Before spring training had even begun, new Toronto Blue Jays manager John Farrell had talked to each player on his 40-man roster.
Farrell felt it was important to begin building relationships through "consistency and trust" and before the pressures of the regular-season begin.
"Because there's going to come a time when that conversation isn't the pleasant one, whether it's because of what we've done at the moment or for some other reason," Farrell said. "I think it's important to build that trust so that when you do have something to say to an individual, then it means something.
"They have to know where I'm coming from. And the message that's given has to be credible."
It's a process that has continued throughout a well-organized spring training. The response from the players has been positive so far.
"He handles himself like a professional out there," said left-hander Ricky Romero, the opening day starter on April 1. "He's very approachable. I don't think one guy in the clubhouse has anything to complain about him. He's been awesome with us, with the pitchers, with the hitters. He's got a lot of knowledge."
Farrell, 48, comes to the Blue Jays after four years as the Boston Red Sox pitching coach. In the five previous years he was director of player development for the Cleveland Indians, for whom he did most of his major-league pitching.
Blue Jays utility infielder John McDonald was a major-league player with Cleveland when he got to know Farrell when he was running the farm system. McDonald said his impression of Farrell was more of someone with a sound, overall perspective of the game than as a former pitcher.
"He comes across as a baseball man," McDonald said. "I always had that perspective of him, which watching his career path and what he's been able to do. He was a coach in college (Oklahoma State University), ran the farm in Cleveland, pitching coach in Boston, manager here -- and it all to me seems like a natural progression.
http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=359258
Also added a poll for a Ferrell Approval Rating that I will post every few weeks so we can discuss the job he is doing.