They say you can't go home again, but is that true when it comes to a Major League managerial position?
On Tuesday, the Toronto Blue Jays officially welcomed former manager John Gibbons back into the fold as the bench boss of a vastly remade and improved team.
There is organizational precedence for this move.
When Gibbons was fired in 2008, he was replaced by Cito Gaston, who was returning to the team for his second tour of duty.
Gaston had previously led the Blue Jays to both the 1992 and 1993 World Series championships. In his second run with the team he managed them to a 211-201 record that included three, fourth-place finishes.
Gibbons' first tour of duty with the Jays lasted through parts of five seasons, where he amassed a 305-305 record with no playoff appearances but did lead the club to a second-place finish in the AL East in 2006.
He also had two famous dust-ups with players, one on the mound with pitcher Ted Lilly and reportedly a clubhouse argument with veteran Shea Hillenbrand.
The Blue Jays are not the only franchise that has looked to its past for previous managers.
The New York Yankees had one of the most famous on again-off again relationships with Billy Martin, a long-time second baseman with the club that was hired as bench boss in 1975. He would be relieved of his duties in 1978 before returning to the Pinstripers in 1979, 1983, 1985 and 1988.
The Atlanta Braves also had multiple stints with manager Bobby Cox who, after leaving in 1981, returned first as a general manager before once again taking over in the dugout in 1990.
For his second term, Gibbons will have lots of firepower at his disposal as the Blue Jays have made major trades and signings to bolster both their pitching staff and starting lineup.
The question is, how do you feel about the Blue Jays decision to re-hire manager John Gibbons?
It's Your! Call.
