MLB WINTER MEETINGS

December 5, 2023

John Schneider

Toronto Blue Jays

Press Conference

Q. What are your thoughts on Shohei Ohtani?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: (Laughing). He's a great player. Yeah. Great player (laughing).

Q. From facing him, we talked about it a lot, it's obviously what makes him special, unique, but what impresses you most as a manager looking at him strictly as a ball player?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: I think what he does is obviously unique to the sport. Pitching, hitting, he can run. Dangerous in the box, obviously you always know when he's coming up in the order. A talent that the game hasn't seen in quite some time, if ever. I think his entire game is what is driving all of the attention around him right now.

Q. Have you been involved in the pitches for any free agent players this off-season, and if so what does your pitch to those players sound like?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, we're in touch with a lot of different players. We have been over the course of the off-season. I think the overall theme is you try to build your team up that you do have that's already here, the city of Toronto, the country of Canada. So, I think our message is pretty consistent no matter who we're talking to.

Q. The interest form the fan base seems to be at an all-time high right now with excitement because of the rumors. Are you kind of feeling that excitement, too, that you guys seem to be a part of something big?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, obviously. You see and hear the buzz around you a little bit. I think it's cool to have that go with an already really strong team, that's really talented and wanting to take that next step. I think it's nice for everyone to kind of hear some possibilities, and again, there's a lot of good players on the market and that are probably going to be available.

Q. Did the Blue Jays meet with Shohei Ohtani yesterday?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: We meet with a lot of players. I think -- again, I'll kind of leave it at that. It's kind of kept between the club.

Q. Were you at the meeting with Shohei in Florida?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: I live in Florida. So, I arrived here last night. But, again, I think who we meet with and where we meet with 'em, we keep to ourselves.

Q. When you did meet with him, did he give you an idea of when he is going to make a decision, and if the Blue Jays are in serious consideration?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Again, we talk to a lot of different players. I wouldn't know anything like that, if he's, where he's leaning or anything like that, but again, we deal with a lot of different players.

Q. Did you come out of the meeting feeling good?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: (Laughing). Again, it's a lot of players we've talked to over the course of this off-season, so I'll keep that between me and the organization.

Q. As a manager, how is it to manage a player like Shohei? Is it more challenging, is it more excitement, what's it like as a manager?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: I don't know. I know being an opposing manager is really tough. I would only assume that Joe Maddon, Phil Nevin, it was exciting to have him in their lineup every day.

Q. We haven't talked to you since the season ended. How have you reflected on the end of the season, the pitching moves, there's been some talk in Toronto for a long time, comments that Ross made after the season about this was a decision that you made, like just how have you processed all that and reflected on that?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, reflected on a lot of stuff, I think, with staff, with front office, with players especially, and kind of landed in a really comfortable spot I think with everybody. First and foremost, the decisions that are made in realtime are always mine. I think that one got kind of a little bit of extra attention because of the magnitude of the game, how Jose was pitching. I think, just going forward, me being better in those times to pivot if I need to. A lot of different people, we prepare for different games in different ways. At the end of the day, they scored two runs, we didn't score any. I understand how it's viewed, and I think I just need to be better in those spots going forward.

Q. Losses like that are difficult. I know you wear them a little bit. How long did it take to you process it and then move on from it?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, it was tough, really tough. I think that you look back to 2022 and then this past year, where you feel good going into the postseason, especially with our pitching and our lineup. So, I think it's always tough when your season's over and that's for 29 teams. So, within that time though I think reflecting on what you can do better and getting in touch with key players that are part of the team and front office and coaches. You try to reflect on it, get better from it, and move on. Any time you're not the last team standing, it takes awhile to get over it.

Q. You mentioned reflection. How did you reflect on the pregame process that led to that decision and some of the thinking in the moment that resulted in that decision?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, I think our process was consistent the entire year. I think when you're facing an elimination game you're going to probably drill down a little bit deeper and try to use who you have to help you win. But I think the process was consistent all year, and it's something that I think we're going to continue to do. The only thing that's going to be a little bit different is just being a little bit more agile in times where you need to pivot during games. I thought that it was a good plan, tried to make the best decision to help you win, and it didn't work out.

Q. You mentioned talking to players as well. What feedback did you get from them?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, of course. I think we all heard what some of the guys had to say. Again, the decisions, I think the biggest thing where we landed was just having everyone understand that I crave information, and I like it from a lot of different outlets. At the end of the day, every decision is made by me and the coaches around me. So, hearing them and I think making sure that that message is loud and clear is great for everyone involved.

Q. Ross talked about, at the end of the year, how you guys were going to do a deep dive on the offensive side. A week ago he was talking about how you guys are trying to individualize the message to hitters a little bit more. What does that look like? What did you guys come up with in that deep dive?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: I think just looking at trying to pair our hitters' strengths with what they're going to see. Situations are going to dictate what they may need to change at-bat by at-bat. So, I think having a voice like Donnie kind of leading that charge this year is going to be huge. Just trying to have nine individualized plans to come up with an overall plan to beat that pitcher or those pitchers that night. So, it's kind of everyone kind of pulling in the same direction within their own specific skill set.

Q. Within that game plan, do you feel like you didn't do enough of that this year, or were there issues that you touched on there or what?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: I think we were doing that, and I think it's just being a little bit more precise and a little bit more aggressive with it. I think that it's easy to see, first, second time through the order, we struggled at times. So I think having just a very convicted plan from the get-go is something we're going to try to attack. Seemed like we scored late, you know what I mean, when a team scored a couple runs and you're trying to battle your way back into it, so just having that mentality from the get-go.

Q. What are the motivations that have you going to the top of the market now in something like free agency?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: I think you look at the team that we have already, it's an exciting lineup to write out already as it stands today. I think you combine that with where guys are in their career that we already do have, and the resources that are available that our ownership has allowed us to kind of tap into. It's an exciting time, it really is, and I think that this group is definitely ready to win right now.

Q. You can only get this kind of player if you're in it, these kind of players, this kind of player, if you're in it. Do you have any concerns to build up your fan base's hope and then maybe not be able to get the player, because the player could decide something else?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Sure, I think the fact that we're in the conversation to possibly acquire a number of great players is great for our fans to see and to hear. At the end of the day, you do your best that you can to acquire who you think is going to make your team better, but you don't really have the final say. The fact that we are being aggressive and the fact that that message has been delivered to our players from myself and from Ross, that they have heard that I think is the most important thing.

Q. How much contact have you had with Vlad in the off-season, and what does a reboot look like for him in terms of expectations?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, we've met a few times. I've been over to his house, kind of just shooting it with him a little bit.

I don't know, a reset, Vlad, I've said this for a while, I think there's some unfair expectations on him, but I think he's as motivated and as driven as I've ever seen him right now. He understands that he doesn't have to do all of the heavy lifting. He's a big part of our offense, and a lot of times for him it's kind of just passing the baton to the next guy. So, he's focused, he definitely is, and I think he's at the point in his career where he really wants to make an impact, not only from an offensive standpoint, but kind of a leader in our clubhouse as well.

Q. Have you had the chance to talk to Alek Manoah since the season ended?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, caught up with him recently. He's doing well, on schedule throwing-wise and things like that. He's feeling good. So, it was nice to connect with him and see where he was from a head space standpoint, and everything sounded great. Going to try to meet up with him right after the holidays down in Miami. But, yeah, he's in a good spot right now.

Q. Is that relationship better than it was a couple months ago during the season?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: I don't think the relationship ever changed. I get where it was a tough spot for him in a tough couple weeks or months for Alek. For as competitive as he is, he was frustrated at times with being sent down and things like that, but I'm confident that that relationship is going to be strong, and that's something that I really, as you're sitting after the season, you want to just not lose sight of that. I think that it's easy to do so, especially in your first year when you're dealing with a lot of different things. So, kind of keeping those player relationships in the forefront is something I'm looking forward to doing.

Q. In terms of what you guys hope to achieve this off-season, Ross talked about how the roster is flexible. Did you look at any areas, positions on the roster that you think are a priority for you, or do you think there's a lot of options internally where you guys can plug players in?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: A little bit of both. You look at the free agents that we had, Chappy, KK, Belt, those guys, they were a big part of our team last year. I think it's great that we have guys knocking down the door, guys that have already come up and helped us, between Ernie Clement, Davis Schneider, Spencer Horwitz, Nathan Lukes. So, those guys are there and you feel comfortable about those guys surrounding the core group. Then to have the opportunity to either acquire players via free agency or trade I think is there, too. So, it's definitely a unique time to where you can kind of do one thing or the other.

Q. Alek, does he come into Spring Training with a rotation job, or competing for a rotation job? There's not really many spots in the rotation to be considered like the four guys who are going to be part of it?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, I think he comes in competing for a job, and we all know what Alek can do, you know what I mean. So, first and foremost, make sure he feels good, looks good, and everything's kind of coming out normally. Hopefully, he's back to the form where he was in 2022. But I think Ross has said it, too before, Alek is definitely part of our plans going forward and he'll have every opportunity to win that spot.

Q. What did you learn the most from your first full season in the manager's chair? Further, what would be your takeaway in terms of how you recruit your coaching staff and go forward?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: The biggest thing I learned is it's a long season, with a lot of different ups and downs and different personalities. You try to make everybody happy, and I think that that's just not achievable. So, having brutally honest conversations, even more so than you already to, I think players appreciate that. Being on the same page as your coaching staff. I think that we've been around long enough that we all are. Thrilled to add DeMarlo and Carlos into that mix as well. So, you learn every day, really. You really learn every day. I think having the players that we do have, the veteran guys, the Bassitts, the Gausmans, the Berrioses, these guys, they kind of hold it together. Really leaning on them throughout the course of the year I think is what I've learned.

Q. How does the associate role of DeMarlo plug into the current coaching staff, and you guys have lost more bodies than you added back, are there potential more adds coming to the staff?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: For DeMarlo it's probably traditional bench coach duties. Donnie still has that title as well. I think out of respect for DeMarlo it was fair to give him that title. He was someone that I targeted almost to a fault when Tito left Cleveland there, wasn't sure what DeMarlo was going to do. We go way back that people probably don't know, and I respected him since the day I met him. So, DeMarlo probably more so on the defensive side, running game, kind of run prevention, fundamentals, things like that, something that he really excels at. I love his voice, his demeanor, his intensity, everything is really buttoned up with him. So, that's kind of where I envision him.

As far as further adds, we're pretty close to being done, I would say. There may be one more at the most that we may ad here soon, but feel good about where we are right now.

Q. When you say sort of DeMarlo moving to traditional bench coach duties, is that so Don can focus on the offensive part of it? Will you still lean on Don for in-game decisions, or will that be more on DeMarlo?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: It will be both. I think both between DeMarlo, Pete, myself and Donnie, we'll be all in the middle of those decisions. It frees up Donnie to kind of do a little bit more hands-on stuff in game with the offensive guys.

Q. How far back do you go with DeMarlo?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Goes back to my Minor League days as a coach, where he would bring me over to Spring Training where he was running it as a bench coach with Gibby and kind of let me spread my wings a little bit, if you will. Trusted me with some unique things during camp. Then kept in touch with him once he moved on. So, probably one of the most well-respected men in the game and thrilled to have him back.

Q. What do you make of the successful games that Schneider had during the season, and how do you weigh those results going into camp?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, unbelievable what he did coming up. I think what allowed him to do that was his confidence, kind of his blue collar mentality. He had to work for everything he earned. His approach didn't budge. You saw the results the first 35 games or so that were pretty historical.

So, he has that type of work ethic, we're confident he's going to continue to have that for as long as he plays. Depending upon where the roster lands when camp does open, he's going to be a big part of what we're trying to do, I think.

Q. When the offense struggles during the season is it much more difficult to fix it in-season than it would be starting fresh in the spring?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: I mean, you would like to say no, but sometimes it can be, because these guys are really talented and they're really good at their craft, you don't want to disrupt what's made them good. I think having a kind of reset when you don't really reach your expectations it just adds fuel for the guys to come back and show what they can do. So hopefully that's the case.