Gallagher: Gaston deserves HOF nod

Legendary Toronto Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston is one of eight former managers, executives or umpires on the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Contemporary Baseball Era Committee ballot.

November 16, 2023

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

Cito Gaston is on the ballot for possible 2024 induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, the very first time he has been on such a list.

When I was told that by the Hall of Fame, I found it pretty incredulous.

This is very odd, this time span, because he managed the Blue Jays to consecutive World Series titles in 1992-93. That's 30 years ago.

Something wrong there. Gaston has never been on a ballot for managers until this year? He was the first black man to manage a World Series winner.

Gaston has been overlooked in the past and that is not right. What do you want him to do, win three or four World Series?

Gaston is matched up on the ballot against three other big-name managers, Lou Piniella, Jim Leyland and Davey Johnson, whose tenures in the majors were much longer than Gaston's.

Gaston managed 1,731 regular-season games, compared to 3,548 for Piniella, 3,497 for Leyland and Johnson at 2,443.

What if Gaston had managed 2,400-3,500 games? He very likely would have won another World Series or two?

Gaston's won-loss record during the regular season is 894-837 for a winning percentage of .516. Piniella's mark is 1835-1713, giving him a percentage just slightly better than Gaston at .517. Leyland came in at 1769-1728 for a percentage just slightly above .500 at .506 and Johnson's W-L was 1372-1071 for a very impressive .562.

Whereas Gaston won two World Series, Piniella, Leyland and Johnson only won one World Series -- in much longer periods as managers.

The reason Gaston never managed more than he did was because no one hired him, which was very unfortunate. He interviewed several times with other teams but no luck. He was a finalist for the Chicago White Sox job in 2004 when Ozzie Guillen was hired. The White Sox won their first World Series since 1917 in 2005 beating the Houston Astros.

Gaston turned down an interview with the Los Angeles Angels when Mike Scioscia was hired in 2000 and always laughed when he told the story. “My wife didn’t want to move to California,” he would say. They later divorced. He also refused an interview with Cleveland when he found out it was to coach first base.

Also on the ballot in the non-player category are executives Bill White and Hank Peters and umpires Joe West and Ed Montague.

The voting results will be made known Dec. 3 at the winter meetings.