I had just watched the Jays lose to (what I thought at the time) were the lowly Minnesota Twins, 6-5, in another one-run-loss-bullpen-collapse that typified the first part of the 2015 season. After a Josh Donaldson home run to give the Jays a one-run lead in the 7th, Jose Reyes made a costly throwing error that allowed the Twins to score 2 runs and win the game. The team's record was now 23-29. The Jays had already lost 3-2 the day before to the Twins and now had to go play (what I thought at the time) the powerhouse Washington Nationals on the road.
In my mind, it was the beginning of the end to another baseball season. There would be no meaningful September baseball for me. Again. Like every other year.
That Sunday afternoon, May 31, something slipped in my brain. It's as close to "snapping" as a sports fan can get. I disgustedly flicked off the TV, fired up my computer, and spent hours writing a massive Facebook post that systematically, ruthlessly, and statistically tore apart each iteration of the Toronto Blue Jays from 1998-2015. I poured my unfiltered rage into demonstrating - without question and without counter - why the Blue Jays have been and were forever damned to the unbreakable bonds of mediocrity.
As a superfan from 1998 onward, having watched parts or all of nearly every game during this odyssey (while at the same time never gravitating to serious fandom for another sports team), I couldn't take it anymore. The 6-5 loss dredged up feelings of isolation and self-pity relating to my dedicated slogging through the all of the lean years where playoff baseball was a pipe dream.
Take 2005, when Roy Halladay - who was on his way to another Cy Young after winning it in 2003 - had his leg shattered in mid-season (July 8th to be exact) on a line drive by Kevin Mench. The team never recovered. They finished at 80-82, settling into their familiar comfort zone of absolute mediocrity.
Sitting in my chair writing about the Jays on May 31, I felt that few people really understood the depths of the tragedy that were the last 20 years. I felt like most people had long since abandoned the team, like the last citizen sadly walking away from the abandoned remains of a rural Newfoundland coastal community.
So, feeling frustrated and despondent, I summarized all of the key players who came and went for the Jays without a sniff of the playoffs during these lean years: from bright spots like Shannon Stewart, Shawn Green, Carlos Delgado, Chris Carpenter and Roy Halladay, to false hope disappointments like Vernon Wells, Alex Rios, Kelvim Escobar, Eric Hinske, Travis Snider and Ricky Romero.
This writing exercise was both cathartic and depressing. It's like punching a wall: it feels great when you're swinging, but terrible once you realize your knuckles are broken and there's a hole in the wall now. Neither action brings meaningful resolution.
Right before I hit send on my Facebook post, though, a small part of me said "just wait until the end of the season, then you can do this." Maybe it was because I didn't want to look like a raving madman on social media. Or maybe it was because as a multi-sport athlete, I've had to tell myself many times that you always have to battle until the end because you never truly know what can happen.
So I was going to let these guys play it out to the end of 2015, and then I was going to lay into the team with the fiery force of a thousand suns and download all of my pent-up misery at cheering for a useless and incapable sporting franchise who couldn't deliver an ounce of satisfaction to its fans.
Then something happened. A small current in a calm river. A pebble shifting before a landslide. On June 2, Max Scherzer, pitching for the Nationals, was busy tearing up the Blue Jays. The Nationals took a 3-1 lead into the 6th inning. But then Kevin Pillar - at times glorious, at times maddening Kevin Pillar - hammered his second home run of the game off Scherzer to give the Jays a 4-3 lead. It was a key Moment in a season of Moments, and a harbinger of things to come.
This post isn't going to talk about all the Moments. I'm not capable of writing them all out - there were so many. If you've read this far, you probably know all of them anyway. But even though I can't relive all the Moments, what I can and will do is pay tribute in the best way I know how to this 2015 Blue Jays team - a team that activated fandom in many, and inspired renewed hope in others like me.
The 2015 Postseason
I feel compelled to start the healing process by bandaging the freshest wound. Game 6 of the
ALCS was a heartbreaker, no doubt. At times, it was easy to seriously question whether
the stars remained aligned against this team that was fighting so hard to take
that next painful step toward the World Series. A fan interfered with a home
run, strike calls were made that were six inches off the plate, and the Jays
went 0-13 with runners in scoring position, including leaving a man at third with no
outs in the 9th. Even though the Jays had been playing in the “get
it done league” for quite a while, in Game 6 they were stuck in the “try
league.”
However,
if you really think about it, Game 6 was the consequential result of too many
small mistakes amounting to too large of a deficit to overcome. Game 4 aside, the
Jays certainly had their chances in every ALCS game to put their nose out in
front and stay there. It was clear the hitters pressed too hard at times,
possibly living through the emotions of a first playoff ride or trying to
macho-up and be the hero. It was also clear that the Royals hitters came with
an aggressive game plan against the Jays starters early in games and continuously
capitalized on that well-prepared strategy. So give them some credit, even if a few
of them, like Yordano Ventura, are sniveling crybabies.
And
who will ever forget the ALDS? Game 5 against the Rangers was the fan-making equivalent
of the 2012 Brut cologne commercial where the guy puts on a dab of the stuff
and his girlfriend walks back into the room suddenly 8 months pregnant and
exclaims, “what did you DO?!” Jose Bautista’s 100% epic and 100% justified bat
flip – which validated his entire career as a Blue Jay and officially knocked
down the Berlin Wall of unending mediocrity – was a Moment.
But
the ALDS was more than the sum of its Moments. The ALDS catalyzed the
long-dormant emotions, strange and wondrous, of a fan base who had sat
lobotomized for 22 years. It’s baseball’s version of waking up out of a coma.
During the lean years, people would complain about seasons being too long and
too much time between pitches. During the 2015 playoffs, people couldn’t wait
for the next game and the tension between pitches could be unbearable at times.
Unifying Effect of the 2015 Blue
Jays
Without
a doubt, the Jays contributed to Canadian patriotism in 2015 in a way that arguably has not been experienced since the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. For example,
all three candidates for Prime Minister attended games late in the season
(which, hilariously, the Jays all lost, prompting a joint commitment by the leaders
to avoid coming to any further games and may have been the only thing they all ever agreed on).
From
August to October, social media was on fire for the Jays. In fact, you could
barely surf the web without a new fan tribute video popping up in your
newsfeed. I personally couldn’t get enough. Sometimes I would replay them over and over;
not because they were necessarily that amazing, but because I didn’t want the
feeling of adopted and collective relevance to end. I guess the best way to put
it is that sharing the joy with others – whether long-time fans, causal fans, or
bandwagoners – multiplied my enjoyment and satisfaction of the Jays exponentially.
It
was amazing to see all the ways people shared this experience. Yes, the most
obvious place was at the ballpark. When I went to the Twins series at the beginning
of August, the fans were excited and optimistic about the trades the Jays had
made for Price and Tulo. In the course of a week, the average attendance on a
weekday had jumped from 24,000 to about 35,000 at that point.
When
I came back in late September with Dad for the essentially division-clinching
against the Yankees (yes, both Navarro’s tying home run in Game 2 and Martin’s go-ahead
home run in Game 3 of that series were both unforgettable Moments) the Rogers Centre had
undergone another metamorphosis: from an optimistic, hopeful, early August crowd
to a full-blown, frenzied, celebratory crowd of 50,000 hearts quickly beating as one.
And I’m pretty sure all home games in September and October were the same way.
That
being said, perhaps the most telling unifying effect was the series of
interactions outside the ballpark. Before August, the Blue Jays were a complete
afterthought in Canada, even in Toronto. But the something happened again. People cared.
And they talked. In airports, coffee shops, restaurants. At work. In schools.
Everywhere I went with my (fading) Jays hat, people would ask me about the team
or cheer me on with enthusiasm. I didn’t have to be the one to initiate talk about the Jays,
which had never been the case during the lean years.
As
a result, there’s no question in my mind that the surging collective spirit of
the nation measurably increased the enjoyment that I experienced (and I'm sure that
other Jays fans experienced) throughout this season as well. So thank you to everyone
who participated in this ride.
Edwin’s Moment
Besides
the Moments I have already talked about above, I didn’t want to miss the
opportunity to pick out Edwin's Moment of the year.
For
me, the best regular season Moment was Edwin’s three homer and 9 RBI day on
August 30. To see the field showered with hats for some reason struck an
emotional chord with me. I think it sent an authentic signal to the Jays
players that Canadians were truly behind them - fully committed - by bridging the
gap from a Canadian hockey tradition to the baseball diamond. I also think Edwin – once he
understood what it meant – was deeply touched by the fan reaction. You don’t
see those touchpoints of genuine connection between players and fans often, so
they should be appreciated as much as possible. And I don’t think meaningful experiences
like that will happen very often.
Honestly,
as soon as that game was over, I was so inspired and convinced of the
likelihood of playoffs – Jays playoffs, what?! – I immediately got on the
computer and bought tickets for the Yankees series in late September. Then I
called around to see who would go with me, and I was able to share it with Dad
(and friends) for his birthday. It was very special.
The Unsung Heroes of 2015
We
all know what Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson, Edwin Encarnacion, Russ Martin,
and David Price did for this team. However, it would be a shame to overlook
some of the stories behind the players who really brought the alloys of this team together and forged them into a playoff team.
Kevin Pillar
went through a rite of passage this year. His gravity-defying catch over the
left field wall in April was right up there with the best plays I have ever
seen. He went on to make a countless number of spectacular catches during the
regular season and the playoffs. What people will forget is that he came into
the season as the fourth outfielder; an unknown quantity and an afterthought.
It was only due to Dalton Pompey’s struggles that he even had a chance to
blossom. And not only will he likely win the Gold Glove, but he improved over
his atrocious results at the plate in 2014. Along the way, he also showed
himself to be a loquacious and insightful spokesperson to the media.
Roberto Osuna
is 20 years old. 20. Years. Old. The youngest player in the entire Major Leagues this year. He made the team out of Spring Training as the final bullpen
piece; he was supposed to help fellow 20-year old Miguel Castro manage the
pressures of the closing job. Well, after Castro promptly demonstrated a
penchant for completely melting down late in games notwithstanding a 100mph
fastball, Osuna quietly but capably filled the gap. Going from 6th
inning low leverage situations to intense 9th inning pressure
cookers, Osuna calmly managed situations with the poise of a seasoned veteran.
Never complaining, never making excuses, Osuna showed nothing but true professional
character, icy veins, and humble respect for others. Whether he starts or
closes for the Jays, he will be a special piece for years to come.
As
amazing as Osuna was this year, the incredible comeback of Marcus Stroman is the most inspiring player story of 2015. After tearing his
ACL of his landing leg, he was supposed to be done for the year. He promised he
wasn’t, and delivered on that promise. Simply incredible. His subsequent
domination was equally incredible. His immediate positive effect on his
teammates was apparent. But the coming back bit is only a part of what makes
Stroman special: at 5”8, he was never expected to be able to pitch effectively
in the Major Leagues. I can identify with that. That’s why his hashtag #HDMH,
standing for Height Doesn’t Measure Heart, resonates with me. The makeup of an
athlete should never be measured in inches. Thank you for that reminder, Stro.
Ryan Goins
also had a transformative 2015. Goins was on the bench for the first part of
the year behind Devon Travis, and may well be again next year. Before making
adjustments to his batting stance, he was next to useless at the plate. But
while riding the pine, he rebuilt his swing and his approach. When Travis went
down for good with a collarbone injury, Goins seized the opportunity. His walk
rate and pitches-per-at-bat both soared, as did his hard contact ratios. He
showed that a willingness to make changes may not pay off short-term but may
help you succeed long-term. Combined with his consistently deft glovework, which
literally saved Game 5 of the ALDS along with other games along the way, Goins was another unlikely positive story
for the 2015 Jays. Plus, he scripted a fantastic story of redemption after missing the pop-up
in Game 2 of the ALCS and responding with a monster Game 3. That’s character.
Next
there was Aaron Sanchez. Sanchez
began the year as a starter for the Jays, where he looked to continue a
successful conversion into that role after dominantly closing games for the
Blue Jays in 2014. After struggling mightily in his first few starts of the
year, Sanchez started getting into a groove by locating his sinker much better
in his next few starts. Then, on June 14, Sanchez was suddenly placed on the
disabled list due to a lat strain. When he returned, he was initially disappointed
to find out that he would be returning to the bullpen. But he wouldn’t stay
disappointed for long, as he settled into the 8th inning behind
Osuna and rode out the rest of the season mowing down right-handed hitters with
a near-unhittable sinker. He continued this dominance into the playoffs and
gained invaluable experience for next year, when he will likely return to the
starting rotation.
Brett Cecil
also provided a comeback story of his own this year. After Miguel Castro melted
down by mid-April, Cecil was pegged to fill the gap. He failed miserably. He
was unable to locate his fastball early in counts, looking nervous while trying
to do so. He couldn’t throw his curveball for strikes either. His walk rate was
atrocious and he was getting hit hard. After getting banished to low-leverage
situations for May, Cecil turned a corner in June and would go on to set the
franchise record for consecutive scoreless innings. He became nearly
unhittable, and provided one of the most exciting Moments of the season when he
came in with the bases loaded against the Yankees in the 8th inning
of the first game of the season-defining September series and struck out the
side – capped off by a nasty curveball to Alex Rodriguez. Although he tore his
calf in the ALDS, Cecil’s contributions and tenacious bounce back to form shouldn’t
be forgotten.
And
finally, the unheralded Marco Estrada
– the most important unsung hero of them all this year. Anthopoulos traded Adam
Lind for Marco Estrada in November 2014, shortly after last season ended. At
the time, Lind had one year left on his contract. At the end of 2014, he had been vocally displeased,
along with others like Bautista and Casey Janssen, about the way the front
office had stood pat at the Trade Deadline. Regardless, Lind was a power
bat coming off a solid year. Meanwhile, we had no idea what we were getting
back in Estrada. He did not make the starting rotation out of spring training.
He was destined to be the forgotten long man in the bullpen.
But then he got his chance to start, and did he ever run with it. What
we ended up getting in Estrada was the golden thread of the Jays success this
year. Yes, he was that important. If you look at any point of the season – seriously, any point – you can
identify where Estrada made a positive impact on the team with his steady,
gutsy performances. Twice this year he almost threw the first Blue Jays no
hitter since Dave Stieb in 1990. Many more times he stopped a losing streak,
kept a winning streak going, or delivered a quality start when the team needed
it. And throughout, he maintained a consistent attitude that all he wanted to
do was be a team player and help the Jays win in whatever way he could. Then,
he single-handedly staved off playoff elimination twice, first in Game 3 of the ALDS
and then in Game 5 of the ALCS when he delivered the franchise’s best
postseason pitching performance of all time.
Moving Forward
It
will be hard to top the unbelievable gift we received as fans during 2015. The
front office has its work cut out to blueprint an effective starting rotation.
The Jays are losing David Price, Mark Buerhle, and Marco Estrada to free
agency. Dickey, who will be 41 next year, has a club option for one more year.
Even if Sanchez and Osuna both move into the starting rotation, gaps remain. Nobody
knows what will happen to the shambling husk of Drew Hutchison, whose psyche no
doubt suffered death by a thousand cuts this season. There are no certainties
there. So, the Jays need to find reinforcements for the rotation via trade or free agency.
The
Jays will also be looking for bounce back years from Michael Saunders (injury) and
Dalton Pompey (overall struggles), which could very well lead to an overcrowded outfield. I would
not be surprised if outfielders were traded for pitching in the offseason,
dealing from an area of strength.
Then there is the uncomfortable reality of dealing with the future of the franchise cornerstones. Although
Donaldson and Tulo both have multiple years of control remaining (Donaldson
much more cheaply, as he is still arbitration-eligible), both Bautista and Encarnacion will be entering their last
contract year before free agency. The team will have to consider some tough
questions about where to allocate the dollars, as keeping both is highly
unlikely. Joey Bats is 34; EE is 32. Do you choose relative youth over what Bats
has done this postseason? Their track records will be hard to decide between.
But this remains a good problem to have, and regardless, we’re set up well for
2016.
Finally,
I want to personally thank everyone who helped me cheer for the Blue Jays in
2015: my family, friends, co-workers, colleagues, clients, and complete strangers.
It’s been awesome to feel supported and validated, and not feel ashamed to call
myself a Jays fan or post “BUSH PARTY!” all over the place on social media. It’s
been undoubtedly stressful yet immensely rewarding to invest myself emotionally
into a sporting revival across the country that may never truly re-occur, as I
hope against hope that we never have to suffer such a long drought again.
And,
you know, I’m definitely glad I didn’t post anything on May 31. It was well worth
the wait.
