Jose Bautista Memories and the Blue Jays’ Level of Excellence

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Saturday, August 12 was a day to remember for Toronto Blue Jays fans and Jose Bautista. The former slugger was inducted into the organization’s Level of Excellence at Rogers Centre with a well-staged ceremony. Among the special guests were non-other than John Gibbons, co-host of Pitch Clock. Well, he also managed the Jays, but you know what we mean.

The former coach and co-host David Bastl discuss the player and what the day was like.

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Toronto’s Love for John Gibbons

Before getting to Jose Bautista, David Bastl is compelled to bring up a salient point. He calls it as he sees it. Or rather in this case how he hears it. Apart from the man honoured on Saturday, John Gibbons may have received the loudest ovation from the Blue Jays fans at Rogers Centre.

Several years removed from coaching the local squad, what does John Gibbons think of the Blue Jays fans?

“The Blue Jays fans have always been good to me. I kind of got choked up walking out there. It wasn’t because my feet hurt so bad, it was because it was emotional! I thank them for that.”

Jose Bautista and the Blue Jays’ Level of Excellence

Back to the matter at hand, Bastl pries Gibby’s mind to understand what made Bautista such an awesome player. The former manager, who obviously knows Jose Bautista rather well, starts with a curveball

“First of all, I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves. He does a lot behind the scenes. He’s a good guy. He contributes to a lot of charities and funds a lot of different things.”

After waxing poetic about Bautista the person, he moves on to Bautista the player.

“You know 99 per cent of the guys he outworked, really. Nobody really gave him a chance, he played for four or five teams, and he got his big opportunity here with the Blue Jays and took advantage of it.”

Pitch Clock viewers get a little bonus from Gibby, who shares an amusing story that speaks to the confidence Jose Bautista exuded.

“We’re in Kansas City and somebody got hurt. We needed a third baseman for a few days. He says ‘Yeah, I’ll play third. I’m good at third base.’ So we put him over there. After every hitter he was walking to the mound telling the pitcher ‘This is how you get guys out.’ I’m thinking ‘Oh god, we’ve created a monster!’ I told Pete Walker he just lost his pitching coach job.”