What better time than the midpoint between series with Boston and New York to take a BB poll on the Jays' opponents we've always loved to hate?
Reggie Jackson once said, "Fans don't boo nobodies." So all of these players have added value to their clubs against the Jays in some way. But I'm not looking for the players that generated respect and fear (Eddie Murray, George Brett, Lenny Dykstra in the '93 Series) with their awesome performances against the Jays. Instead, I'm going for the guys that annoyed Jays fans to a point of inspiring a near-irrational hatred of them. What follows is my personal lineup, in the style of Rob Neyer's book. Please feel free to add your own.
DH Jose Canseco
I suppose he annoyed all teams in his prime. But he brought a real swagger to the Dome during the glory years of the Alderson A's. Honourable mention: Mickey Tettleton.
C Tony Pena
I loathed his roll-the-ball-to-the-mound-and-sprint-to-the-dugout-before-the-ump-calls-strike-three trick. Honourable mentions: Jim Sundberg, Rick Dempsey, Brian Harper (who always killed the Jays).
1B Steve Balboni
There was nothing pleasant about watching a Balboni plate appearance. Honourable mention: Carlos Quintana.
2B Jody Reed
The prototypical "scrappy" player who always seemed to hurt the Jays.
SS Robin Yount
Also qualifies at centre. I hated seeing the Jays play in County Stadium, because the Brewers would rake Toronto pitching year after year, in good times and bad, in sickness and health. Yount would always hit those line drives that just eluded the infield, and would make needless diving catches. Annoying.
3B Bill Madlock
A no-brainer. That barrel-roll slide still makes me mad. Distant honourable mention: Carney Lansford.
LF Rickey Henderson
It's hard getting Toronto fans to boo specific opponents, so Rickey's got to be here. I was more awed than annoyed, though, when he took over the 1989 ALCS like few players have ever dominated a series. His dropped fly ball in Game 6 in '92 was an all-time Jays Schadenfreude moment. Honourable mentions: Deion Sanders, Mike Greenwell, Phil Bradley.
CF Lance Johnson
That home run in 1993 (after zero in a homer-happy year) was just egregious. Another scrappy player the Jays couldn't contain. Honourable mention: Dave Henderson.
RF Raul Mondesi
Another fairly easy choice. So many intermingling negative feelings. Honourable mention: Kirk Gibson.
RSP Bret Saberhagen
He was amazing in '85, but he didn't have to be so smug about it. Honourable mention: Scott Erickson.
LSP David Wells
No, Boomer. You suck. It's an all-time Jays Schadenfreude moment every time Toronto beats him, but my favourite was the debacle with the White Sox in '01 when in the midst of getting shelled, he flipped the ball to the first-base ump after only the second out of an inning. The umpire ducked out of the way, the ball rolled down the line, and Mondesi circled the bases.
Setup Carl Willis
OK, if he wasn't cheating, why did he maniacally go to his neck and throat before every pitch with insane movement in '91? Honourable mention: Rick Honeycutt.
Closer Dennis Eckersley
The all-time Jays Schadenfreude moment, of course: Alomar going deep in the 9th after Eck's fist-pumping and shouting routine after fanning Sprague in the 8th. Distant honourable mention: Tippy Martinez.
I now open the floor.
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