September 14 — Cody Gabella

Columbus Clingstones broadcaster Jack Johnson visited with manager Cody Gabella in Pensacola, Florida on the final day of the season.

 Gabella reflected on the Clingstones’ inaugural year, the growth of the club over the course of the season, and how much he enjoyed the experience of leading the team through its first campaign.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Back on the Columbus Clingstones pregame show for the final time in 2025 inside the manager's office, wrapping up the season with manager Cody Gabella. We're in Pensacola to close out the year. It's hard to believe we're already at this stage of the season. I remember talking to you in the dugout in Montgomery, Alabama, ahead of the season. There were a lot of things we did know about this team. There are a lot of things that we were hoping to find out. Now that we're on the final day of the year, Gabby, what's the number one thing you feel like you've learned about this team in terms of its identity this year?

SPEAKER_01 0:32

Uh, you know, a lot of these guys on this club I've had I hadn't had before. Um, and a lot of them I have. But uh the one thing that you kind of take away from this season was in the tough moments, and then things aren't going good. There's never a lack of fight in this group. Um, and that's been you know evident from that opening day game that you just brought up in Montgomery where you know you came out on the wrong end of it, but uh you know you fought, you fought hard to get back into that game and and to uh bring bring the tying and go ahead runs uh to the to the uh plate, not get up get them on the bases. And it's kind of been the same story this whole season, um, you know, up until the last couple games here lately, where you know, once again we haven't come out on top of, but you know, there's just no lack of fight in this group at all. It's just I'm proud to say.

SPEAKER_00 1:21

We go back to that very first game in Montgomery. What a lineup you had. You had James McCann, David Fletcher. Then for the home opener, you went to the bullpen and you brought out Craig Kimbrell in that home opener against Pensacola at Sonovas Park. For you personally, what was it like in those moments and throughout the year to be working with really young guys like John Heel this week, who's 19, and then veterans like Craig Kimbrell?

SPEAKER_01 1:46

Uh it's been fun, man. Uh it honestly is our our job as coaches is to you know develop these these guys to get them to that level you're talking about, the level that uh Craig Kimbrell got to, David Fletcher, Brian Moran, Ian Anderson, who's here right now, who helped us that's you know, the Atlanta Braids and World World Series. Uh that's that's our job as coaches, is to get our guys that you mentioned that are on their way up to that point. And when when those guys, you know, you know, a BMO, an Ian Anderson, a Kimbrel, a Fletch, when they're on a ball club, and it happened, like you said, it happens a lot more you know, the higher you go, double AA, triple A, but when they're on a team with an Ethan Workinger or an EJ X Bosito, who's his first time in double A, or John Hill, who just came up, who's uh a really exciting player, um, it makes our job easier as coaches. Um you know, you those players share a clubhouse and they sh and they they share time in the cages and they talk. Um David Fletcher can can sometimes we have a coach first base just for his his wisdom. He's a smart dude, he's been around a lot. It's the same thing for the pitchers. You know, a guy like uh Blaina Beta sitting in the bullpen with Craig Kimbrell the first couple weeks of the season. Like that's that's an invaluable experience, and um you know it's it's been a fun ride. Uh and that's kind of a highlight of the season for me, is just those blends of certain careers mixing. It's been fun to see.

SPEAKER_00 3:06

I asked you this when we were in Montgomery in the very first interview, but I want to close the season with this as well. Just give you a chance to shout out your staff. Now, it's been a very similar staff on your way up in the Braves organization, but like every year, it'll never be the same next year. There will be tweaks, there will be changes. And so, this staff in 2025, what was it like to work with these guys across the board? Uh, it was terrible, it was awful.

SPEAKER_01 3:34

These guys truly make it so much so fun to come to the field every day. Uh it's funny, that's a great question, and I've never really thought of it until now, but this staff is is unique in a way for me because I have worked with all of these guys before, but it never to we've never been together. For instance, Francisco Diaz and I worked together in uh 2023, and Mike, Steve, and Angel Peba worked together. We worked together last year in 2024. Jesus Sabilas, the trainer, was also there with me and Frankie Diaz in 2023. So that was, you know, I I didn't even realize it happened until you had just asked that question. But that's that's you know kind of fun to think back and you know, knowing them coming in and then um throughout different seasons and then forming a bond as one this year. Um they do a tremendous job, and it it starts with their passion for the game. You know, you think of a Mike Steed of Francisco Diaz, a Grant K who's done a tremendous job as a first year hitting coach. They come in and to the field, and like I've said all year, a lot of it happens behind the scenes, and the effort and the work that they put in is second to none, and that's you know, we that's why we've gotten players better this year. It's it's due to them. Uh they make it easy for me to make the lineup, and you know it says manager Cody Gabella on the roster, but you know, they do they do a lot more work than I do. And uh also shout out our cluby angel Peeba who's sitting in the room right here on his phone, working hard, uh best in the business. Um I've said that since I met him. Last year was my first year working with him, but it was apparent to see my first year as a Bray. This guy's unbelievable. So staff as a whole, fun as hell to come to the field every day and work with these guys.

SPEAKER_00 5:16

When you look back at the team photo 10-15 years from now, like you've looked back at team photos that you've been a part of or your dad when he was managing some of the team photos that you've gotten to see just in the past. What do you think will be kind of the top or top two memories that stand out about this year?

SPEAKER_01 5:34

Uh well, honestly, getting able to, you know, having the privilege and the opportunity to be the first team back in Columbus will be one. Uh we took them in the peach uniforms, which I wasn't too excited about uh coming into the season, but you know, they grew on you. And I know the fans loved it. But yeah, just you know, being being you know, having the the opportunity to lead this team, us as a staff, um, with it being its first season uh professional baseball back in Columbus is definitely gonna be the number one member. And then just the faces on on that team picture. Um, you know, the this the guys, some of them we've talked about already, but a David Fletcher, a Cade Bennell, um guys like that, Ethan Werkinger, you know, the starting pitching uh guys that we've had in our rotation this year, just guys that you get to talk to and bond with every day. Uh, you know, and then we obviously today's the last game. We go home, we spend time with our family, uh, we golf, we fish, and then we come back and do it next year. But this this was a special group. So going, you know, 10-15 years down the road looking at that picture, it's gonna be uh a lot of good memories.

SPEAKER_00 6:38

What does the offseason look like for you, Gabby? Because it's just about to start after this game concludes.

SPEAKER_01 6:44

A lot of college football, a lot of being a dad, a lot of you know, I used to fish and golf a lot. Um, fishing's one of my favorite things to do in the world. Inshore fishing, snook tarping, things like that. Um so I'd like to, you know, have plenty of that, but uh just dad and husband, man, number one.

SPEAKER_00 7:04

Well Gabby, it's been a lot of fun doing these interviews inside the manager's office all year long, and I say this on behalf of front office staff and the entire city of Columbus. You've been the perfect first ever manager of the Columbus Klingstones. So enjoy the day, enjoy the off season, my friend. Look forward to next year. Will do, man. Thank you. Thanks for everything.