Jay Gibbons, 'embarrassed' by the Mitchell Report, gets a second chance with Dodgers
Jay Gibbons figured it was over. A bright baseball career done at age 30. So he went home to Thousand Oaks and retired.
Nobody seemed to want him. His last season for the Orioles in 2007 was easily his worst. And then there was being named in the Mitchell Report for using performance-enhancing drugs.
The Orioles released him.
"I sort of saw the writing on the wall," Gibbons said. "You just get that feeling, a little bit left out. For whatever reason, they decided to move on.
Finally, he went home and decided his run was over. He called himself retired.
"I went home and sat for four or five months, then finally I turned on a playoff game," he said. "And right when I turned it on, I knew immediately I had to try again."
He was only 32, but seemed blacklisted due to the Mitchell Report.
"I like to say it’s because I hit .230 in 2007 and got hurt, had shoulder surgery," he said. "[The Mitchell Report] didn’t help, but if I’d hit .330, I think I would have had a job the next year. It’s all about performance. And then playing bad compounded with the controversy."
There wasn’t any pretending the Mitchell Report didn’t exist.
"I was embarrassed," he said. "It was just a tough time in my life. Something you wish you could take back in your life, but you can’t. I had a lot of support with my family and friends. I dealt with it and moved on. It’s been a while now."
Then, in the past offseason, the Dodgers called and offered him an opportunity to play for the triple-A team in Albuquerque. Not even an invitation to camp as a non-roster invitee, but simply to minor-league camp.
He jumped at it. And after playing four months without any guarantees, after lighting it up in Albuquerque batting .347 with 19 home runs and 83 RBI, he was finally called up to the Dodgers on Sunday.
"It’s been a long journey; it’s been three years," he said. "This is really the first year where I’ve been playing again. I had two years off, really not playing professional baseball. I’m just happy the Dodgers gave me the opportunity to go play in the minor leagues and give me a chance to show what I could do."
In his first at-bat as a left-handed pinch-hitter Sunday, he singled in a run.
Now 33, it was a new beginning. The Mitchell Report was now 3 years old.
"He wasn’t the only name in the Mitchell Report," said Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti. "How many names were in the Mitchell Report? A lot of people made decisions that they perhaps would go back and change today. Probably no different than any of us. Forgiveness is part of the fabric of this country.
"He only came to the minor-league camp, and didn’t ask for any special privilege; he didn’t ask if he would be able to play in the big leagues this year, do I get an out in my contract, nothing. He said I’ve made mistakes, and I need to rectify it. I want to come and I want to play, all I want to do is that.’’
-- Steve Dilbeck
Nobody seemed to want him. His last season for the Orioles in 2007 was easily his worst. And then there was being named in the Mitchell Report for using performance-enhancing drugs.
The Orioles released him.
"I sort of saw the writing on the wall," Gibbons said. "You just get that feeling, a little bit left out. For whatever reason, they decided to move on.
"I respected their decision. I thought I would land somewhere else fairly quickly. And it never happened."
There were stints with a couple of independent-league teams. A minor-league gig with Milwaukee in 2008. An invitation to the Marlins camp in 2009. Nothing stuck.Finally, he went home and decided his run was over. He called himself retired.
"I went home and sat for four or five months, then finally I turned on a playoff game," he said. "And right when I turned it on, I knew immediately I had to try again."
He was only 32, but seemed blacklisted due to the Mitchell Report.
"I like to say it’s because I hit .230 in 2007 and got hurt, had shoulder surgery," he said. "[The Mitchell Report] didn’t help, but if I’d hit .330, I think I would have had a job the next year. It’s all about performance. And then playing bad compounded with the controversy."
There wasn’t any pretending the Mitchell Report didn’t exist.
"I was embarrassed," he said. "It was just a tough time in my life. Something you wish you could take back in your life, but you can’t. I had a lot of support with my family and friends. I dealt with it and moved on. It’s been a while now."
Then, in the past offseason, the Dodgers called and offered him an opportunity to play for the triple-A team in Albuquerque. Not even an invitation to camp as a non-roster invitee, but simply to minor-league camp.
He jumped at it. And after playing four months without any guarantees, after lighting it up in Albuquerque batting .347 with 19 home runs and 83 RBI, he was finally called up to the Dodgers on Sunday.
"It’s been a long journey; it’s been three years," he said. "This is really the first year where I’ve been playing again. I had two years off, really not playing professional baseball. I’m just happy the Dodgers gave me the opportunity to go play in the minor leagues and give me a chance to show what I could do."
In his first at-bat as a left-handed pinch-hitter Sunday, he singled in a run.
Now 33, it was a new beginning. The Mitchell Report was now 3 years old.
"He wasn’t the only name in the Mitchell Report," said Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti. "How many names were in the Mitchell Report? A lot of people made decisions that they perhaps would go back and change today. Probably no different than any of us. Forgiveness is part of the fabric of this country.
"He only came to the minor-league camp, and didn’t ask for any special privilege; he didn’t ask if he would be able to play in the big leagues this year, do I get an out in my contract, nothing. He said I’ve made mistakes, and I need to rectify it. I want to come and I want to play, all I want to do is that.’’
-- Steve Dilbeck
Ahh yes, Dread, aka ScrapHeap Colletti, had done it yet again! He is building the best.....back up team in all of baseball, that's right, the best back up team in MLB !
Don't get me wrong, Carroll is a very good player, as Dotel, Lilly, Podsednik, Theriot & now Gibbons are all good players, but not one is a difference maker, so why even trade prospects or sign minor leaguers that can't help this team win a Div. or even be on the team next season ?! Oh yea, I just said it, ScrapHeap is going after the not so coveted Best BackUp team in Baseball !
Had, or if they still make a deal for Dunn, then maybe something can bve said for Dread & McDork, but let's remember of whom we're speaking, the Moe & Larry of MLB!
Posted by: Dallas | 08/09/2010 at 09:07 AM
It's hard for Colletti to do his job when there's no money to spend. Everyone wants to blame Colletti. He's got nothing to work with. It's hard to build a house when the owner only gives you nails but no hammer.
Can't afford the hammer....
Posted by: Paul | 08/09/2010 at 03:35 PM
I agree with that, now, Paul, but dread has had several years to do the right things & he hasn't. and if he were man enough, he'd take a stand with McDork & say that to do his job, he is gonna need some $$!
And what of the 170 Mil dread spent in the past 3 seasons & all he has to show for it is ManSham, 50 game suspension, sub par #'s when he has played & now, his calf hurts ? Please, what a joke! He is playing Dread & McDork for the morons they really are. 170 Mil & this is all he has for it ?!
What that is is a lame, inept wimp who is being paid a huge salary, esp. in light he has done nothing that has helped this team, but to trade for Ethier.
ScrapHeap, grow a pair & stand up to McDork - if he fires you & you truly think you're this great GM, then you'd have no problem finding another job, eh ?!
Posted by: Dallas | 08/09/2010 at 04:21 PM
It occurs to me that the Colletti/McCourt arrangement is similar to the Elgin Baylor/Donald Sterling arrangement of years past. Maybe we Dodger fans just have to hang in there and hope the Dodger TV network and its revenues become a reality when the current broadcast contract expires. Maybe Mark Cuban would be a great Dodger owner, maybe not. He'd add excitement, though. I mean, how many other NBA team owners have ever run out onto the floor during a game?
Posted by: yadthink | 08/10/2010 at 10:13 AM