Mark Gubicza

Mark Gubicza was born on August 14, 1962, in Philadelphia. He is the son of Anthony Gubicza Jr., who pitched in the Chicago White Sox organization for three years and later served as a part-time coach for the Villanova Wildcats.{{cite web |last1=Katsoulis |first1=Stephen |title=Mark Gubicza |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/mark-gubicza/ |website=Society for American Baseball Research |access-date=18 March 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Gorenstein |first1=Nathan |title=Anthony F. Gubicza, 62; coached baseball teams |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/174992406/ |access-date=5 September 2022 |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=23 June 1991 |page=J 13-E}}{{cite news |title=Gubicza completes shutout as Royals clip Indians 3-0 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/418469848/ |access-date=7 April 2022 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=Daily Journal |date=13 May 1992 |location=Flat River, Missouri |page=7}} Gubicza is of Hungarian and Polish ancestry.{{cite news |title=Royals' kids know strike zone |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/562538998/ |access-date=5 September 2022 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=St. Joseph News-Press |date=17 April 1984 |page=B1}}{{cite news |last1=Powers |first1=Charles |title='Give the Old Pilka a Ride, Piotr' : In Poland, Baseball Is a Hit With Plenty of Errors |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-08-09-mn-474-story.html |access-date=5 September 2022 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=9 August 1987 |url-access=subscription}}

Growing up, Gubicza was interested in several sports, including baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and boxing. In Little League, he played shortstop and pitched. In one 17-game stretch in Little League, Gubizca accrued 57 hits. Gubicza attended the William Penn Charter School where he was teammates with eventual professional player Rubén Amaro Jr.{{cite web|title=Mark Gubicza Stats|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gubicma01.shtml|website=Baseball Reference|access-date=October 9, 2015}}{{cite news |last1=Silary |first1=Ted |title=Mellor reflects on 34 years as Penn Charter's baseball coach |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/sports/high_school/pennsylvania/20120517_Mellors_reflects_on_34_years_as_Penn_Charter_rsquo_s_baseball_coach.html |access-date=July 14, 2020 |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=May 17, 2012}} Though he grew up in Philadelphia, he idolized Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jim Palmer.{{cite news |last1=Gosselin |first1=Rick |title=A tall, gangling, power pitcher who grew up in... |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/07/20/A-tall-gangling-power-pitcher-who-grew-up-in/2646459144000/ |access-date=July 14, 2020 |work=United Press International |date=July 20, 1984 |language=en}} Coming out of high school, Gubicza had collegiate offers from Alabama, Georgia, Duke, and USC, among others. Gubicza and his father were present at Veterans Stadium for game six of the 1980 World Series, witnessing the Philadelphia Phillies win their first championship.

Gubicza was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the second round of the 1981 Major League Baseball draft, the 34th overall pick.{{cite web|title=2nd Round of the 1981 MLB June Amateur Draft|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?query_type=year_round&year_ID=1981&draft_round=2&draft_type=junreg|website=baseball-reference.com|access-date=October 9, 2015}} He began his professional baseball career at age 18 with the Royals Gold in the Gulf Coast League, where he went 8-1 with a 2.25 earned run average (ERA) and 40 strikeouts in 56 innings. Gubicza played for the Fort Myers Royals in the Florida State Class A League in 1982 and missed most of the season due to injuries. In 1983, he was assigned to the Jacksonville Suns, the Royals Double-A team in the Southern League, managed by Gene Lamont. Gubicza was 14–12 with a 2.72 ERA and 146 strikeouts in 196 innings.{{cite web|title=Mark Gubicza Minor League Stats|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=gubicz001mar|website=Baseball Reference|access-date=October 9, 2015}}

On April 6, 1984, Gubicza made his major league debut against the Cleveland Indians at Royals Stadium at the age of 21. He pitched 6 innings, gave up 5 hits, 1 run, and struck out 4.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA198404060.shtml|title=Cleveland Indians at Kansas City Royals Box Score, April 6, 1984|website=baseball-reference.com|access-date=October 9, 2015}} Through the first 10 starts of his career, Gubicza posted a 3.14 ERA across 66 innings. He threw his first shutout on May 12 against the Boston Red Sox. Despite Gubicza's pitching stats, he did not accrue many wins as the Royals had trouble providing run support during his starts. Following a 3–0 loss to the Minnesota Twins on June 15 where he pitched {{frac|7|1|3}} innings and gave up 2 earned runs, Gubicza dropped to a 3–6 record on the season. It was the fourth time that season that the Royals were shut out while Gubicza was pitching and the seventh time that the Royals scored three or fewer runs in one of his starts.{{cite news |last1=Covitz |first1=Randy |title=First on the scoreboard, then Royals go on the blink |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/679230530/ |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=Kansas City Times |date=16 June 1984 |pages=E1 and E4}} By the end of the regular season, Gubicza had a 10–14 record with a 4.05 ERA across 189 innings. The Royals offense provided an average of 4.06 runs per Gubicza start, nearly equal to his ERA. Despite being a member of the four-man rotation that helped the Royals win the American League Western division that year, Gubicza did not get a chance to pitch in the 1984 American League Championship Series because Kansas City was swept in three games by the eventual World Series champion Detroit Tigers team.{{cite web |title=1984 ALCS - Detroit Tigers over Kansas City Royals (3-0) |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1984_ALCS.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=September 9, 2022 |language=en}}

File:Balboni, Gubicza, and Reagan.jpg speaks during the Royals' 1985 White House visit]]

For his sophomore season in 1985, Gubicza joined a five-man rotation alongside Bud Black, Danny Jackson, Charlie Leibrandt, and Bret Saberhagen. The rotation posted a combined ERA below 3.00 through April and a combined 3.47 ERA by the end of the regular season, the sixth-best in the majors. Gubicza posted similar statistics to his previous season: a 4.06 ERA through {{frac|177|1|3}} innings worked. His win-loss record improved to 14–10 as the Royals were able to provide him with more run support at an average of 4.70 runs per start. Gubicza made his only career postseason appearances during the 1985 American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. In game one of the series, Gubicza entered the game as a relief pitcher in the fifth inning following a two-inning start by Leibrandt that resulted in five runs being surrendered. Gubicza worked three innings in relief, giving up no hits or runs while striking out two and walking one. In game six of the series, Gubicza was assigned his first postseason start while the Royals were down 3-2 and attempting a return from a 3–1 deficit. He lasted {{fraction|5|1|3}} innings, giving up three runs while accruing two strikeouts and walking three batters. The Royals won the game 5–3, setting them up for a winner-take-all matchup the following night that they would go on to win. While the Royals advanced to the 1985 World Series, Gubicza did not pitch as the team elected for a four-man rotation.{{cite web |title=1985 World Series |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1985_WS.shtml |website=Baseball Reference |access-date=7 April 2022}} Following the 1985 season, the Royals considered trading Gubicza to the San Francisco Giants for Chili Davis in order to bolster the team's offense. Kansas City's front office ultimately decided against it because San Francisco also wanted Darryl Motley and prospect Van Snider, a price that was seen as too high.{{cite news |last1=Ringolsby |first1=Tracy |title=Royals decide Giants want too much for Davis |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/679704690/ |work=Kansas City Times |date=13 December 1985 |access-date=17 March 2022 |pages=D1 and D3}}

In 1986, Gubicza was a member of a revised Royals rotation as former starter Bud Black was moved to the bullpen. Gubicza posted a 3.64 ERA across {{frac|180|1|3}} innings with a 12–6 record, finishing second behind Danny Jackson for the team lead in ERA. Gubicza pitched two shutouts in 1986, first against the Cleveland Indians on May 14 and later against the New York Yankees on August 17. Following the 1986 season, the Royals again considered trading Gubicza for Chili Davis. Gubicza was also named in talks for Seattle Mariners players Phil Bradley and Danny Tartabull, but he was not traded.{{cite news |title=Rumors will materialize or vanish at winter meetings |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/229210165/ |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=Orlando Sentinel |date=7 December 1986 |page=51}}

In 1987, Gubicza made a jump in his innings pitched, working {{frac|241|2|3}} innings. He posted a 3.98 ERA and a 13–18 record and led the Royals with 166 strikeouts. He struggled at the start of the season and moved to a career 0–7 record in the month of April.{{cite news |last1=Covitz |first1=Randy |title=White Sox's DeLeon silences Royals' bats |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/680255398/ |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=Kansas City Times |date=10 April 1987 |pages=D1 and D3}} Gubicza threw ten complete games and two shutouts, first on June 23 at Oakland and later on September 23 at Seattle.

In 35 starts in 1988, Gubicza set career bests in wins (20), shutouts (4), innings pitched ({{frac|269|2|3}}), strikeouts (183), and ERA (2.70); he also threw eight complete games and had an AL-best 0.4 home runs per nine innings (HR/9). He threw a shutout against the eventual AL pennant winners, the Oakland Athletics, on September 16. Gubicza finished third in voting for the 1988 American League Cy Young Award behind Frank Viola and Dennis Eckersley. He was selected to his first career All-Star Game.

Gubicza followed up his career-best season with another All-Star season in 1989. He posted a 15–11 record in 255 innings with a 3.04 ERA and a league-leading 36 starts. He threw a shutout against the New York Yankees on June 2.

Through 16 starts in 1990, Gubicza had a 4–7 record across 94 innings with a 4.50 ERA and 71 strikeouts. In July, Gubicza and a team doctor decided that arthroscopic surgery was necessary for his injured right arm, effectively ending his season because the recovery timeframe was four to six months. The pain in his right arm began with a strain in his rotator cuff at the end of the 1989 season. The team originally thought his arm had healed over the offseason, so he pitched with the lingering injury from April to late June 1990. Gubicza underwent the arm surgery, the first of his career, on August 2.{{cite news |last1=Flanagan |first1=Jeffrey |title=Gubicza finished for season; surgery scheduled Thursday. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/681494456/ |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=The Kansas City Star |date=28 July 1990 |page=7}}

File:Mark Gubicza 1991.jpg

Gubicza was not ready to return to the mound until May 14, 1991, when he made his season debut in Toronto. In his first game since the surgery, he went five innings and surrendered three runs with eight strikeouts and one walk. Gubicza struggled throughout the 1991 season, including a June 26 game against the California Angels where he surrendered six runs and only lasted {{frac|2|3}} of an inning. Through his first 10 games, Gubicza had a 5.98 ERA and a 4–5 record. By the end of the season, Gubicza accrued a 9–12 record across 133 innings with a 5.68 ERA and 89 strikeouts.

In 1992, Gubicza posted an improved 3.72 ERA across {{frac|111|1|3}} innings through July. On July 10, Gubicza left a game against the Milwaukee Brewers after one inning because of stiffness in his right forearm. The Royals did not initially consider the discomfort to be a serious issue, but he was ultimately placed on the disabled list on July 15 because an examination found he had an inflamed synovial bursa.{{cite news |last1=Kaegal |first1=Dick |title=Injuries plague Royals |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/682309554/ |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=The Kansas City Star |date=11 July 1992 |page=41}}{{cite news |last1=Flanagan |first1=Jeffrey |title=Gubicza's injury still apparent |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/682368542/ |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=The Kansas City Star |date=23 July 1992 |page=92}} Gubicza began a 40-pitch rehab program on July 22, but he failed to complete it as the soreness in his arm lingered. He suffered another setback in his recovery in August, and speculation began to mount that his injury would be season-ending.{{cite news |last1=Etkin |first1=Jack |title=Gubicza can't shake off pesky shoulder injury |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/682358360/ |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=The Kansas City Star |date=15 August 1992 |page=46}} Dr. Lewis Yocum examined Gubicza's arm on August 24 and found that his bursa had healed but he still had weakness in his rotator cuff, keeping him off the mound for another month, therefore ending his season.{{cite news |title=Gubicza update |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/682336212/ |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=The Kansas City Star |date=26 August 1992 |page=35}}

In 1993, Gubicza started in six of the first seven turns of the rotation but was moved to the bullpen after struggling, including a {{frac|1|2|3}}-inning, 7-run start against the Boston Red Sox on April 8. Through his first seven appearances, he had a 6.55 ERA and an 0–4 record. During his time as a reliever, Gubicza lowered his season ERA to 4.66 while collecting two saves and eight holds across 43 appearances.

In 1994, Gubicza returned to the starting rotation. In the strike-shortened season, he posted a 7–9 record across 130 innings with a 4.50 ERA and 59 strikeouts.

In 1995, Gubicza's numbers improved. In {{frac|213|1|3}} innings pitched, he put up a 12–14 record with a 3.75 ERA and 81 strikeouts. He led the major leagues in games started with 33.

The 1996 season was Gubicza's final year with the Royals. Through July, Gubicza had pitched {{frac|119|1|3}} innings with a 4–12 record, 5.13 ERA, and 55 strikeouts. On July 5, in a start against the Minnesota Twins at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Gubicza had to leave the game in the second inning after a batted ball hit by Paul Molitor broke his tibia. The Twins team doctor fitted Gubicza with a cast that day, signaling that he would be out for at least eight weeks.{{cite news |last1=Neal III |first1=LaVelle E. |title=Gubicza's latest bad break may put him out for year |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/684554241/ |access-date=18 March 2022 |work=The Kansas City Star |date=6 July 1996 |page=40}} Gubicza did not pitch again that season. In his 13 seasons with Kansas City, he finished with a 132–135 record, a 3.91 ERA, 327 games started, 42 complete games, 16 shutouts, {{frac|2218|2|3}} innings pitched, 1366 strikeouts, a 110 ERA+, a 3.67 FIP, and 9.6 SO/9.

On October 28, 1996, the Royals traded Gubicza and prospect Mike Bovee to the Anaheim Angels in exchange for designated hitter Chili Davis, the same player who had been brought up in trade talks involving Gubicza in 1985 and 1986. The Angels made the trade to open the designated hitter spot for one of the team's four outfielders — Tim Salmon, Garret Anderson, Jim Edmonds, and Darin Erstad. Gubicza was brought on to an Angels pitching staff that had combined for a 5.29 ERA in the previous season, the second-worst in the league.{{cite news |last1=Bui |first1=Albert |title=Angels trade Davis |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/95387108/ |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=The San Bernardino Sun |date=29 October 1996 |page=21}}

Gubicza only pitched {{frac|4|2|3}} innings across two starts that for the Angels, and he gave up 13 earned runs for an ERA of 25.07. In his first start since breaking his leg nine months earlier, he gave up only a solo home run through the first three innings against the Cleveland Indians, but he gave up seven runs in the fourth inning as the Indians batted around.{{cite news |title=Angel Report |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/155495231/ |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=7 April 1997 |page=31}} On April 11, again pitching against the Indians, Gubicza gave up six runs in the second inning.{{cite news |last1=DiGiovanna |first1=Mike |title=Gubicza, Pitching Staff Are Not Getting Better |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/156710065/ |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=12 April 1997 |page=39}} Following his second start, Gubicza was sent back to Anaheim to receive an MRI on his shoulder. The results were normal but he received a cortisone injection and went on the disabled list.{{cite news |last1=Bloom |first1=Earl |title=Gubicza gets good news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/95990435/ |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=The San Bernardino Sun |date=14 April 1997 |page=26}} It was later revealed that Gubicza needed arthroscopic surgery for the second time in his career and he missed the remainder of the 1997 season as a result. He was not activated from the disabled list until October.{{cite news |title=Angels activate Gubicza, Velarde |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/333263134/ |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=The Santa Clarita Valley Signal |date=10 October 1997 |page=22}}

Following the 1997 season, the Angels re-signed Gubicza to a minor league contract but released him shortly thereafter. He signed a minor-league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers in January 1998 but announced his retirement the following month, citing his injuries.{{cite news |title=Dodgers' Gubicza Retires |url=https://apnews.com/article/64ad80cc3e3fce4a7f56b0386c1a1f40 |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=Associated Press |date=13 February 1998}}

Gubicza's early pitching was heavily influenced by his father, who had more time to coach his son due to an injury that prematurely ended his minor league baseball career. By the time he was in high school, Gubicza had learned to pitch with the "drop-and-drive" form, a pitching mechanic where the pitcher bends their non-dominant leg to add momentum to their throw. His usage of the mechanic was specifically based on Tom Seaver, a famous user of the drop-and-drive. This pitching mechanic helped Gubicza to reach {{convert|92|mph}} on his fastball and {{convert|82|mph}} on his curveball in high school.

While in the Royals minor league system, pitching instructor Gary Blaylock introduced the slider and sinker pitches into Gubicza's repertoire. Despite having a varied pitch mix, he was best known for his hard-thrown fastballs. In 1988, with the help of pitching coach Frank Funk, Gubicza loosened up his delivery, a change that delivered improved results. Following his arthroscopic surgery in 1990, Gubicza decreased the usage of his fastball and favored breaking balls in order to manage pain in his throwing arm.

In 2000, Gubicza took a job as an analyst for the Fox Sports Net shows titled National Sports Report and Baseball Today. He was also offered a job to be on ESPN's Baseball Tonight, but declined because the show's studio in Bristol, Connecticut, was too far from home.{{cite news |last1=Hoffarth |first1=Tom |title=Full-service Olbermann |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/281995275/ |access-date=18 March 2022 |work=Los Angeles Daily News |date=21 July 2000}}

File:Gubicza 2022.jpg

Gubicza has worked for Bally Sports West, formerly known as Fox Sports West, since the mid-2000s. He has primarily served as a color commentator for Angels broadcasts, occasionally providing pre-game and post-game analysis on Angels Live and formerly for Dodgers Live. In 2007, he was paired with José Mota on 50 Angels telecasts on Fox Sports West/Prime Ticket and KCOP.{{cite web |title=Angels and FSN West add telecast team |url=http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20070214&content_id=1801936&vkey=pr_ana&fext=.jsp&c_id=ana |website=MLB.com |publisher=MLB Advanced Media |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303214427/http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20070214&content_id=1801936&vkey=pr_ana&fext=.jsp&c_id=ana |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |date=February 14, 2007}} He also co-hosted Angels in the Infield with Bill Macdonald. The Angels announced in 2008 that he would work roughly 75 games on television during that season. Gubizca was slated to work with Rory Markas on Angels broadcasts in 2010 before Markas's sudden death on January 4, 2010. On March 3, 2010, Victor Rojas was named as Markas's replacement, a broadcast partner Gubicza remained with until 2020. In 2021, Gubicza became a permanent fixture of an otherwise rotating broadcast booth that featured Matt Vasgersian as the primary play-by-play announcer with Daron Sutton (and later Rich Waltz) filling in when Vasgersian had to call games for ESPN or MLB Network.{{cite news |last1=Bollinger |first1=Rhett |title=Vasgersian to lead Angels' 3-man booth |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/matt-vasgersian-hired-as-angels-play-by-play-announcer |access-date=18 March 2022 |work=MLB.com |publisher=MLB Advanced Media |date=11 March 2021}} In 2022, Vasgersian remained on the network's primary broadcast team alongside Gubicza and became more available due to his departure from ESPN.{{cite magazine |last1=Jackson |first1=Walton |title=Report: ESPN's Matt Vasgersian Leaving 'Sunday Night Baseball' |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/10/06/espn-matt-vasgersian-leaving-sunday-night-baseball |access-date=18 March 2022 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=6 October 2021}} In 2023, Wayne Randazzo joined the Angels booth as the new primary play-by-play announcer, working alongside Gubicza.{{cite news |last1=Bollinger |first1=Rhett |title=Angels tab Randazzo as new play-by-play announcer |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/angels-hire-wayne-randazzo |access-date=August 11, 2024 |work=MLB.com |publisher=MLB Advanced Media |date=January 4, 2023}}

Gubicza hosts a weekly segment called "Gubie Tuesdays" that is shown during games between a commercial break and the return to action on the field. In the segment, Gubicza interviews various Angels players with open-ended questions about baseball or other lighthearted subjects.{{cite news |last1=Moura |first1=Pedro |title=The power's back on |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/313117900/ |access-date=5 September 2022 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=28 June 2017 |page=D1}}{{cite web |title=Gubie Tuesdays: Comfort Food |url=https://www.foxsports.com/watch/456615491935 |website=Fox Sports |access-date=18 March 2022}}{{cite web |title=Gubie Tuesdays: What's your favorite TV show? |url=https://www.foxsports.com/watch/1318309443709 |website=Fox Sports |access-date=18 March 2022}}

Gubicza became known as a fastball pitcher in part due to his 6 ft 6 in, 215 lb (1.98 m, 97 kg) frame that helped him to develop a velocity above {{convert|90|mph}} as early as high school. Gubicza was also noted for his work ethic on the mound, with Royals general manager John Schuerholz describing him as having a "bulldog mentality." At the time of his retirement, Gubicza had the most strikeouts in Royals history with 1,366, since surpassed by Kevin Appier with 1,458. He also finished his Royals tenure third all-time in wins with 132 and second in pitching wins above replacement with 38.0.{{cite web |title=Kansas City Royals Top 10 Career Pitching Leaders |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/leaders_pitch.shtml |website=Baseball Reference |access-date=7 April 2022}}

On July 21, 2006, Gubicza was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony at Kauffman Stadium.{{cite news |title=Welcome Back Goobie! |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/820308248/ |access-date=7 April 2022 |work=The Kansas City Star |date=21 July 2006}} Gubicza called his induction a "tremendous honor" and former teammates John Wathan and Jeff Montgomery spoke about his career at the ceremony.{{cite news |last1=Boyce |first1=David |title=Gubicza's Sweet Emotion |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/820309928/ |access-date=7 April 2022 |work=The Kansas City Star |date=22 July 2006}}

Gubicza was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame on January 31, 2010.{{cite news |last1=Bolen |first1=Erin |title=Latest class enters Missouri Hall |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/203099130 |access-date=7 April 2022 |work=Springfield News-Leader |pages=1B and 2B |date=1 February 2010}} He was inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame on June 16, 2022.{{cite news |last1=Jansen |first1=David |title=Dantonio, Ogonowski, Gubicza and Danowski to be inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame |url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/DANTONIO_OGONOWSKI_GUBICZA_AND_DANOWSKI_to_be_inducted_into_the_NATIONAL_POLISH_AMERICAN_SPORTS_HALL_OF_FAME/prweb18585076.htm |access-date=22 August 2022 |work=Cision PRWeb |date=30 March 2022}}

Gubicza met his wife, Lisa, at the wedding of Royals teammate Bret Saberhagen. While playing for the Royals, he resided for many years in the Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Following his playing career, the Royals offered Gubicza a job as a roving minor-league pitching instructor, but he declined. He spent several years coaching Little League and 14-U travel teams in the San Fernando Valley area. In August 2002, Gubicza was named the head baseball coach at Chaminade High School in West Hills, California, where he remained until 2007.{{cite news |last1=Bonsignore |first1=Vincent |title=Chaminade chooses Gubicza as coach |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/282217732/ |access-date=18 March 2022 |work=Los Angeles Daily News |date=2 August 2002}} Gubicza coached eventual MLB outfielder Kevin Pillar.{{cite news|title=Ex-pitchers now manage high school teams|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2019670|access-date=October 9, 2015|agency=ESPN|date=March 23, 2005}} Gubicza's son, Chad, attended Chaminade.{{cite news|title=Here's a stunner: Suppan is headed to Chaminade|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/varsitytimesinsider/2010/08/heres-a-stunner-suppan-is-headed-to-chaminade.html|access-date=October 9, 2015|agency=Los Angeles Times|date=August 9, 2010}} Chaminade would sometimes play nearby Calabasas High School, a team that was coached by Gubicza's former Kansas City teammate Bret Saberhagen.{{cite news |title=Royal reunion |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/192901210/ |access-date=18 March 2022 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=26 March 2005 |page=63}}

Because of his roots in Philadelphia, Gubicza is a fan of the various sports teams of the city. He has attended Philadelphia Eagles games with Angels outfielder Mike Trout, a native of Millville, New Jersey, who also roots for Philadelphia's teams.{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Scott |title=Mike Trout built for Anaheim, but he's still Philly's guy |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2841903-mike-trout-is-built-for-anaheim-but-he-is-still-phillys-guy |access-date=18 March 2022 |work=Bleacher Report |date=25 June 2019}}

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• [http://www.royalsreview.com/story/2006/1/28/153416/457 Honoring Mark Gubicza at Royals Review]

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