Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Happy Anniversary Carlos

Yesterday marked one year since Carlos Tosca took over from the over-challenged Buck Martinez.

The Jays have gone a pretty impressive 89-78.

In yesterdays Globe and Mail Jeff Blair quotes J.P :

"What Carlos and his coaching staff has done is given us a focus and direction that's allowed us from simply talking about what we wanted to do to actually doing it," Ricciardi said. "It just wasn't going to work with those other guys — and I don't mean that as a criticism of them. It's just that Carlos and the staff we now have fits the bill as far as what we were trying to create here."

Tosca's handling of the bullpen drives me as nutty as the next ZLC'er but he deserves a lot of credit for the Jay's turn around the last couple of years.

Posted by Gwyn on Wednesday, June 04 2003 @ 09:06 AM EDT.

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Pepper Moffatt - Wednesday, June 04 2003 @ 10:16 AM EDT (#100815) #

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I also have a hard time understanding a lot of the pitching changes Tosca makes, but a .533 winning percentage is pretty impressive. Congrats on your first year, Carlos!

Mike

Dave Till - Wednesday, June 04 2003 @ 10:28 AM EDT (#100816) #

Tosca seems to have the respect of his players, which is the hardest thing for a manager to do.

If the Jays suddenly lose five in a row, or if the bats cool off (which they probably will), what will the media be writing about the Jays then? I'd be as happy as a clam if the team were to keep challenging the Yanks and the Sox, but I don't expect it to happen just yet.

_George Tsuji - Wednesday, June 04 2003 @ 12:06 PM EDT (#100817) #

Dave's point about Tosca getting respect is particularly relevant, given that one of the "fears" held when he was named was that he wouldn't be able to do exactly that, because of his lack of playing experience. The way he handled Mondesi's obvious lack of respect for him probably helped his image with the rest of the team...

Coach - Wednesday, June 04 2003 @ 02:55 PM EDT (#100818) #

There's a good profile of the Little General in this Canadian Press article by Shi Davidi. I like Tosca's self-described "pedigree":

He lists Bobby Cox, the one-time Blue Jays manager now running the Atlanta Braves, Buck Showalter, who was his manager with Arizona, and former Pittsburgh Pirates skipper Jim Leyland as the men who have most influenced his style of coaching.

Those are pretty good role models. I also found a summary of those 18 minor-league seasons. Carlos was Manager of the Year in the Gulf Coast (Rookie) League way back in 1985, and received the same honour in the AA Eastern League in 1996, when he was named the best skipper in all the minors by Baseball America.

When the old Coach and the young Advance Scout were at last Sunday's game, I mentioned to Mike that even though I wince at some of his pitching changes, I understand Tosca's allegiance to the guys on the end of the bench. It's not so very different from coaching in high school. Even if they aren't producing, it's your job to make every player on the roster feel important. Sometimes, you call on a guy in a tough situation to demonstrate confidence in his ability. Carlos brought order to a chaotic clubhouse, he's earned the respect of all 25 men, and he's helped shape a determined and positive personality for his team. These are more significant accomplishments than any game strategy, successful or otherwise.

Congratulations on a terrific first year, Skip.

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