 1993. They lost to the Kansas City Royals.

In 2016, Gibbons was suspended for three games due to an on-field incident between the Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers. He was ejected from games eight times in 2016, which was the most in Major League Baseball that year. The Blue Jays made the playoffs again in 2016. They won the Wild Card Game and swept the Texas Rangers in the Division Series. However, they were eliminated by the Cleveland Indians in the Championship Series.

On April 1, 2017, Gibbons signed a two-year contract extension with the Blue Jays. In 2018, he was ejected seven times, again the most among all managers in the major leagues.

On September 26, 2018, the Blue Jays announced that Gibbons would not return for the 2019 season. The mayor of Toronto, John Tory, even declared September 26th as "John Gibbons Day" to honor his contributions to the team. His last game as manager was a loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. The Blue Jays finished the 2018 season with 73 wins and 89 losses. In his second time as Blue Jays manager, he had a record of 488 wins and 484 losses. Overall, Gibbons has a record of 793 wins and 789 losses from both times managing the Blue Jays.

Joining the New York Mets Again

On November 22, 2023, it was announced that John Gibbons was expected to be hired as the bench coach for the New York Mets. This brings him back to the team he played for at the start of his career.

Managerial Record

See also

In Spanish: John Gibbons para niños