Randle McMurphy wrote:What dramatic turnaround? In every season that Gibbons managed outside of Tosca's 2004 (which was incredibly injury plagued...somewhat like this season), the Jays scored significantly more than they allowed and finished around or slightly above .500. It didn't really get any better (or worse) after that with Cito in that regard. I hardly see what Bautista has to do with anything, considering we're not talking about Cito and Murphy's abilities as hitting coaches and his acquisition wasn't until Gibbons was already gone.
It seems to me and the general public that a "turnaround" in hitting philosophy and results definitely occurred in the 2008 season after Cito and Tenance replaced Gibbons and Denbo. Here's what was said at the time of the switch.
Toronto has one of the worst offences in baseball this season and its inability to hit with runners in scoring position has been a major problem.
"He'll look at the count approach they have now and go back to being aggressive at the plate, hitting the fastball and hitting what's there," Mulliniks said. "And the club desperately needs that."
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/story ... -jays.html
As for Gibbon's teams of the mid-aughts, it was a question of personnel. Gibbons had a lot more experience and firepower at his disposal than Farrell does now, most notably Wells in his prime, Rios before the wheels fell off, and Glaus/Rolen. But let's not forget Overbay, Cat, Zaun, Hinske and uh, Frank Thomas.
As for Bautista, I was just musing about what might have happened if Gibbons and co and their OBP-oriented philosophy had stayed on until Bau was acquired.
Aggressive is the one-word description of who [Bautista] is. "I just try to hit it hard," he says. "All along, everyone kept telling me, 'Be patient, take pitches, go the other way. Stay back. Go over the second baseman's head.' That's why I fouled off pitches."
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball ... gger_N.htm
Of course, the irony is that Jose has as a good an eye as anyone in the game. But it starts with being aggressive, not with a desire to take walks.