US (Washington Insider Magazine) —The strategy of the New York Mets management for the 2024 season seems to be focused on having a very experienced coaching staff as the main base, and after announcing the Venezuelan Carlos Mendoza as their new manager, they have hired Kohn Gibbons as a bench coach.
Although the organization has not made the official announcement, sources with knowledge of the case have indicated MLB’s Anthony DiComo. such as, that the experienced former manager of the Toronto Blue Jays will become Mendoza’s right-hand man, who assumes his first opportunity as a Major League manager.
And if we talk about experience, Gibbons is a clear example of it since he has directed in the Majors for a total of nine seasons divided into two cycles (2004-2008 and 2013-2018), both with the Toronto team.
But in addition, the 61-year-old leader will have the opportunity to return to the organization with which he arrived in the Major Leagues, and the former catcher was selected by the Mets in the first round of the 1980 Draft, with the third overall selection being team that year, trailing only Darryl Strawberry and Billy Beane.
He managed to debut in the MLB in 1984 with the New York team, although he was not lucky enough to have a long career since he only spent two seasons in the ‘Big Show’, in which he participated in 18 commitments.
After spending four seasons in the Minor Leagues, he decided to retire to begin his career as a coach in the Mets’ farm system in 1990. Five years later he received his first opportunity as a manager in the club’s rookie-level affiliate in Kingsport, Tennessee. He managed in Class-A Strong, Double-A and Triple-A until 2001.
John Gibbons returned to the Major Leagues in 2002, but as a bullpen catcher for the Blue Jays. Shortly after, he became first base coach and for the 2004 season he assumed the position of interim manager of the team, in which he was ratified at the end of that season and in which he remained until 2008.
After a few years in another lower caliber position such as bench coach of the Kansas City Royals in 2009 and Minor League manager of the San Diego Padres, he returned to be the manager of Toronto.
In this second cycle, he demonstrated all the experience he acquired, leading the team to the American League Championship Series in 2015 and 2016, this being the first time they reached the postseason since they were World Series champions in 1992. and 1993.
This article is originally published on eldiariony.com
