Most held up their phones to capture the moment, but some clasped their hands in prayer, bowed their heads, or shed a tear as a mark of respect for the great man. Prior to that, he spent 18 seasons as a minor league manager in the Rays system and also worked with the Puerto Rican team at the 2009 World Baseball Classic.Shinzo Abe - Japan's longest-serving, best-known and perhaps most-consequential leader of modern times - is being laid to rest today in a private funeral in the capital Tokyo.įriends and family gathered inside the city's Zojoji temple - an historic and cultural landmark that houses the bodies of generals from the Edo period - early Tuesday for the ceremony.Īkie Abe, 60, the former prime minister's widow, then emerged - riding in the front seat of a hearse that carried her husband's body past crowds of mourners thronging the streets outside the temple. Toronto went 91-71 in 2021 and missed tying for the AL wild card by one game.īefore joining the Blue Jays, Montoyo spent six seasons on Tampa Bay’s major league coaching staff, including his final three as bench coach. Montoyo led Toronto to a 32-28 record and a wild-card playoff berth in the expanded playoffs that followed the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, but the Blue Jays were swept by eventual AL champion Tampa Bay in the opening round. Toronto also played its 2020 home schedule at its Triple-A stadium in Buffalo, New York. Montoyo oversaw a tumultuous period in Blue Jays history, with the team playing home games in three cities last season, including two minor league parks, because of border restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Out of respect for Charlie, once you’ve made the decision, regardless of circumstance, that’s the best thing for the individual and the team,” Atkins said of Montoyo’s firing coming on the heels of that tragedy. Several members of the Blue Jays organization flew to Virginia together on Monday’s day off to attend Julia Budzinski’s funeral. Montoyo and first base coach Mark Budzinksi left the dugout during Game 2 after learning of the death of Budzinski’s teenage daughter, Julia. Toronto’s skid started July 2, when it was swept in a doubleheader against Tampa Bay. “They could tell by mom’s reaction that it was pretty cool,” he said. “Those plans kind of changed in a hurry,” Schneider said, adding that his two young boys weren’t entirely clear on dad’s new job.
Schneider said he was driving to lunch with his wife and sons when Atkins called to deliver the news. Hopefully, who he is as a person will kind of ooze onto us as players and allow us to relax a little bit, have a little bit more fun and kind of enjoy the day.” There’s never really a dull moment with him. “He’s obviously a very energetic guy,” Springer said.
Springer said Schneider’s energy and attitude will be important attributes as the Blue Jays attempt to improve their performance.
“That definitely was a part of it, that familiarity, at this point in the season,” Atkins said.
“This is a group that’s talented and wants to win.”Ītkins called the decision to promote Schneider “a natural step,” acknowledging that Schneider’s history with the roster was a factor. “I don’t really see many cons, to be honest with you,” Schneider added. “This is something that I’ve always wanted to do and I’m just looking forward to doing it with this group that I’m familiar with, both in the coaching office and the guys in the clubhouse,” Schneider said.
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